CHARLOTTE – There was a lot of first in many ways for both the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets and the Ballantyne Ridge Wolves Friday night as they Jackets won their season opener 56-0.
The first for Fort Mill were more like “first in a while” that happened Friday night for the Jackets. It has been nine years since Fort Mill won a season opener when they beat White Knoll 33-28 back in 2015. It is the first time since 2014 Fort Mill has put up more than 50 points on an opponent, which was also the last time they had shutout an opponent when they beat Lugoff-Elgin 41-0. Twice that season they scored more than 50 points against Greenville and Nation Ford.
Fort Mill didn’t create a lot of offense or have long drives against the Wolves, but their scoring opportunities came in short bursts. Josef Anderson led the Jackets on the ground scoring twice and rushing for 34 yards on four carries. Tanner Mays was just as effective catching the ball with two catches for 80 yards, both of which resulted in touchdowns. Starting quarterback Quinn Kelly was 3-for-5 for 94 yards and two touchdowns before being pulled as Fort Mill rolled.
Fort Mill kicked off to the Wolves to open their inaugural season. For Ballantyne Ridge, this was their first ever varsity football game and it showed. Nevertheless, Fort Mill coaching staff had the Jackets ready and didn’t take anything for granted.
“New schedule, new team, we as coaches knew they were a little challenged, but we didn’t approach this game any differently,” said Fort Mill head coach Rob McNeely. “From lifting, to meetings to practicing hard, it paid off.”
Defense held strong on the Jackets first drive and then offensively Fort Mill was able to score in five plays as quarterback Kelly hit Mays for a 15-yard touchdown.
Ballantyne fumbled the kickoff giving the ball back to Fort Mill at the 11-yard line. Two plays later Anderson scored from three yards out to extend the Jackets lead.
Ballantyne went with a little trickery with a halfback pass that got the Wolves to the Fort Mill 25-yard line. That play resulted in a failed 43-yard field goal attempt.
Fort Mill didn’t waste any time scoring again as Kelly hit Mays for a 65-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
In the second quarter, Brandon Moore intercepted a Wolves pass at the Ballantyne 25-yard line. Two runs later by Anderson, Fort Mill went up 28-0 after the extra point with 9:30 left in the first half.
The Jackets punted on their next possession, their first of the game, pinning the Wolves deep. Ballantyne then went to punt on fourth down after a failed drive, but a bad snap gave the Jackets the ball at the Wolves 7-yard line. After a Jackets penalty, Thomas Mabry ran in from 12-yards out for Fort Mill.
Fort Mill kept the pedal down as Andrew Kowalski scored on the first play from scrimmage on the Jackets next drive for a 35-yard touchdown run putting Fort Mill up 42-0 and starting a running clock with about two minutes left in the first half.
The Jackets got the ball to open the second half and marched down the field ending with a 5-yard touchdown run by quarterback Broden Mitcheson.
On the Wolves next possession another bad punt attempt ended in a fumble recovery in the end zone by Kowalski for Fort Mill as the third quarter ended with the running clock.
Fort Mill took a 56-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Ballantyne Ridge did threaten on their last drive of the game, but fumbled at the Jackets 10-yard line leading to a Fort Mill recovery.
McNeely said the victory will be savored for now, but is already looking at next week’s opponent in the No. 1 ranked 2A Chester Cyclones, who Fort Mill host for their home opener Aug. 30.
“We are going to be in a brawl next week,” he said. “We are going to have to come to work Monday.”
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
