By MONTE DUTTON

No one has to stop learning. No one should think he (or she) knows it all.

I had heard there was a difference between a comic and a comedian, but just yesterday I learned what it was.

A comic says funny things. A comedian says things funny.

Many of my friends are comics. I haven’t yet thought of a single one who’s a comedian.

You live, you learn.

Presbyterian College always accentuates the positive.

The release regarding the Blue Hose’ 48-37 setback at Davidson – in a game scheduled for Saturday night in Clinton but played late Sunday afternoon on the road — the top of the release read, “Hose unleash 19-0 run in offense-heavy bout at Davidson.”

Translation: The Wildcats led, 35-6, at halftime, and PC rallied to get back within 10 after three quarters.

Yes, it was “offense-heavy.” Yes, Presbyterian piled up 494 yards offense. Yes, the Blue Hose achieved respectability in the latter half.

Quarterback Collin Hurst, of Davie, Fla., and tight end Worth Warner each turned in career-best performances in the Battle for the 1919 Cup, or the Border Clash, whatever it is, and won the latter half, 25-12.

The game was supposed to be played Saturday night in Clinton, but Davidson College, presumably less ravaged by Hurricane Helene, was happy to host the Pioneer Football League opener for both teams.

Such last-minutes arrangements won’t work next week, when Presbyterian (2-3, 0-1 PFL) ventures across three time zones to face the University of San Diego (2-2, 0-1) at 4 p.m. back here, 1 there.

Davidson (3-1, 1-0) has a recently constructed facility, which is why it is thus far known simply as Davidson College Stadium (the old one was Richardson Field).

As it turns out, the Blue Hose will have the usual five home games, not six as the schedule reads. 

Freshman quarterback Collin Hurst passed for 358 yards (25/37, 3 TDs, 1 INT), and senior tight end Worth Warner caught eight of them for 132 yards.

By the way, Hurst was the first QB of Steve Englehart’s three-year tenure as head coach to exceed 350 yards, dating back to Ren Hefley in 2021 versus Valparaiso, when the Blue were pass-heavy but victory-light.

Zach Switzer scored two rushing touchdowns to go with 38 yards. Quante Jennings was the leading rusher for the Hose with 60.

On defense, Alex Herriott, eminent senior from Hanahan, made 13 tackles, his 12^th career double-digit performance.

Davidson’s lightning struck in the first half, when the Wildcats put up 332 of their 514 yards in the game.The Wildcats scored 28 points in the second quarter. That nightmare began with a 99-yard pick-six by Davidson’s T.J. Magee with 8:31 left in the half.

PC scored touchdowns in all three of its third-quarter possessions but never got closer than 10 points. The Blue Hose failed in all three conversions, a failed pass, one kick that was wide and another blocked.

As has been common in previous games between the Blue Hose and Wildcats, Davidson demolished PC with its rushing prowess, amassing 355 net yards to the Hose’ 136. Similarly, Hurst’s 358 passing yards dwarfed the total of Davidson’s Andrew Frazier, who only tried 10, completing eight, for 159.

Mari Adams led the Wildcats with 11 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown on a 63-yarder sprint. Mason Sheron added 11-93 and two touchdowns, including a 65-yard dash. Six Davidson rushers gained 28 or more.

Dominic Kibby, Switzer and Nathan Levicki all caught scores delivered by Hurst.

Take a look at the stats here.

At least the Blue Hose, unlike the Red Devils, played.

It would have been un-Homecoming, to say the least, but the hurricane’s aftermath made the possibility of Clinton playing Union County preposterous. Clinton High’s final non-region game will not be made up, costing Clinton a likely victory. The Yellow Jackets are 1-5.

Clinton (3-2) is to play its first-ever game against the Liberty Red Devils, and its first in Region 1-2A, on the road this Friday. Laurens (0-5) is at home against Fountain Inn, and Laurens Academy visits Wardlaw in Johnson.

Laurens Academy (4-2) makes up its latter Newberry Academy game on Oct. 18.

Laurens District High played last Wednesday, falling, 29-0, to Lexington. Fountain Inn visits the Raiders this week.

The ruination of Hurricane Helene’s latest casualty is Thursday’s Laurens County Touchdown Club meeting at The Ridge, where Wofford coaching great Mike Ayers was scheduled as the guest speaker.

The next gathering is Oct. 17.

Wellpilgrim.com surpassed the 100,000 mark in page views over a week ago and has already exceeded the numbers of the entire 2023 year. At least one story had been posted for 59 consecutive days. … until Helene arrived.

Support the advertisers. They are all fine people who support my efforts, not to mention those of the kids, coaches, parents and fans.

In the off chance you’d like to read my novels and other books, they’re available on Amazon and many prominent bookseller sites. You can read them on your phones and other devices for a modest cost. I make a bit more if you purchase the actual books, but what I mainly want is for folks to read them.

Read my novel of small-town crime and corruption, Forgive Us Our Trespasses. Download it for $3.99 here, or order it in paperback for $16.95.

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

Thanks for putting up with me.