By R.G. Greene

rgtgreene@aol.com

Cheraw High never allowed visiting Waccamaw to get into the flow of the game on Friday.

Chad Wilkes rushed 75 yards for a score on the first play from scrimmage and the Braves never looked back, racing to a 34-7 victory in the opening round of the Class AA playoffs.

Malcolm Hunter added a pair of touchdown passes - a six-yard strike to Xavier Taylor and a 28-yard connection to Marcellus Dunn - as the Braves (7-4) built their advantage to 21-0 by the end of the third quarter.

Cheraw compiled more than 400 yards of total offense on the night, 321 yards of it coming on the ground. Wilkes led the way with 176 yards on 21 carries while Taylor and Darrell Hawkins combined for 90 yards on 12 attempts.

Wilkes added a nine-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and later in the frame tossed a 15-yard strike to Dunn for another score as Cheraw opened up a 34-0 lead.

The Braves defense limited Waccamaw to less than 130 total yards of offense in the contest.

Gibbs rushes 81 yards

John Gibbs was a bright spot for Waccamaw, rushing for 81 yards on 15 carries to pace the Warriors offense.

Gibbs' two-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter accounted for Waccamaw's only touchdown.

Bourne homecoming

The visit to Cheraw marked a homecoming for native son and Waccamaw coach Burney Bourne.

Bourne, in his sixth year leading the Warriors program, has been inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

He built the majority of his Hall of Fame resume in his hometown, spending more than 20 years on the sidelines for the Braves and helping them capture a pair of state championships.

Waccamaw finished the season with a record of 7-4. It was the third consecutive season that the Warriors have reached the playoffs.