AIKEN --- Because of a scheduling quirk in the South Carolina High School League playoff pairings, a South Pointe team with a winning record traveled to Aiken's Hagood Stadium to face a team with a losing record in the playoffs' opening round.
It mattered little to the Stallions, as they rolled to a 48-14 win over the Hornets on Friday night.
The game made history for South Pointe (9-3), as it picked up its first win in its playoff debut after only two years of varsity play.
Aiken (5-7) entered the game under unusual circumstances. Its head coach, Carey Johnson, was back with the team just two days after his father passed away, an assistant coach was in a minor traffic accident on the way to the game, and, less significantly, the Hornets are coming off of their first loss in 14 years to their archrival, South Aiken.
Regardless the situation, the Stallions completely dominated the Hornets.
Aiken forced South Pointe to punt on the first possession of the game, partly due to a bad snap over quarterback Stephon Gilmore's head. The blunder was one of very few for the Stallions.
South Pointe's defense took over from there, and forced Aiken to a quick three downs and a punt on the Hornets' opening drive. The Stallions' defense held the Hornets to only 30 total yards in the opening half.
Meanwhile, the Stallions' offense clicked about as well as it has all season.
In typical Gilmore fashion, he controlled the game with his feet and his arm. When Gilmore was not handing the ball off to Devin Wherry, he connected with Charles Holmes, who had an outstanding night, finishing with seven catches for 154 yards and a touchdown.
Aiken 0 0 7 7 -- 14
South Pointe 6 21 14 7 -- 48
First Quarter
SP -- Stephon Gilmore 38 run (kick failed)
Second Quarter
SP --Devin Wherry 1 run (pass failed)
SP -- Sammie Gladden 15 run (Bobby Hemphill run)
SP -- Charles Holmes 80 pass from Gilmore (Graham Tuttle kick)
Third Quarter
A -- Jeremy Robinson 85 kickoff return (Desmond Reardon kick)
SP -- Gilmore 74 run (Tuttle kick)
SP -- Gladden 29 pass from Gilmore (Tuttle kick)
Fourth Quarter
A -- Quinton Woods 35 pass from Marcel Harley (Reardon kick)
SP -- Harold White recovered blocked punt (Tuttle kick)
A SP
First downs 5 19
Rushes-yds. 36-86 31-283
Passing 2-7-1 9-17-1
Passing yds. 40 192
Fumbles lost 3-2 2-1
Penalties 1-8 3-20
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Aiken: Cortez Abney 15-32, Robinson 7-29, Aubrey Johnson 5-7, Harley 5-13, Woods 4-5. South Pointe: Wherry 13-91, Gilmore 9-157, Raphael Ratliff 6-13, Bobby Hemphill 2-7, Gladden 1-15.
PASSING -- Aiken: Harley 2-6-1-40, Robinson 0-1-0-0. South Pointe: Gilmore 9-15-1-192, Corey Rawls 0-2-0-0.
RECEIVING -- Aiken: Woods 2-40. South Pointe: Holmes 7-154, Breon Jackson 1-9, Gladden 1-29.
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