Greenville edges AC Flora in thrilling SC playoff game that went down to the wire
There will be a new champion in Class 4A football this season in South Carolina.
Greenville High School quarterback Prometheus Franklin hit Tyler Brown on a 4-yard pass with 28 seconds left in the game Friday night to lift the Red Raiders over defending champion A.C. Flora 27-26 at Memorial Stadium.
Greenville will host Irmo in the third round of the Class 4A Upper State playoffs next week.
“I love these kids and I told them, if you love each other and play hard for each other then something special was going to happen for you,” Greenville coach Greg Porter said. “That drive reminded of us of the Rock Hill game, and it was very important for our team to come together — and they did.”
Flora, which was ranked No. 1 for half of the season, finishes at 9-2 with both losses coming by one point. An emotional Flora coach Dustin Curtis reflected afterward on his team’s season and their run over the past three years.
“It was hard to look at them in the eyes,” he said. “There ain’t no magic potion that I can say to make them feel better. I’m proud of how they played the game and who they are as people. Our program has a lasting impact on them well beyond football, and that is the goal.”
The game between two teams ranked in the top five in Class 4A lived up to its billing, especially in a second half that featured four lead changes.
A.C. Flora’s Chris Lofton put the Falcons up 26-21 with about seven minutes to go when he returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown. Curtis called it the best kickoff return he’s ever seen, as Lofton took it side to side twice before cutting it back for the touchdown.
After a Greenville punt, Flora had a chance to try and run the clock out, but the Red Raiders forced a Falcon punt. Greenville got it back on its own 27 with 3:42 left.
Franklin marched the Red Raiders down the field and made several big plays, including a conversion on a third-and-14 to keep the drive alive.
Franklin completed a pass to Brown down to the 6-yard line. On third-and-1, Franklin found him again for the game-winning score. Franklin was down on ground for a bit after taking a hard hit on the play.
“I took a hit to the head and hit to gut before that, but I knew I had to bounce back,” Franklin said. “There was too much at stake.”
Franklin was 26-of-37 passing for 361 yards and three touchdowns. Brown had eight catches for 69 yards and Mazeo Bennett led Greenville with four receptions for 136 yards and a TD.
The Falcons had one last chance, but Lofton was tackled in Greenville territory as the game ended.
Markel Townsend rushed for 121 yards and a TD to lead Flora.
This story was originally published November 12, 2021 at 11:33 PM.
