Football Friday Rewind: Late FG extends Hammond’s win streak over Heathwood
Two win streaks were on the line Friday night. Jackson Ross made sure they continued.
The Hammond junior linebacker and part-time kicker drilled a 36-yard field goal with 11 seconds left to help the Skyhawks defeat Heathwood Hall, 9-7, on Friday at Edens Field.
“When the game was on the line, I want to be the one who makes the plays,” Ross said. “I was ready to kick it and make it.”
Ross splits kicking duties with Matthew Bellon, who handles kickoffs, but Hammond coach Jon Wheeler opted to go with the junior for the potential game-winner.
It was Hammond’s 20th-straight win over Heathwood and 27th win in a row dating back to 2023.
Hammond has been the dominant program in the S.C. Independent School Association the past two decades, winning the last eight state championships.
But it’s been more of a struggle this year for the Skyhawks, especially on offense. While that continued on Friday, they mustered a drive when it mattered most.
Trailing 7-6, the Skyhawks made a defensive stop and got the ball back deep in their own territory with 1:31 left and no timeouts. Freshman QB Cade Amell, who splits duties with Ben Muela Kiser, led the Skyhawks on the game-winning drive.
Amell hit Wham Walker on a couple of passes and then ran it to the Heathwood 27. Amell then found Kiser on an 8-yard pass, down to the 19, to set up Ross’ game-winning kick.
“It starts with the offensive line and I thought they did an outstanding job giving Cade time and he didn’t play like a freshman,” Wheeler said. “He made some really good throws and plays. That is all you can ask from him. No timeouts and a minute-and-a-half left.”
The game was the closest margin of victory between the two teams since Heathwood won 10-7 in 2009. Most of the games during the streak were blowouts, including last year’s 48-0 Skyhawks win.
“My team has been growing up and I am so proud of them,” Heathwood coach Tymere Zimmerman said. “Hammond is the standard and we are trying to get there and keep building. I am proud of my team. The kids are hurting, but it is week four. I am not mad at my team. I am glad we fought and kept playing.”
Heathwood took the lead on its first drive after forcing a fumble on the game’s first play. QB Patrick Belk scrambled 27 yards for the touchdown to make it 7-0.
Hammond scored just before halftime on a Kiser 1-yard run.
Both teams had chances to add to their scoring but couldn’t finish off drives. Heathwood had a couple of chances to put the game away, but the Skyhawks’ defense got the needed stop.
Dutch Fork stays perfect
Top-ranked Dutch Fork (3-0) broke open a close game in the second half to defeat Gray Collegiate, 42-14.
The game was tied at 14 after the first quarter before the Silver Foxes scored twice in the second quarter and added to their lead in the fourth.
Quintin Wilson and Brayden Johnson each had two touchdown runs to lead Dutch Fork. The Silver Foxes’ defense had seven sacks in the game.
Tyler Waller threw two TD passes to CJ Gleaton for Gray Collegiate.
Irmo keeps rolling
Quarterback Drevon Dopson threw four touchdown passes as Irmo moved to 4-0 with a 51-21 win over Carolina Forest.
Dopson was 11-of-13 passing for 201 yards.
Maleek Miller caught one of those TD passes and had two TD runs. Amire White also had a TD run.
AC Flora rolls into showdown
Roper Wentzy threw four touchdown passes as A.C. Flora won its final tuneup over Laurens, 49-0, before beginning region play.
Jerquen Williams also had two TD runs for the Falcons. They host South Pointe next week.
Swansea holds off Pelion
Deandre Caldwell had two touchdown runs, including one in the fourth quarter, to help Swansea past Pelion, 28-27.
Caldwell’s touchdown put the Tigers (4-0) within 27-26 and PJ Larry ran in the two-point conversion with just under seven minutes left.
Alan Moore had a pair of passing TDs for Pelion.
Around The Midlands
Newberry 45, Chapin 22: Kenton Caldwell threw four touchdown passes, three to Jamere Crooks, to move to 4-0 on the season.
Caldwell also had a TD run. South Carolina commit Jamel Howse also had a TD catch for the Bulldogs.
Chapin quarterback Tyler Black had 308 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns.
Ridge View 56, Camden 13: The Blazers had two defensive touchdowns and two special teams touchdowns in the win over the Bulldogs.
Carter Coleman had a punt return and Jourdin Mack took a kick back, while Drew Madison and Markeith Thomas had RV’s defensive touchdowns. Ashton Chapman had two TD passes.
Westwood 65, Airport 7: Carrington Carter had four touchdown passes as the Redhawks moved to 3-1.
Quentin McGill and Angelo Rios each had two TD runs for Westwood. Jayden Boyd had a 75-yard kickoff return for the Redhawks.
Greenwood 36, Lexington 30: Greenwood scored with less than 30 seconds left on a run by South Carolina commit Triston Lewis to defeat the Wildcats.
