By Lonnie Turner

The Dillon Wildcats will travel to Horry County to take on the Aynor Blue Jackets in opening game of the Region 8-2A schedule this coming Friday night.

The Wildcats, riding a 36-21 victory over AAA power Marlboro County, will take a 5-0 record into the game while the Blue Jackets are3-2 after falling to Lake View last week 30-22 in the final stages of the game. The other loss was AAA Gilbert of Lexington County.

The Cats were led on offense by Avery McCall against Marlboro County with 57 yards on the ground and 157 through the air. Eri’Reon Hayes was on the receiving end of 5 McCall’s nine completions for 106 yards and a 60-yard touchdown.

Defensively, Daeshawn Davis, Randal Davis and Zach Wilson intercepted the scrambling London Johnson three times for 57, 54 and 20 yards respectively with Daeshawn’s 57-yarder resulting in a touchdown and the other returns set up scores. Adding to his total for the night, the junior wide receiver, picked up a fumble and raced 30 yards for another touchdown.

Two weeks ago when the Wildcats were idle, this writer journeyed over to watch the Blue Jackets and Vikings and Kamron Johnson, with excellent offensive blocking, rushed for 234 yards. Quite a few players in the Pee Dee have rushed for as many yards during the first five games of the season, but not one has carried as many times. With fellow teammate Daquan Smith out nursing a shoulder injury, Johnson as a one-man show carried the football 52 times and caught six passes. If that wasn’t enough, he never left the playing field. He had numerous tackles and intercepted a pass.

Marquan Fullmore led the Wildcats last week with 10 tackles to run his five-game total takedowns to 25, which is five tackles behind team leader Jermaine McDaniel and one behind second place Trey Melton.

Out of eight interceptions by four different defenders, Randal Davis and Fullmore have picked off three apiece.

Hayes has caught 20 passes from McCall for a team high 429 yards and eight touchdowns and Davis is tied with Chrishon Jordan with nine receptions for second place in the receiving department. McCall with his nine completions out of sixteen throws, went over the 1,000-yard mark and his 60-yarder to Eri’Reon gave him 13 six-pointers through the air so far this season.

Sportswriters throughout the area were looking for the Blue Jackets and Loris Lions to give the Wildcats some competitions in the Region. Aynor will have upset on its mind this week, so the coaching staff is looking forward to having a stadium full of Dillon fans in the stands. The Cats will return to Dillon for games with Mullins and Marion before traveling down to Loris.