AC Flora, Gilbert roll to big playoff wins. Camden wins thriller to advance

Markel Townsend turned in another big performance and the AC Flora football team is moving on in the playoffs.

The senior running back accounted for five touchdowns as the Falcons (12-0) defeated Hartsville, 53-36, on Saturday in the Class 4A playoffs. AC Flora will host West Florence in the third round on Friday.

Townsend finished with 272 yards rushing and had a couple of big runs to break the game open in the second in rainy conditions.

“He is one of the best in the state and in my opinion he is the best,” AC Flora coach Ken Floyd said of Townsend. “He is special and feels slighted. But that motivation will help propel him through the playoffs.”

Floyd said he hoped to throw it a little more on Saturday, but the weather forced them to rely on the ground game with the Falcons’ big offensive line.

Aidan Moseley added two TD runs and senior receiver Chris Lofton caught a TD pass and threw one to Jack Purdy.

Hartsville, which trailed through much of the game, got within 41-27, but the Falcons scored a pair of touchdowns in less than a two-minute span to put the game away.

J’Shawn Anderson rushed for 128 yards and a TD and Carmello McDaniel added 128 and two TDs in the loss.

James Island 24, Irmo 22

Gray Dangerfield hit a 22-yard field goal as time expired to give the Islanders a win over the Yellow Jackets in the Class 4A Lower State playoffs.

James Island will travel to South Florence next week.

Irmo trailed 21-15 with 2:15 left but took the lead on Eric Tucker’s touchdown run with 33 seconds left. Tucker had three touchdowns for Irmo.

But James Island went 90 yards in less than 30 seconds and Wushi Ravenel’s catch brought the ball down to the Irmo 5 with 2.7 seconds left.

James Island called timeout and hit the game-winner.

Class 5A

Byrnes 27, Blythewood 24

Jacob Coman hit a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left as the Rebels defeated the Bengals in the Class 5A playoffs.

Byrnes will travel to Gaffney next week in the third round. Blythewood ends the season at 10-2, its most wins since 2007.

Blythewood trailed 17-0 at halftime and was down 24-14 with 10:28 left. But Harrison Collins scored on a 1-yard run to cut the lead to 24-21 with 2:24 left. Then, the Bengals recovered a Byrnes fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the 4-yard line.

But Blythewood had to settle for a Ryan Hart field goal to tie it at 24 with 1:43 left. The Rebels answered with the game-winning field goal.

Byrnes quarterback Colby Shaw threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns.

David Herden had a TD pass for Blythewood and the Bengals returned a blocked punt for a touchdown.

Summerville 35, Lexington 13

The Wildcats’ season came to an end on the road at Summerville.

Campbell McCurry had two TD passes for the Green Wave. Lexington quarterback Taiden Mines had a 50-yard TD run and also threw a touchdown pass to Cam Sutton.

Class 3A

Camden 29, Lower Richland 26

Grayson White scored on a 1-yard run with 14 seconds left and Cortez Lane ran the two-point conversion to help the Bulldogs past the Diamond Hornets in the Class 3A Lower State playoffs.

Camden will host next Dillon next week.

White injured his ankle on the first play of the game and didn’t come back in until late in the game. Lane also was injured during the game. Camden converted on a fourth-and-six to keep the drive alive with a minute left.

Lower Richland took a 26-21 lead on a Marcus Smith to Nate Branch touchdown with 4:58 lead. Smith had two TD passes and also ran for two scores.

Lane had two touchdowns for Camden and Aidan Heriot also had a TD.

Gilbert 42, Manning 14

Jaden-Allen Hendrix and Alias Graham-Woodberry each ran for two touchdowns as the Indians moved on in the Class 3A Lower State playoffs.

Gilbert is at Beaufort in the third round next week.

Graham-Wodberry led the team with 142 yards and Allen-Hendrix had 129.

Chance Jennings caught a TD pass from Drake Braddock and also ran one in for Gilbert. The Indians held Manning to 82 yards of offense.

Dillon 35, Brookland-Cayce 21

The Wildcats jumped out to a 28-0 lead to defeat the Bearcats in the Class 3A Lower State playoffs.

Jamarion Fling had three rushing touchdowns for Dillon.

Naahzeikial Mays and Benjamin Pugh had TD runs for B-C. Jadyn Johnson also had a TD pass to Jackson Thomas.

Class 2A

Fairfield Central 22, Silver Bluff 8

Donovan Watkins returned a punt for a touchdown in the Griffins’ road win in the Class 2A Upper State playoffs.

Fairfield will travel to Abbeville next week.

Kensley Copeland and TyDarion Griet each had TD runs for the Griffins.

Strom Thurmond 21, Keenan 6

The Rebels scored three second-half touchdowns to defeat the Raiders in the Class 2A Upper State playoffs.

Strom Thurmond hosts Saluda next week.

Keenan led 6-0 at halftime.

Class A

Wagener-Salley 26, CA Johnson 20

Wagener-Salley scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter to defeat the Green Hornets.