Bamberg-Ehrhardt beats Lamar 35-21 to win Class A state championship
Red Raiders dominate second half to win first titlp since 1990
Orangeburg – When Lamar High School punched the football into the end zone on the final play of the first half, that made the score 14-13 in favor of Bamberg-Ehrhardt in the Class A state championship game on Friday. Never mind that the Silver Foxes failed to convert the extra point attempt, a back-and-forth affair appeared likely in the second half.
The Red Raiders had other ideas.
They scored on their first two possessions of the second half and didn’t let LHS score until late in the fourth quarter on the way to a 35-13 victory on Willie Jeffries Field at South Carolina State’s Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
B-E completes the season with a perfect 15-0 record in winning its first state championship since 1990.
“This is big for our town, our town deserves this,” said Bamberg-Ehrhardt head coach Corey Crosby. “We’ve been close. We went there a couple of years with my brother (Kevin Crosby as head coach in 2010 and 2014) and with Coach (Robert) Williams (in 2021), but we haven’t been able to win it. Our town deserves this. This town deserves this state championship.”
The Raiders quickly asserted themselves in the second. They started at their 43-yard line following the second half kickoff and junior quarterback Brian McMillan connected with wide receiver Charles A. Williams for an 18-yard gain to the Lamar 39 on the first play. On third down and seven yards to go, McMillan connected with wide receiver Jason Youmans for a 16-yard gain to the 20.
McMillan took off on a 20-yard scoring run on the next play. Plaeckicker Charles Breland added the extra point to make it 21-13 with 19:49 still remaining in the third quarter.
B-E forced the Foxes to punt after three downs and took over at its 46. Bamberg-Ehrhardt drove 54 yards in six plays, taking over 3 ½ minutes off the clock. The drive ended with McMillan again scoring, this time from 13 yards out, to make it 28-13 with 6:12 left.
Bamberg-Ehrhardt’s final touchdown came after LHS had to punt from its 11 and Williams returned it 15 yards to the 27. On the next play McMillan went up top to Williams for the touchdown to make it 35-13 with 7:22 to go in the fourth quarter.
Lamar finally got back on the scoreboard with 3:17 remaining in the contest. Senior quarterback Zori Pierce threw a 15-yard TD pass to senior wide reeiver Julian “JuJu” Morris. Pierce then ran for the 2-point conversion for the 35-21 final.
The Silver Foxes received the opening kickoff an marched straight down the field. They covered 80 yards in 12 plays, taking 5 minutes, 15 seconds, off of the clock. Pierce ended the drive with a 2-yard scoring run and senior placekicker Isaiah Chacon added the extra point with 5:45 left in the first quarter.
LHS was winning the field position battle, having the Raiders start from their 9 following a punt late in the opening stanza. After getting a first down. they went for bear to start the second quarter.
McMillan connected with wide receiver Rakeem Walker for a 79-yard touchdown pass. Breland added the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 11:49 to go in the first half.
