White Knoll was gearing up to shoot down talented Irmo receiver Donovan Murph. So it was Maleek Miller’s time to shine for the Yellow Jackets.
Miller delivered with three touchdowns, including a go-ahead 60-yarder in the fourth quarter Friday night to help Irmo past White Knoll, 35-21.
“I just did my part,” Miller said. “When Don is getting covered or he can’t do what he normally does, I just got to make sure I do what I do.”
Miller finished with 265 all-purpose yards. Murph, Irmo’s talented Division I wide receiver prospect, finished with a handful of catches.
It was Irmo’s 20th-straight regular-season win and keeps the Yellow Jackets (8-0, 3-0) undefeated and on pace for a big showdown with Dutch Fork on Nov. 8.
Friday’s matchup felt like a playoff game. Both teams project to be among the favorites in the Class 5A Division II playoffs that begin next month.
The score was tied at halftime before Irmo quarterback AJ Brand ran in a score to make it 21-14 with 1:19 in the third. White Knoll (4-4) tied it on its next possession as QB Landon Sharpe scored on a 48-yard run on fourth-and-2 to tie it with 11:42 left.
Miller gave Irmo the lead right back by going 60 yards on a sweep to put the Jackets up 27-21 with 10:23 left.
The Yellow Jackets played without starting tailback Amire White (concussion) so Miller and Anton Jones were involved more in the running game than than they normally are. Jones had over 100 yards of offense.
Irmo’s defense helped preserve the lead by stopping White Knoll on fourth-and-2 on the 48-yard line. Irmo put the game away with a Brand touchdown run. The Virginia Tech commit also had a TD pass in the game and finished with 306 total yards.
Brand is 59 yards shy of 10,000 yards of total offense for his career.
“Our guys just kept answering the bell,” Irmo coach Aaron Brand said. “White Knoll is tough as all get-out. They are so well-coached defensively. But we were able to hit some things in the second half and get twenty-one points and held them to just just one. Just a heck of a job by our defense.”
The loss was White Knoll’s third straight. The Wolves (4-4, 0-3) close out the season against Lexington and Chapin.
White Knoll scored on its opening drive as Tiyon Fanning punched in a 1-yard run to make it 7-0. Irmo answered right back as Miller returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD to tie it at 7.
After the Yellow Jackets stopped White Knoll on fourth-and-goal from the 5, they drove down and took the lead on Brand’s shovel pass to Miller to make it 14-7.
The Wolves tied it at 14-14 on Landon Sharpe’s 60-yard TD pass to Caleb Geronomi with 4:30 in the second quarter.
Dutch Fork 42, Lexington 0
The top-ranked Dutch Fork Silver Foxes recorded their fifth shutout in seven games in the win over the Wildcats.
Quarterback Ethan Offing was 19 of 28 passing for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Boykin Bickley led the Silver Foxes with seven catches for 105 yards.
Isaac Shine, starting in place of running back Maurice Anderson, ran for a score and also caught a touchdown pass. KJ Smith also caught a TD pass and ran for one.
Jayden Westbrook returned a punt for a touchdown. Dutch Fork out-gained Lexington, 395-153. The Silver Foxes held the Wildcats to minus-12 yards rushing.
Gilbert 50, Brookland-Cayce 49
Quarterback Cooper James connected with Connor Gooding on a two-point conversion with 46 seconds left to give the Indians a thrilling come-from-behind win.
B-C (2-5, 2-2) led 49-42 on Dre Dopson’s touchdown run with 3:06 left in the game.
But the Indians (3-3, 2-1) drove down the field and James hit Trevon Williamson on a 17-yard TD pass on fourth down and nine to cut the lead to 49-48. The Indians decided to go for the two-point conversion and James hit Gooding in the left side of the end zone.
B-C had a chance to win it and drove it to the Gilbert 12-yard line but missed a field goal on the final play of the game.
James finished 13 of 17 for 236 yards and six touchdowns. Jaylen Jay rushed for 136 yards and a score, and Willamson had 165 total yards and three TDs. Gooding had four catches for 89 yards and two TDs.
Dopson threw for 267 yards, three TDs and also rushed for three TDs. Tyree Johnson had seven catches for 198 yards and two touchdowns, including an 80-yarder to give B-C a 14-7 lead in the first quarter.
The two teams combined for 990 yards of total offense.
River Bluff 30, Chapin 6
River Bluff (7-1, 2-1) bounced back from its first loss of the season with a win over the Chapin Eagles.
Senior Gators quarterback Parker Murray threw a TD pass and ran for one. Running back Hayden Myers rushed for 103 yards and a TD.
Griffin Lindler also returned an interception for a score.
