Broden Mitcheson’s 1-yard touchdown run with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter capped a frantic, high-scoring affair, lifting Fort Mill High School over rival Nation Ford 42-35 Friday night. It was the Yellow Jacket’s first win over Nation Ford football in more than a decade.
The game was a defensive coordinator’s nightmare from the opening whistle, featuring seven touchdowns in the first half alone and maintaining a tie score deep into the final minutes.
Nation Ford struck first on a massive 80-yard connection to wide receiver Jayden Scott, giving the Falcons an early 7-0 lead after Nico Arosemena’s point after attempt. Fort Mill quickly answered with a 15-yard passing touchdown from quarterback Quinn Kelly to Jameson Terrell. The teams traded blows for the rest of the first quarter, which ended tied at 14. Mitcheson added a 5-yard rushing touchdown, only for Nation Ford to respond immediately with Scott’s second receiving score of the period.
Scott completed his hat trick early in the second quarter on a 5-yard pass from Kason Canupp, who later scored on a 9-yard rushing touchdown to give the Falcons a 28-21 lead. Kelly, who finished the half with three passing touchdowns, found Joseph Duey from 6 yards out just before the break, but Nation Ford pushed ahead one last time before halftime to take a 35-28 lead into the locker room.
The pace slowed significantly after the break as both defenses made adjustments. Mitcheson cut the deficit to one score with a 1-yard run in the third quarter, and Noah Hardy’s fifth successful point-after tied the game at 35.
The fourth quarter turned into a tense field position battle, punctuated by turnovers. Fort Mill defender Brett Scales recovered a fumble late in the third, only to have the Hornets turn the ball over on downs. Nation Ford’s Jamison Valentine intercepted a Fort Mill pass in the third quarter, momentarily preserving the tie.
With the clock winding down, Fort Mill finally broke the stalemate. Driving into the red zone, Mitcheson plunged in from the 1-yard line for his third rushing touchdown of the night. Hardy converted the decisive extra point, putting the Hornets ahead 42-35. Nation Ford was unable to respond in the final seconds, allowing Fort Mill to escape with the rivalry win.
