Cheraw Rides Defense to Second Straight Title After opening touchdown drive, Braves allow Chapman just 125 yards of offense Sunday, Dec 02, 2007 - 11:54 PM Updated: 08:00 AM By Shawn Singleton Florence Morning News
COLUMBIA — Cheraw coach Johnny White said he was concerned when Chapman kept his defense on the field for 18 plays and nine-and-a half minutes en route to tying their Class 2A state title matchup. He didn’t have to worry for long, though. Cheraw’s defense buckled down after that, allowing just 125 yards after that 73-yard first-quarter march in the Braves’ 58-14 rout of the Panthers. Cheraw’s dominance over Chapman was so complete that the Panthers trailed in every statistical category except one. Chapman racked up 180 return yards to Cheraw’s 75. Even that stat had a dark side to it: The Braves’ Jared Smith  kicked off 10 times in the contest. “(This game) was a lot less stressful than last year’s game,” White said. “It’s great to get another state title and our defense was a big part of it.” Chapman quarterback Gray Ramsey went 14-of-28 for 105 yards with two interceptions, both in the second half. One of those picks was returned 48 yards for a touchdown by Jaron Brown, who finished with 184 total yards and three scores. Ramsey also added 27 yards rushing to lead his team. Reggie Davis added 25 yards on the ground and fullback Danny Smith had 24 yards and both Chapman scores. Cheraw pressured Ramsey all game, sacking the senior four times. Kenyatta Gary collected one of those sacks on his way to a game-high 12 tackles (7 solo). Freshman linebacker Sammy Merriman racked up 10 tackles. Bernard Kendall and Antonio McPherson also tallied sacks. In addition to rushing for 95 yards and three touchdowns on offense, junior Montrell Evans had two tackles and a sack in the second half. The Braves scored 34 points in the final 24 minutes, and  Evans said it was a complete effort on both sides of the ball to secure a second consecutive state championship. “Coach White told us in the locker room at halftime that we still had two quarters to play and we had to come out harder on both sides of the ball,” he said. “All of us were really excited to play after that.”
	The Cheraw Braves celebrate their 58-14 victory over the Chapman Panthers in the State Championship game at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia on Saturday.	Chapman quarterback Gray Ramsey is taken down by Cheraw's Kedario Lewis (13) as Travis Small (8) comes in to assist during the Braves State Championship game against the Chapman Panthers at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia on Saturday.
	The crowd starts celebrating as Cheraw's state championship game against the Chapman Panthers nears the end at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia on Saturday.	Cheraw's Gerald Butler (33) and Travis Small (8) reach out to grab the ball on a kickoff return during the Braves State Championship game against the Chapman Panthers at Williams-Brice Stadium
	Cheraw's Ben Hutson kicks a field goal early in the first quarter in the Braves' state title win over Chapman in Columbia Saturday.	Cheraw's Gerald Butler (33) holds onto the ball as he breaks through the line during the Braves State Championship game against the Chapman Panthers at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia
	Cheraw's Travis Small (8) runs the ball as teammate Dylan Alford (55) looks to prevent a tackle during the Braves State Championship game against the Chapman Panthers at Williams-Brice	Cheraw's Desmond Chambers (62) and Antonio McPherson (65) take the field with the team as the Braves prepare to take on the Chapman Panthers in the State Championships at Williams-Brice
Cheraw Repeats as State Champions By C.R. Cumbee Staff Writer HSSR.COM click for more images Columbia—it was a dominant performance all-around for the Cheraw Braves as they routed the Panthers of Chapman High 58-14 in the Class AA state championship game.  It was the fourth straight year the Braves had played for a title and second season in a row they have gone home champions. “This is a lot less stressful than last year,” said Cheraw head coach Johnny White, referring to the team’s 28-24 victory over Newberry a year ago.  “I’m just proud of our kids.  They did a tremendous job and I’ll enjoy any time I get a chance to come back here and play.  We want to take our shot.” The Braves led in every major statistical category except for time of possession, but that hardly mattered with their quick-strike offense.  Cheraw’s longest drive only took 6:24 off the clock, and the Braves scored on every single possession.  Seven of their scoring drives were three plays or less, and that didn’t include an interception returned for a touchdown.  “You don’t ever come into a game like this thinking you’re going to score like that.  We felt like we had some things we could take advantage of, but it really surprised us how quickly we scored some,” said White. Travis Small paced the Braves with 165 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.  Montrell Evans was right behind with 95 yards and three scores on eight attempts.  Chapman quarterback Gray Ramsey led the Panthers with 105 yards passing on a 14-for-28 clip, while tailback Danny Smith added a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs. Cheraw really used their power running game to their advantage all night, only passing three times in their 34 total plays.  All three of those passes were completed, and one of them went to Shrine Bowl selection Jaron Brown for a touchdown.  On the day, the Braves rushed for 397 yards and collected 442 total yards.  The Panthers ended the night with 198 total yards.  “This could help us,” said Chapman head coach Kevin Farmer.  “The kids got five extra weeks of practice and they got a taste of (playing in the state championship).  Hopefully this disappointment will fuel them for next season.” Cheraw opened the game quickly, taking their opening possession right down the field for a touchdown.  As would be the theme all night, the Braves would only need a few plays to score.  That first drive began at their own 41-yard line, with Small taking the handoff and breaking the first line of defense all the way to the Chapman eight.  Evans would then give Cheraw an early lead, rumbling his way into the end zone on the next play.  Ben Hutson’s point after was good and the Braves had a 7-0 lead. Chapman would answer, however, with Ramsey orchestrating an 18-play, 73-yard drive.  The senior used both his legs and his arm to dissect the Braves’ defense, completing five of six passes for 47 yards and evading the pass rush while scrambling for 12 more.  The 9:24 drive was capped by Smith’s one-yard plunge.  After the Tyler Foster PAT, the score was knotted at 7-7. From there it would be all Cheraw, as the Braves scored 51 consecutive points.  Their next score would put them ahead for good, when Evans added his second touchdown from 24 yards out.  The three-play drive was set up by Brown’s 5-yard run and Small’s 48-yard carry.   After that, the rout was on. “We just couldn’t keep up with them,” said Farmer.  “We never could get a stop…We just got beat by a better team.”

