Christ Church outslugs Hampton County in 40-35 win
Christ Church head coach Quin Hatfield.
By Neill Kirkpatrick
Special to the HSSR
Greenville – Friday night’s contest at Carson Stadium between ranked HSSR team’s Christ Church (11th AAA) and Hampton County (8th AA) can only be classified as a heavyweight slugfest with both team’s landing and taking blows from the other with Cavaliers hanging on for a 40-35 victory.
The game saw over 900 yards offense and 11 touchdown’s with three rushers going over the 150-yard mark and a quarterback throwing for four touchdowns. Each defense also made big plays in a game that could be label as an “instant classic.”
Christ Church head coach Quin Hatfield said, “What a physical battle tonight. That is a heckava football team over there. I’m proud of how we fought and played physically all night but we have to get better. That is why we play good football teams before region play begins.”
“I’m proud of their fight. I told our guys that I would never question their heart. I’m frustrated because our word of the week was “discipline” and we weren’t disciplined from the start of the day and it cared over into the game. Christ Church is a good ball team and that is why we put them on the schedule to help us become a better football team,” said Hampton County head coach Rob Hanna.
Each team’s running game rushed for over 300 yards and that was made possible by the outstanding play of the offensive line’s. Leading the Hurricanes were Charles “CJ” Williams, Cleavon Maxwell, Hunter Lawson, Ty'Quavian Jones, and Jayden Frazier. They paved the way for 397 yards with Touchstone North/South All Star Jaylen Singletary leading the way with 187 yards and three scores and Tarell Grant had 158 and two scores.
The Cavaliers offensive line of Rody Barnett, Alex Drake, Brady Cisson, Vic Sandres, and Nehemiah Lomax were the reason that sophomore running back Michael Martin II had a career night as rushed for 252 yards and two touchdowns. They also did a good job in pass protection as Judd Windham went 13-16 for a 147 yards and four touchdowns.
“The offensive line did a tremendous job tonight of opening holes in the running game and we protected the quarterback,” said coach Hatfield.
The Hurricanes would draw first blood in the contest at the 7:33 mark when Singletary scored his first touchdown of the night from the two. The point after was no good so the Canes were up 6-0.
The Cav’s responded with a 6-play, 70-yard drive to take the lead at 7-6. The drive was started by the O-line and Martin with a 57-yard run down to the Cane’s 13. However, the key to the drive was a six-yard pick up by Windham on a fourth and five that gave the Cav’s a first down at the Cane’s two
After a penalty on the kick-off moved the Cane’s starting field position to their six-yard line. Singletary picked up a key first down on a third and 11, that moved the ball out to their 18. Desmond Mathis ripped off a 16-yard gain and Singletary followed that up with a 19-yard gain to move the ball to the Cav’s 46-yard line. Grant would finish the drive on the next play as he burst up the gut and went untouched for a 46-yard touchdown jaunt. Singletary added the two-point conversion to put the Canes back on top at 14-7.
The Cav’s then went 76 yards in 14-plays to tie the game at 14 when Martin II scored his second touchdown from the one. Again, the Cav’s drive was saved by a fourth down conversion inside the Cane’s ten. Facing a fourth and seven from the Cane’s 9, Windham delivered a pass to Hampton Shields who made a sliding catch at the one for a first down.
The Cav’s defense forced a punt on the Cane’s next possession. Starting from their 26, Martin II would get things started with a 52-yard run into the Cane’s territory. He would carry the rock four more times to move the ball to the Canes 9-yard line. Windham would toss his first touchdown of night when he hit all-state wide receiver Jude Hall for the first time with a nine-yard strike. The point after was no good but the Cav’s had their firs lead at 20-14 with 1:27 to in the half.
The Canes Mathis returned the kick-off 30 yards to the 37. A two-yard loss on first down moved the ball back to the 35. Grant would run the option to the right and saw a hole up the middle and ran by everyone for a 65-yard touchdown. Rafe Sullivan added the point after and the Cane’s were back on top 21-20 with 56 seconds to go in the half.
If the Cav’s were phased by the quick Cane’s score they didn’t show. They had no time outs when they started the drive on their 31. Martin II was stopped for no gain on first down. On the next play with the clock running, Windham took the snap and got a little pressure up the middle so he moved right. Running down the right side was HALL, who shot up his hand to say throw me the ball. Windham saw it and let the ball go down field. The Cane’s D’Ande Capers-Dobson was in perfect coverage but Hall went up over him to make a one-handed catch and trotted into the endzone with three second on the clock. The PAT was good and the Cav’s went to the half on top 27-21.
Coming out of the half the Cav’s Touchstone North/South All-Star Ant Atkins returned the 33 yards to give Cav’s a first down at their 38. Windham made his only mistake of the night as he was picked off by Dobson at the Cane’s 26.
The Cav’s defense forced the first three and out of the game on the Cane’s next possession.
Martin II would get the next drive started for the Cav’s. After losing a yard on first down, he would rip off his third 50+ yard run of the game as he went 58 yards to give the Cav’s a first down at the Cane’s 11. Two plays later Windham hit Atkins from 8-yards out. The PAT was blocked but the Cav’s lead was 12 at 33-21.
Disaster would strike again for the Cane’s as Atkins would pick off Grant and return the ball to the Cane’s 20. Atkins would finish the Cav’s next drive with a five-yard touchdown catch. It was his second of the game and Windham’s fourth. The lead was 40-21 with 3:54 left in the third quarter.
The Cane’s heart that coach Hanna talks about showed up and almost pulled off a comeback. The Cane’s started their next drive at their own 28. The proceeded to put together an 11 play, 72-yard drive to cut the lead to 40-28 when Singletary scored his second touchdown on a fourth down run. He had 48 yards on the drive.
The Cav’s tried to put the game away on their next drive as they used up over five minutes on the clock going 64 yards in 13 plays. But on fourth down inside the Cane’s ten Martin II was thrown from a two-yard loss on fourth down to turn the ball back over to the Canes.
Coach Hanna was proud of the stand his defense made while coach Hatfield was disappointed that his offense couldn’t put the game away.
The Cane’s would go into a hurry up offense and they moved the ball down the field. Grant and Mathis connected twice for 32 yards and Singletary carried the ball three times for 34 yards including the final 8 with 1:19 to go in the game. Sullivan added the PAT and suddenly the 19-point Cav’s lead was down to five at 40-35.
The Cav’s John Waldrop recovered the onside kick and they ran the clock for a hard-fought win.
The Cav’s moved to 4-1 and will host rival St. Joseph’s Catholic (3-2) in the region opener for both teams. St. Joe’s is coming off a 49-7 loss to Fountain Inn.
The Cane’s (3-3) will look to get in the win column as the host Edisto (4-2) in their region opener.
