Strom Thurmond Rebels ride another big defensive stand into Class AA football state championship game

Dec. 2—Eight seconds left, eight-point game, the football sitting a yard away from the goal line.

Fairfield Central was on the verge of doing what only a minute before had seemed unthinkable. The Griffins had given up what appeared to be a back-breaking touchdown, with Strom Thurmond grinding away nearly eight minutes of game clock before Zy Rouse delivered the dagger with a three-yard score for a 15-7 lead with only 1:16 left in the Class AA Upper State championship game.

But Fairfield Central, without its starting quarterback and still searching for a way to solve the Rebels' Blue Steel defense, blocked the extra point and then quickly worked its way into scoring position before finally landing at the 1.

At that point, the situation was simple. Fairfield Central was going to have to get into the end zone on consecutive snaps to save its season. Even from a yard out, and then from the 3 for the two-point conversion, getting through the Strom Thurmond defense twice was going to be no small task.

The Rebels proved why.

Running back Derek Cammon plowed in from a yard out as the clock hit 0:00 to make it a two-point game, and then for the tie the Griffins lined up in a heavy formation with wide receiver Dre Walker back to take the direct snap.

Fairfield Central had utilized that formation a few times previously, with varying results. Walker, at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds, had ducked behind his offensive line to power ahead for a few yards here and there, and on one occasion the Griffins got tricky by having Walker pull up to throw a jump pass into the end zone on fourth down from the 6 — which Kaleb Simpkins broke up to deny the touchdown.

So what would it be this time, with the season on the line?

Walker took the direct snap and surged forward, following the lead block of 5-11, 250-pound defensive lineman Keshon Williams.

Strom Thurmond linebacker Bryston Coleman met Walker at the 2, and the pile moved toward the goal line as Gregory Moore, Jr., Kaden Wigfall, Xavier McAdoo and others joined in to keep Walker out of the end zone.

A Griffin crossed the goal line, but it wasn't Walker. He was stopped short, ending the game and sending Strom Thurmond to its first state championship appearance in 20 years.

"Unbelievable. We've been in that spot before," said Strom Thurmond head coach Andrew Webb, referring to a two-point stop the Rebels made in overtime to win their region opener in early October. "We've been in that spot before at Batesburg-Leesville. We just kept telling those guys that defense wins championships, and they know it. What wins championships? Defense. The defense made a heck of a stop right there at the end. Proud of them."

There were plenty of potential heroes in Friday night's game — Deonte Phillips for leading the rushing attack and breaking the 1,000-yard barrier for the season, Simpkins for the touchdown-saving pass break-up and an incredible 48-yard catch on third and long with the Rebels backed up at their own 5, the entire offensive line for helping dominate the time of possession battle again, Justus Daly for converting on the Rebels' first field goal attempt of the season, the defense for holding Fairfield Central to 2-for-8 on third downs and 1-for-4 on fourth.

But the play of the night, and the season so far, is one that doesn't show up in the box score as anything other than a failed two-point conversion.

Just like Oct. 3, when the Rebels stopped Batesburg-Leesville star Amadre Wooden on a two-point try to finish off a wild 28-26 come-from-behind overtime win to open Region 2-AA play. That was the first win of five straight in an undefeated run through the region, giving the Rebels the No. 1 seed that guaranteed them homefield advantage throughout the Upper State bracket.

The win streak has since grown to nine, and Friday's win wrapped up a perfect 9-0 record at home for the season.

There's just one challenge remaining, a date with Hampton County at 4 p.m. Dec. 6 in Orangeburg. The Rebels are looking for their third state championship overall and first since 2005.

"It's awesome, man. It's the standard. I told those 2005 players before that game (they were honored at the Rebels' Aug. 29 game against Silver Bluff) that these boys have got a shot to win a state championship because of our seniors and the pride they have in playing Rebel football," Webb said. "We do our best to make the people that came before us proud, because they are the ones that have made Strom Thurmond football so special."

Saturday's Game

WHO: Strom Thurmond (12-2) vs. Hampton County (11-3)

WHAT: Class AA state championship game

WHERE: Oliver C. Dawson Stadium at South Carolina State University, Orangeburg

WHEN: 4 p.m. Saturday

TICKETS: $20, available online at https://tinyurl.com/yf3v8ju5