Braves Batter Panthers To Repeat

Cheraw’s ground game chews up Chapman as the Braves defend their state title

By JIM McLAURIN

The State

Cheraw head football coach Johnny White gets a gatorade shower courtesy of running back Montrell Evans, right, as the clock winds down in the Braves 58-14 victory over Chapman in the Class AA Championship game at Williams-Brice Stadium, Saturday, December 1, 2007."

There is no telling how high the score might have gone in Saturday’s Class 2A championship game if Cheraw coach Johnny White turned his colts loose.

As it was, the Braves won handily enough, beating Chapman 58-14 at Williams-Brice Stadium to collect their second consecutive Class 2A title. It was Cheraw’s fourth visit in a row to the championship game.

“We’ve got some kids who can run,” White said in the understatement of the day. “Sometimes, to be honest, I probably have hampered them on offense a little bit by being too conservative.

“I think we’ve got the ability to open up a little more, but it’s kind of hard to do that when you can get four or five yards every time.”

Runners-up for understatement of the day: Although the Braves’ run-oriented offense is as basic as they come, the coach’s average was off. Cheraw gained 442 yards on 34 offensive plays, 31 of them running plays, for an average of 13 yards per clip.

Junior running back Travis Small blazed for 164 yards (121 in the first half) and scored two touchdowns for the Braves (13-2). His running mate Montrell Evans had 95 yards rushing, and scored three touchdowns.

Jaron Brown, Cheraw’s two-way Shrine Bowl selection, scored on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Josh Henderson in the second period, then bolted for a 44-yard rushing score on Cheraw’s first offensive play of the third quarter. On defense, he also had half a dozen tackles and a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

The closest Chapman (12-3) came to stopping Cheraw was with just over three minutes left in the first half when a Braves drive stalled at the Panthers’ 5, and Ben Hutson converted on a 22-yard field goal.

“It wasn’t a great matchup,” Chapman coach Kevin Farmer said. “They run the ball so effectively, and kind of made us get out of our game plan early because you feel like if you don’t get a couple of quick scores, what happened may happen.”

That was a fair assessment. Even after it took Cheraw only 37 seconds and two running plays to go up 7-0, Chapman answered with a methodical 18-play, 73-yard march that consumed most of the first quarter. But — and this was the key, according to White — Cheraw went straight for the jugular again and it didn’t take long to find it.

Small broke through for an apparent 68-yard score on second down, but an illegal block downfield took away the score and put the ball at the Chapman 24. No problem. This time Evans dashed off left tackle and scored virtually untouched.

“That’s what we do,” Small said. “I knew once we start hitting them in the head, they were going to start giving up.”

Chapman didn’t give up; they just couldn’t keep up. Other than the first long drive, Chapman managed only 125 yards the rest of the afternoon. Its two scores came on 1-yard runs by senior running back Danny Smith. As good as its offense was, Cheraw’s defense was every bit its equal.

“They have been playing super fantastic,” White said. “We’re undersized a little bit, but I think we caused some problems with the quickness of our defensive line. This stretch of football — our last seven games — is probably as good a defense since Cheraw has been playing.”

With a rash of juniors on the team, White said, a third consecutive title is not farfetched.

“Don’t quote me on this,” he said, “but we’re coming back.”

Reach McLaurin at (803) 240-3514.

Cheraw	14	10	27	7	58
Chapman	7	0	0	7	14