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Gaffney rallies to eliminate Summerville

Published Saturday, November 21, 2009 2:01 AM

By Roger Lee
Summerville Journal Scene ®

In a game that featured 10 turnovers, a ton of offense and some controversial calls, Gaffney rallied for a 35-28 win over Summerville.

Gaffney trailed by 14 points at the half, but outscored Summerville 28 points to 7 in the second half to win the second-round playoff game. The Indians (10-3) advance to face Dorman, a winner over Irmo. The Green Wave (11-2) was eliminated from the playoffs with the loss.

Summerville finished with 545 total yards of offense, compared to Gaffney’s 432 yards. However, the speed and elusiveness of Indian quarterback DeEdward Burris proved to be more than the Wave defense could handle and four interceptions hurt the Wave offense.

“We just couldn’t get a hold of him,” Summerville coach John McKissick said of Burris. “He’s a Houdini if I’ve ever seen one.”

Burris rushed for 99 yards and may have matched that in horizontal scrambling yards. He had two rushing touchdowns while also completing 18-of-30 passes for 285 yards. He did throw three interceptions in the game.

After Gaffney went up 35-28 with 6:00 remaining in the final quarter, Summerville had two chances to answer, but both drives were killed with by Gaffney interceptions.

“I’m disappointed for our players,” McKissick said. “Gaffney played hard and we played hard. I have to give Gaffney credit because they played great.”

Summerville QB Dalton Saunders completed 16-of-36 passes for 333 yards and four TDs. Cody Reese had a pair of catches for 111 yards and a TD. De’Jon Wilkinson had three catches for 106 yards and a TD.

Wave running back De’Angelo Henderson rushed for 189 yard and had six catches for 43 yards and two TDs.

The Indians spotted Summerville three touchdowns early on. The first two were set up by high snaps.

On the Indians’ first possession, Wave linebacker Michael Scholz burst through the line and beat Burris to a ball that sailed over his head.

On the first play of Summerville’s ensuing possession, Saunders connected with Reese on a 74-yard scoring pass.

On Gaffney’s second possession, more problems with the snap led to a Summerville fumble recovery that set up an 18-yard TD pass to Henderson. Wilkinson added the third touchdown on a 65-yard reception and run with 5:38 remaining in the second quarter.

Gaffney scored the next four TDs for a 28-21 lead with 2:13 remaining in the third quarter. Burris had a hand in three as he hooked up with receiver Mike Wood for TD passes of 80 and 15 yards and then rushed for a TD.

On the third Indian scoring drive, it looked like Summerville had Gaffney just where they wanted them. Scholz grabbed Burris deep in the backfield and tackled him. As Scholz brought the QB down, the ball came out of Burris’s hand, hit the ground a couple of yards in front of them and then rolled back and out of bounds.

That drew a flag. Summerville fans were hoping for an intentional grounding call, but didn’t even get a ruling of a fumble or a sack due to the in the grasp rule. Instead the officials picked the flag up and ruled it was an incomplete pass.

On the next play, Summerville drew a roughing the passer penalty and instead of being deep in its own territory, Gaffney was deep into Summerville territory.

The Wave added a 34-yard TD pass from Saunders to Henderson with 9:15 remaining in the final quarter to tie the game at 28.

Linebacker Rondrick Tucker game Summerville hope when he picked off a pass and returned it to the Indian 27. However, the Wave passed on first down and Gaffney’s Shonquille Byers made an interception in the end zone.

The Indians then marched 80 yards for the game-winning score. A busted pass play sent Burris scrambling and he rushed 19 yards into the end zone.

Summerville marched 60 yards on its final drive, but the drive ended with an interception by Gaffney’s Jaquan Barnes at the 10 with under a minute remaining.

S – Cody Reese 74 pass from Dalton Saunders (Bryan Jordan kick)

S – De'Angelo Henderson 18 pass from Saunders run (Jordan kick)

S – Dejon Wilkinson 65 pass from Saunders (Jordan kick)

G – Mike Wood 80 pass from DeEdward Burris (Kelsey Edrington kick)

G – Wood 15 pass from Burris (Edrington kick)

G – Burris 1 run (Edrington kick)

G – Rodney Rogers 18 run (Edrington kick)

S – Henderson 34 pass from Saunders (Jordan kick)

G – Burris 19 run (Edrington kick)

Contact Roger Lee @ 873-9424 ext. 213 or rlee@journalscene.com.
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