By Lonnie Turner
Will the Newberry Bulldogs get revenge or will the Dillon Wildcats become the first team since Christ Church to win four straight state titles? Christ Church accomplished the fete through the 2011 and 2014 seasons.
The two teams met in Lexington last year at River Bluff Gator Stadium and the Wildcats rolled over the upstate team, 49-27, behind outstanding play from then junior quarterback Avery McCall, who threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first trip for the Bulldogs to the state playoff, and according to some of the players and head coach Phil Strickland, just the atmosphere was enough for them. This year will be a different story says Coach Strickland and Shrine Bowl bound Yafari Werts.
“We were all very nervous when we came into that game last year,” Werts said at Media Day this past week. “We were just happy to be there and weren’t even looking toward winning.”
“The players were in awe at the atmosphere of being in a state title game last year, but this year we’re more focused ,” explained coach Strickland. “It would be electrifying if we could win this year and it would be great for the town.” There are quite a few returning players on the Newberry roster, but none as big as Werts, who along with lineman Demarcus Gilmore, will play in the annual Shrine Bowl. The 40 yards rushing last week against Fairfield Central gave Werts 3,028 total yards rushing in his career, but he will not be in the post season all star game in Spartanburg as a quarterback, but as an athlete.
Dillon’s McCall has thrown for 7,179 yards in his four years wearing the black and gold of the Wildcats and has put up 1,677 in 2015 completing 69 % of his passes (104 for 160). He has thrown a total of 83 touchdowns in his career and added 20 rushing, but even with all those numbers, the Shrine Bowl Committee passed him by.
He will be in the Touchstone Energy Cooperative Bowl (formerly the North-South Game) at Doug Shaw Stadium in Myrtle Beach.
Sophomore running back Amir Abrams will compliment Werts running the ball. The 5’8, 187-pounder has rushed for 1,214 yards this season, but the Wildcats have senior Jamison Chapman back from an early injury in Darlington doing what he likes best, running the football.
He went over the 1,000 yard mark last week against Lake Marion to give him 1,035 for the season despite missing two games because of the  injury. He has scored 19 touchdowns this season, which is second behind Daeshawn Davis, who leads the team with 23 TDs.
Finally, at Media Day, coach Strickland commented, “Of course, people are saying that we are the underdogs, so that gives us even more to work for. When we do pull it off, it’ll be great!”
As many people in the local area are aware, the Wildcats have played all but one game with a running clock in the second half, including the Lower State Championship game last week, but Coach Jackie Hayes explained, “We practice for the fourth quarter all the time, but we have put a lot of points on the board early and I’m sure this one will be a four-quarter game against Newberry. They are an outstanding team with an outstanding coach and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to play them again”
This will be the tenth time Coach Hayes and his teams have made the trip to play for the State Championship, one as a 4A school, two as 3A champions and the 7th time as a 2A Champion form the Lower State) and they have five of the big winner’s trophies on display in his office in the Ray Rogers II Football Complex building. The Cats have the longest winning streak in the state (36) and a 37th would be great for this writer since that is the year of my birth and a fourth straight championship will make it even more special.
The team and coaching staff are looking for a huge gathering from the Dillon area to be in the stands at Benedict and the more cheering the better! See you there!!