GAFFNEY @ SPARTANBURG RECAP (2011)

Copeland Accounts For 6 TDs And Defense Destroys Vikings as Indians win Region 3 4A Championship. The Tribe got two TD runs from QB Joey Copeland of 9-yards and 14-yards and the defense held the Vikings' offense to minus yardage to lead 14 to 0 after the 1st quarter.

The Spartanburg offense threatened to score for the only time in the game when QB Adrian Kollock got out of a sure sack and scrambled for 42-yards to the Gaffney three yard line. The Tribe's defense pushed them back and on 3rd and goal from the eight yard line they forced a fumble to halt the Viking threat. The Gaffney offense marched right down the field and scored on a 37-yard pass from Copeland to Quinshad Davis to make the score 21 to 0. With their failure to score and the Indians quickly going up by three scores the Vikings could see that if was not going to be their night. Late in the quarter the Tribe's defense set up the offense with a short field when they pressured Kollock into throwing an interception to Cobby McDowell. Copeland then hit Hyleck Foster with a 48-yard TD pass to end the 1st half scoring. The score at halftime was 28 to 0 in favor of Gaffney. The Gaffney defense held Spartanburg to 50-yards in the 1st half.

The third quarter started with the Tribe's offense sputtering a little, but their defense was even more dominant than in the 1st half. The Indians got their offense moving on their third possession of the half and scored on a 3-yard run by Copeland. The Tribe led 35 to 0 after three quarters.

The Tribe would score their final TD of the game, midway of the 4th quarter, on a 7-yard pass from Copeland to Ryan Frock to make the score 42 to 0. The Vikings never threatened to score the remainder of the game and the Final Score Was 42 to 0. The Gaffney defense held the Vikings to minus-4 yards in the 2nd half and only 46 total yards for the game. The Indians finish the regular season 11 and 0 overall and 5 and 0 in the region and they are 2011 Region 3 4A Champions.

Game Stats Summary

First Downs Gaffney 15, Spartanburg 5
Yards Rushing Gaffney 91, Spartanburg 47
Yards Passing Gaffney 307, Spartanburg -1
Total Yards Gaffney 398, Spartanburg 46
Turnovers Gaffney 1, Spartanburg 2

Individual Game Stats Leaders

QB Joey Copeland was 22 of 31 for 307 yards and 3 TD passes, 31 yards rushing and 3 TDs
WR Quinshad Davis had 10 catches for 167 yards and 1 TD
WR Hyleck Foster had 5 catches for 79 yards and 1 TD
WR Ryan Frock had 2 catches for 19 yards and 1 TD
WR Bryce Spurlin had 1 catch for 27 yards
RB C.J. Miller had 62 yards rushing and 2 catches for 8 yards
DB Cobby McDowell had 1 INT

My View From The Stands..... (1) The Spartanburg side of the stadium was only half full. That had to be very embarrassing for them to not fill the home side for such a big game. (2) The Gaffney side was jam packed with people sitting on the hill and standing. (3) The Gaffney defense had one of the most dominating performances that I have seen in a long long time. (4) Joey Copeland and Quinshad Davis continue to be unstoppable. (5) I was glad to see Hyleck Foster have a very good game subbing for the injured Shaq Davidson. That should take some of the pressure off Quinshad Davis.

The Indians will play at home, at The Reservation, as long as they keep winning up until the State Championship game at Clemson's Death Valley. They are the Number 1 Seed in the Division 1 4A playoffs.

TRIBE FACTS..... The Indians have not lost a home playoff game since 1984.

Until Next Time.