AIKEN – Strom Thurmond topped Silver Bluff 17-7 on the road Friday to earn a region championship. After falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter, the No. 7 ranked Rebels suffocated Silver Bluff’s offense by allowing only 66 total yards in the final three quarters and 22 rushing yards in the entire game.
Silver Bluff quarterback Maleik Williams was able to manage 128 passing yards, but the Rebels sacked Williams seven times. Michael Blocker recorded two sacks and two tackles for a loss, Chase Brightharp made two tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks, and Cam Blacks also logged two tackles for a loss to go along with a sack for Strom Thurmond.
Silver Bluff penetrated into Strom Thurmond’s half of the field only three times. The first ended with a 17-yard touchdown run by Williams that gave Silver Bluff a 7-0 lead with 1:18 left in the first quarter. The score capped a 12-play, 84-yard drive that started with a 37-yard completion from Williams to Arthur Walker.
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But more than half of Silver Bluff’s total yards gained in the game came on that scoring drive. When Silver Bluff managed to make it to the Strom Thurmond 26-yard line in the second quarter, Darius Simpkins and Blacks stopped the drive in its tracks with a pair of sacks. And after Arthur Walker returned the third quarter kickoff 44 yards to Thurmond’s 46-yard line, the Bulldogs managed to make it as far as Thurmond’s 28-yard line before Blocker and Brightharp combined to make a sack on third down to back up the Bulldogs and force a punt.
All 17 of Strom Thurmond’s points came during a span of 11 minutes of game time that began towards the end of the second quarter. Backed up on its own 6-yard line with 4:38 left before halftime, Strom Thurmond’s first scoring drive gained life after pass interference and personal foul penalties against Silver Bluff helped Thurmond reach midfield. Izzy Glanton then exploded for a 50-yard run to set up a 1-yard touchdown run two plays later by quarterback Quan Edmond that tied the game at 7 with 2:20 remaining.
After forcing Silver Bluff into a fast three-and-out, Strom Thurmond regained possession near midfield with 1:06 left before halftime. Edmond rushed twice for 17 yards and completed a 20-yard pass to Travis Kinard to help set up Nate Nordeen for a 40-yard field goal that gave the Rebels a 10-7 halftime lead.
Then on Strom Thurmond’s second offensive series of the third quarter, Edmond connected with Dallas Hitt for back-to-back completions that resulted in the 17-7 score that held until the end. The first connection came on third-and-four from Silver Bluff’s 30-yard line. Edmond found Hitt just past the first down marker, and Hitt made a difficult reception to pick up five yards and a first down. Then on the next play, Edmond aired it out to Hitt for a 25-yard touchdown that gave the Rebels a 10-point advantage with 2:57 left in the third quarter.
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The only time Silver Bluff threatened again was late in the fourth quarter after recovering a fumble near midfield. After Williams and Desjuan McCorkle connected for a 25 yard completion that put the Bulldogs inside Thurmond’s 5-yard line, Blacks and Blocker recorded tackles for a loss on consecutive plays. Then Whitt Miller iced the game with an interception on fourth down.
Edmond passed for 135 yards and one touchdown. Gregory Bryant caught two passes for 54 yards and he rushed for 51 yards as well. The Rebels gained 192 yards on the ground. Izzy Glanton rushed seven times for 77 yards and he also gained another 35 yards receiving on two catches. In addition to Blocker’s defensive game, he also rushed 12 times for 43 yards.
Chad Cook is a sports columnist who is known on the field and court as AugBball. Follow him on Instagram @AugBBall
