By Craig Brown
The Dillon Christian School Warriors end the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record by defeating the Oakbrook Prep Knights 47-14 Friday in Spartanburg.
The Warrior offense averaged 40 points per game while the defense held their opponents to 8 points with most of those scores coming late in the games against reserves.
The Warriors are set to begin the playoffs and will host Palmetto Christian Academy of Mount Pleasant Friday at Warrior Field.
The Warriors have not played many full game quarters this season and Friday at Oakbrook was no exception with the clock run without stoppage in the second half. Sometimes overpowering regular season opponents can present problems in the playoffs as the starting lineup is not used to playing a full game often relieved by reserves or short quarters.
The Warrior coaches will be preparing them for some full game action as the playoffs begin. The Warriors scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and three in the second quarter to take a 40-6 lead into the halftime break. Michael Minges picked up the first TD on a 40 yard run with 9:29 left in the first quarter. The point after kick failed holding the Warriors at 6-0. Garret Collins picked up the Warriors second TD on a 27 yard run. Gage Bazemore added the point after kick to increase the Warrior lead to 13-0 with 7:29 left in the first quarter.
With 5:27 left in the first quarter Minges hit tight end Luke Price with a 54 yard touchdown pass. Bazemore’s kicked upped the Warrior lead to 20-0 with the quarter ending with this score. Minges picked up the Warriors fourth TD on a 17 yard run with 11:47 left in the second quarter. Bazemore’s kick put the Warriors up 27-0. Demontez Alford got his first touchdown as a Warrior on a 60 yard run. Bazemore’s kick put the Warriors at 34-0 with 11:24 left in the game.
Tyreke Toomer got the sixth TD of the first half on a 40 yard run with Bazemore adding the final point of the first half to give the Warriors a 40-0 lead at the halftime break. The Knights were down but did not quit and with 3:13 left in the third quarter Tyler Sturgeon scored on a one yard run.
The conversion failed but the Warrior lead was cut to 40-6.
With time running out in the third quarter Jared Ivey scored on a six yard run. Bazemore added the Warriors final point to end the third quarter with the Warriors up 47-6. With 7:19 left in the game Tyler Sturgeon hit his tight end with a four yard TD pass and then ran in the two point conversion for the game’s final points with the Warriors getting a 47-14 non-region win and a perfect regular season.
On offense for the Warriors, Michael Minges was 5 for 5 passing for 106 yards and a touchdown a had 75 yards on 4 carries with two touchdowns, Garret Collins had 58 yards on 6 carries with a touchdown and caught a pass for 12 yards, Demontez Alford had 64 yards on 4 carries with a touchdown, Luke Price caught two passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, Tyreke Toomer had a 40 yard touchdown run and caught a pass for 22 yards, Jared Ivey had 32 yards on 6 carries with a touchdown, Bryan Davis was 2 for 2 passing for 32 yards and had 30 yards rushing on 4 carries, John Rourke caught a pass for 35 yards and Mason Bailey caught a pass for 2 yards.
On Defense Luke Price had 13 tackles two assists, Michael Minges, John Rourke, Garret Collins, Demontez Alford, Hamilton Hodges and Walt Bailey had four tackles each with some tackle assists, Daniel Camp had three tackle with three assists, Tyreke Toomer and Bryan Davis had two tackles with an interception each, Jared Ivey, Jacob Dubose and Andrew Dubose had two tackles each, Barnes Causey, Mason Bailey, Corbin Wethington, Jared Darmon and Dallas Feeko added a tackle each.
Game time for Friday’s playoff match with Palmetto Christian Academy is set for 7:30