Bluffton falls in semifinals
ROCK HILL, S.C. — Bluffton High got a rare opportunity Friday but couldn't capitalize.
The Bobcats, back in the South Carolina state playoffs after No. 1 Goose Creek was disqualified at the start of the week, lost at Northwestern 44-30 in the SCHSL Class AAAA Division II semifinals.
“It hurts more knowing we got that second chance that maybe one in a million people would ever get,” senior cornerback Anthony Smith said. “It would have hurt a lot less if we had lost in the state championship because at least we could say we were there.”
Instead, the Bobcats (12-2) fell in the semifinals for the second time in three seasons. They reached the Class AAA title game last fall.
Bluffton shut down Northwestern's vaunted “air raid” offense for a half, but the No. 5 Trojans adjusted and scored all 44 of their points in the second half. Northwestern (12-2) turned to the rushing game to roll into next week's state final at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.
The Trojans rushed for 288 yards, including a pair of touchdown runs by 3,500-yard passer Mason Rudolph. The junior also passed for 141 yards and a score.
“They kind of switched their game plan,” Bluffton linebacker John Trerotola said. “We couldn't get the tackle, couldn't pop the ball out. The momentum shifted and it was tough to get it back.”
Bluffton went up 17-7 with four minutes left in the third quarter, extending its lead on a 3-yard run by Marquis Webber.
Northwestern scored touchdowns the next five times it had the ball, however, and pulled away in the fourth quarter.
LaThomas Long led the Trojans with 173 yards and a touchdown.
The Bobcats cut it to 28-23 on a 45-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Frazier to Demetrius Smalls midway through the fourth quarter. But the two-point conversion failed and Jaquavious Mackey returned the kickoff 85 yards to make it a two-score game.
Bluffton was in the playoffs despite a quarterfinal loss last week at Goose Creek, the defending state champion.
The Bobcats got back into the bracket Monday after Goose Creek was disqualified for dressing an ineligible player in 12 games. The player sought an injunction Wednesday to halt the Bluffton-Northwestern game, but his lawsuit was dismissed by a judge in federal court.
The match-up of two wide-open offenses turned into a defensive battle in the first half.
Bluffton leaned on a balanced running attack on its opening drive, capped by a 28-yard Mallie Sprouse field goal.
Northwestern lost a fumble around midfield and the Bobcats drove for the first half's only touchdown. K.J. Ford eventually plowed over the goal line for a 1-yard score and a 10-0 lead.
The Bluffton defense made three critical second-quarter stands to keep Northwestern off the scoreboard. The Trojans dropped a pass on a fourth down at the Bobcats' 3, Rudolph lost a fumble at their 37 and Smith made an end-zone interception right before halftime.
The game changed when Northwestern scored on the first drive of the second half, and the Trojans seized control from there.
“This is harder (than last week),” Trerotola said. “This time, it's over.”
Bluffton 10 0 7 13 — 30
Northwestern 0 0 21 23 — 44
B—Mallie Sprouse 28 field goal
B—K.J. Ford 1 run (Sprouse kick)
N—Dupree Hart 5 run (Sully Foy kick)
B—Marquis Webber 3 run (Sprouse kick)
N—Rontavius McClure 48 pass from Mason Rudolph (Foy kick)
N—LaThomas Long 15 run (Foy kick)
N—Rudolph 1 run (Foy kick)
B—Demetrius Smalls 45 pass from C.J. Frazier (run failed)
N—Jaquavious Mackey 85 kickoff return (McClure pass from Rudolph)
N—Rudolph 30 run (McClure pass from Rudolph)
B—Gerald Roberson 1 run (Sprouse kick)