Clarendon Hall one game closer to their ultimate goal
Clarendon Hall made it one game closer to their ultimate goal with a 35-16 win over Laurens Academy Friday night in Summerton.
The cold weather made for a slow start for the Saints in their first round playoff game. This second matchup with the cross state rivals began with Laurens scoring on their first possession. That was the only score of the first quarter, which made for an exciting game for the fans.
The Saints got moving and took control after the defense caused a fumble that was recovered by junior Tommy Green. The Saints were marching steadily down the field as the first quarter came to an end. Just two plays into the second quarter the Saints were on the board. However a failed two-point conversion left them trailing by two.
Coach Casey Connors’ defense continued to control the field and forced the Crusaders to punt. The Saints took over on their own 18-yard line and play after play the steady offense marched down the field at the direction of Offensive Coordinator Billy Carlisle. Their efforts resulted in a touchdown on a 41-yard run by Cameron Cogdill. This time the two-point conversion was successful and the Saints took the lead 14-8 halfway through the second quarter.
“There may have been a few cobwebs left to brush off after the loss last week,” Connors said about the sluggish start, “but the boys turned the corner after the first offensive and defensive series’ and they played well overall.”
Laurens wasn’t able to move the ball very well and the Saints added two more touchdowns before the half making the score 28-8. This was not a comfortable lead for such a heated rivalry and a winner goes on, looser goes home playoff game.
The Crusaders punched the Saints in the gut once more as they came out after halftime and scored on the opening possession. Quarterback Hunter Hodges and his loaded offense went back to work. They answered by quickly scoring on a 35-yard run by Waymon Hall.
Laurens, like Patrick Henry watched Hall carefully, but the Saints have so many other talented players, they just give the ball to Cogdill, or let Hodges keep it himself and who were just as effective. Laurens barely contained Hall as he carried the ball 16 times for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Cogdill rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Hunter Hodges rushed for 88 yards and completed two out of four passes for 43 yards.
Defensively, the Saints didn’t give up much real estate. Tommy Green led the defense in tackles with 11 followed closely by Trey Fleming with 10.
“We made some mistakes, sure, but hat shows us what we need to fix this week,” Connors said about the penalties his team accumulated. They are going to have to tighten up some of the unnecessary penalties as they prepare for top seed Wardlaw next week.
“We will continue to push our kids to play to the best of their ability,” Connors said. The game that most fans expected to be the State Championship matchup is coming a week early, but either way, the Saints have to defeat Wardlaw if the Saints are going to have a chance at the Championship Title.
The Saints will play Wardlaw Academy in Johnston on Friday Nov. 11.
