A.C. Flora knocks off second-ranked Myrtle Beach
A.C. Flora’s late-season magic continued Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
Lane Botkin ran for three scores, and quarterback Carlton Andrews threw two touchdowns as the Falcons rallied from a 14-point deficit to defeat No. 2-ranked Myrtle Beach 42-28 in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
A.C. Flora, which started the season 1-4, travels to No. 3 Hartsville in the second round next week.
Botkin, the team’s Wildcat quarterback, rushed for 112 yards, and his 62-yard run gave Flora (6-5) a 28-21 lead with 4:42 left in the third quarter. The Falcons took a 35-21 lead when Matthew Jamison returned a fumble 11 yards on the final play of the third quarter.
Andrews was 16-of-23 through the air for 145 yards and two first-half touchdowns.
TURNING POINT
Trailing 21-14 late in the second quarter, Quincy Riley picked off Myrtle Beach quarterback Lawson Cribb with 11 seconds left. Two plays later, Andrews hit Cory Riley on a 32-yard TD pass with 1.2 seconds to tie it at 21.
KEY PERFORMERS
Botkin: Flora’s all-purpose threat gave a spark when the team went to the Wildcat formation.
Riley: Picked off two passes, including one late in second quarter.
Cribb: Myrtle Beach quarterback was 30 of 40 for 314 yards, but was picked off three times.
KEY NUMBERS
14: Points A.C. Flora scored off Myrtle Beach turnovers.
21: Points scored by A.C. Flora in the second quarter.
THEY SAID IT
“We challenged them to believe, to have focus and a strong desire. They came out with all three things tonight and willed themselves to win. Myrtle Beach is a great team, but our guys came out and showed a lot of people, and shocked the state.” – A.C. Flora coach Reggie Shaw.
“This is one of the top wins I have been a part of. I am senior and it is either win or go home. It’s just awesome.” – Botkin
HOW THEY SCORED
1st Quarter
MB – J. Green 20 pass from Cribb (Toone kick), 9:51
MB – J. Green 24 pass from Cribb (Toone kick), 4:19
2nd Quarter
ACF – Hollingsworth 13 pass from Andrews (McCutchen kick), 11:55
ACF – Botkin 9 run (McCutchen kick), 4:23
MB – Finkley 27 pass from Cribb (Toone kick), 1:37
ACF – Cory Riley 32 pass from Andrews (McCutchen kick) :01
3rd Quarter
ACF – Botkin 62 run (McCutchen kick), 4:42
ACF – Jamison 11 fumble return (McCutchen kick), :00
4th Quarter
MB – Sessions 1 run (Toone kick), 9:15
ACF – Botkin 9 run (McCutchen kick), 1:32
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: MB: Sessions 3-24, J. Green 4-10. ACF: Pope 7-25, Botkin 13-112, C. Riley 4-18, Andrews 10-27
Passing: MB: Cribb 30-40-3 314. ACF: Andrews 16-24-0 145, Botkin 0-1-0 0, Pope 0-1-0 0
Receiving: MB: Green 9-85, Finkley 11-99, Sessions 2-42, W. Vereen 5-65, Grissett 3-26, ACF: Cam Riley 1-5; Whetstone 8-48, Hollingsworth 6-64, Chapman 1-4, Cory Riley 1-32
This story was originally published November 18, 2016 at 11:37 PM.