After relying on its passing game the last two seasons, Cardinal Newman has switched things up on offense.
The Cards turned to a ground-oriented attack in 2024 led by senior Caleb Ford and their big offensive line. That recipe worked Thursday night as Ford rushed for three touchdowns and unofficially 301 yards, and Cardinal Newman defeated Ben Lippen 28-0 in the SCISA 1-4A opener for both teams.
The win snapped Cardinal Newman’s two-game losing streak.
“You have to play to your team’s strength,” Cardinal Newman coach Cory Helms said. “We have a big offensive line, a really big tight end and a physical H-back. And we’ve got a big, physical running back, so it would be silly for me to sit in 10 personnel (no tight end) or 11 personnel (one tight end). Biggest thing is to play to your team’s strength.”
The change in offensive style is more what Helms, a former offensive lineman at South Carolina, likes. The switch had a lot to do with the graduation of quarterback Duncan Skehan, who threw for over 2,000 yards in each of the last two seasons and the arrival of Ford from Gray Collegiate.
Ford was Gray’s leading rusher as a sophomore before he tore his ACL in the middle of the season. Last season, he played behind BJ Montgomery and transferred to Cardinal Newman.
Ford said it was a tough decision to leave Gray. He arrived at Cardinal Newman in January.
He has been the Cards’ go-to-man on offense and came into the game with an area-best 767 yards rushing. The senior came up with a pair of-second half touchdowns, the second a 13-yard run to put Cardinal Newman (2-2) up 28-0 with 6:07 left.
“It feels great to be part of this offense,” Ford said. “They treated me well as soon as I came here. And we have dominated since spring workouts.”
The game was delayed for more than 30 minutes in the third quarter after Cardinal Newman freshman offensive lineman Jeremiah McGowan was taken off the field in an ambulance. Helms said McGowan was having some neck pain and the move was done as a precaution.
The first play after the delay, Ford scored on a 19-yard touchdown to make it 21-0.
Defensively, the Cardinals came up with a big stop in the first half with Ben Lippen (2-2) deep in their territory. They forced a turnover in the third after turning it over the play before. It was the second straight year Cardinal Newman shut out the Falcons.
Richland Northeast 58, Nation Ford 49
The Cavs outscored Nation Ford, 28-7, in the second half to move to 4-0 for the first time since 2010.
RNE quarterback and North Carolina State commit Will Wilson threw five touchdown passes and also ran for three scores.
RNE opens up region play next week at Camden.
Chapin 42, Newberry 37
Brady Albro came off the bench and threw four touchdown passes for the Eagles (4-0).
Albro, the team’s normal starting quarterback, didn’t start because of a leg injury suffered against Spring Valley last week.
Brock Smith started in place of Albro and put the Eagles up 7-3 in the first quarter. Albro came in the second quarter and hit Khalen Bostick on a 27-yard TD on fourth down to put Chapin up 21-9. Bostick finished with two touchdown catches.
Newberry then took a 23-21 lead with 2:47 left in the second quarter. Chapin answered with an Albro TD pass to make it 28-23 with 1:47 left in the second. The lead grew to 42-23 before the Bulldogs rallied to cut it to 42-37 with 1:46 left.
Chapin recovered the onside kick to end the game.
Newberry quarterback Kenton Caldwell had three rushing touchdowns and also threw a TD. Bryce Satterwhite had a TD pass. Calab Levy and Cash Brown each had TD catches.
Lugoff-Elgin 49, Aiken 18
Aiden Fitzgerald threw four touchdown passes as the Demons moved to 3-1 on the season.
EJ Richardson had three touchdowns and Ry’Keez Brown, Quentin Benjamin and Jeremiah Benson each had one. Jarkese Grant had a TD run.
Columbia 20, Great Falls 6
Myles McDuffie returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the fourth quarter in the Capitals’ victory.
Malachi Butler had a TD run in the first half for Columbia (3-1).
Swansea 28, Pelion 18
The Tigers moved to 4-0 for the first time since 2012 with a win over the Panthers.
Tysean Charley rushed for more than 100 yards and two TDs for the Tigers.
May River 35, Brookland-Cayce 13
Andrew Johnston had three rushing touchdowns in the Sharks’ win over the Bearcats.
Fairfield Central 33, Lewisville 8
Quarterback Kaden Diggs ran for two scores and threw for one as the Griffins (3-1) defeated the top-ranked team in Class A.
Ty Grier and Kenyan Douglas also had TDs for FC.
Saluda 16, Chester 12
Brayden Williams hit Tristan Daniels on a 54-yard touchdown pass with 1:33 left to give the Tigers a come-from-behind win.
Williams finished with 148 yards passing and also rushed for a score to put Saluda (3-0) up 10-6 in the fourth quarter,
Richard Winn 56, Laurens Academy 20
Quarterback Charlie Bonds had two touchdown runs and a TD pass for the Eagles (4-0).
Barber Smith added a pair of rushing touchdowns. Bennett Nicholson had a TD catch and ran for a score.
Mid-Carolina 34, North Central 13
The Rebels (2-2) picked up their second straight win with a victory on the road.
Ridge-Spring Monetta 21, American Leadership 6
Jaiden Holloway threw for a touchdown and ran for one in RSM’s victory.
Holloway finished with 163 yards passing and 75 yards rushing.
Ian Briggs had a 44-yard TD run for ALA (0-3).
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