A defensive centered game saw the Catawba Ridge Copperheads give the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets their first loss of the season.
The Copperheads beat Fort Mill 14-10 scoring 14 unanswered points for the win. Both teams are now 4-1 overall as they opened Region 3-5A play on Friday, Sept. 19. The Copperheads are 1-0 in the region, as Fort Mill dropped to 0-1 in the region.
“We just had to find a rhythm,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak. “I knew it was going to be a tight game. We were able to make plays.”
Fort Mill got the opening kick to start the game. The Jackets moved the ball well with the help of a 32-yard run from Broden Mitcheson. That set up a 54-yard field goal by Noah Hardy setting a new school record and putting Fort Mill up 3-0 with 9:17 left in the first quarter.
Catawba Ridge fumbled on their first series giving the ball back to the Jackets at the Copperheads 30.
Fort Mill went backwards and failed to take advantage of the opportunity. Catawba Ridge also struggled on offense to get anything started.
Fort Mill put together a good drive on their third series as they were aided by a 15-yard pass and a 15-yard penalty by Catawba Ridge. That got Fort Mill to the red zone where quarterback Quinn Kelly hit Josiah McKinzie for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 1:42 left in the quarter to put the Jackets up 10-0.
In the second quarter, Catawba Ridge put together a good drive to open things up as quarterback Will Griggs hit Connor McFadden for their initial first down and get them past midfield.
Several plays later, Griggs took it in from 12-yards out with 9:18 left in the quarter to get the Copperheads on the board.
Fort Mill was able to put together a lengthy drive midway through the second quarter putting them in the red zone. Catawba Ridge’s Tyler Robinson then picked off Kelly ending the drive for the Jackets. The Copperheads were unable to make anything happen as the Jackets led at the half 10-7.
Fort Mill’s Jeremiah Young picked off a Griggs pass to start the second half and give the Jackets the ball at the 45. Fort Mill was unable to pick up a first down and punted back to the Copperheads.
Defensively both teams played better than their offense as the third quarter wore on.
Catawba Ridge had a bad punt giving the ball back to the Jackets at the Copperheads 15-yard line. But two plays later, Nolan Jones intercepted the ball for the second turnover for Fort Mill in the game.
The Copperheads took advantage of the miscue as Griggs put them ahead hitting Josh Dobson for a 65-yard touchdown pass with 3:18 left in the third quarter on a short three play drive.
“He is a change of pace player,” Lendyak said of Dobson.
Fort Mill struggled offensively in the second half and didn’t pick up a first down in the third quarter. The Copperheads weren’t much stronger on offense despite the big scoring play in the third quarter.
Midway thru the fourth quarter, Catawba Ridge put together a lengthy drive aided by Fort Mill penalties, but the Jackets defense again pulled them through.
With about four minutes left in the game, Fort Mill started putting together a good drive to get to midfield picking up two first downs in the process. However, the Copperheads defense was strong enough to keep the Jackets from scoring.
Catawba Ridge allowed one more chance for the Jackets as they coughed up the ball giving it back for Fort Mill. The Jackets got to the midfield on the drive, but the Copperheads defense again stopped Fort Mill to seal the win. The Jackets were off to their best start since 1983 before the loss on Friday.
“Red zone turnovers and giving up a big play will come back to bite you,” said Fort Mill head coach Rob McNeely. “We just fell short.”
Griggs led the Copperheads going 15-of-26 for 162 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball 15 times for 32 yards. Curtis Dayson ran 11 times for 52 yards for Catawba Ridge.
For the Jackets, Mitcheson rushed the ball 21 times for 69 yards. Kelly was 8-of-27 passing for 81 yards in the loss.
Catawba Ridge goes to Northwestern next week, while Fort Mill plays Clover at home.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
