By Lonnie Turner

Another State title and at a different stadium in South Carolina each time for the Class 2A Division I Champion Dillon Wildcats, which captured its third championship in the past five years. This time it was at Benedict College’s Charles W. Johnson Stadium in Columbia where the Cats defeated the Fairfield Central Griffins, 21-6, Friday evening. The first in 2008 was at Clemson University and the second in 2009 was at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

“What does it mean to capture another championship for your team?” one of the many reporters asked Coach Jackie Hayes after the game.

“Just look up there in the stands and you can see for yourself,” said Hayes, whose team is once again the top 2A Division 1 team in the state. “There can’t be many people left at home!”

The Wildcats used a very balanced attack to defeat the Griffins with freshman sensation Avery McCall showing the poise of an experienced signal caller in such a huge game in front of an estimated 7,100 fans. The 5’11”, 163 pound 14-year old, who was playing baseball at the Dillon Kiwanis Club’s Dixie Youth Baseball field just two years ago, threw three touchdown passes, all during the first half, and the “Nasty Cat” defense held the high powered Griffins to a net total of 83 yards in the final 24 minutes of play.

While McCall completed 13 of 17 pass attempts for 128 yards, mostly in the first half, junior running back Anthony Blue rushed for 202 net yards.

“I didn’t know what to expect out of those two at the beginning of the season,” explained Coach Hayes. “Anthony, who didn’t play last year, was going to be used as a defensive back, but when Jabo (Lee) got hurt in the first game of the season, I told the coaches that I was impressed with his play in practice, so we made him our tailback.”

Was there any disappointment? Don’t think so! The junior running back went on to rush for close to 1,800 yards this season and became a big threat as a receiver for McCall with 18 catches for 232 yards and four more touchdowns to add to his rushing total of 23 six pointers.

Injuries certainly played an important part in the success of the Dillon program this season. McCall, who was back up to Grossetti last year, earned the starting role in the last game of the season with Waccamaw when Grossetti was injured the previous week against Loris.

The Wildcats scored first in the championship game on a play similar to the old “Mill Hill Special” when McCall and the offense broke to the right and Ereon Hayes found himself wide open on the opposite side of the field inside the 15-yard line. McCall threw a perfect spiral that Hayes caught inside the Fairfield Central 20 and the 6’2” sophomore stiff-armed his way into the end zone to cap an opening 61-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown. Tara Grimsley became the first female in state football playoff history to get into the scoring column with a perfect kick through the uprights to give the Cats a 7-0 lead.

The Griffins followed with a 69-yard drive, aided by an illegal block, to come within a point, when senior running back Adrian Bell weaved his way to the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown. Reminiscent of the first championship game with Pageland Central in 2008 when the Pageland kicking game was nil, Javahnne Neal’s extra point try sailed off to the left to fall one point short of tying the game.

The Wildcats threatened again on their second series of the second quarter, but on second effort, Joe Blue was stripped of the football near the Fairfield Central 43-yard line.

Dorian Davis got the ball back when he and Pete Ingram worked the tip drill to perfection to intercept DeAndre Belton’s pass at the Dillon 16. Ingram went high with the intended receiver and tipped the ball back into the hands of Davis, who returned 22 yards to the Dillon 38. McCall threw to Breon Page for a first down at the FC 38 and an inadvertent face mask penalty at the end of the play resulted in another first down at the 33-yard line.

With a little trickery, Joe Blue took a direct snap from center and handed off to Tyreek Hayes going to his left, who tossed the ball to McCall going back to the right, who in turn hit a wide open Anthony Blue inside the 10-yard line. Blue broke three tackles to get into the end zone for the touchdown and a 13-6 lead. Grimsley’s second straight PAT had the Cats up by 8 points with 6:36 seconds remaining in the first half.

Davis, with perfect timing, darted in front of a receiver at the Dillon goal line, picked off his second interception and returned it to the Dillon 27-yard line. From there, the running of Anthony Blue and passing arm of McCall, with the aid of a defensive pass interference call, gave the Wildcats a first down at the Griffin 23. On fourth down, McCall, again showing the poise of a seasoned quarterback, shook off one tackle and fired a rope to Ezra Lighty, who went high in the air over a defender to catch the pass. Falling to the ground, the senior wide receiver held onto the ball and with just 29 seconds left in the half Grimsley’s third PAT had the Wildcats up 21-6.

In the second half, the Wildcats failed to put more points on the board because of third quarter turnovers, but the Cats defense came up with big plays to keep the Griffins out of the end zone as well. Blue fumbled on back to back possessions early in the fourth quarter and both were inside the Fairfield Central 15-yard line. Each time, Blue had a first down, but had the ball taken from him when he was putting forward extra effort to get into the end zone. The first came at the FC 3-yard line and was returned to the FC 15 and the second came just seven plays later after the Cats had held the Griffins to 23 yards on six plays. Taking over at the Griffin 38-yard line after holding FS on fourth down, Blue carried all the way down to the nine only to have the ball taken away.

Sam McLean’s third interception of the season came with two minutes remaining in the game to seal the win and championship for the Wildcats as they ran the clock out.

“We just didn’t make the plays we needed,” explained a dejected Demetrius Davis, in only his second year as head coach at Fairfield Central. “It was good a experience for my young guys and we’ll grow on that. We’ll be back.”

In the take away part of the game, the Wildcats lost three fumbles and Belton threw the three interceptions.

Leading the defense, other than Davis with his two picks, Damu Ford had fourteen stops including eleven solo shots and close behind was Shy’keem Blue with 10 takedowns, nine being solo tackles. Ford led the team in tackles all season and ended up with 127 total.

Asked if retirement is in the future, Coach Hayes, in a true political response said, “Right now, we’re going to enjoy this win. I’m sure it will be at some time in the future, but not right now!”

Dillon out-gained Fairfield with 301 yards rushing to 193 and McCall threw for 128 more. Belton’s total was 94 yards in the air with 68 more on 16 carries.

Dillon’s Anthony Blue was named offensive player of the game and Damu Ford was the defensive player of the game.

Congratulations to our Champion Wildcats on a great season!