Catawba Ridge 19, Clover 14
In a tight, defensive battle that came down to the wire, Catawba Ridge pulled off a thrilling 19-14 victory over Clover to close out their regular season.
Both defenses set a physical tone early. Clover struck first in the opening quarter with a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Grady Stone to take a 7-0 lead. Catawba Ridge responded right before halftime when Nate Odell hauled in a 7-yard touchdown pass, locking the game in a 7-7 tie heading into the locker room.
The third quarter turned into a defensive duel as Clover intercepted two Catawba Ridge passes inside the red zone to keep the Copperheads at bay. Clover finally broke the stalemate halfway through the fourth quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Padgett Johnson.
However, Catawba Ridge answered immediately on the ensuing kickoff. Tyler Robinson took the return 98 yards to the house for a dynamic touchdown. Although Clover blocked the point-after attempt to keep a 14-13 edge, the momentum had completely shifted.
With under three minutes remaining, Catawba Ridge engineered a clutch drive into the red zone, capped off by a 5-yard rushing touchdown from Boston Halpin. Despite a failed two-point conversion, the Copperheads held firm on defense to secure the 19-14 win.
Season Finish: Catawba Ridge ends the regular season with a 6-4 overall record and a 4-2 mark in 4A-Region 2. Catawba Ridge now moves into post-season play.
Fort Mill 44, Boiling Springs 10
Fort Mill put on an offensive clinic Friday night, blowing past Boiling Springs 44-10 powered by a monster night from running back Broden Mitcheson and kicker Noah Hardy.
Fort Mill drew first blood early in the opening quarter when Harper Love connected with Jameson Terrell for a 6-yard touchdown pass. Boiling Springs responded with a touchdown of their own, but Fort Mill took complete control from the second half forward.
Noah Hardy kickstarted Fort Mill’s scoring run with a 19-yard field goal, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run from Broden Mitcheson. Just moments later, Matthew Tillman snagged an interception to setup another Hardy field goal. Mitcheson then exploded for a 36-yard touchdown run, and Hardy launched a spectacular 51-yard field goal right before the end of the third quarter to push the score to 30-10.
Fort Mill didn’t slow down in the fourth. Harper Love launched a 50-yard touchdown strike to Jameson Terrell, and Mitcheson capped off his stellar performance with his third rushing touchdown of the night on a 1-yard goal-line plunge.
Season Finish: Fort Mill finishes a fantastic regular season with an 8-2 overall record and 3-2 in 5A-Region 2. Fort Mill will face stiff competition in the post season, but may end up with a first round bye.
Indian Land 49, Nation Ford 0
Nation Ford struggled to generate traction against a dominant Indian Land squad, falling 49-0 in their season finale.
Indian Land established control early, carrying a 28-0 advantage into halftime after a late second-quarter passing touchdown. They maintained pressure throughout the second half, adding another touchdown pass in the third quarter before capitalizing on two fourth-quarter scores to seal the shutout victory.
Season Finish: Nation Ford closes out a challenging campaign at 1-9 overall and 1-5 in 4A-Region 2.
