Boiling Springs Wins 7-on-7 National Championship

Boiling Springs (8-3) became the lowest seeded team ever and first team from South Carolina to win the USA Football 7-on-7 National Championship in Hoover, AL over the weekend.

The Bulldogs rallied from a 1-3 start in pool play to finish 3-3 earning the 25th seed. In tournament play Boiling Springs picked up where it left off in pool by ripping off five consecutive wins to claim the championship to end the event on an overall seven game winning streak.

In the finals against host and third-seeded Hoover (9-1-1), the Bulldogs trailed 17-0 before rallying with 29 unanswered points to win 29-17. Boiling Springs took the lead for good 19-17 after the successful PAT on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Dawson Taylor to Najee Thompson.

Boilings Springs defense proved to be instrumental in the victory by recording two interceptions (3 points each) and a turnover on downs (2 points each). The offense did not waste any of those opportunities as they scored touchdowns off of each defensive set up.

The come-from-behind victory capped an impressive tournament run by the Bulldogs who defeated four single-digit seeded teams. Including the victory over Hoover, Boiling Springs defeated top-seeded Walton (GA) in the quarterfinals, defending tournament champion and fifth-seeded McGill-Toolen (AL) in the semifinals and eighth-seeded Spain Park (AL) in the first round. The Bulldogs defeated 24-seed Baldwin County (AL) in the second round after Baldwin County upset ninth-seeded Gadsden City (AL) in the first round.

Coming off of a state runner-up finish in class 5A in 2016 Boiling Springs will open the 2017 season August 25th at Ashley Ridge.

Notes:

Dutch Fork was the only other team in the event from South Carolina. The Silver Foxes went 6-0 in pool play and were the 2-seed entering the tournament. Dutch Fork finished with an overall record of 7-1 after being eliminated in the second round by 15-seed Har-Ber (AR).

South Carolina Thursday HSFB Update

Mother nature effects us all whenever she wants and so with Hurricane Matthew bearing down on the eastern coasts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, a number high school football games where bumped up to Thursday.

South Carolina had a pair of region 3-5A games moved up to Thursday and both lived up to the expected billing even if they were played a day earlier.

Host Byrnes (1-6; 0-2) took a 28-17 lead early in the third quarter on a Rahjai Harris seven-yard touchdown run after recovering an onside kick to begin the half. From there Boiling Springs (6-1; 1-1) ripped off 25 unanswered points to defeat Byrnes for the first time since 1998 (also at Nixon Field).

Donavan Anderson broke a 28-28 tie in the fourth quarter returning an interception 42 yards for a touchdown with just under five minutes left. The Bulldogs sealed the victory when KJ Rogers raced 42 yards for a touchdown with just over a minute remaining for the final 42-28 margin.

Rogers finished with over 125 yards rushing and two touchdowns while quarterback Mason Streater passed for over 150 yards and had a rushing touchdown for Boiling Springs.

Brock Carroll finished with over 250 yards passing and two touchdowns passing while Quez Mays and Harris each rushed for a touchdown for Byrnes.

Byrnes will host non-region opponent Nation Ford (5-2) next week.Nation Ford fell 70-28 to Rock Hill (2-5) Thursday night.

Gaffney (5-2; 0-1) jumped out to a 21-0 lead on visiting Dorman (5-2; 2-0) as DJ Logan rushed for a touchdown, caught a touchdown and Tyshun Sarrat hooked up with Dennis Smith on a touchdown pass.

Dorman hit the comeback trail behind quarterback Jalen Fowler. Fowler accounted for seven touchdowns (six rushing, one passing) while passing for over 300 yards and rushing for over 60 yards.

Fowler gave Dorman its first lead (34-31) of the night on a 3-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter as the teams exchanged blows down to the very last play.

Gaffney went back in front 38-34 when Cameron Rice scored from fourteen yards out. Dorman answered with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Fowler to Chase Tinsley to go up 41-38.

Gaffney scored again with just over a minute remaining on Rice’s 9-yard run for the 45-41 lead.

Eli Buckley returned the ensuing kickoff into Gaffney territory then fumbled it only to have teammate Addison Wilkins scoop it up and take it to the Gaffney fifteen. Fowler scored from three yards out moments later to put the Cavaliers ahead 48-45 with less than thirty seconds left. Gaffney’s Hail Mary attempt was complete however Myell White was stopped inside the ten giving Dorman the victory.

Gaffney racked up 666 yards of total offense to Dorman’s 423. Sarrat finished with over 400 yards passing while Rice finished with over 140 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Gaffney.

Gaffney will face Boiling Springs while Dorman will host Spartanburg (5-2; 1-0) next week.

Spartanburg (5-2; 1-0) is off this week.

 

South Carolina HSFB Sept 30

Spartanburg’s Coleman Rudolph recovered a block punt by Conner Shurgart for a touchdown for a 6-0 lead just before halftime. BJ Roseburgh capped the Vikings victory with a pick six touchdown in the fourth quarter to defeat Byrnes (1-5) 13-0. Byrnes was shutout for the first time since 2010 in a loss to Hoover, AL and did not score on four red zone opportunities.  Spartanburg (5-2) will have a bye week this week before taking on Dorman. Byrnes will host Boiling Springs this Friday.

Jermani Green got Myrtle Beach off to a fine start returning the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. In the end it was Sessions closing the deal for the Seahawks as they withstood a furious rally from North Myrtle Beach to win the battle of the undefeated teams 42-23. Trailing 29-7 in the third, North Mytrle Beach scored on three straight possessions on an AJ Gore touchdown,  Andrew Smith field goal and touchdown run by Kered Class to pull within 29-23. Sessions then scored his third touchdown of the game from three yards out and Toronto King capped the scoring with a touchdown run moments later in the fourth quarter for Myrtle Beach.

Other games of Interest: 

Top-ranked Northwestern shutout Fort Mill 41-0

Fort Dorchester defeated Stratford 55-6

Dorman defeated Boiling Springs 28-14