By Craig Brown

The Dillon Christian School Warriors traveled to Augusta, Georgia, on Friday night and faced a very determined Curtis Baptist High School Crusaders team. The Crusaders downed the Warriors 43-13 to take the SCISA Lower State 1A Title.

It was not the game the Warriors had hoped for. A very long drive with at least five Warrior starters nursing nagging injuries did not help the Warrior chances. Assistant Coach Steve Johnson stated that the Crusaders played a better game and they are to be congratulated.

“Regardless of the injuries and fatigue from the trip we did not play to our potential,” Johnson said.

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The Warriors finish the season at a very respectable 9-3 record. The Crusaders advance to the State Championship game next Saturday to play the Holly Hill Raiders. The Warriors defeated the Raiders 21-20 in overtime on the final game of the regular season. Curtis Baptist will take a 10-2 record to the big game.

The Crusaders had the Warriors down 22-0 at the half time break but the Warriors made it a game in the third quarter with Michael Minges scoring two touchdowns but still allowing a Crusader touchdown, closing the lead to 29-13.

But the Crusaders charged back in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns and keeping the Warriors out of the end zone for the 43-13 win.

Shaun Brown got the Crusaders on the board with a 14-yard run with 5:00 left in the first quarter. The conversion failed, leaving the Crusaders up 6-0. With the first quarter winding down, Crusader quarterback Christian Reed hit his halfback, Sam Miner, with an 18-yard touchdown pass. The conversion failed, giving the Crusaders a 12-0 lead with 2:25 left in the first quarter with the quarter ending with this score.

The Crusaders attempted a 40-yard field goal with 6:31 left in the second that came up short, holding the Crusader lead to 12-0. On the Crusaders’ next drive, Reed ran 45 yards on a QB keeper for a touchdown. Josh Boham kicked the point after to increase the Crusaders lead to 19-0. With 13 seconds left in the first half, Boham kicked a 27-yard field, giving the Crusaders a 22-0 halftime lead.

Raquel Lynn finished the Crusaders’ first possession of the third quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run. Boham added the point after to up the Crusaders lead to 29-0 with 8:30 left in the third quarter. On the Warriors’ next possession, Michael Minges got the Warriors on the board with a 20-yard run with 3:59 left in the quarter. Jim Carr added the point after kick to cut the Crusader lead to 29-7.

With 16 seconds left in the third quarter, Minges added his second touchdown on an 8-yard run. The point after kick failed and the third quarter closed with the Warriors trailing the Crusaders 29-13.

The Crusaders struck back quickly with Shaun Brown going 43 yards for a touchdown. Boham’s kick gave the Crusaders a 36-13 lead with 11:29 left in the fourth. Verenzo Holmes got the Crusaders’ final touchdown on a 7-yard run with 7:10 left in the fourth quarter. Boham added the final point of the game to give the Crusaders the 43-13 victory.

On offense for the Warriors, Michael Minges had 44 yards on eight carries with two touchdowns; Jim Carr passed for 53 yards; Thomas Evans had 11 yards on three carries; Garret Collins had 11 yards on three carries; and TeShaun Lane rushed one time for nine yards.

On defense, Thomas Evans made nine tackles, three assists; Luke Price made eight tackles, five assists; Mathew Price made six tackles, six assists; Ellison Rourke made five tackles, three assists; David Williams made five tackles, two assists; Tyquan Crosland made four tackles, three assists; Jake Boykin made three tackles, five assists; Michael Minges and Samuel Brown made two tackles, three assists each; and Red Williams, Ethan Shackelford, and Evan Paul added a tackle each.

A special thanks to Matt Adams and Lanny Carpenter for stat assistance throughout the season. Congratulations to the Warriors on the very fine 9-3 season with the outlook for next year even brighter.

Photos and video by Annette Rourke. Click the images below to view at full size!