By Craig Brown

A super performance on offense by Bryan Davis and Garret Collins backed up by some great defensive play from Samuel Coleman, Hamilton Hodges, and Evan Paul and many other Warrior players led to a come from behind 24-22 win over The King’s Academy Lions on Thursday, September 26, in Dillon at Warrior Field.

The win moves the Warrior Middle School record to 3-2 on the season. Warrior Head Coach Matt Adams was well pleased with his team’s efforts noting that Davis was 7-of-7 passing to Collins for 251 yards and a touchdown. In fact, Davis and Collins actually had 205 yards on five passes in the first half. This is eight minute quarters not twelve.

The Warriors had an uphill battle as they were without players John Rourke, Jackson Wolfe, and Mason Bailey, all sidelined with injuries. The unsung heroes on offense are those that block and the Warriors did a very good job upfront protecting Davis and younger players like Trent Johnson at tailback, and Ian Rowell at end threw a couple of key blocks that got the ball carrier free for key yardage on a couple of important plays.

One of the fastest young men I know, Daniel Camp, was playing up-man on the kickoff receiving team. I wanted to see him return one but the Lion kicker was able to send the kick deep on four kicks.

Following a 63-yard pass from Davis to Collins to the Lion five, Davis took it in on a quarterback keeper play. Evan Paul ran in the two-point conversion to put the Warriors up 8-0 with 6:39 left in the first quarter. The Lions scored on their next possession on a 50-yard run from their tailback followed by the TB getting the conversion to even the score at 8-8 with 4:52 left in the first quarter. The first quarter would end with this score.

The Lions went ahead 16-8 with 2:13 left in the second quarter but the Warriors moved the ball quickly and in five plays Davis finished the Drive on a one yard quarterback keeper play followed by him running in the two-point conversion to tie the score at the half 16-16.

The Lions took the opening kickoff and four plays later crossed the goal line. The Warrior defense stopped the conversion, leaving the Lions up 22-16 with 6:52 left in the third quarter. The remainder of the third and most of the fourth quarter would result in a defensive battle without further scoring until Davis and Collins would return to the air with a little over three minutes left in the game with a 38-yard strike and a 10-yard touchdown strike that evened the score at 22-22.

Big Evan Paul put the Warriors ahead for good as he plowed through the Lion’s defense for the two-point conversion to give the Warriors the 24-22 lead with 3:17 left in the game. The Warriors drew two big penalties on the next kickoff, putting the Lions at Midfield. Coleman and Hodges made some game ending tackles to secure the Warrior win.

On offense for the Warriors, in addition to 7-of-7 passing for 251 yards and a touchdown, Davis had 41 yards rushing on five carries with two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Collins caught seven passes for 251 yards and a touchdown and had 24 yards rushing on seven carries; Evan Paul had 36 yards on five carries with two two-point conversions; and Hamilton Hodges had six yards on a carry.

On defense, Samuel Coleman had nine tackles, two assists; Hamilton Hodges had six tackles, two assists; Evan Paul had four tackles, three assists; Julius Corbett had three tackles, two assists; Ryan Stephens, Bryan Davis, Garret Collins, and Austin Heasley had two tackles, two assists each; Phillip Corbett and Ross Carlyle added a tackle with two assists each; and Davis Lockamy and Ian Bethea added some tackle assists each.

The Middle School Warriors will be at home this Thursday, October 3, as they host Robert E. Lee Academy with game time set for 6:00 p.m.

Photos by Craig Brown. Click the images below to view at full size!