Daniel dashes Camden’s dream of 2020 South Carolina football championship
Camden pulled out all the stops in its return to a state championship game for the first time since 2002.
The Bulldogs rented charter buses to make the 25-mile trip over to Spring Valley’s Harry Parone Stadium for the Class 3A state title tilt with Daniel. They brought The Bell, the staple at Zemp Stadium that rings after every touchdown, and their own speaker and music for pregame warmups.
In the end, it wasn’t enough.
In a battle of two of the highest-scoring teams in the South Carolina, Daniel got six touchdowns and 472 yards passing from quarterback Trent Pearman as the Lions rolled to a 52-31 victory.
Head coach Brian Rimpf was still proud of what the Bulldogs were able to accomplish.
“We have a great senior class, and they did a lot of great things,” Rimpf said. “They put this program to where we want to have it. The guys coming back next year will have a lot to build off.”
Daniel won its first state title since 1998. Lions coach Jeff Fruster was a standout on that team, and he finally got them back to this point after taking over in 2016.
“It means more than words can describe,” Fruster said. “I’m just glad I was able to have a chance to do so. To be able to take my alma mater back to a place I was fond of being in as a player means a lot to me.”
Daniel (10-0) only trailed once and responded when Camden (8-1) took its only lead of the game early in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs trailed from the outset but stormed out of the halftime locker room to go ahead. Leroy Bracey, who ran for 126 yards and added 31 yards receiving, scored on a 41-yard run and an 18-yard pass from Jaffari Pearson to make it 28-27, but the game was nearly all Lions after that.
Camden turned it over twice after that and Pearman threw three of his six touchdowns. Shane Forrester added a 22-yard field goal as the Camden offense stalled.
Early miscues followed by the three turnovers were too much for the Bulldogs to overcome. Mr. Football finalist Willis Lane ran for 128 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown, but Daniel mostly limited big plays.
“We were used to having the big play on offense, but they did a good job making tackles,” Rimpf said. “The two turnovers in the second half didn’t help in giving them extra possessions. You can’t make those mistakes against a good football team.”
Pearman, the son of Clemson assistant coach Danny Pearman, threw three touchdowns in each half. He had a pair of 52-yarders in the first quarter to go along with a 9-yard toss. He finished 29-of-33 passing and never put the ball in jeopardy.
“I just care about the win,” the junior signal-caller said. “The six touchdowns just comes with it. I’m just so proud of this team. I didn’t think it would be this fun.”
Wise Segars, who was the quarterback at A.C. Flora in Columbia last season before transferring, added a 1-yard touchdown run. He was the leading rusher for Daniel with 82 yards.
HOW THEY SCORED
1st Quarter
D – Jackson Crosby 52 pass from Trent Pearman (Shane Forrester kick) 11:10
D – Eli Merck 52 pass from Pearman (Forrester kick) 7:30
C – Willis Lane 68 run (Van Blank kick) 7:12
D – Crosby 9 pass from Pearman (Forrester kick) 1:40
2nd Quarter
C – Leroy Bracey 14 run (Donovan Edwards kick) 8:49
D – Wise Segars 1 run (pass failed) 1:50
3rd Quarter
C – Bracey 41 run (Donovan Edwards kick) 10:08
C – Bracey 18 pass from Jaffari Pearson (Edwards kick) 7:09
D – Josiah Benson 16 pass from Pearman (Forrester kick) 2:39
D – Forrester 22 FG 0:05
4th Quarter
C – Edwards 29 FG 8:53
D – Merck 63 pass from Pearson (Benson pass from Pearman) 8:08
D – Crosby 18 pass from Pearman (Forrester kick) 5:01
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: D – Wise Segars 12-82, Jordan Grayden 6-54, Jackson Crosby 1-4, Trent Pearman 11-(-4), Team 3-(3). C – Willis Lane 12-128, Leroy Bracey 12-126, Jaffari Pearson 10-60, Joseph Byrnes 1-1.
Passing: D – Pearman 29-33-0, 472 yards, Crosby 1-1-0, 5 yards. C – Pearson 10-20-2, 162 yards.
Receiving: D – Eli Merck 7-183, Crosby 8-128, Javares Hamilton 4-62, Josiah Benson 8-72, Grayden 3-31. C – Anthony Lyles 4-46, Tyler Geter 1-55, Lane 1-28, Bracey 3-31, Joseph Morris 1-2.
2020 SC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCORES
Friday’s game
▪ Class 5A: Dutch Fork 28, TL Hanna 6
Saturday’s games
▪ Class A: Southside Christian 46, Lake View 6
▪ Class 3A: Daniel 52, Camden 31
▪ Class 4A: AC Flora 42, North Myrtle Beach 7
Postponed to Dec. 18
▪ Class 2A: Marion vs. Abbeville, 5 p.m., at venue to be determined (www.nfhsnetwork.com)
This story was originally published December 5, 2020 at 7:16 PM.