Lewis threw for 287 yards and rushed for 100 with two touchdowns for Greenwood.
Easton Crocker threw for 207 yards and three touchdowns, two to Nigel Lewis, to lead Lexington. Crocker’s TD pass to Lewis gave Lexington a 30-29 lead with 2:36 left.
River Bluff 14, Gilbert 7: Brayden Moore had a 76-yard pass to Darius Carter for the go-ahead score in the third quarter during the Gators’ win.
Moore also had a TD pass to Hayden Myers to tie it at 7-7 in the second quarter.
Wynn Meetze had a TD run for Gilbert.
Saluda 34, Chester 14: Quarterback Brayden Williams threw three touchdowns and ran for two in the Tigers’ win. Williams finished with 251 yards of total offense.
Blythewood 41, Keenan 6: QB James Veasey threw two touchdown passes to Ben Hendrix and also ran in a score in the Bengals’ win. Landyn Strong also had a TD run.
Ben Lippen 44, Cardinal Newman 0: Zion Gaddist had two touchdowns in the Falcons’ win over the Cardinals.
North Central 33, Mid-Carolina 28: The Knights (4-0) had a late goal-line stand to defeat the Rebels. Brayden Price had a touchdown run and also returned an interception for a score for NC.
Lower Richland 28, Batesburg-Leesville 6: Solomon Kelson ran for two scores and Zayir Yates had one in the Diamond Hornets’ win. Jordan Hargrave had a kickoff return for a score.
May River 36, Brookland-Cayce 29: Sean Mitchell had two touchdowns, including the go-ahead one in the second half in the Sharks’ win over the Bearcats.
Andrew Frick had three touchdown passes, two to Tyree Johnson, for B-C.
Lugoff-Elgin 28, Aiken 14: Zach Williams threw three touchdown passes in the Demons’ win over Aiken.
Fairfield Central 29, Lewisville 22: Kaden Diggs scored with 38 seconds left to give the Griffins a win over the Lions.
Kamauri Jones also had two TD runs for FC.
Eau Claire 34, Williston-Elko 7: Jahcory Sumpter and Kyle Walker each had two touchdowns as the Shamrocks moved to 3-1 on the season.
One of Walker’s touchdowns was an interception return in the fourth quarter.
Columbia 37, Great Falls 8: Rondrecus Peterson had a fumble return for a TD in the Caps’ victory.
LeRay Thomas, Tyquan Sanders, Matthew Wilson and Adrian Howard also had TDs for Columbia.
Dixie 41, Clear Dot Charter 26: Lucas Tejada threw for 433 yards and four total TDs in the loss for Clear Dot.
Northside Christian 30, Andrew Jackson Academy 20: Quarterback BJ Suits rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns as the Crusaders won their first game of the season.
——Thursday——
Nation Ford 56, Richland Northeast 27: Patience Andrews had three first-half touchdowns as the Falcons won its third straight game.
Nation Ford trailed 8-7 before QB Kason Kanupp found Andrews for a 14-yard TD with 5:43 in the first quarter. Andrews had two TD catches and a TD run in the first half. Canupp finished with three touchdown passes and Malachi Drayton had two TD runs.
Tavarious Lively, Camryn Buckley and Kyle Porter had TD runs for RNE. Isaiah Smalls returned a kickoff for a TD.
Catawba Ridge 24, Spring Valley 3: Curtis Dayson had two touchdown runs in the game and Casey Fikis returned an interception for a touchdown for Catawba Ridge.
Catawba Ridge played the game without junior defensive back Joshua Dobson, the top ranked player in South Carolina for Class of 2027. Dobson missed the game with a shoulder injury.
Next Week’s Schedule
All Games at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
York at Dreher
Friday
Batesburg-Leesville at Calhoun County
Ben Lippen at Northwood
Brookland-Cayce at South Aiken
CA Johnson at Allendale Fairfax
Calhoun Falls at Clear Dot Charter
Camden at Richard Northeast
Dutch Fork at Oceanside Collegiate at The Citadel
Eau Claire at Ridge-Spring Monetta
Fairfield Central at Newberry
Gilbert at North Augusta
Gray Collegiate at Midland Valley
Hammond at Hilton Head Christian
Heathwood Hall at Cardinal Newman
Irmo at Myrtle Beach
Laurens Academy at WW King
Lower Richland at Darlington
Lugoff-Elgin at West Florence
Mid-Carolina at Pelion
North Central at Lamar
Orangeburg-Wilkinson at Keenan
South Pointe at AC Flora
Southside Christian at Saluda
Spartanburg Christian at Northside Christian
Spring Valley at Sumter
Summerville at Chapin
Swansea at Barnwell
Wagener-Salley at Columbia
Wardlaw at Richard Winn
Westwood at Blythewood
White Knoll at Cane Bay
This story was originally published September 13, 2025 at 12:22 AM.
