Julie McCombs
Greer players catch up with a Belton-Honea Path runner.
Julie McCombs
"It's going to take me a long, long time."
Greer Head Coach Will Young on getting over Friday night's loss
Julie McCombs
Cole Henderson's (bowed head) season and career ended Friday night at Dooley Field.
Julie McCombs
Marion Waters and his wife brave the cold Friday night at the Greer vs. Belton-Honea Path playoff game at Dooley Field.
Perfection ended ugly Friday night.
Undaunted by Greer's spotless 11-0 record, Belton-Honea Path steamrolled into Dooley Field and exited with a 55-21 victory over the Yellow Jackets in the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs.
The Bears (9-3) capitalized on four second-half turnovers to extend a 24-14 halftime lead into a full-fledged, Greer-styled blowout.
But for the first this season time, the Yellow Jackets (11-1) were on the losing end.
"Obviously, we got outplayed a little bit tonight," Greer Head Coach Will Young said. "We didn't play our best football, and they may have played their best football.
"We turned the ball over too many times -- can't do that in the playoffs. We couldn't stop the run -- can't do that in the playoffs. It just wasn't a good performance."
The Bears put together a pair of nine-play touchdown drives in the first half behind the tough running of tailback Jawun Abney. Abney carried the ball 29 times for 204 yards, including touchdown runs of 25, 16 and 39 yards.
But Greer was able to counterpunch in the first half, putting together a first-quarter scoring drive of its own, going 66 yards in eight plays and ending with a 3-yard touchdown run by Dorian Lindsey.
Lindsey added a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 with 29 seconds left in the opening quarter.
But very little went right for the Yellow Jackets after that as BHP, which gashed the Greer defense for 401 total yards, including 337 rushing, reeled off 41 unanswered points until Greer running back Adrian McGee scored in the waning minutes to make the final 55-21.
"This is a good BHP team that we played," said junior defensive back Troy Pride. "They came out more ready than us, so we've got to get back to it and get back to the grind. The offseason starts now."
McGee, who was held in check during the first half, finished with 139 yards on 19 carries.
But a McGee fumble at the BHP 22-yard-line thwarted what appeared to be a Yellow Jackets scoring drive to open the second half.
The BHP defense also intercepted Greer quarterback Mario Cusano three times over the final two quarters, including Jake Cade's 31-yard interception return for a score.
"We didn't come out and play our best game," said senior linebacker Bobby Farrington. "But hopefully, (Greer) will come out and take care of business next year."
Greer's regular season included:
* A perfect 10-0 regular season record.
* Shutout victories over Southside and Blue Ridge to end the regular season.
* An average victory margin of 52-7 over the final six games of the regular season.
* Breakout seasons for running and receiving threat Lindsey and 1,000-yard rusher McGee, both juniors, on offense.
Young said all of that may take some time to be appreciated by his players after another disappointing playoff loss. The Yellow Jackets exited in the third round in 2013.
"When they get a little time and look back on it, they can look back on it as a pretty good year," Young said. "We did a lot for our kids. We've just got to hope that we can put this behind us and move on."
Young, though, said getting over the loss may be tougher for him.
"It's going to take me a long, long time," he said.
STATISTICS BY RED WATSON
|
SCORE BY QUARTERS |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
OT |
TOTAL |
|
BHP |
14 |
10 |
21 |
10 |
0 |
55 |
|
Greer |
14 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
21 |
FIRST QUARTER
BHP - Oryan Warren 2 run (Lance Jones kick), 8:15
GHS - Dorian Lindsey 3 run (Nick Roberson kick), 5:18
BHP - Jawun Abney 25 run (Jones kick), 4:12
GHS - Lindsey 61 punt return (Roberson kick), :29
SECOND QUARTER
BHP - Devin Tinsley 5 pass from Austin Estes (Jones kick), 5:23
BHP - Jones 35 FG, :00
THIRD QUARTER
BHP - Abney 16 run (Jones kick), 7:27
BHP - Abney 39 run (Jones kick), 3:47
FOURTH QUARTER
BHP - Jones 30 FG, 6:23
BHP - Jake Cade 31 INT return (Jones kick), 6:10
GHS - Adrian McGee 6 run (Roberson kick)
|
TEAM |
BHP |
GHS |
|
|
(VISITOR) |
(HOME) |
|
Score |
55 |
21 |
|
First Downs |
20 |
12 |
|
Rushes / Yards (Net) |
52 / 337 |
30 / 172 |
|
Passing Yards (Net) |
64 |
95 |
|
Passes -- Att / Comp / Int |
7/4/0 |
22/9/3 |
|
Total Offensive Plays / Yards |
59 / 401 |
52 / 267 |
|
Fumble Returns / Yards |
0 / 0 |
0 / 0 |
|
Punt Returns / Yards |
2 / 12 |
2 / 38 |
|
Kickoff Returns / Yards |
3 / 81 |
8 / 57 |
|
Interception Returns / Yards |
3 / 110 |
0 / 0 |
|
Punts (Number/Average) |
4 / 28.0 |
6 / 34.3 |
|
Fumbles / Lost |
0 / 0 |
1 / 1 |
|
Penalties / Yards |
9 / 60 |
9 / 88 |
|
Possession Time |
28:31 |
19:29 |
INDIVIDUAL
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