York rides second quarter eruption into the second round of the 4A playoffs

The York Cougars scored three times in the last 1:41 of the first half, including two touchdowns in the final 4.9 seconds and cruised from there to a 49-24 home victory over the Orangeburg-Wilkinson Bruins Thursday night in the first round of the 4A playoffs.

“Just proud of these boys,” York coach Bobby Carroll said. “They were 0-3 at one time, man. Contrary to popular belief, football is still a chemistry game, and you’ve got to have a bond among the players. But they got it back.”

It was the first time York had played in 10 days since the South Pointe game on a Monday night and the two coaches decided to move it up a night.

“We didn’t move this game because of rain,” Carroll wanted to point out. “We’d been practicing since South Pointe and wanted to go ahead and play and Coach Crosby (O-W) agreed.”

TURNING POINT

York led 14-3 when the Bruins came up with a fourth-down end zone interception with 3:19 left in the first half. But Max Necklin returned the favor on the next play with his own interception for the Cougars. He returned the pick 39 yards to the six and York ended up with a Beck Johnston crossbar-scraping 22-yard field goal. The Cougar defense would force a punt, and Tanner McKinney hit Jorden Evans with a perfect 15-yard pass in the corner of the end zone to make it 23-3 with 4.9 seconds left. The Bruins would let the ensuing kickoff hit the turf and York recovered with 0.7 ticks remaining. McKinney then hit a wide open Ethan Mitchell streaking down the middle of the field for the stunning 24-yard score with no time on the clock. The Cougars led 29-3 at the half.

CRITICAL

That final first-half flurry was important because York already had three red zone trips come up empty or they would have had an even bigger lead. As it was, those three quick scores squelched any hope the Bruins had left. Necklin’s interception and return set it all in motion.

STAR CONTRIBUTORS

Stephen Oglesby had 130 yards rushing at halftime and finished with 144 on 17 carries and two first-half scores. Mitchell had two touchdown catches and Evans had seven grabs for 86 yards.

“Ethan can play anywhere on that field probably except offensive line,” Carroll said. “But if we asked him to, he’d do it.”

McKinney threw for three scores and 234 yards. Tre’Erion Thomas had 27 carries for 154 yards and a score for the Bruins. Nigel Shields hit a 30-yard field goal for the visitors as well.

ON DECK

York plays either Greer or Pickens next week. The Bruins finish the season at 4-6.

BOX SCORE

York 49, Orangeburg-Wilkinson 24

York -7-22-13-7 -- 49

OW-3-0-13-8 -- 24

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

YCHS - Stephen Oglesby 55 run (Beck Johnston kick) 6:51

OWHS - Nigel Shields 30 field goal 2:49

Second quarter

YCHS - Oglesby 41 run (Johnston kick) 7:56

YCHS - Johnston 22-yard field goal 1:41

YCHS - Jorden Evans 15 pass from Tanner McKinney (kick failed) 4.9

YCHS - Ethan Mitchell 24 pass from McKinney (kick failed) 0:00

Third quarter

OWHS - Tre-Erion Thomas 52 run (Shields kick) 10:33

YCHS - Frank Thompson 8 run (kick failed) 8:04

OWHS - 45 fumble return (kick blocked) 5:50

YCHS - Mitchell 10 pass from McKinney (Max Haynes kick) 27.1

Fourth quarter

YCHS - Jeremiah King 2 run (Haynes kick) 10:03

OWHS - Thomas Williams 6 pass from Jyrion George (Thomas run) 4:31

TEAM STATISTICS

York;OW

First downs;20;12

Rushes-yards;38-206;45-146

Passing;16-27-3-1;7-11-1-1

Passing yards;234;91

Fumbles-lost;2-2;3-2

Penalties-yards;3-25;1-5

Individual statistics

RUSHING York: Stephen Oglesby 17-144; Tanner McKinney 2-(-3); Ethan Mitchell 1-7; Frank Thompson 7-37; JQ Guinn 2-8; Jeremiah King 5-16; Dashawn Brown 1-2; Bo Roberts 1-(-2). OW: Tre’Erion Thomas 27-154.

PASSING York: McKinney 16-27-3-1, 234 yards. OW: George 7-11-1-1, 91 yards.

RECEIVING York: Jorden Evans 7-86; Oglesby 2-37; Mitchell 4-87; Thompson 1-1; Brown 1-23.

RECORDS York 6-4; Orangeburg-Wilkinson 4-6.

This story was originally published November 8, 2018 at 11:09 PM.