I love football. That’s the only excuse for watching the Famous Toastery Bowl. In my defense, I’m mainly doing work with the game on the back road of my mind.

Old Dominion – the powerful 6-6 Monarchs – needed a whole quarter to get three touchdowns ahead of Western Kentucky, which is in Bowling Green, where Bowling Green isn’t.

Then again, one of the highlights of the weekend was Cortland’s stirring victory over North Central in the Division III championship game. That’s why I know Cortland’s in New York and North Central’s in Minnesota. They played in Salem, Va.

Some weekend, huh?

Charlie Whitehurst, the Clemson quarterback who made millions holding clipboards on NFL sidelines, might have started for three teams this year.

Backup QBs don’t have it as safe as they used to.

Clinton High and Thornwell Charter had home basketball dates erased by flu outbreaks – perhaps it’s worse in Clinton, but I haven’t had it (it’s an adjustment to type with fingers crossed) – but the Laurenses, District and Academy, were quite active en route to Christmas break.

It’s not much of a break for the Raiders, who are playing several times this week.

The Red Devils could’ve barely fielded a girls’ team at all, so Friday night’s games against Mid-Carolina were canceled. Similar conditions were at play a couple miles away, where the Saints were scheduled to take on Calhoun Falls Charter.

Perhaps a merry Christmas will help them recover while Laurens County’s other teams manage to ward off lingering maladies.

Laurens Academy’s girls’ and boys’ varsity were taking part in Newberry Academy’s holiday tournament, which was a breeze for the girls.

Jason Marlett’s Crusaders dispensed with Community Christian (Leesville), 57-16, on Friday and Providence Athletic Club (Columbia), 55-12, on Saturday.

The scores were similar, as were the scorers. In the former game, Olivia Huck scored 18 points and Rylee Ballard 15. In the latter, Huck scored 16 and Ballard 15.

Also tickling nets in various manners against PAC were Brayden Dorn (6), Addie Hornberger (4), Sadie Bruyere (4), Hannah Erwin (4), Ansley Thomas (2), Gracie Hall (2) and Taylor Cagle (2).

Gracie Hall scored 6 points for the Crusaders, Sadie Bruyere 4, Hannah Erwin 4, Emily Suttles 4, Makayla Lindley 2, Abby Howard 2 and Madisyn Graham 2.

In the Community Christian game, Dorn scored six points while Bruyere, Hornberger and Erwin each scored four. Hall, Cagle and Thomas chipped in two apiece.

Travis Plowden’s boys split, breaking down all negotiations with the Community Christian Ambassadors, 53-34, but falling on Saturday to PAC, 44-36.

In the win, Buddy Baker led the Crusaders with 19 points, and Garrison Vaughn also collected a second digit with 10.

Also scoring for LA were Braydon Burke (6), Jared Willard (6) and Micha Straight (6). The group of twos (points) consisted of Elijah Hornberger, Evan Asalone and Garrett Murphy.

The Raiders picked up a couple girls’ victories, defeating Woodruff, 44-28, at home and winning, 56-34, over Northside Christian Academy, at Lexington High School’s Christmas Classic.

Laurens is back in action Monday and Tuesday in the tourney.

Against Northside Christian, Laurens built a 39-19 lead in the first half.

Zoe Young led Laurens with 21 points, and Nyri Allen added 11 and Faith Jackson 10.

In single digits were Ty Jones (6), Nasira Sanders (2), Shanayi Chinn (2) and Taniyah Pulley (1).

Woodruff upended the Laurens boys, 58-43, who were playing without their top two scorers. Tylan Fowler (14) and Zee Simpson (13) did their best to step up. Also scoring were Tyon Bailey (7), K.J. Singleton (5), Hyikeem Burnside (2) and Nigere Brown (2).

Presbyterian’s ranked women’s wrestlers lived up to their billing with 16 pins, 11 technical falls and 27 victories at the Wasp Open in Emory, Va.

The first-place finishers were Charlee Shuler (116 pounds), Madeline Kubicki (143), Henlee Haynes (170) and Ella Beam (191).

All nine of PC’s grapplers won their first matches.

The newest members of the S.C. Athletic Hall of Fame – to be inducted in Columbia on May 20, 2024 — are Clifford Ray of Union and Anthony Johnson of College of Charleston (NBA); Tyler Thigpen of Winnsboro (Coastal Carolina); Jack Leggett and Lucas Glover (Clemson); Oree Banks (South Carolina State); Allison Feaster of Harvard (Chester); William Partlow (Columbia); Marcus Lattimore of Duncan (South Carolina); and Ivory Latta of North Carolina (McConnells).

If you’re keeping a scorecard at home, five have primary ties with basketball, three with football, one with baseball and one with golf.

Kory Mincy of PC is Big South Freshman of the Week in men’s basketball for the second time this season.

The East Point, Ga., product averaged 12 points, 4.5 assists and two steals in the Blue Hose’ win over Mid-Atlantic Christian and loss to Kennesaw State.

Merry Christmas.I’m thankful for your support, whether by advertising, contributing or reading.

Thanks so much for the recent contributions. I’m aware that folks appreciate what I do.

I used to list an address to send a check (DHK Sports, P.O. Box 768, Clinton, S.C. 29325). I finally got it through my thick head that not that many people write checks nowadays. For example, me. A more convenient means might be sending a reasonable contribution to DHK Sports on Venmo.

Support the advertisers, and help keep the site – the game stories, the blogs, the photos – alive by making, if you choose, a monthly donation via Patreon. The Laurens County site is here. The Furman site is here.

Another way I can make a little is if you purchase my books at MonteDutton.net. They’re quite entertaining in spite of the fellow who wrote them. Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions. The latest, The Latter Days, is about baseball.

Photo galleries are posted on Instagram @furmanatt and @laurenscountysports.