ROCK HILL – The Blythewood football team bid a fond farewell to the old Region 3-5A Friday night.
Two weeks after destroying former region rival Nation Ford 44-6 in the season opener, the Bengals took the field at Fort Mill’s Bob Jones Stadium Friday night and racked up a 23-7 victory over the Yellow Jackets.
John Henry Collins finished the night 16-for-30 for 160 yards and three touchdowns to one interception.
Carter Coleman had four catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Benjamin Hendrix had five catches for 51 yards and a TD.
Desmond Macklin was the leading rusher with 84 yards on 16 carries.
Collins put the Bengals on the scoreboard with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Hendrix at the 4:22 mark of the first quarter.
After Bengal defender Jaylen Reese snagged the first of his three interceptions on the night, Collins took to the air again for a 41-yard TD pass to Coleman midway through the second quarter.
Fort Mill’s only score came in the closing minutes of the first half. Quarterback Quinn Kelly connected with Tanner Mays for a touchdown just before halftime to make it 14-7 Blythewood.
Placekicker Liam Flynn hit a 44-yard field goal early in the third quarter.
Collins led the Bengals on a clock-sapping fourth-quarter drive in the fourth quarter. He found Coleman again for a 12-yard touchdown strike with 4:23 left.
The Blythewood defense, which had six sacks on the night, stopped Fort Mill’s final possession, and the offense drove to the 1-yard line with 43 seconds left, but head coach James Martin called for the team to take a knee and let the clock run out.
Chandler Boulware had two sacks and five tackles, three for loss, to lead the Bengals defense. Nathanael made six tackles and Johnny Young had five tackles.
Blythewood takes the road Friday, down Wilson Boulevard to take on 3A Keenan.
The Raiders (2-1) shut out Battery Creek Friday. Quarterback Desmond Washington was 18-for-29 for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Hunter O’Neal had 188 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.