LowcoSports.com
The stars didn’t get too many touches for the Whale Branch Warriors on Friday night, but that’s because they landed enough haymakers early to watch most of the second half from the sidelines.
Bradford Thompson, Darrell Cummings, and KJ Chisholm racked up 219 rushing yards on just 12 carries, and Thompson, Cummings, and Zaire Polite anchored another dominant defensive effort as the Warriors routed Bethune-Bowman 50-6 on the road to improve to 5-0.
Whale Branch has outscored its opponents 247-42 and climbed to No. 3 in Class 1A in this week’s S.C. Prep Football Media Poll.
This one was over early, as the Warriors built a 21-0 lead after a quarter and extended it to 35-6 by halftime, using a punishing ground game and ferocious defense despite playing without injured linebacker Alonzo Allen.
Thompson led the way on both sides of the ball, breaking a 65-yard touchdown run to finish with 95 yards on two carries and collecting seven tackles with four behind the line of scrimmage, including a play on which he hit the quarterback to jar the ball loose, scooped it up, and raced to the end zone early in the third quarter.
Cummings collected nine tackles and rushed for 75 yards on eight carries, while Chisholm added 49 yards on two carries — both touchdowns — and threw a 28-yard TD pass to Dayaun Brown. Jermon Bowers scored a rushing touchdown to go with five tackles and a 51-yard interception return touchdown — his second pick-6 in two games.
Polite led the Warriors with 10 tackles and recovered a fumble, while Treshon Hills added eight tackles, Davon Evans had six tackles (two for loss) and forced a fumble, and Dontray Lewis forced and recovered a fumble. Whale Branch forced six turnovers.
The Warriors are off this week before hosting Allendale-Fairfax on Oct. 13.
SC Prep Football Media Poll
Class 1A
1. Lewisville (19) (6-1)
2. Christ Church (4-2)
3. Whale Branch (5-0)
4. Bamberg-Ehrhardt (5-1)
5. Southside Christian (3-2)
6. Blackville-Hilda (6-1)
7. St. Joseph’s (6-1)
8. Lake View (5-1)
9. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (5-1)
10. Calhoun County (5-1)
