Six straight! Nation Ford football rallies in second half to beat Fort Mill — again.
Nation Ford football coach Michael Allen told his team after its season-opening win over Fort Mill that his favorite number is six.
That’s how many consecutive wins the Falcons now have over the Yellow Jackets after Nation Ford’s 45-20 win Friday night.
“We’ve won six in a row now. It takes a lot to beat your rival six times in a row,” Allen said. “They had their six in a row at some point during this (rivalry), as well. Number six, right now, is the number.”
Nation Ford scored 24 unanswered points in the second half of the Falcons’ latest win over Fort Mill. Nation Ford rode halftime adjustments and got back to the team motto of “energy” in the Milltown Showdown rivalry game.
“They just fought through all that adversity, and they continued to play,” Allen said of his team’s rebound from first-half penalty struggles and sluggishness. “We made some adjustments at the half — our coaching staff did — and we began to move the football, put the ball in the end zone, and get some stops.”
Nation Ford (1-0, 1-0 Region 3-5A) scored first, four minutes into the game, with a safety two plays after downing a punt on the Fort Mill four-yard line. The next two Falcon drives ended with touchdowns. Quarterback Carson Black’s pass to Callan Sobas from eight yards out preceded a 28-yard touchdown on a pass from Black to Jerrick Foster. The Falcons led 15-0.
Fort Mill (0-1, 0-1) drew within a possession early in the second quarter, but the Yellow Jackets intercepted the ball and scored. Quadier Hand hauled in a 50-yard touchdown toss down the left side, to take a 21-7 lead. Kyle Neibch’s 15-yard throw to Gabe Tooper with just under 10 seconds to play in the first half capped a 14-play, 91-yard drive and cut Nation Ford’s lead to 21-14.
Black and Foster hooked up again for a 34-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 27-14. The Falcons forced a Yellow Jacket punt on the ensuing drive and quickly cashed that in, with a 17-yard Dylen Fordham run finishing off a six-play trek that made it 35-17. Steven McFadden also scored to make put the Nation Ford up by four scores.
Fort Mill’s Will Alvarado ran 25-yards for a touchdown on the Yellow Jackets’ final possession.
Quarterback Carson Black gets first start for Falcons
Black, Nation Ford’s sophomore quarterback, took his first snaps for the Falcons after transferring from Sun Valley in Monroe, N.C., where he started last season. Black connected on 24-of-32 throws for 343 yards and found the end zone three times. Two of those throws were to Jerrick Foster, who caught six throws for 85 yards.
“I thought it was awesome,” coach Allen said of Black. “I think he’s got a very high ceiling. He’s very young, but he’s got a very strong arm, and he made some good decisions out there. I’m very pleased with his effort tonight.”
Ty Keaton and Hand combined for nearly 170 receiving yards on nine catches.
Neibch, also in his first start for Nation Ford, turned in a 21-for-34 effort for 175 yards. The Fort Mill signal-caller authored a touchdown drive, as well.
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 11:44 PM.