That was close! Both Irmo vs. Flora and B-C vs. Gilbert games decided by 1 point

Lou Bezjak
·4 min read

Irmo High School got the signature victory that football coach Aaron Brand was looking for since he arrived at the school three years ago.

Izayah Whiteside scored on a 3-yard run with 2:14 left to give the Yellow Jackets a 28-27 win over defending Class 4A champion A.C. Flora on Friday at W.C. Hawkins Stadium.

With the win, Irmo takes the Region 4-4A lead over Flora with two games left. The Yellow Jackets can clinch the region title next week with a win against Lugoff-Elgin.

The loss snapped Flora’s 16-game winning streak dating back to last season.

A.C. Flora took the 27-21 lead when Markel Townsend scored on a 22-yard run on fourth down. The Falcons missed their second extra point when Irmo’s Jamar Langford blocked it. A.C. Flora was missing its regular kicker in the game.

Irmo used the running of Erick Tucker to march the ball down the field for the game-winning score. Whiteside finished with two touchdown runs and also had a TD pass to Finn Qualls to tie the game at 21 in the third quarter.

Townsend rushed for more than 100 yards and three touchdowns for the Falcons, who led 21-7 at one point. Noah Kelsey also had a TD run.

Brookland-Cayce 35, Gilbert 34

Tanner Staton hit Jamari Kinnerly on a 37-yard pass with 5:52 left to give the Bearcats an important Region 5-3A victory.

With B-C’s win and Strom Thurmond’s loss to Orangeburg-Wilkinson, the Bearcats, Gilbert, O-W and Strom Thurmond are in a four-way tie for the region lead with two games left.

Staton threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Kennerly finished with five catches for 131 yards and two scores. Deshaun Washington (121) and Naahzeikial Mays (112) each rushed for more than 100 yards for B-C. Mays had two TDs.

Jaden Allen-Hendrix rushed for 94 yards and two TDs for Gilbert. His second touchdown put Gilbert up 34-28 with 9:55 left, but the Indians missed the extra point.

Alias Graham-Woodberry led the Indians with 103 yards rushing.

More Midlands results

Gray Collegiate 20, Saluda 6: KZ Adams rushed for 220 yards and a TD as the War Eagles won the battle of Region 3-2A leaders. Gray Collegiate can clinch the Region 3-2A title with wins in its last two games over Eau Claire and Newberry. Gray quarterback Tre Robinson added 100 yards rushing and two TDs.

Dutch Fork 28, River Bluff 0: Running back Jarvis Green ran for a TD and also threw a win as Dutch Fork extended its winning streak to 56 games. Green finished with 125 yards on the ground, most in the first half. Braxton Lodge came off the bench to run for a pair of touchdowns. Antonio Williams had five catches for 84 yards and a TD.

Northwestern 35, Spring Valley 21: Will Mattison threw for four touchdowns and also ran one in as the Trojans clinched the Region 4-5A championship. Mattison was 22-of-37 for 267 yards. Christi Watkins and Elijah Caldwell each went over 100 yards receiving and also caught two touchdown passes.Spring Valley quarterback DQ Smith threw for 337 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. The game was tied at 21 at halftime but the Trojans shut out the Vikings in the second half.

Chapin 45, White Knoll 31: Quarterback Jayden Bradord threw for two touchdowns and ran for one in the Eagles’ region victory. Bradford was 17-of-25 for 167 yards. Running back Bennett Galloway rushed for 132 yards and two scores and receiver Zavier Short caught 10 passes for 105 yards and a TD,

Lower Richland 62, Keenan 12: Robert Adams threw four touchdown passes, including two to Nate Branch as LR wrapped up its scheduled regular-season finale. The Diamond Hornets are looking for a game in one of the final two weeks before the playoffs. Branch also had a punt return for a touchdown. Jeremy Barney ran for two TDs for LR.

Lugoff-Elgin 24, Richard Northeast 21: Ashton Warner hit the game-winning field as time expired to give L-E the win over RNE. L-E tied it at 21 with 46 seconds left and then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff.

Rock Hill 24, Blythewood 20: Desmond Boatwright ran for a TD and caught a TD in the loss for Blythewood.

Westwood 50, Dreher 27: Cam Brown threw four touchdown passes, three to Noah Jennings, in the Redhawks’ victory.

Hammond 45, Augusta Christian 0: Michigan commit CJ Stokes ran for 138 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Skyhawks moved to 8-0 on the season.

Porter-Gaud 28, Cardinal Newman 14: Freeman Barber rushed for 189 yards and two TDs for P-G. Duncan Skehan threw for 163 yards and a TD for Cardinal Newman.