Hillcrest moves forward with another fast start
SIMPSONVILLE — Hillcrest might have known it was their night about three minutes into its first round game of the Class AAAAA state football playoffs Friday. Entering the postseason, the Rams undoubtedly wanted to refocus and move on from last Friday’s huge region championship win over previously unbeaten T.L. Hanna.
But the way Friday’s game against Riverside started, there’s no way anyone could not reflect on what happened seven days earlier on the same field.
For the second consecutive week, Hillcrest took a 14-0 lead before its opponent took an offensive snap. And for the second consecutive week, the Rams cruised to a convincing win. Hillcrest’s 56-24 victory is its first postseason win since 2017. The Rams (8-2) advance to host Ridge View in next Friday’s second round.
“When you’re in a situation like this (as a top seed in the playoffs), sometimes you can get an opportunity to kind of take over the game and we got that opportunity,” Hillcrest coach Anthony Frate said. “The offense is doing a great job. Coach (Charles) Shields is doing a great job along with all those offensive guys.
“We preach to our guys, ‘Don’t press, don’t worry if they make some plays. Just play the game,’ and they did that.”
For the 10th consecutive game, Hillcrest received the opening kickoff. Going in the same direction it did last week – like it’s headed to Fountain Inn southbound on I-385 that runs parallel to the school, Hillcrest’s offense needed 96 seconds and five plays to score. Last week’s opening drive took 74 seconds and four plays.
Just like last week, Bennett Judy’s third pass went for a touchdown. This week, it was a 33-yard toss to BJ Jones. Jones, who primarily plays defensive back, spun out of a tackle around the 20 and was gone on just his fourth reception this season.
On the ensuing kickoff return, Riverside fumbled and Hillcrest recovered – just like last week. While Judy threw a nine-yard touchdown on last week’s second possession, this week he ran for an 8-yard score and the Rams led 14-0 with 9:32 left in the first quarter.
“Spotting 14 points is fun. It sure makes it easier on the defense,” Frate said. “Coach (Adrian) Bennon, our special teams coordinator, does a great job. I think I’ve had more coaches in the state ask me, ‘Who does your special teams?’ than I’ve ever had.”
The biggest sequence of Friday’s game came late in the first half into early in the second half. Riverside (7-4) put together a 15-play drive that took the final 8:58 off the first half clock. The Warriors had reached Hillcrest’s 6-yard line, but a sack by Richard Hollingsworth on third-and-goal forced Riverside to settle for Matthew Whitted’s 33-yard field goal. That cut the Rams’ lead to 21-10 at the half.
Hillcrest’s defense opened the second half with a three-and-out leading to the lone punt of the game. Three plays later, Judy hit Avery McFadden for a 53-yard touchdown.
“I don’t know why Avery McFadden doesn’t have (college) offers yet,” Judy said. “I’ve said it before a lot, but I have to keep saying it. Because week-in and week-out, he plays like a five-star (recruit). He’s a great teammate too.”
A week after McFadden returned a kickoff for a touchdown, Hillcrest got another score by a unit other than the offense this week. Riverside’s next drive ended on a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown by Grant Holliday to push the Rams’ lead to 35-10 midway through the third quarter.
After throwing three incompletions last week (21-of-24), Judy was 13-of-16 passing this week for 282 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He also ran six times for 36 yards and three touchdowns. Logan Coldren had 12 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown also for Hillcrest.
Riverside quarterback Stewart Chaffee completed 22-of-27 passes for 228 yards with two touchdowns and one interceptions. Cayden Crosby caught 13 passes for 130 yards and two scores for the Warriors.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Hillcrest High School football defeats Riverside with fast start
