By Craig Brown
The Dillon Christian School Warriors hosted John Paul II Golden Warriors Friday night in round one of the SCISA class A playoffs with the Warriors taking a 35-0 win over the Golden Warriors.
The win ups the Warriors record to 9-2 with The Golden Warriors season ending at 6-5. Although the score does not reflect it this was a very hard hitting game.
It was the Warrior defense that came through holding the Golden Warriors star running back, Zach Doe to less than 100 yards on 30 carries. Doe had been averaging 185 yards a game on fewer carries.
The Warrior defense only gave up two completed passes on 14 attempts.
The Warriors held the Golden Warriors to 158 total yards on offense while the Warriors produced 429 yards and five touchdowns with their ever pressing offense.
Midway in the first quarter Garrett Collins broke two tackles and raced 43 yards for the Warrior’s first touchdown.
Gage Bazemore added the point after kick to give the Warriors a 7-0 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter with the quarter ending with this score.
Diaz Alexander finished a long drive in the second quarter with a six yard touchdown pass to Jackson Wolfe. Bazemore’s kicked upped the Warriors lead to 14-0 with 8:02 left in the second quarter with the first half of play ending with this score.
On the Warriors first possession of the third quarter, Collins finished the drive with a five yard touchdown run. Bazemore’s kick was true giving the Warriors a 21-0 lead with 8:30 left in the third quarter.
On the Warriors next offensive possession, Alexander found Wolfe open and hit with a pass that went 55 yards for a touchdown. Bazemore’s kick increased the Warriors lead to 28-0 with 5:16 left in the fourth quarter.
With three seconds left in the third quarter Alexander got his third touchdown pass by connecting with Caleb Boykin from five yards out.
Bazemore made it five for five with his point after kick to give the Warriors the 35-0 lead. This score would hold as the fourth quarter was a defensive battle with several player substitutions.
Warriors defensive coach, Phillip price had the defense playing at its highest level for this game.
Warriors Head Coach, Christian Wolfe stated that this was the best defensive performance of the year for his team.
The Warriors two losses came at the beginning of the season to AA teams. Wolfe added the Warriors had not come together as a team yet and two players were out due to injuries were now back in the lineup. If we played them again it would be a different story added coach Wolfe.
On offense for the Warriors, Diaz Alexander was 7 of 10 passing for 126 yards and three touchdowns and had 67 yards rushing on 11 carries. Garrett Collins had 100 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns and caught a pass for eight yards. Jackson Wolfe caught two passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Bryan Davis caught a pass for 45 yards and added two yards rushing. Demontez Alford had 18 yards on three carries. Caleb Boykin caught a five-yard touchdown pass, and Mason Bailey added five yards on three carries. On defense, Garrett Collins had 12 tackles, three assists; John Rourke had seven tackles two assists, Azeon Brown had four tackles, four assists; and Evan Paul, Ian Patterson and Samuel Coleman had four tackles two assists each. Hamilton Hodges had four tackles, and Diaz Alexander and Demontez Alford had three tackles each, Storm Sanderson had two tackles, two assists. Caleb Boykin and Corbin Wethington added a tackle with three assists each.
The Warriors will host Carolina Academy Friday night in round two of the playoffs. The Warriors faced the Bobcats earlier in the season and came away with a hard fought win and expect an even more determined foe this time. Game time is set for 7:30 Friday night at Warriors field.