By Thomas Grant Jr.
The Norman Washington era at Spring Valley kicked off in empathic fashion last Friday.
“We’re ba-aa-aa-aa-ck!!!”, shouted the first-year head coach after the Vikings’ 22-19 comeback overtime victory over rival Richland Northeast.
Down 19-0 after a 102-yard interception return TD by Toreyon Livingston, Spring Valley was staring at a 25th consecutive loss. Instead, the Vikings answered with 22 unanswered points to end the Palmetto State’s longest active losing skid.
“We put a lot of work in this summer,” Washington said. “We knew we were the better team out here. “We worked our tails off. We got our guys prepared. The only thing I told my guys was ‘All I want to see is action. All I want to see is action!’ We talk with our pads, not with our mouths. Our guys did that.”
The comeback began with a 41-yard field goal by Grady Tucker. It was the first of three made by the senior placekicker.
A Bryson Hugee interception set up a touchdown keeper by quarterback Dylan Redden to make it 19-9 in the third quarter. Brent Mills’ 2-yard touchdown brought Spring Valley within 19-16 with 10:31 left.
The Vikings made a couple of defensive stands to keep it a 3-point deficit. A pass interference call on the final drive set up a 22-yard field goal by Tucker in the final seconds to force overtime.
After Kavion Dawson’s interception stopped Richland Northeast on its opening overtime drive, Tucker ended the game seconds later with a 19-yard field goal.
“This means everything,” Tucker said. “I just did it for my team. We are brothers. First win in over two years, it feels great.”
This was the Cavaliers’ first game without “Mr. South Carolina Football” Will Wilson, now at North Carolina State. New starting quarterback Kemarion Willingham threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Smalls.
Another comeback win
Spring Valley was not the only Northeast area team to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Blythewood found itself trailing on the road 27-14 to Nation Ford. It proceeded to score 20 unanswered second-half points for the 34-27 win.
Quarterback James Veasey scored three touchdowns, two rushing, and accounted for 308 total yards. Running backs Braden Marye and Landyn Strong both had rushing touchdowns. Defensive backs Marlon Glover and Michael Ford accounted for nine and eight tackles, respectively, and linebacker had six total tackles and four quarterback pressures.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Head coach James Martin tweeted on social media. “They never quit and kept fighting back.”
CHAMPIONSHIP STRETCH
The next two weeks will find Ridge View on a ‘championship hunt’.
This Friday against Northwestern and next week versus Dutch Fork finds the Blazers on the road against the defending Class 5A Division II and I champions, respectively.
Up first are the Trojans, who opened the season with a 39-7 win over Spartanburg. It was their 15th consecutive victory, second only to the Silver Foxes’ Palmetto State-leading 22-game winning streak.
Ridge View looks to carry over the momentum from a 40-0 shutout win over Fairfield Central. It was the Blazers’ first season-opening shutout win since 2019 against Blythewood.
Quarterback Tre Howard completed 8-12 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a score, while running back Spencer Bobian had 15 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore backup Ashton Chapman completed 6-7 passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. Carter Coleman, Omari Johnson and Jourdin Mack, who had 100 receiving yards, each caught a touchdown.
On defense, linebacker Dijuan Franklin had five tackles and Davan Toney had four tackles and fumble recovery TD.
WEEK 0 SCORES
Blythewood 34, Nation Ford 27
St. Joseph’s Catholic 41, Cardinal Newman 29
Spring Valley 22, Richland Northeast 19 (OT)
A.C. Flora 30, Westwood 19
WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
Blythewood at Midland Valley
Dreher at Cardinal Newman
Ridge View at Northwestern
Crestwood at Richland Northeast
Westwood at Lakewood
Class 5A Polls
1. Dutch Fork, 2. Northwestern, 3. Summerville, 4. Irmo, 5. Gaffney, 6. Greenwood, 7. Sumter, 8. J.F. Byrnes, 9. Ridge View, 10. Spartanburg
Others receiving votes: Dorman, James Island, Hillcrest, Berkeley, Boiling Springs, Nation Ford, TL Hanna
Photo by Thomas Grant Jr. (Spring Valley head coach Norman Washington)
