Calhoun County head football coach Walt Wilson admitted it was surprising to see Allendale-Fairfax make it to the title game of the Garden City Shootout Saturday.

That’s not to say Wilson doesn’t think Allendale-Fairfax isn’t a good football team. It’s just that Allendale-Fairfax likes to run the football ... a lot.

“Yeah, it was kind of (surprising),” Wilson said. “But they have a lot of great athletes, and they do a lot of things, so it’s just another aspect of their game.”

Saturday, the passing tournament’s title game was suspended, due to lightning, tied 4-4 with 13 minutes to play. Today, it will pick back up at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School at 6 p.m.

Calhoun made it into the title game thanks to a great day of work from tiny freshman quarterback Terrance Whitmore (5-6, 110). Whitmore showed a surprisingly strong arm and the ability to throw on the run. He also showed a great deal of smarts in locking in on star Saints’ receiver Shamier Jeffery, with whom he hooked up with for several scores throughout the day.

“I thought he looked real good,” Wilson said of his quarterback. “He made some good reads and some good throws. I think he’s a good kid trying to get better.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Brandon Golson, who has committed to play for South Carolina, starred, intercepting three passes. Calhoun’s only loss of the day came to Ridge View.

The Region 5-A rivals battled through a field that included AAAA schools Orangeburg-Wilkinson, Colleton County, Spring Valley and Ridge View; AAA schools Darlington, Wilson Hall and Battery Creek, and AA schools Woodland, Edisto and Keenan. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler and Williston-Elko were the only other Class A schools to take part in the day’s action. The teams played 25-minute games with the top four teams record-wise advancing to the final four.

Today’s title matchup will take place as part of O-W’s annual passing league, normally held on Thursdays. There is no admission and the public is invited to attend.

n T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be reached via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553.

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