High-scoring Chapman rolls over Dillon to claim Class 3A football championship

Two years ago, Chapman quarterback Mikele Colasurdo was forced into action as a sophomore when Colton Bailey was injured in the Class 3A state championship against Dillon. It turned out to be a 55-27 loss, so Saturday’s third meeting in four years against the Wildcats was about redemption.

Colasurdo threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 41 yards with another score to lead the Panthers to a resounding 44-14 victory over that same Dillon program to win the Class 3A state championship.

“He’s a special young man,” Chapman coach Mark Hodge said of Colasurdo. “He took a lot of flak when Colton got hurt a few years ago. That wasn’t his game to win. It was a defensive game to win. He had to go home and hear some things that he shouldn’t have heard. He was able to be prepared tonight. I’m so thrilled he was able to come out and redeem himself.”

Colasurdo, the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year and Georgia State commitment, was more pleased Chapman finished off a season in which it finished 15-0 and scored 847 points, which is one of the best, if not the best, scoring season in state history.

“It means a lot, but I try not to focus on that,” Colasurdo said. “Way too many people worked way too hard to make this happen besides me. I’m just blessed to be a part of it.”

The Panthers steamrolled everyone this season. The closest game was a 14-point contest, 49-35, against Woodruff.

This one was almost over by the half. The Chapman defense was often overlooked during the record-breaking offensive outburst, but it made a statement early. Dillon received the opening kickoff and, on the third play of the game, Gabe Watson picked up a loose ball and scored from 15 yards out to start the route.

The Panthers limited the Wildcats (12-2) to 193 yards of total offense. Junior linebacker Camden Gray, who played at River Bluff last season, recorded six tackles and played a key role despite playing with a huge cast on his right hand.

“It’s been awesome,” Gray said. “I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. It’s been the best season with the best group of guys. I couldn’t ask for anything better. All 11 defenders believed in every single one of us to do the right thing and lead us to victory. 15-0 sounds pretty great.”

The dagger might have come just before the half. It was a two-score game but Colasurdo scrambled to his left and hit a wide-open Ben Rollins for a 38-yard score with four seconds remaining. That gave the Panthers a 27-7 lead at the break.

If that wasn’t enough, Dante Smith scored on a 6-yard run on the fourth play of the second half to make it 34-7.

“God is amazing,” Hodge said. “He put together a lot of great people in the same place at the same time. Great coaches, great community and He created a bunch of great football players and we’re just blessed to coach them. I’m so proud of them.”

“I told them they had a chance to be the best ever, but they had to end it with a zero. I’m super excited they were able to do that. I’m overwhelmed.”

D 0 7 0 7 14 - 14

C 20 7 10 7 - 44

HOW THEY SCORED

1st Quarter

C – Gabe Watson 15 fumble return (Jake Cothran kick) 11:00

C – Mikele Colasurdo 2 run (Cothran kick) 9:21

C – Walt Waddell 12 run (kick failed) 1:35

2nd Quarter

D – Amari Huggins-Bruce 5 pass from Jay Lester (Santiago Pavon kick) 6:32

C – Ben Rollins 38 pass Colasurdo (Cothran kick) 0:04

3rd Quarter

C – Dante Smith 6 run (Cothran kick) 10:51

C – Cothran 27 FG 4:23

4th Quarter

C – Rollins 9 pass from Colasurdo (Cothran kick) 9:40

D – Tyquan King 3 run (Pavon kick) 3:24

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: D: Nigel George 10-67, Nehemiah Squire 10-30, Tyquan King 4-12, Jay Lester 15-39. C: Dante Smith 9-79, Brandon Jones 15-69, Mikele Colasurdo 10-41, Ben Rollins 1-18.

Passing: D: Lester 10-24-0 73 yards. C: Colasurdo 14-19-0, 219 yards, Drew Settle 1-1-0, 13 yards.

Receiving: D: Quashod Singleton 5-32, Bobo McKinnon 3-30, Amari Dingle 1-6, Amari Huggins-Bruce 1-5. C: Rollins 5-56, DaShun Mitchell 4-55, Bryce Blackwell 3-67, Waddell 2-41.

Championship scores

Friday games

Class 2A

Saluda 39, Barnwell 14

Class A

Green Sea Floyds 48, Ridge Spring-Monetta 12

Saturday games

Class 5A

Dutch Fork 34, Dorman 31, OT

Class 3A

Chapman 44, Dillon 14

Class 4A

Wren 35, Myrtle Beach 23

This story was originally published December 7, 2019 at 7:05 PM.