By MONTE DUTTON

The NFL could hardly have begun its season better. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens by the margin of, oh, maybe, a quarter of an inch, and also 27-20.

On the last play of the game, Lamar Jackson hit Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone on the final play. Hensley did not land with his foot in bounds, revealed by the replay after originally ruled a score, after initially officials thought the catch was, uh, likely. The Ravens were apparently going to go for two points and the win, but they never got a chance.

After playing trivia to begin the evening, I didn’t expect to see the first half, but apparently a delay held up the start, and I saw most of it. Both teams looked great.

I like college and high school better, but it’s a difference between “adore” and “love,” and it’s obviously not shared by the majority, given any analysis. People would probably pay to see the NFL from Sao Paulo. Oh, wait.

It’s almost a Red State/Blue State setting. The pros rule the cities and win the popular vote. The semipros’ only shot would be if football had an electoral college.

Let’s not leave out the high schools. They poll well in these parts.

Four in a row. “A hat trick of assists,” of which I’ve never heard.

Presbyterian’s resurgent women’s soccer team blanked The Citadel, 3-0, in Charleston on Thursday.

Lina-Marie Muller assisted all three goals, and Lindsey Malyszek scored two of them.

The three assists by Muller established a new school for Presbyterian (5-1).

“Our girls took the gameplan from this match and went out there and executed it perfectly,” said head coach Matt Smith. “I’m very proud of them for fully buying into what we’ve already accomplished, as this was an excellent performance against a quality team who hadn’t lost yet.”

Junior defender Ella Williams opened the scoring with the opening goal of her college career.

The Citadel is 4-1-1.

On Sunday, Presbyterian returns to Martin Stadium for a 7 p.m. match versus Georgia State.

The men’s team nearly had a breakthrough in Blackburg, Va., on Thursday night..

PC’s Damorney Hutchinson scored the equalizing goal in the 71^st minute, but Virginia Tech (3-0-1) scored the go-ahead goal in the final 10 minutes to hold off the Blue Hose (1-2-1), 2-1.

“I am super proud of our guys,” Presbyterian coach Nick Finotti said. “We felt like we should have gotten points out of this game. We have a lot of positives to take out of tonight’s game.”

In the 38^th minute, Virginia Tech’s Trey Gardiner scored the game’s first goal off assists from Olafur Fioki Stephensen and Carter Hensley.

In the 71^st minute, Presbyterian’s Sandro Rabarivony made a lovely pass from the Blue Hose’s defensive side of midfield to a streaking Hutchinson near the top of the left side of the box. Hutchinson blasted a shot from 20 yards out under the arms of Virginia Tech’s goalkeeper Cooper Wenzel into the back of the net, tying the score.

In the 81^st minute, Virginia Tech’s Stephensen scored off assists from Malick Thiaw and Alex Perez putting the Hokies back in front.

Presbyterian finishes its four-game road swing at Coastal Carolina on Monday at 7 p.m.

Clinton remained unbeaten with a 26-7 junior-varsity football victory at home over Newberry.

The Red Devils amassed a 26-0 lead in the first three quarters, scoring a touchdown in each.

Zy Butler scored two rushing touchdowns, and Owen Glenn hooked up on a touchdown pass to Graydon Watkins.

Ajavian James returned an interception 40 yards for a score.

“Our kids put together a solid game where everyone contributed,” said coach Dontavius Glenn. “Our defense did a great job containing the quarterback and taking away their deep-ball threat. The offense operated well and made big plays the entire game.”

Chapman visits next Thursday.

Laurens picked up its first victory in overtime, 26-20, over Belton-Honea Path at K.C. Hanna Stadium.

The Raider defense made a stand in the extra period, stopping the Bears on fourth down thanks to Jerimiah Simpson’s sack.

Buddy Cheeks ended the game with a nine-yard rush. He had already run and passed for TDs (to C.J. Bates) in regulation. Isai Fernandez also had a three-yard rushing score.

Chapin blanked a young Clinton girls tennis squad, 7-0.

Laurens (1-1) takes on A.C. Flora, also at home, next week.

The Red Devils only won games at No. 5 singles – Molly Brown defeated Kaleigh Lawson, 6-1, 6-2 – and at No. 2 doubles, where Abby McMurray and Savanna Fountain fell, 6-2, 6-1.

Presbyterian College resumes — exhumes might be a better word — its rivalry with Erskine, which it hasn’t played since 1951, on Saturday at Greenwood High School, beginning at 7 p.m.

In the Flying Fleet’s defense, it didn’t play football again until the 2020 (COVID spring of 2021).

Erskine (1-0) visits PC next year. PC boasts an “active” winning streak of 10 games in the “series.”

Blue Hose linebacker Alex Herriott made his 279th tackle against Mercer. His next one puts him in third place all-time at the school.

Presbyterian (0-1) running back Zach Switzer amassed a school-record 191 yards in kickoff returns in the 63-10 loss in Macon, Ga. A major reason is that Switzer returned eight kicks, averaging 23.9 yards.

The last five weeks have found Saturday as the most popular day for this site. It’s that high-school football, sports fans.

As Merle Haggard sang, “If we can make it through December, everything’s gonna be all right, I know.”

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