Newberry and Fairfield Central added another thrilling chapter to their rivalry Wednesday night.

Newberry’s Davonta Ruff knocked down Stephon’s Gadsen’s two-point conversion pass with 46 seconds left to give the Bulldogs’ a 34-32 victory.

It was Newberry’s fourth win in last 10 meetings between powerhouse programs with six of the games decided by seven points or less. The second half featured 46 points combined between the two teams.

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It was the highest scoring game in the 26 meetings, which began in 1986.

“That is the way it usually is. It is always a down to the wire game with Fairfield,” Newberry coach Phil Strickland said. “We have had some really good shootouts with them. This year we are both young and feeling our way in the dark but I’m real proud of our guys for sticking it out and coming away with the win.”

The game was played two days earlier because of Hurricane Florence and started more than hour late because of a weather delay.

Newberry running backs Kentrell Caldwell and Ahmorae Wilmore each had two TDs for the Bulldogs. Wilmore’s 1-yard run gave Newberry a 34-26 lead with 1:06 left.

FC’s Will Barber returned the ensuing kick to the Newberry 45. A few players later, Barber ran it in to cut the lead to 34-32 left.

But Ruff made sure there was no overtime by knocking down the pass in the left corner of the end zone. Strickland said his team runs a similar play and Ruff was ready for it.

Barber finished with three touchdowns including kickoff return for a score. Gadsen had an 84-yard TD run for a score.

Fort Mill 41, Lugoff-Elgin 21

Sebastin Lach rushed for 218 yards and four touchdowns to give Fort Mill its first win of the season.

With the game tied at 7 at halftime, Fort Mill scored 34 points in the second half.

Fort Mill quarterback Dylan Helms was 14-of-21 for 185 yards and a TD.

Lugoff-Elgin running backs Randall Brown and Tyler Dixon each went over 100 yards and had TD in the game. Brown rushed for 126 yards and Dixon had 103.

The Demons are 0-5 on the season.

Wednesday’s statewide scores

Buford 52, Chesterfield 27

Chester 41, Lancaster 20

Clover 40, Gastonia Ashbrook, N.C. 18

Fort Mill 41, Lugoff-Elgin 21

Jefferson Davis 38, Richard Winn 35

Nation Ford 28, Indian Land 0

Newberry 34, Fairfield Central 32

Ninety Six 42, Mid-Carolina 13

North Central 28, Andrew Jackson 17

South Pointe 28, Greenville 27

September 13, 2018 | State, The: Web Edition Articles (Columbia, SC)

Author/Byline: Lou Bezjak, The State | Section: prep_football