By MONTE DUTTON

If Clinton had won on Friday night, it would’ve been forever known as The Drive. A banner with it in all caps – THE DRIVE – would have been festooned across North Broad Street.

But the Red Devils lost, 22-21, to Chapman in a flawed classic.

On the game’s final play from scrimmage, Tushawan Richardson hit Kadon Crawford for a five-yard touchdown, and head coach Corey Fountain decided to settle it right there. The first try failed, but Clinton (4-1) got a reprieve when the Panthers called timeout just before the snap.

On the second try, Richardson got hit in the backfield, flailed the ball away in desperation, and a Chapman player batted it down in the end zone.

“You know, we had lost players, we’d had injuries, they were tired, and were tired,” Clinton head coach Fountain said. “They’ve got a big quarterback. He likes to run a lot. If we’d kicked, it would’ve gone into overtime. I just felt like the momentum was going our way, so we were going for two.”

But, oh, what happened just before. Well, let’s go back to halfway (6:18) through the fourth quarter.

Chapman (4-1) got the ball at its own 13 after Lukas Kuykendall’s 32-yard punt, leading 22-15, and riddled the Red Devils. Chapman’s “big quarterback,” Coleman Gray rushed for 76 yards on the drive. He needed 77 because the Clinton defense stopped him on fourth-and-goal from the two.

Clinton (4-1) took over with 1:43 on the clock, 99-2/3 yards away from the end zone, and almost pulled it off.

Richardson completed seven passes for 52 yards and rushed for 34. Five were to Crawford. They teamed up like grits and butter, not to mention Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison.

The loss was heartbreaking, but it was also such a great game that no one in the Clinton postgame huddle was … sorrowful. It’s not like it was the end of the season. Fountain was upbeat, and all the players put their arms around each other and sang the alma mater, just like after every other game at Wilder Stadium.

The game lived up to expectations, as affirmed by the 4,500 or so watching it.

Clinton had two more important players, Brett Young and Zane McLendon, go down in the first half. Neither is expected to be out for long, but they didn’t play again.

Both teams rushed for 274 yards. Chapman’s quarterback, Gray, rushed for 177 yards, but Richardson (and Crawford) outpassed him, 194-150. Crawford lofted a 35-yard touchdown pass to Keleja Byrd with 1:24 remaining in the third quarter.

It only seemed to Red Devil fans that every penalty went against Clinton. In fact, both teams were frequently flagged, but the Red Devils had the bulk – 16 penalties for 142 yards! – and the Panthers had a merely atrocious 11 for 99.

“We just didn’t do a good job, man,” Fountain said. “That’s on me, having our guys doing things the right way, technically sound.”

Each quarterback had a pass intercepted. Clinton lost a fumble on the play in which McLendon sprained his ankle.

Richardson rushed for 100 yards in 11 carries. He completed 14/24 passes for 159. Combined with Crawford, the Red Devils had three touchdown passes for the third week in a row, which may be a record. Crawford caught nine passes, which may also be a record, for 99 yards. Zay Johnson snagged three for 46. D.J. Clark rushed 16 times fr 83 yards.

It was a fantastic game. Chapman broke on top when Gray found Shawn Cunningham on a 65-yard bomb, and Matthai Scott rushed in for a two-point conversion. Crawford then caught the first of his two scoring strikes from Richardson, and, obliged to follow suit, Tray Cook rushed in the two-pointer to tie the score.

Chapman led 15-8 after Gray’s 58-yard rush late in the first quarter, and the second period was scoreless.

Late in the third quarter, Clinton tied it on the Crawford-to-Byrd bit of trickery and Keegan Fortman’s extra point.

Gray put the Panthers up for good with 9:23 remaining on his second touchdown run, of two yards. He ran for two and passed for one.

Chapman coach Harry Cabaniss said, “I’ve had a heart attack, now, four out of five weeks. That’s nothing different. We practice this stuff all the time. We don’t train for the blowouts. You train for this type game. That’s what happened, and don’t be surprised if you see us again later in the season, playing each other (in the playoffs).”

Clinton visits South Aiken next. Chapman might be untrained. The Panthers host Union County next.

Instagram photo galleries are at @laurenscountysports.

To support the coverage, write a check and mail it to DHK Sports, P.O. Box 768, Clinton, S.C.  29325, or become at patron at Patreon. It’s easy to pledge a monthly amount, whatever you can spare.

It has been brought to my attention that some people are willing to help the site prosper but never get around to mailing a check. One was undoubtedly the person who told me this. Here’s a link.

Please support our advertisers and share the site with others who might be interested.

I also appreciate you taking a look at the books I’ve written at MonteDutton.net. You can learn about them and buy them there.