COLUMBIA – Blythewood’s tough, injury-plagued season came to a difficult end in Columbia against one of the best teams in 5-A football, Spring Valley. It was a defensive stale-mate in the first half, but Spring Valley pulled away in the second half for a 28-0 shutout victory.
Blythewood’s offense struggled to just 52 yards of total offense, compared to the Vikings’ 305 rushing yards and 79 passing yards. This was the Bengals’ fourth shutout and fifth loss in a row. The last time they scored a touchdown was back on Sept.22 in a loss against River Bluff.
Shi’heem Watkins (24) fights tooth and nail for every yard, even as he collapses under the weight of the SV defender. | photo/Ross Burton
Bengals’ linebacker Patrick Godbolt recovered a Vikings’ fumble early on in the first quarter, and took over with promising position at the Spring Valley 45. A 19-yard pass from Quinton Patten to Dalen Mickle left the Bengals inside the 30, but the drive ended with a turnover on downs on an incomplete pass.
Spring Valley coughed the ball up again on their next drive, and this time Jhevon Daughtry hopped on the loose ball at the Vikings’ 24. Despite another shot with prime field position, the Bengals lost the ball on another turnover on downs after Patten was sacked for an 11-yard loss.
The Vikings could not hold onto the ball and fumbled on their next two possessions, but were able to recover both. Even after the fumble recoveries, the usually potent Vikings’ offense could not get anything going.
Both defenses held firm for the rest of the first half, and both teams went into the locker-room without putting up a crooked number on the scoreboard. The second half, however, would be all Spring Valley.
Anthony Wilson took the Vikings’ first play from scrimmage in the second half, and turned on the jets for a 73-yard carry all the way down to the Bengals’ one-yard line. Wilson got the ball again on the next play and powered it in for the first score.
Blythewood’s first drive of the second half did not go as well and ended in a punt. Anthony Wilson racked up on 42 more rushing yards on the Vikings’ next drive, including a 32-yard touchdown that put Spring Valley up 14-0.
The Vikings were on the corridor of going up 21-0 with a third-straight scoring drive, but at the Blythewood seven-yard line Ymann Gaffney came up with the interception for the Bengals. Later in the third, the Bengals would not be able to stop the score.
Wilson broke Spring Valley’s next drive wide open with a 26-yard rush down the Blythewood 14-yard line, and then steamrolled through the Bengals defensive line for a five-yard score, his third of the quarter.
Wilson finished with 176 yards and three touchdowns.
Quentin Singleton was picked off late in the fourth quarter, and Spring Valley turned the turnover into a one-yard rushing touchdown that put the game out of reach for the Bengals.
Blythewood finished the season with a 3-7 overall record, 1-5 Region 5-5A play.
SCORING
Blythewood-0-0-0-0-0
Spring Valley-0-0-21-7-28
Third Quarter
SV – Anthony Wilson 1 run (Alex Herrera kick).11:34
SV – A.Wilson 32 run (A.Herrera kick).8:10.
SV – A.Wilson 5 run (A.Herrerra kick).:01
Fourth Quarter
SV – Demarcus Craft 1run (A.Herrerra kick).2:00.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Blythewood – Quentin Singleton 1 -(-3), Quentin Patten 13 -(-19), Brandon Edwards 12-35, Jerrod Harmon 4-0, Brady Carson 3-36, Jakob Owens 1 -(-3), Julian Jordan 1 -(-1). Spring Valley – Anthony Wilson 10-176, Jaylon Morris 7-66, Drtania I’aulualo 10-37, Quincy Hill 13-26, Demarcus Craft 5-22, Keandre Jones 1-6, Alex Haigler 1-2, Marcus Simpson 2-1, Alex Hererra 0-2.
PASSING: Blythewood – Quinton Patten 3-11, 24 yards;Quinton Singleton 0-2, one interception. Spring Valley – Quincy Hill 2-7, 68 yards, one interception; Jacobie Elkins 1-2, 11 yards.
RECEIVING: Blythewood – Dalen Mickle 1-19, Jakob Owens 1-8, Chris Woodall 1 (-3). Malik Wesley 2-48, Jaylon Morris 1-31
TEAM STATS BHS SVHS
First Downs 4 17
Rushes-Yards 36-28 52-305
Passing Yards 24 79
Att-Com-TD-Int 3-13-0-1 3-10-0-1
Penalties-Yards 7-74 9-90