Most Northwestern High School football players followed Jayden Baxter as he recorded a crucial late interception.
Perhaps, those Trojans will keep sprinting into next week’s state title game.
It was a battle for most of Northwestern’s 58-40 win over Gaffney in the Upper State championship of the South Carolina 5A Division II football bracket. The Upstate rivals traded blows throughout the first three quarters, with the visitors running the ball effectively and keeping themselves in the game.
But ultimately, there was no way of stopping the Trojans, who remain undefeated.
Northwestern (13-0) will now play Irmo, which beat White Knoll on Friday night, for the state championship at 6 p.m. next Saturday at South Carolina State University.
“We had a great, great crowd,” Trojans head coach Page Wofford said about the atmosphere at District 3 Stadium for what had the feels of a barn burner. “They were in the game the whole time, loud and proud. We expect that next Saturday down in Orangeburg.”
Senior Matthew Fish, who ranks among the top kickers in South Carolina, booted three field goals for the Trojans.
The Gaffney (10-2) offense scored on an early drive, which included a difficult reception by senior wide receiver Eli Falls on fourth down. Speedy receiver Jamarcus Smith hustled for a 10-yard touchdown dash into the right side of the end zone — after which Trojans junior linebacker Antavious Ross stopped the Indians’ two-point attempt following a bad snap.
Senior quarterback Finley Polk hit senior receiver Jayden Nichols for a long gain on the ensuing Northwestern series, but the promising drive stalled on third down at the goal line. Fish drilled another 18-yarder, which made the game an unusual 6-6 score.
The first half kept going back and forth.
Gaffney sophomore Kendaris Bailey took off on a 43-yard touchdown rush, giving his team the upperhand in the second quarter. The Trojans’ special teams unit — led by sophomore Khalil Williamson — blocked the point-after attempt.
Junior wideout Kameron Vance hauled in a 64-yard touchdown pass from Polk, putting the Trojans back on top, before another fast Gaffney drive — culminating in Smith’s second touchdown — made it an 18-13 lead for the Indians.
A strong kick return from junior Jonathan Spurgeon got Northwestern all the way to midfield. Several bursts from standout sophomore running back Zymier Gordon-Miles brought it closer, and then Polk threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Daniel Caldwell.
And the Trojans stayed in front.
Northwestern attempted and successfully recovered an onside kick, giving the Rock Hill side possession inside its opponent’s 30-yard line. Polk capped the short scoring drive with a seven-yard rushing touchdown on a quarterback draw.
It got the ball back again before the end of the first half — and senior Tadarrian Knox made a remarkable touchdown grab that gave the Trojans an 27-18 advantage at halftime.
“The message this week was: ‘Stay calm,’” Wofford said. “We knew there was going to be some adversity, because when you play a good team like Gaffney, there’s going to be adversity. But if you can just stay calm — keep playing, keep chopping — you’ll be OK in the end.
“And we did that. We said at halftime the defense needed to go out and make a few stops; and offensively, we weren’t going to let up and play safe.”
Gaffney clawed into the deficit throughout the third quarter, starting with a 50-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jayvon Gilmore to junior running back Jaiden McDowell. The Trojans added a short field goal by Fish, before another Indians touchdown made it 37-32 late in the third quarter.
Following a crucial interception by senior defensive lineman Mason Grier, Northwestern took another two-score lead early in the fourth quarter. Polk tossed a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone to Caldwell, who climbed the ladder and caught the 15-yard scoring reception.
? This was the 57th meeting between the Upstate South Carolina rivals. While they didn’t play in the regular season this year, the programs have matched up 17 times over the past two decades. Northwestern currently leads the all-time series, 32-26.
? The undefeated Trojans offense remains dominant, having scored at least 31 points in each of Northwestern’s past 10 games.
? Gaffney had won 10 of 11 games entering Friday night’s showdown. The Indians’ lone regular-season loss came in a 9-7 battle on Oct. 5 against Dorman, which was eliminated in the first round of the 5A Division I playoffs.
Northwestern will play Irmo in the Class 5A Division II championship game, set for 6 p.m. next Saturday, Dec. 14, at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg, on the campus of South Carolina State University.