Vikings stifle run game, hold off Raiders’ rally
Laurens DB Javaye Suber blocks an extra-point attempt by Emerald’s Warner Wright (14) Friday night during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over the Raiders in Greenwood.
GREENWOOD – Emerald guaranteed itself a playoff spot, wrapping up a third-place finish in Region 1-4A Friday night with a 26-17 victory over visiting Laurens.
Emerald’s Key Holloway scored on a pair of first-half touchdown runs and the Vikings defense held the Raiders to just 35 yards rushing on 30 attempts (1.16 yards per carry).
“This (Raiders) team needs to learn how to win outside of football before it starts to manifest on the field,” said first-year LDHS head coach Greg Porter. “When they start doing those little things, they’ll start reaping the benefits from it.”
LDHS fell to 1-8 overall and 1-3 in Region 1-4A, while Emerald improved to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in region play.
Raiders quarterback Will Thompson completed 9 of 15 passes for 176 yards and scored on a 4-yard run up the middle with 24 seconds left in the first half after the Vikings had taken a 19-0 lead.
Thompson connected three times with Denari Lee-Jackson for 85 yards, and Shawn Medlin’s lone catch went for a 50-yard touchdown with 7:29 left in the third quarter as the Raiders cut the Emerald lead to 19-14.
But the Vikings answered right back with a nine-play, 68 yard drive that was punctuated by a 3-yard touchdown run by Christopher Foster.
Brock Franklin added a 31-yard field goal in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, but also missed a 35-yard field-goal attempt as the Raiders tried to cut the Emerald lead to seven points with 2:39 to play.
The Vikings made their first-half lead stand up with a stingy defense that limited the Raiders to just 3 of 11 (27%) on third down.
Emerald rushed for 220 yards behind a balanced attack that included a game-high 84 yards from K.D. Abney and 69 apiece from Holloway and Christopher Dean.
The Vikings had 306 yards of total offense.
Both teams played turnover-free football on the night.
LDHS will end the regular season next Friday at home against Fountain Inn (5-4, 1-3). The Fury defeated Southside 55-26 for their first region victory Friday night.
The winner of the LDHS-Fountain Inn game will finish fourth in the region and earn a playoff berth.
Emerald will close out the regular season next Friday at home against No. 8 Wren.
