Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008

Sumter defense takes offense

Gamecocks advance to their first state championship game in five years behind safety’s big plays

SUMTER — Sumter High’s offense got most of the attention heading into Friday’s Class 4A Division I semifinal against Rock Hill. Sumter’s defense must have taken offense.

Travis Fredimon picked off two passes and caused a fumble to prevent a potential touchdown as Sumter rolled to a 35-14 victory and advanced to its first state championship in five years.

Sure, the offense did its part — gaining 501 yards — but the defense came up with big plays in a bend-but-don’t-break fashion.

“It’s been that way all season long, people underestimating our defense,” said senior linebacker Quinn McClendon, whose team plays Byrnes in the state championship Dec. 6 at Clemson. “We worked hard Monday through Thursday, and it’s paid off.”

Roderick McDowell ran for 187 yards, most of it in the first half, and Stephen Curtis completed 13 of 22 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown as Sumter moved the ball almost at will against a Rock Hill defense that came into the game allowing an average of 11.4 points.

“Our kids played hard, we just played a team whose quarterback made things happen,” Rock Hill coach Joe Montgomery said. “(McDowell) is special.”

The Gamecocks scored on their first two possessions. Curtis completed two long passes to Fredimon to set up the Gamecocks’ first scored. Fredimon caught passes of 54 and 24 yards before Curtis got into the end zone from the one to give Sumter a 7-0 lead on its opening possession.

After a Rock Hill three-and-out, McDowell, who had 147 yards in the first half, sprinted 63 yards untouched for Sumter’s second touchdown. Ross Watson missed the extra point, but the Gamecocks led 13-0.

Rock Hill, which ran out of a spread formation, pulled within 13-7 when quarterback/wide receiver Jatavious Stewart ran 86 yards on a quarterback keeper with 11:30 left in the half.

Sumter led 26-14 at the half.

“By far we didn’t play a perfect game,” Sumter coach Paul Sorrells said. “We made a lot of mistakes. We had a chance to put it away early. ... I don’t know, you win 35-14 in the third round of the playoffs you got to be happy. But it’s good that we know we could get better,”

The Gamecocks, 12-2, will next face a Byrnes team that’s won four state titles and and was ranked No. 1 in the country earlier this season.

“Hey, they put on their pants the same way we put on ours,” McClendon said of Byrnes. “It’s just going to be man against man.”

S — Stephen Curtis 1 run (Ross Watson kick)

S — Roderick McDowell 63 run (kick failed)

Second quarter

RH — Jatavious Stewart 86 run (Brandon Berger kick)

S — Shawm Armstrong 3 run (Watson kick)

S — Curtis 1 run (kick failed)

RH — Stewart 71 pass from Randall Dixon (Berger kick)

Third quarter

S — Watson 25 field goal

S — McDowell 47 pass from Curtis (kick failed)

RUSHING: Rock Hill — Jerante Hood 9-10, Jatavious Stewart 7-101, Xa-vier McFadden 1-1. Sumter — Roderick McDowell 20-187, Stephen Curtis 20-29, Cardell Scarborough 10-21, Shawn Armstrong 6-11, Timmy Rogers 1-32, Prince 2-8.

PASSING: Rock Hill Stewart 2-0-0, Randall Dixon 25-9-2. Sumter — Cur-tis 22-13-1.

RECEIVING: Rock Hill Stewart 5-119, McFadden 1-49, Jon Key 1-37, Hood 1-21, Asa Watson 1-16. Sumter — Travis Fredimon 4-119, Tyler Smith 4-69, Daniel Duncan 3-19, McDowell 2-54.

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