BOILING SPRINGS, SC - With a playoff spot on the line and on the same night they honored their seniors, the Boiling Springs football team put on an impressive performance as they defeated the visiting Spartanburg Vikings 24-17 on Friday night.
"Finally, one of those nights we've had went our way tonight," said Boiling Springs head coach Matt Reel. "Our guys are the definition of perseverance and showing up when things are bad or they're good. Those guys are a special group and deserve this more than anybody. I told them we know where we're at but other people just look at the scoreboard but tonight solidifies what these guys are all about especially with how they responded in the second half of this game." In a pregame ceremony the Boiling Springs community honored seniors Kain Barnwell, Hunter Woodard, Kohen Sloand, Roy Gee, Amayjai Boyd, Kam Foster, Kristion Thompson, Blaine Johnson, Jared Chinloy-Mickens, Jacob Hill, Brason Miller, Jameilion Miller, Calvin Jackson, Chris Mack II, Dekari Sterling, Omar Cotton, Jonte Murphy, JoJo Barrett, and Nyshawn Moore for their contributions to the program, a group that Reel said has been a foundation builder for the future success of the program. "When you come to a new place and take over a program usually the hardest people to covert are your upperclassmen because they've been used to doing something a certain way," said Reel. "This group is different as they were most of our leaders last year and really shown through this year. They've done a tremendous job of leading our program and just being themselves every day. It's a special group of kids who are all in and I told them they're the root of the foundation of what this program is going to be the next 10 to 12 years and we'll look back on this group as the ones that changed things." Once the game began, it was Spartanburg that found the endzone first as sophomore quarterback Trey Burke found wide receiver Justin Rice on a fourth and seven down the left sideline for a 33-yard touchdown to put the Vikings up 7-0 just four minutes into the game but that score was the last time they scored in the first half. After the Vikings score the Bulldogs responded with 24 unanswered points over the rest of the first half which started when they marched the ball 80 yards ending with a three-yard touchdown run to the right front corner of the endzone by junior quarterback Lincoln Huskey to tie the game at 7-7 at three-minute mark of the first quarter. The scoring drive was setup by an impressive 37-yard catch by wide receiver Eli Mobley down the left sidelines to put the Bulldogs into Vikings territory. Boiling Springs after a nice 40-yard punt return down the left side of the field set them up on the Spartanburg 20-yard line, the Bulldogs found the endzone again just four minutes later when Huskey found junior wide receiver Kyle Patterson for a 19-yard touchdown pass to the back of the endzone to give the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead just a minute into the second quarter. On the ensuing Spartanburg possession, the Boiling Springs defense got into the scoring fun as sophomore cornerback Jeremiah Favorite intercepted a Vikings pass before taking it 37 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown to put the Bulldogs ahead 21-7 at the nine-minute mark of the second quarter. The Bulldogs finished up their 24-point run with a 32-yard field goal by junior kicker Michael Dueck with sixteen seconds left in the first half to go up 24-7 over the Vikings. Boiling Springs quarterback Lincoln Huskey finished the first half going nine of 13 for 101 yards and a touchdown along with a touchdown on the ground before having to leave the game before the start of the second half. "He took some big shots tonight but he's probably the toughest player I've ever coached," said Reel. "He's at the top of that list and this week we got to get him and some other guys healed up before we hit this playoff run over the next couple of weeks." In the second half Spartanburg was able to get 10 points on special teams plays over a two-minute period of play as kicker Will Love hit a 34-yard field goal before the punt team blocked a field goal which was recovered and returned for a 12-yard touchdown by junior linebacker Peyton Jones to cut the Boiling Springs lead to 24-17 with 16 minutes to go in the game. After the blocked punt, the Bulldogs got some big plays from their defense to help seal the victory which started with a play that looked like Spartanburg's offense was going to be in Boiling Springs territory, but senior linebacker JoJo Barrett forced a fumble that was recovered by fellow senior linebacker Kohen Sloand to give the Bulldogs the ball back at their own 32-yard line. At the eight-minute mark of the fourth quarter, Spartanburg went for it on a fourth and one but a big play by Bulldogs senior defensive lineman Calvin Jackson and junior linebacker Campbell Johnson stopped the Vikings to deny them a first down. The next play may have been the biggest of the night, as with just under two minutes to go in the game Spartanburg went for it again on a fourth and four from the Bulldogs 44-yard line when senior defensive back Kristion Thompson batted away a Spartanburg pass to the endzone to once again deny the Vikings a score. From that point on the Bulldogs were able to take over the ball and run out the clock to preserve the victory. Eli Mobley led the Bulldogs in receiving yards with two receptions for 49 yards while Kyle Patterson had two receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown while also averaging 41 yards on five punts in the game. Junior Javen Chhim led the Bulldogs in rushing with 43 yards on 14 carries. Spartanburg was led on offense by sophomore quarterback Trey Burke who went 10 of 21 for 127 yards and a touchdown while freshman running back Trenton Lynch led them on the ground with 72 yards on 12 carries. The win over the Vikings marks the Bulldogs first win over a team coached by former Chapman and current Spartanburg head coach Mark Hodge in six matchups. Boiling Springs will be off for the final week of the regular season as they wait to learn their destination to start the 5A playoffs in two weeks while Spartanburg will host Dorman next week in a crosstown rivalry. Click here for more photos from the Boiling Springs win over Spartanburg Comments are closed.
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