2A powerhouse Abbeville ends Gray Collegiate’s solid 2020 season

As halftime neared and Abbeville trailed for only the third time this season, Abbeville assistant coach Tony Temple made a bold play call.

On the second play of a drive that started on the Panthers’ 33, senior running back Tyrell Haddon received a pitch and appeared to run across the right side.

But instead of gashing Gray Collegiate on another run, Haddon slung a pass across the field, hitting Antonio Harrison in stride for a 64-yard touchdown pass.

“Not much. Not much at all,” Haddon said after the game about how often he’s passed the ball.

“We said, ‘I put my trust in you,’” Harrison said. “So he threw the ball and I caught the ball.”

The trick play stunned Gray Collegiate, which didn’t score all second half, as Abbeville went on for a 28-10 win in Friday’s 2A Upper State title game.

Abbeville will play Marion in the title game Dec. 4 at Spring Valley High School.

Abbeville coach Jamie Nickles said the Panthers’ second half may have been the best half of football he’s ever coached. Nickles, winner of six state titles, has coached plenty of successful halves of football.

“I thought we saved our best for last,” Nickles said. “That second half was a thing of beauty in all phases in the game. We did have one hiccup on special teams, but other than that, that was a beauty.”

The Panthers created a masterpiece on its first drive of the game, too, marching 78 yards as Haddon dashed 16 yards for the opening touchdown. Haddon’s trick-play pass made for a 14-10 lead at halftime.

Haddon had one rushing, one receiving and one passing touchdown and led the Panthers’ ground game with 104 yards on 16 carries. Harrison caught one touchdown pass and had two interceptions.

Abbeville’s defense followed up last week’s outstanding showing against Chesnee with a similar performance. The Panthers started the game forcing Gray Collegiate into a 25-yard field goal after a goal-line stand.

Eagles running back KZ Adams scored the Eagles’ lone touchdown on a 5-yard run in the second quarter. Adams led the game with 155 yards on 26 carries.

Gray Collegiate entered the red zone four times in the second half, but backed its way out by committing penalties.

Gray Collegiate committed 12 penalties for 130 yards, with three of them personal fouls. The Eagles committed eight penalties in the first half for 80 yards.

It was Gray’s first appearance in the state semifinals.

“Proud to be a War Eagle! Tough loss tonight but our guys battled. Best season in school history! We will learn from this and we will be back,” Gray coach Adam Holmes said.

This story was originally published November 27, 2020 at 11:50 PM.