Sumter edges Rock Hill in defensive fight
The turf at District 3 Stadium on Friday night featured a clash of styles. Sumter likes to control the clock, while Rock Hill’s spread offense uses quick strikes downfield.
When the final horn sounded, the Gamecocks left the field with a 10-7 win.
Rock Hill remained in the game for its entirety, and seemed poised to take the lead on several occasions.
After a first half in which Sumter recorded just three possessions to Rock Hill’s four, Sumter held a slim 7-0 lead at the break. The game turned into much more of a back-and-forth affair in the second 24 minutes, however. The teams traded turnovers for much of the final two quarters, but the Bearcats could not convert any of those opportunities into points.
After a 31-yard Brixton Niebuhr field goal with 3:46 to play pushed the Gamecock lead to 10, the Bearcats capped a 69-yard, two-minute drive with a Dre Robinson one-yard dive to slice the lead to 10-7. Rock Hill was unable to recover the ensuing onside kick, leaving Sumter to force Rock Hill to burn their remaining two timeouts.
The Gamecocks recorded a first down, and kneeled out the remaining time shortly thereafter.
Turning point
Sumter’s touchdown drive in the second quarter told the story of the game’s tempo. The Gamecocks found pay dirt on a one-yard Quintein Anderson plunge, capping a methodical drive that took 8:23 off the clock. The Bearcats attempted to drive the length of the field with the few remaining seconds, but a 31-yard field goal attempt by Zhenya Deller sailed wide left as the horn sounded.
“That was our game plan coming in (running the ball), to be honest with you,” said Sumter coach Mark Barnes. “We’re going to win playing defense and running the football. We want to limit their snaps, obviously.”
“It was a big drive, you know, we go up 7-0, and I thought they (Rock Hill) were going to go down and get a field goal,” Barnes said.
“They outsized us up front. Their offensive line was way bigger than our defensive line. Our kids fought hard and hung in there,” said Pittman of his team’s effort. “They’re (Sumter) a power football team, and that showed.”
Critical
Bearcat quarterback Brandon Banks suffered a shoulder injury while trying to surge for a short first down. Banks’ shoulder was iced on the sideline before the halftime break, and he returned from the locker room with his arm in a sling. Junior Dre Robinson led the Bearcats the remainder of the way, completing 14-of-21 passes for 129 yards.
“Dre does a great job,” said Pittman. “He’s been sitting there getting ready, and we’ve got a lot of confidence in Dre.”
Pittman was unable to elaborate much further on Banks’ status after the game. “I think he’s got a bruised ligament or something up there (in the left, non-throwing shoulder). We’ll evaluate him in the morning and see where we are.”
Star contributions
Sumter running back Quintein Anderson shouldered the load for the Gamecocks, even lining up at the quarterback position in the Wildcat formation on a number of occasions. Anderson finished the game with 136 yards on 32 carries.
“He played great,” said Barnes of his star rusher. “He’s a guy who (we) lost the first game of the year (in 2014) against York with an ACL injury, and worked hard to get himself back. He’s cut a lot of weight and he’s got his legs back under him. He’d be the first guy to tell you that our offensive line did a good job, but I’m proud of him for fighting back.”
Overheard
Barnes expressed satisfaction with his team’s effort after the game, and particularly with the quality of win they secured.
“We beat a good football team tonight, and I’m proud of our players,” said Barnes. “That’s what we’ve been preaching to them that we want Sumter football to be: play great defense, be physical when we have the ball, be physical on both sides of the ball, be able to run the ball even when people know you’re going to run it. This team’s come a long ways in one year.”
This story was originally published September 18, 2015 at 10:58 PM with the headline "Sumter edges Rock Hill in defensive fight."