First and Goal: Marion County teams continue playoff push

Marion High School Head Coach Bryan Carfley and the Swamp Foxes won their third game in a row, taking two early wins in region play, knocking off Loris and then Aynor. “I thought overall, in the first half, we accomplished what we wanted to accomplish,” Carfley said.

The Foxes welcomed the Blue Jackets for homecoming 2008, storming their way to a 39-7 victory, and scoring 33 points in the first half. Justin “Max Payne” Gause only needed eight touches to rack up 211 total yards and two touchdowns, while the defense in back-to-back games only allowed 14 points total. Defensive linemen Jeremy Covington and Jonathan Elliott have been involved in a number of plays, stuffing the run as a solid frontline.

Marion got on the board early in the opening quarter scoring on their first two plays from scrimmage. Gause broke away for a 77-yard touchdown run, followed by a 42-yard haul from Brian Gilliard. Quarterback Justin Brock got in on the action as well launching a 70-yard touchdown pass to Gause at the 6:53 mark in the second quarter, giving the team a 20-0 advantage. Brock threw for 111 yards and touchdown.

Forcing a punt on the ensuing drive, the Foxes converted a third down and 22-yard roadblock with a highlight 41-yard pass play from Brock to Gause, bringing the ball near the five-yard line. Gilliard punched the ball in for the score, giving the squad a 26-0 advantage. However, Lue Clemons capitalized on a botched kick return, recovering a fumble on the Aynor 24-yardline. Ra Ra Hemingway added another touchdown run, this time from 16 yards out, giving the squad a 33-0 lead at halftime.

In cruise control for most of the second half, back-up quarterback Ross White engineered a scoring drive, featuring big gain carries from Josh Hughes. Clemons provided another rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter from seven yards out. Aynor Quarterback Brody Richardson provided the game’s final score with a short touchdown run, thanks to a 50-yard run from Nick Asbury.

The Foxes share the lead in the region with Dillon and Cheraw, their next two opponents in the coming weeks. Marion travels to Dillon this week in a huge game that will shape the final four spots for a playoff berth. “The key for us is up front offensively and defensively,” Carfley said, adding the stable of running backs will be a factor. “We’re going to have to stop the big play and the running game,” he said about the tough task facing his team.

The Mullins High School Auctioneers attempted to pull off the upset against the Dillon Wildcats this week, scoring first on a run play from quarterback Bobby Crawford. However, Dillon scored 34 unanswered points to take the 34-6 victory.

Mullins are in a must win game on the road against Loris this week. With a number of playmakers on the squad, it’s going to take a team effort for the Aucs to close out the season strong. That includes defensive veterans Keyon Rogers, Bennie Anderson, Timmy Johnson and Chris Williamson. Antonio Anderson continues to be a bright spot on the front line.

Creek Bridge continues to make waves, showing off the capability to score points. The Warriors were downed at home by Lake View by a score of 46-20. Coach Al Calcutt and company will challenge Green Sea Floyds on the road this week in a crucial region game with three teams fighting for a fourth and final playoff spot.

Coach Lon Spivey and the Golden Eagles of Pee Dee Academy enjoyed another victory on the road, defeating Byrnes 50-28. Running back Bradley George rushed for an amazing 257 yards and four touchdowns. As a team PDA rushed for 489 yards, giving them a good shot at making the playoffs if they pull off the win over Dorchester this week for homecoming.