NEWBERRY — Newberry High School scored on its first four possessions — and five-of-nine on the night — as they advanced to the second round of the playoffs for a sixth straight year after a 35-6 victory home victory Friday over Indian Land.

Newberry will host Emerald on Friday. This will be the first meeting between the Bulldogs and the Vikings since 2011.

A 37-yard kickoff return by Jaleel Gilliam put Newberry only 38 yards from a potential score to begin the contest. Keeping the ball on the ground all five plays, quarterback Tyriq Goodman jetted 17 yards on his right side for the touchdown.

Ethan Day’s first of five PAT kicks was good for the 7-0 score with 8:47 left in the first stanza.

After the Warriors were stopped on a fourth-and-two, the Bulldogs kept the ball on the ground again for all but one play on a seven-play, 54-yard drive, with Amir Abrams scoring from two yards out with 2:03 left in the first quarter.

Indian Land punted 15 seconds into the second quarter. Abrams, Tony Mason, and Marcus Moore carried the ball 70 yards in seven plays, giving Newberry a first-and-goal from the five.

Goodman connected with Tyran Graham through the air with 7:53 left in the half and the 21-0 score.

With 1:52 left in the first half, Goodman went to the air again on the next possession, and Abrams came out of the backfield to catch the 39-yard touchdown pass.

Newberry had 261 yards of first half offense, with all but 77 of them coming on the ground. Indian Land, meanwhile, had 66 yards of total offense, including garnering four yards on the ground.

The Warriors failed to score on its first seven possessions of the game, including their first three of the second half.

A 10-yard Indian Land punt Newberry 24 yards from scoring its final touchdown of the evening. Moore scored five plays later from 10 yards out for the 35-0 score with 3:18 left in the third quarter.

After Newberry failed to convert a fourth down, Indian Land ended the shut-out with a 25-yard touchdown pass with 7:27 left in the game. The PAT kick was no good.

None of Newberry’s possessions lasted over nine plays, and they were each under four minutes of play.

For the night, Indian Land had 113 yards of total offense, including losing nine yards on 23 rushing attempts.

Goodman completed five of his seven passes for 77 yards, including two to RJ Wadsworth (25 yards), while Graham, Gilliam, and Abrams caught one pass each for five, eight, and 39 yards respectively.

Abrams carried the ball 21 times for 182 yards, Mason (2-9), Moore (4-22), Goodman (1-17), KT Robinson (2-5), Jamel Kibler (7-3), and Ahmad Willis had two carries for three yards while quarterbacking during the fourth quarter.

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By Wilson Senn

For The Newberry Observer