WINNSBORO — Newberry High School lost a 32-minute regional battle with Fairfield Central on Friday night in Winnsboro, 29-27. The loss drops the Bulldogs to 5-2 on the season and 2-1 in regional play.
Despite losing the coin toss, Newberry held the Griffins to a three-and-out as Shrine Bowl selectee Yafari Werts took over at his 33. After Chris Wadsworth and Amir Abrams combined to gather seven yards, Werts took off along the home sideline 60 yards for his 40th career touchdown. Ethan Day’s PAT kick was no good as Newberry led 6-0 with 8:07 left in the first.
Only going to the air one time in a 12-play drive, the Griffins tied it up from a yard out and the failed PAT with 2:35 left on the first quarter clock.
With the same scenario as their opening drive, Werts went to the air on this third down as Zy Towns in single coverage made the snag as the senior completed the 63-yard pass play.
Day’s kick put Newberry up 13-6 with just under a minute to go in the opening stanza.
Imani Kahrim recovered the Griffins’ fumble on the first play of the second quarter.
Newberry was held to a three-and-out but as a Griffin was trying to field Jamie Busby’s punt: the player ended up slipping down as his touched the ball which led to Jaelin Chaplin recovering the loose ball.
Busby was unable to field the punt snap which gave Fairfield Central the possession just 34 yards from the end zone.
With 36 seconds to go in the half, the Griffins scored on a 10-yard pass play as they decided to attempt the two-point possession.
Known as the “skunk play” because “it stinks to try to defend,” the Griffins left only the center, the quarterback and one back player as they suddenly had eight eligible receivers.
The Griffins completed the pass play as they went into the break ahead 14-13.
Newberry had 145 yards of first-half yardage while Fairfield Central had 137.
Hoping to keep the ball out of the Griffins’ hands to start the second half, Newberry executed that plan perfectly as they only went to the air once in a 15-play 73-yard drive which ended with a one-yard run from Amir Abrams.
Werts dove in from outside the one to convert the two-point conversion to put Newberry up 21-14 with just 2:43 left in the third quarter.
Newberry attempted an onside kick but the Bulldogs didn’t allow the ball to hit the ground before falling on it.
The Griffins were given the ball after the 15-yard infraction had been marked off just 48 yards from the end zone.
Fairfield Central needed less than two minutes to cover the yardage in five plays, ending it with a nine-yard pass.
On the PAT kick, the ball hit the left upright and fell over to tie the score at 21-apiece with 48 seconds left in the third quarter.
After forcing Newberry to punt, Fairfield Central took possession again just 45 yards from the end zone.
Five straight plays all on the ground put them in the end zone after a three-yard run.
Setting up in the same two-point format, the Griffins instead converted on a run for the 29-21 score with 7:33 left in the game.
Knowing their next possession could easily be regarded as their biggest one of the night, Newberry went straight to their running game, albeit one play, to go 72 yards in 12 plays with Abrams getting his second touchdown of the second half with a three-yard run.
Going for the tie, Werts was stopped on the right side sweep at the two.
The Griffins punted over to the Bulldogs with eight seconds to go but Werts’ Hail Mary pass fell incomplete on the final play of the game.
After going through the first half with only two first downs, Newberry ended the evening with 13 of them.
The Bulldogs rushed the ball 45 times for 223 yards.
Werts garnered 124 yards from 18 carries while Abrams had 17 carries for 78 yards.
Wadsworth collected 31 yards on seven carries while Derrick Scurry had two carries for six yards and Busby had a 15-yard loss on the punt play.
Towns caught two passes for 76 yards while Zicorious Riley had a lone reception for six yards.
Newberry returns to the friendly confines of Mike Ware Field on Friday with the hosting of Mid-Carolina.
This will be the 33rd meeting between the two inner-county schools including having met every year since 1984.
Newberry’s annual “Pink Out” game will be honored that night with fans encouraged to wear pink in awareness of this being Breast Cancer Awareness Month.