Dantzler, Defense Lead James Island In Double OT Thriller

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SUMTER |</strong> James Island coach Jamar McKoy knew he was never out of things because he had <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592342' first='Connor' last='Dantzler']</strong> on his sideline.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trailing by 14 points at the half, Dantzler (pictured) willed his team to force overtime then his 7-yard touchdown pass to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822902' first='James' last='Hurteau']</strong> in the second extra period turned out to be the winner as the Trojans escaped with a thrilling 42-35 double overtime victory over Sumter in the second round of the Class 5A, Division I playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dantzler accounted for all six James Island touchdowns. He scored two rushing touchdowns and threw four touchdown passes – two each to Hurteau and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='874321' first='Raphael' last='Puiu']</strong>. The Touchstone Energy Selection finished his night 20-of-35 for 261 yards, and he was the Trojans leading rusher with 52 yards on 13 carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“This was an absolute roller coaster. There's ups ad there's downs, but you have to stay focused and play one play at a time,” Dantzler said. “We just had to settle in. It was a very good environment, very good defense and we knew still had time.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McKoy never panicked when he found himself in the locker room trailing 28-14 at the half. He knew he had No. 16 on his team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“He's a gem. He's one of the best quarterbacks in the state. He can keep plays going with his feet and his eyes constantly stay downfield. And he has a special, special arm,” McKoy said of Dantzler. “His arm talent, in my opinion, is unmatched in the state.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sumter had a chance to force a third overtime, but quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603974' first='Franklin' last='Richardson']</strong> was stopped for no gain on fourth down from the 1-yard and it set off a wild celebration on the Trojans sideline. The trio of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1274260' first='Bryson' last='Bowers']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1896110' first='Rob' last='Grant']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820397' first='Sinclair' last='Wright']</strong> were instrumental in making the stop.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“That was just everybody doing their job and filling their gap and meeting force with force and pushing the pile,” Bowers said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>James Island needed every bit of that effort from Dantzler because of the performance by Richardson. Franklin scored three rushing touchdowns and finished with 255 yards on 29 carries. He had 191 of those yards in the first half when the Gamecocks jumped to a 28-14 lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans scored first on a Dantzler three-yard run that was set up after punter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1902448' first='Cody' last='Lenhardt']</strong> pinned Sumter inside its 1-yard line. They forced a short punt and took over on the Gamecocks 17-yard line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Franklin wasted very little time answering that score when he accounted for 80 yards on a four-play drive when he scored on a 36-yard run up the middle. Sumter took the lead on a 32-yard run by <strong>Cleveland Pinckney</strong> and then added to that lead when <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822003' first='Cayon' last='Gordon']</strong> scored on a five-yard run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The teams then traded TDs before the half. Dantzler connected with Puiu on a nicely thrown 23-yard fade route in the corner of the end zone Franklin made it a two-score game when he scampered 56 yards to make it 28-14 at the half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The offensive line led by <strong>Zyquaz Kelley</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819522' first='Cooper' last='Zeigler']</strong> and H-Back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819518' first='Joseph' last='Chapman']</strong> were opening huge holes for Franklin and the backs to run through.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But that changed after the break. Defensive linemen <strong>Tony Forest</strong> and <strong>Trinity Johnson</strong> joined Bowers, Wright and Grant in closing those holes. While that was happening defensively, Dantzler was just getting heated up offensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He scored on a 1-yard run and then connected with Hurteau on the game-tying touchdown with 2:29 remaining. The Trojans did get the ball back and attempted a 41-yard field at the end of regulation, but it was no good.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sumter got the ball first in overtime and Franklin scored on a six-yard run on fourth down to put the Gamecocks ahead 35-28. Dantzler threw three straight incompletions to open their series from the 10-yard line but connected with Puiu on the tying score after the extra point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans went right back on offense and this time Dantzler connected with Hurteau on a 7-yard TD strike for a 42-35 lead. Franklin carried the ball on all four plays for the Gamecocks and his fourth down run over the left came up empty. Puiu finished with 116 yards on six catches and Hurteau added eight catches for 63 yards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“The message was to keep fighting. We wanted to practice Monday,” McKoy said. “In order for us to practice Monday, we had to find a way to win.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->