Waccamaw loses to Manning, 55-14
Friday night the Waccamaw Warriors went to Manning seeking a victory and a piece of Waccamaw football history.
But, they lost 55-14 to Manning.
On the line? Second place in Region 7-AA, a tie for the best record in school history, and only the second Warrior home play-off game.
The Warriors went 8-2 in 1996 and lost on the road to the Loris Lions during the first round of the play-offs.
They lost a home play-off game to Bowman in 1998. That team went 7-3, 4-1 in region.
The Warriors got the first break of the game on Thursday when the SC High School League overturned the ejection of Jerome Maybank during the Kingstree game a week earlier. This allowed the Warriors' 6'4", 335-pound lineman to play in Friday's game and even things up a bit on paper with the Manning Monarchs.
Going into the game the Monarchs and Warriors appeared statistically to be evenly matched as they had each only lost to Timberland and beat all other region opponents by roughly the same amounts.
Manning's kick-off was short, high, and into the arms of Terron Britton around the left hash mark of the 20-yard line.
He brought it to the middle and then sliced through his wedge of blockers. After breaking out to the right side he made his way to the 20 yard line where he threw a stop and go move on the last Manning defender -- leaving the Monarch standing still, the Warrior faithful standing in celebration, Terron Britton standing in the end zone, and wait ... an official standing midfield without a flag in his pocket. Holding against the Warriors.
The call brought the ball back to the Warrior 40-yard line and took the wind completely out of the Warriors' sails.
Jubilation, excitement, and joy did not return to the visitor side of Manning Stadium.
The Warriors went three and out on their first drive and it appeared the tone had been set for the night.
At the end of the first quarter the Monarchs were up 21-0 scoring on a Brandon Miller run from 31 yards out, a Marcos Pearson run from 32 yards out, and a 52-yard catch from David Freeman.
At the end of the half the Monarchs were up 42-0 adding another 26-yard touchdown from Brandon Miller, a 44-yard touchdown catch from Miller to Darius Hammett, and another Miller pass to Mike Keels from 30 yards out.
Waccamaw held the Monarchs scoreless in the third quarter and then posted two touchdowns of their own in the fourth. They came on a 30-yard run by Terron Britton and a 41-yard catch by Alex Burdette.
By the time the horn sounded Manning ran up 49 unanswered points and finished the contest 55-14.
Waccamaw's Terron Britton finished the game with 18 rushes for 93 yards, a rushing and a passing touchdown. Alex Burdette had one reception for a 44-yard touchdown.
Next week the Warriors will travel to Cheraw for the first round of the play-offs and Manning will host Mullins.