Bamberg – Momentum is a funny thing in the game of football as it can change in an instance
and can happen when you least expect it. That was the case in Friday’s Class A lower state championship
game between Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Johnsonville high schools
The Red Raiders led the Flashes 10-0 with under ten seconds to go in the first half, and with the
Flashes facing third down and 29 yards to go from the Red Raider 49, it looked like that is how the first half
would end. But, as Lee Corso says, “Not so fast me friend,” on the final play of the half
Johnsonville quarterback Malik Shippy took the snap, drifted right and then launched a pass toward
the end zone and wide receiver Travis Wilson went up and over two Red Raider defenders to snag the ball
and score the Flashes' first points of the game with 2.3 seconds left in the first half. Suddenly the Red Raider
lead was cut to three at 10-7.
The Flashes rode that monumental play into a dominant second-half performance and punched
their ticket for a return trip to the Class A state championship game with a 20-10 win at the B-E field.
“Travis is my guy and I just trusted that if I got the ball near him, he would make the catch,” said
Shippy.
Johnsonville head coach Ken Cribb chimed in on the play saying, “Travis is a playmaker, and he
made the play when we needed it. The game had not gone our way until then and it gave us a big lift
going into the half.”
Bamberg-Ehrhardt controlled the first quarter of action as they drove inside the Johnsonville
10-yard line on both of their first-quarter drives only to end up with a 21-yard field goal by Zach
Singleton.
The Flashes defense led by Landyn Cribb, Taysawn Brown and Neal Martin would not allow
the Red Raider offense to cross the goal line on two first-and-goal situations in the first quarter.
The Red Raiders would finally cross the goal line in the second quarter when Nick Folk took the
handoff and headed left, then made a couple of cuts to the outside and scored on a 32-yard run to
give the Red Raider a 10-0 lead. Folk rushed 15 times for 88 yards in the first half.
After the score, the Flashes put together their best drive of the first half resulting in their
last-second touchdown.
The Flashes would take the lead for good on their second possession of the second half when
they traveled 60 yards in four plays to score on a Shippy six-yard touchdown run. The point after was
blocked and the Flashes led 13-10. Martin had a 45-yard run on the first play of the drive to get things
started.
The Flashes defenses would turn the Red Raiders over on downs, giving their offense the ball at
their 48-yard line. It would take the Flashes six plays to essentially put the game away when Shippy
would score his second touchdown from the 1-yard line. The PAT was good, making the score 20-10.
The Red Raiders would mount one last drive to try and get back in the game. After a Johnsonville
punt pinned the Red Raiders at their 4-yard line, Folk broke off a 54-yard run to move the ball to the
Flashes 32, but on second down Red Raider quarterback Chanston Crosby was hit and fumbled the
ball. The Flashes recovered, ending the threat and any chance of a Red Raider comeback.
Folk would finish the night with 147 yards on 18 carries, but only three of those carries occurred
came in the second half.
Shippy threw for over 200 yards with Wilson snagging five of them for 135 yards and a score.
Martin led the team in rushing with over 90 yards, and 69 cane in the second half.
“We knew coming into the game that we would have to weather the storm early, and we were
able to do that,” said Coach Cribb. “We are not the biggest or the fastest, but my guys don’t quit. I’m
so proud of the effort we gave tonight and all year. We are going to enjoy this one and then get
ready for Christ Church.”
The Flashes (11-2) will head to Orangeburg next week at South Carolina State's Oliver C. Dawson
Stadium looking for a little payback against Christ Church (12-2). Christ Church ended it undefeated
season last year 43-20 win over Johnsonville in the state championship game.
the game is scheduled for Friday, December 1, beginning at 2 p.m.
Bamberg-Ehrhardt finished the year at 12-2.
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