LANGLEY - Strom Thurmond coach Lee Sawyer wasn't sure why he worried about his team being ready to play Saturday afternoon at Midland Valley, a day after the regular-season finale had been scheduled.

But he did.

"It's Midland Valley, and it's for the region championship. You ought to want to play this one in a parking lot on a Monday afternoon if you have to," Sawyer said.

"But it's kind of a different situation, so maybe I was afraid we'd come out a little flat."

They didn't.

Strom Thurmond blew the game open in the second quarter, scoring three touchdowns en route to a 28-7 victory over Midland Valley at L.L. Willis Stadium.

The wind-blown victory gave the defending state champion Rebels their third consecutive Region 4-AAA championship.

"This one's my first as quarterback, but it's nothing new," said Strom Thurmond junior quarterback Aramis Hillary, who accounted for 242 yards and two touchdowns.

"I was a little worried about playing today, too, but we had our minds on straight," Hillary said. "Coach Sawyer brainwashed us."

Rebels senior halfback Eric Curry and the offensive line looked to have Midland Valley's defense brainwashed most of the game. Curry ran for 141 yards and two second-quarter touchdowns to help the Rebels take a 14-0 lead.

"We tried to make the most of (playing on Saturday)," Curry said. "We have some guys who want to play in college, and this was like College GameDay, out here playing on Saturday afternoon.

"The offensive line, they opened holes as big as the Grand Canyon," he said.

The Rebels finish the regular season 7-3, 5-0 in Region 4-AAA, and will play host to either Wilson, Crestwood or Lake City.

After back-to-back 1-9 seasons, Midland Valley (6-4, 3-2) will be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, depending on today's region game between Brookland-Cayce and Airport.

"It's good to be playing in games that mean something," said Midland Valley coach Rick Knight said, whose team had a shot at the region title with a victory. "We hadn't done that in a couple of years, and now we're a factor again."

Strom Thurmond outgained Midland Valley 370-199. Hillary ran for 97 yards and a score and went 13-for-22 passing for 145 yards and a touchdown.

"(Strom Thurmond) just out-athleted us, no doubt about it," Knight said.

After Curry scored on runs of 28 and 30 yards, Hillary's 11-yard strike to Jarrell Taylor (seven catches, 79 yards) just before the half put the Rebels up 21-0.

The Mustangs, who had several first-half drives stalled by sacks, scored their only points when senior Terry Bradley found the end zone early in the fourth quarter.

The win was Strom Thurmond's fourth in a row in the series and the school's fifth straight this season. The Rebels, who returned just six starters from last year's team lost three of their first five.

"This says a lot about these guys. Nobody really expected us to be here," Sawyer said. "I feel good about our program."

Reach Steve Sanders at (706) 823-3216 or steven.l.sanders@augustachronicle.com

S. THURMOND 28, MIDLAND VALLEY 7

PLAY OF THE GAME: With 38 seconds remaining in the first half, Strom Thurmond quarterback Aramis Hillary scrambled to his left and found Jarrell Taylor near the front left pylon in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass, making it 21-0.

WHY STROM THURMOND WON: Second-quarter offense. The Rebels scored touchdowns on all three possessions in the second quarter. Two on Eric Curry runs and Hillary's scoring toss.

WHY MIDLAND VALLEY LOST: Strom Thurmond's defense had several crucial sacks and forced multiple incompletions, limiting the Mustangs' offense, which had averaged 30.2 points per game, to just seven.

STAR OF THE GAME: Curry. The Strom Thurmond senior halfback rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

WHAT'S NEXT: Class AAA playoffs next week. Strom Thurmond won the No. 1 seed from Region 4 and will face the No. 4 seed from Region 5 - Wilson, Crestwood or Lake City - at home. Midland Valley, who will be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed from Region 4, will face the No. 2 seed from Region 5, Darlington, on the road.