BATESBURG – Clinton fans who traveled to see the Red Devils take on Batesburg-Leesville probably enjoyed the season opener about as much as Shealy’s Bar-B-Que House.

Corey Fountain’s Red Devils shoveled on the coals, 50-28, on Friday night, particularly in the first half. Clinton scored three touchdowns in each of the first two quarters and took a 43-7 surfeit to the break.

The score was once 50-7.

“This doesn’t happen on Friday night,” said Fountain on WPCC’s Saturday Morning Rewind. “This happens on the practice field.”

Any concerns regarding the foodstuffs in the Clinton cupboard seemed greatly exaggerated. Eleven Red Devils rushed, and boy, did they. Kason Copeland led the way with 71 yards in 10 carries.

Get this. Seven Clinton players scored touchdowns: Copeland, D.J. Clark, Javen Cook, Tushawan Richardson and Tray Cook via land; and Kadon Crawford and Zay Johnson via air.

Jayden Robinson didn’t score but gained 22 yards on 5 carries

Richardson ran for a touchdown and passed for two, completing 5-6 passes for 136 yards.

Clinton averaged 7.7 yards per rush and 7.7 via pass. The Red Devils scored on all six first-half possessions, then D.J. Clark sprinted 55 yards – seven straight possessions – for Clinton’s final touchdown 2:02 into the third quarter.

For the rest of the evening, Fountain’s inexperienced players got a lot of it.

Batesburg-Leesville (0-1) scored three second-half touchdowns on Jayden Davis’s 20-yard run, Amadre Wooden’s 8-yard carry and, last but most, Tanner Wadkins’ 83-yard pass to Wooden with 37 seconds to play.

Jamarius Clark first got the Panthers on the board with a 5-yard rush with 5:29 remaining in the first quarter.

Clinton only outgained B-L, 390-328, in total offense, but at halftime, the edge was 296-80. The Devils’ first seven possessions took, in order, 2, 3, 11, 4, 8, 1 and 1 plays to reach the end zone. Lucas Kuykendall hit all six of his PATs, M.J. Henderson chipped in a 2-point conversion run.

Kason Copeland opened the game with a 63-yard kickoff return that set up the first touchdown, a 21-yard Richardson-to-Crawford connection.

One concern was penalties. Officials assessed Clinton 12 for 110 yards. At halftime, the Red Devils had more penalty yards than the Panthers had offensive yards.

“You’re not gonna be perfect in the first game,” Fountain said, “but we’ve gotta play with more discipline.”

Laurens (0-1), which fell 55-9 to Hillcrest, hosts Clinton (1-0) next Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Clinton’s junior-varsity football team, coached by Dontavius Glenn, opened its season with a 42-12 victory over visiting Batesburg-Leesville on Thursday night.

Technically, it was an exhibition because the S.C. High School League does not count games that occur before a school’s varsity plays. That being said, it was as official as the law allows.

“Our kids played hard and got after it the whole game,” said Glenn, whose team was 10-0 a year ago. “This was a great way to start our season.”

Quarterback Owen Glenn tossed a pair of touchdown passes, and Rhett Gilliam scored twice via the rush. Eric Cunningham returned an interception for a TD. Gilliam and Safyre Tribble caught the scoring throws.

The season’s underway. Help me cover the county — and my beloved Furman Paladins — by sending a check to DHK Sports, P.O. Box 768, Clinton, S.C. 29325 or becoming a patron here. Support our advertisers and tell them we sent you. It’s going to be fun. Help make it, uh, funner.

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Come join me at Fiesta Grande on Wednesday, Aug. 23, for an Open Mic, celebrating local musicians, beginning at 7 p.m.