Unbeaten Wolves wary of Dillon

Grace Beahm
The Post and Courier

QB Cody Craig and Timberland are 13-0 entering tonight's playoff home game.

The Timberland Wolves picked up a big win last weekend with a 24-21 victory over two-time defending state champion Cheraw.

Timberland football coach Art Craig had little problem putting the game in perspective as his team prepared for another big challenge when the Wolves play Dillon today in the Class AA Lower State championship.

"The seniors have one goal," Craig said. "They know no one will care that they beat Cheraw if they lose to Dillon."

The Wolves, whose goal is to win the state championship, enter today's 7:30 p.m. home game with a 13-0 record. Dillon enters with a 10-3 record and a three-game winning streak. The Wildcats' last loss was a 24-6 setback to Cheraw in the regular season finale. Since then, they've recorded victories over Hanahan, Silver Bluff and Manning, and have Craig's attention.

"Defensively, they might be better than Cheraw," Craig said of the Wildcats, who recorded two shutouts in the regular season and have allowed only 23 points in three playoff games. "If we have an opportunity to score, we have to take advantage of it."

The Wolves have been opportunistic all season, and that's one reason the team is undefeated.

The defense has scored eight touchdowns, including three by all-state candidate Aldrick Fordham, a defensive end who will sign to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks in February.

The offense has been high octane all season, rushing for 4,709 yards and 67 touchdowns.

Rockarius King, who last week became only the fifth player in state history to rush for more than 6,000 yards in a career, leads the team with 1,882 yards and 29 touchdowns. He had a 59-yard, game-winning touchdown run against Cheraw last week. Running back Rennis Black has tallied 835 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 9.5 yards per carry. Quarterback Cody Craig has 1,283 total yards. He's scored 13 touchdowns and passed for nine.

But the Wolves could find the running lanes clogged by Dillon's defense, which has caused 45 turnovers, including 26 fumbles.

Dillon's offense is a little more diversified than Timberland's. Quarterback Travis Murphy has passed for more than 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Roderick Jackson has more than 1,200 yards rushing.

This is the third time in this decade that the two schools have played. Dillon won the first two games, both Class AAA playoff matchups: 27-14 in 2003 and 13-12 in '05.

"We've spent a lot of time getting ready for Dillon," Craig said. "We prepared just as hard for Dillon as we did for Cheraw."

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