By Craig Brown
The Dillon Christian School Warriors ended regular season play with a 20-0 region win over the Raiders of Holly Hill Academy. The Warriors 8-2 overall and 5-1 in region play will begin the playoffs at home next week hosting the Rebels of Thomas Heyward Academy 6-5 on the season and 3-2 in region play.. The Raiders finish at 7-3 and 4-2 in region play. The battle in Holly Hill was a defensive struggle early on with the first quarter ending with no score. Garrett Collins did pick up a Raider fumble and take it 64 yards to the goal line but it was called back due to a block in the back penalty in the first quarter. The second quarter continued as a defensive battle. The Raiders were driving with 2:04 left in the first half. The Raider quarterback launched a pass and the Warriors TeShaun Lane leaped three feet in the air for a spectacular interception and danced his way 40 yards for a touchdown. Lane dodged five would be tacklers on his way to the goal line. The extra point failed holding the Warriors to a 6-0 lead. The first half would end with this score. The Warriors took the kickoff to start the second half of play. The Warriors fought their way to the Raider 40 yard line where Michael Minges broke some tackles on his way to a 40 yard touchdown run on a quarterback keeper play. Jackson Wolfe added the point after kick to up the Warrior lead to 13-0 with 9:48 left in the third quarter. The Warriors made a drive late in the third quarter but ended the drive and the quarter on an interception at the Raider five yard line. On the first play of the fourth quarter the Raiders fumbled the ball on their three yard line with Samuel Coleman recovering for the Warriors. Kelvin Stackhouse blasted his way through the Raider defensive line for the three yard touchdown run. Wolfe’s point after kick put the Warriors up 20-0 with 11:48 left in the fourth quarter. The remainder of the game was a hard hitting defensive battle. The Warriors finish region play in second place behind Robert E. Lee Academy. R.E.L. has played in division 2A for the past several years and is believed will return to 2A next year due to a SCISA ruling. Both Dillon Christian and Robert E. Lee finished with the best records in 1A play but will face opponents that lost to larger 2A and 3A schools as well as some good public schools. The Warriors are not taking any team from the lower state region lightly. On offense for the Warriors, Michael Minges had 120 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown and was 2 of 5 passing for 19 yards with two interceptions also taking three sacks on attempts. Kelvin Stackhouse had 37 yards on six carries with a touchdown and caught a pass for nine yards, TeShaun Lane had 25 yards on 15 carries and caught a pass for 10 yards and Red Williams added three yards rushing. On defense, Kelvin Stackhouse, Ethan Shackelford and Jake Boykin had seven tackles, two assists each with Boykin adding a quarterback sack, Michael Minges had six tackles, three assists and an interception, TeShaun Lane had five tackles, three assists with an interception returned 40 yards for a touchdown, Garrett Collins had four tackles, two assists with two fumble recoveries, David Williams had three tackles, three assists, Connor Hamilton, Hunter Tyner and Tyreick Toomer had two tackles, two assists each with Toomer adding an interception and Samuel Coleman added a tackle, three assists and a fumble recovery. Friday’s playoff game with Thomas Heyward Academy is set for 7:30.