Cheraw, Dillon clash for region title

Dillon and Cheraw are used to meeting in big games.

After all, the two teams have met the last two years in the playoffs, once for the Class 2A lower state title.

But they’ll be playing a little earlier this season, and with something else on the line.

The Braves and Wildcats meet Friday at Meiklejohn Field to determine the Region 8-2A champion in the Morning News Game of the Week.

The two teams met regularly from the mid-90s until 2003, then met again in 2006 and 2007 when Dillon dropped down from Class 3A.

The Braves have taken the last two meetings by a combined score of 60-26.

“We’re meeting a little earlier this year, but it certainly doesn’t change the importance of the game or the challenge that we have ahead of us,” Cheraw coach Johnny White said. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to plan them and hopefully, we’ll play very well.”

After a 1-3 start, Cheraw has turned things around. The Braves dropped three state games to Class 3A Marlboro County, defending Class A Division I champion Chesterfield and currently undefeated Central.

The Braves have won five straight since then.

“I think the biggest thing for us has been continuing to work hard in practice,” White said. “We’ve shown a lot more consistency lately and our offensive line has played well too.”

The Braves will have to contend with Dillon team allowing an average of 8.2 points a game. The Wildcats have allowed more than seven points just twice this season, against Myrtle Beach (20) and Marlboro County (21).

“We’ve played outstanding defense all year long,” Dillon coach Jackie Hayes said. “We’ve played good defense against Cheraw in the past. But we had a few missed assignments and a few mistakes that cost us.

“Once you get down a couple of touchdowns to Cheraw, it’s hard to come back with the type of ball-control offense they have.”

Dillon also has a well-balanced offensive attack. Roderick Jackson leads the Wildcats with 884 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Meanwhile, quarterback Travis Murphy has thrown for 763 yards and 14 scores.

“Travis has been very accurate when he’s had time to throw,” Hayes said. “A big key to this game will be how well our offensive line plays.”

Being able to move the ball on the ground and keep out of the hands of Cheraw’s dangerous backs Travis Small and Montrell Evans will be another big key, Hayes added.

“Our downfall at times this year has been an inability to run the ball consistently,” he said. “We have to be able to get first downs. We don’t have to score a lot necessarily, but we do have avoid a lot of three and outs.

“We’ve been taken out of our game plan the last few years. Hopefully, we can change that this year.”