SCHSL AAAA: North Augusta football falls to Midland Valley for first time in 25 years
Graniteville, S.C. – A quarter century.
Before Friday, that’s how long it had been since Midland Valley had defeated North Augusta.
The Mustangs prevailed 49-48 in what is arguably the best high school football game the Augusta area has seen in the last decade.
Trailing 49-42, quarterback Corey Tillman scrambled for a touchdown with just 33 seconds remaining in regulation. Opting for the win instead of sending the game to overtime, North Augusta coach Richard Bush decided to go for the two-point conversion. The Mustangs stuffed the attempt, leaving the Yellow Jackets down 1 with a hope and a prayer.
That prayer was answered as North Augusta recovered the ensuing onside kick, staring victory in the face with senior kicker Jack Stevens warming up on the sideline. The Yellow Jackets are suited for these situations better than most area teams, and Bush knows he has a weapon in Stevens.
Lining up for a 36-yard field goal to seal the game and the region, disaster struck in the form of a false start penalty with 0:05 left on the clock. After his 36-yard field goal attempt turned into a 41-yard attempt, the kick was ultimately deflected to the right, and Midland Valley held onto its perfect record, a Region 4-AAAA championship and its first win over the Jackets since 1998.
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North Augusta at Midland Valley was a football offensive showcase
After North Augusta (7-3) and Midland Valley (10-0) tore through the rest of their Region 4-AAAA competition, Friday's meeting with the championship on the line was inevitable. Following last year's 48-22 Yellow Jacket win, both fan bases had this one marked on their calendar since schedules were released.
North Augusta quarterback Corey Tillman was on a mission Friday, racking up over 300 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns (three rushing). Senior playmaker Beans Hunt also scored twice in the effort, once on a 29-yard pass and again on a goal-line carry.
For Midland Valley, Friday served as an historic moment in program history. The gates opened two hours before kickoff, and lines of fans were already wrapping around campus. Both bleachers were completely filled, and the rest of the attendees lined the fence outside the football field, getting a glimpse of the action on the field. Even though it was a regular-season game, state championships have come and gone with less energy than what we saw in that stadium Friday night.
Super tailback prospect Traveon Dunbar was as good as advertised. The senior rushed for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in the win, including a pair of 80-yard scampers.
The Yellow Jackets may have failed to repeat as region champions, but they’re going into the South Carolina High School League 4A state playoffs as a strong No. 2 seed. The problem is that somebody had to fall short in Friday’s back-and-forth contest.
The SCHSL state playoffs begin next Friday, Nov. 3.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: North Augusta football falls short of region, prepares for playoffs