Brock Smith had a TD pass to Connor Finney for the Eagles. Chapin quarterback Brady Albro left the game in the third quarter with an injury.
Ridge View 41, West Florence 16
The Blazers (5-3, 4-0) used a big running attack to win their fourth-straight game.
Quarterback Tre Howard had almost 200 yards of total offense and threw for a TD and passed for one.
Aidan Keeffe added two scoring runs, and Spencer Bobian and Brad Wilson also had touchdown runs.
Sumter 49, Blythewood 20
John Peeples had four rushing touchdowns and also caught a touchdown pass in the Gamecocks’ victory.
Frank Richardson also had two TD passes for Sumter (8-0, 4-0), which jumped out to a 28-0 lead.
Blythewood’s Johnny Collins threw two two touchdowns, one to Carter Coleman who also had a TD run.
AC Flora 70, Dreher 35
Quarterback Roper Wentzky threw four of his five touchdowns passes in the first half as the Falcons blew out their district rivals.
Kendall Byrd caught three of Wentzky’s five TD passes. Solomon Kelson also added three TD runs for the Falcons. BJ Mack had pair of scores for AC Flora (7-2, 4-1).
Willie Smith had two scoring runs and a TD catch for Dreher (3-5, 1-4). Luca Cruz also had a TD run.
Hammond 16, Northwood 0
The Skyhawks improved to 8-0 with a win on the road at Northwood.
Jackson Ross had a 70-yard interception for a touchdown and Andrew Turner had a TD pass for the Skyhawks.
Kinson Holland led the Skyhawks with 89 yards rushing.
Westwood 30, Lugoff-Elgin 24
The Redhawks rallied from a 24-12 halftime deficit for a region win over the Demons.
Angelo Rios rushed for 228 yards and two TDs, and the second one tied the game at 24-24 with 7:24 left.
Lugoff-Elgin fumbled the ensuing kick and Westwood (5-3, 3-1) capitalized. Carter Carrington scored on an 8-yard run to make it 30-24 with 6:05 left.
Aiden Fitzgerald threw two TD passes and ran one for L-E (3-6, 0-5).
Camden 21, York 13
Tylin Drakeford caught a pair of TD passes and Machi Wilson had a TD run for Camden (5-3, 2-2).
Lower Richland 53, Lakewood 6
Christian Wilson ran for three touchdowns and Amari Fisher had two for Lower Richland (5-4, 3-2).
Ben Lippen 30, Laurence Manning 23
Braden Mayre and Michael Traynum each rushed for more than 100 yards and had TDs in Ben Lippen’s victory.
Jamere Crooks caught a TD pass and also threw one for the Falcons.
Keenan 44, Silver Bluff 14
Desmond Washington had three TD passes for Keenan (6-3, 2-1).
Hunter O’Neal ran for two scores, and Tyheim McNeil caught a touchdown pass and ran for one.
Batesburg-Leesville 45, American Leadership 0
Amadre Wooden rushed for two touchdowns and Angel Garcia went over 100 yards in the Panthers’ victory.
Garcia finished with 112 yards and Wooden had 82 yards. QB Tanner Watkins had a 61-yard touchdown pass.
Hansel Discua had a 43-yard interception for a score. KD Whitt had a 40-yard punt return for a TD.
Saluda 33, Ninety-Six 7
Brayden Williams rushed for 151 yards and three touchdowns and also caught a TD pass in the Tigers’ victory.
Tristan Daniels also had a scoring run and Drew Arant a TD pass for Saluda (6-0, 2-0).
Fairfield Central 62, Eau Claire 3
The Griffins (7-1) won their seventh straight game and moved into driver’s seat in Region 3-2A.
Silver Bluff 56, Swansea 26
The Tigers (6-2, 1-1) were handed their second loss of the season by previously winless Silver Bluff (1-7, 1-1).
Northside Christian 28, Trinity Collegiate 20
Sam Burks ran for three touchdowns to give coach Dean Howell his 100th career win.
Burks finished with 159 yards rushing. BJ Suits also had a 59-yard TD pass to Jake Jeffrey.
Gray Collegiate 63, South Aiken 13 (Thursday)
Tyler Waller threw three touchdown passes and BJ Montgomery ran for three scores as the War Eagles (4-2, 3-0) won their third straight game.
Gray scored 56 points in the first half to lead 56-7.
Waller finished 10 of 11 passing for 185 yards. Zion Job had two of the TDs and finished with four catches for 71 yards. Montgomery rushed for 104 yards on eight carries. Caleb Raysor had an interception return for a TD.
North Augusta 56, Airport 8 (Thursday)
Michael Doe rushed for three touchdowns and caught a TD pass in the win over the Eagles.
Jayden Hatcher added three TDs for the Yellow Jackets.
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