ST. STEPHEN — Stunned and done.
Timberland’s dream season came to an end Friday night as Dillon scored a touchdown late in regulation to force overtime. Both teams missed field goals in the first overtime. In the second overtime, Dillon quarterback Travis Murphy scrambled 10 yards for a touchdown and T.J. Grimsley kicked the PAT.
Timberland got the ball and quarterback Cody Craig scrambled 10 yards for a touchdown. But the snap was high and that threw kicker Will Brabham’s timing off. The conversion was no good and Dillon had a 28-27 victory in the Class 2A lower state championship.
Timberland’s perfect season came to and end as the Wolves lost for the first time in 14 games. Dillon, 11-3, advances to Saturday’s state championship. The Wildcats play Central at Clemson’s Death Valley.
Timberland coach Art Craig never considered going for two points.
“You’ve got to kick it in that situation,” Craig said. “You can go for two, but if you miss it, you’re in the same boat. We decided to take our chances with Will. He’s been consistent for us all year.”
Timberland seemed to be in good shape when Rockarius King scored on a 2-yard run with 1:04 left in the third quarter to give the Wolves a 21-14 lead.
But Dillon marched 76 yards in five plays with Antwan Blue catching his second touchdown pass of the game, a 30-yarder with 1:18 left in regulation.
Both kickers missed field goals in the first overtime and Dillon had the win when Timberland’s PAT missed its mark.
“It was a big win for the program,” Dillon coach Jackie Hayes said. “A lot of people had written us off, but we never listened or quit. These guys refused to lose. They never quit.”
Timberland started well.
King rocketed 68 yards untouched on the first play from scrimmage to give Timberland a 7-0 lead. It was King’s 30th touchdown of the year, the second time in his brilliant career that he scored 30 TDs in a season.
But the Wildcats came right back with a 10-play 72-yard drive that culminated with Murphy throwing a 22-yard touchdown pass to Blue with 7:07 left in the first quarter.
Dillon’s defense tightened up after giving up the big run to King. He had 10 carries the rest of the half and managed just 27 yards.
That forced Timberland to go to the air and Craig passed for 58 yards in the first half, including a 34-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Page with 5:01 left in the first half to give Timberland a 14-7 advantage.
But once again, the Wildcats matched the Wolves’ score. The Wildcats moved the ball 79 yards for a score. Roderick Jackson had the big play on the drive, a 39-yard run to move the ball to the Wolves’ 18. A pass interference call moved it to the 9, and three plays later Jackson broke a tackle and scored on a 1-yard run with 1:18 left in the half.
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