Silver Bluff Edges BatesburgLeesville For AA Title

Championship games are, by virtue of their elements, should come down to single plays that affect a game. Saturday's Class AA State Championship match up between the Silver Bluff Bulldogs and the Batesburg Leesville Panthers was no exception to that rule. It came down to one play. The last one.

	Down 21-14 with :24 remaining in the game, the Batesburg Leesville Panthers scored on a one yard plunge by junior fullback, Devito Johnson, making the game 21-20 and presumably, with a successful PAT, sending the game into Overtime. It was not to happen, however.
Panther runningback Devito Johnson scores with :24 remaining.

Panther Head Coach Phil Strickland decided to go for two and the win -- all or nothing with :24 remaining -- instead.

"I just didn't think that we could have beaten them in overtime," said Strickland. "They were ramming it down our throats all day."

Strickland called a short pass play instead. The ball was snapped, senior Quarterback Rob Bouknight dropped back to find his receiver but a block was missed on Bulldog Chris Wright and he was in the face of Bouknight quickly. Bouknight, off balance and going backwards, threw the ball into the endzone and it sailed over the head of the Panther receiver, who had stumbled running his route, and the pass went out of the back of the endzone and came to rest on the hedges of Williams Brice Stadium.

"We had the right play called," said Strickland. "We just missed a block and our receiver almost fell. I'd make the same call again in the same situation."

The Panthers finish the year 13-2 as the Class AA State Runner Up.

Silver Bluff extended its Class AA winning streak to 30 consecutive games, go to 15-0 on the year as the back-to-back AA State Champions.

Silver Bluff's Troy Williamson finished the day with 189 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Senior Runningback Joe Wilson had 161 yards rushing and one touchdown. Batesburg Leesville was led by senior runningback Tori Long with 111 yards and one touchdown, while junior fullback Devito Johnson rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns.
	Troy Williamson breaks a tackle on his way to a score.

More Weekend of Champions Results Will Be Posted Throughout Monday and Tuesday.