Cheraw Defense Flexes Again in Win at Darlington

DARLINGTON | [player_tooltip player_id='1271257' first='Nick' last='Gordon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1172365' first='Crawford' last='Poole'] and their Cheraw defensive mates had given up all of 37 points over the course of their first three games.   With 27 of those coming in a Week 1 loss at Marlboro County, the Braves' average was actually skewed a bit high. Friday's win at Darlington started to show just how dangerous this unit could be.   Gordon (pictured) picked off a pass in the third quarter and broke up two more during the Falcons' final drive, Poole could have camped out in the backfield and Cheraw rolled out of the stadium with a 13-7 non-region win, the team's second straight against an opponent from at least two classifications up the SCHSL ranks.   “Playing against higher competition in bigger environments and being able to get the job done is going to make us better heading into region play when it really counts,” Gordon said after the win. “Our defense has been growing for two years, and it gets better every week.”   For the bulk of the game, the Cheraw defense looked like a monster. The Braves frustrated Darlington quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1395094' first='Jaylen' last='Augustus'] and his receivers throughout the evening, and there was little help in the form of the Falcons' run game to prevent Poole and defensive line teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1422635' first='Anthony' last='Strong'] from closing off passing lanes or giving the offense much of any room.   In fact, Darlington didn't record its first first down until the second quarter, after the Falcons had already punted four times.    Augustus, the team's three-year starter and one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the state, was held to 91 yards on the ground and 71 passing (unofficially). Augustus wasn't helped by an abnormally large number of drops, but even without those Cheraw was forcing the issue.    On top of Gordon's interception at the brink of the end zone that ended Darlington's first real scoring opportunity of the game, middle linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1822673' first='Brendan' last='Pace'] stepped in front of a first-half pass on another pick.    Simply, the Falcons' had next to nowhere to go for much of the game.   That briefly changed when Augustus looked like his old self on a 10-play, 60-yard drive that tied the game with 10:09 to play.   However, Cheraw scored two series later when tailback [player_tooltip player_id='1816198' first='Jamarion' last='Banks'] - who subbed in for injured starter [player_tooltip player_id='1321038' first='Justyn' last='Joint'] - punched one in from six yards out with 1:02 remaining.   On the Falcons' last-minute drive, however, Cheraw did what it had much of the game. An odd referees' decision to end the game with what appeared to be 2 seconds remaining notwithstanding, Gordon broke up those two passes and Darlington was called for a pair of holding penalties against the Braves' pass rush.   For Cheraw coach Andy Poole it was more evidence of his defense's skill set carrying the load.    “Our defense has kept us in games, and it's actually put our offensive into position to score,” he said. “Right now, we've got a bunch of newbies up front and our starting running back is hurt. But we're just trying to make plays and the defense is putting us in good position.”   Unofficially, [player_tooltip player_id='1172365' first='Crawford' last='Poole'] and Strong accounted for five tackles for loss and three pass break-ups combined. Defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1816161' first='Tripp' last='Mabry'] recorded a PBU of his own two plays before Gordon's third-quarter interception. And 6-foot-5, 320-pound two-way lineman Lamonte Brown clogged up the interior running lanes just about every time he was on the field.   The totality of the effort rang through in those seven points allowed, the third time in four games Cheraw has held an opponent to a touchdown or less.    Next week will be another opportunity for the defense to show how good it can be when the Braves head to Class 5A River Bluff.    “This defense can get much better,” Gordon said. “There are some little things we can fix. We've got a couple people out. But we've got people who can step in.”   DARLINGTON NOTES   Augustus's 1-yard TD run with 10:09 left to play capped off the Falcons' best series of the game. On the possession, the senior quarterback overcame his personal rough start - not to mention 25 yards worth of penalties - to drive Darlington downfield. He also overcame having to come out of the game for one play after getting upended inside the 5 on a scramble. After that one play, he finished off the drive with a quarterback keeper from under center from a yard away. It was his fifth rushing touchdown of the season.   Darlington's biggest offensive play of the first half didn't produce any points. But the hook and lateral from Augustus to [player_tooltip player_id='1704592' first='Jarius' last='Brooks'] to [player_tooltip player_id='1821259' first='Deron' last='Ross'] was a beaut just the same. With less than 1 minute remaining before the break, Augustus hit Brooks from 12 yards away. Brooks then immediately pitched it to Ross, who was streaking up the sideline behind him. Ross earned another 10 yards on his portion of the play and the Falcons were at least able to attempt two more plays.    Falcons senior defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1821255' first='Dedrion' last='Durant'] had a sack on Thomas on Cheraw's second offensive series. The play put the Braves behind the sticks and ultimately helped force another in a steady stream of first-quarter punts.    Two series later, junior [player_tooltip player_id='1823879' first='Shamod' last='Jackson'] forced a turnover on downs when he stopped Thomas a yard short of a first down on a fourth-down play right at midfield.    Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1818616' first='Chance' last='Sheppard'] recorded a sack of his own early in the second half that forced another punt.