High school football is big in a lot of places and one of those is the state of South Carolina. I remember this game came down to one play at the end and Gaffney was able to head back to the Upstate with the title. Sidney Rice who is quoted in the story went on to play football with the University of South Carolina and professionally with the Minnesota Vikings. This story was published in The (Sumter, SC) Item.
Indians saw quick change with Strickland
By BEN LEDBETTER
Item Sports Writer
Posted: Tuesday, December 2, 2003 12:00 am
COLUMBIA – With new head coach Phil Strickland, the Gaffney High School football team was at least guaranteed a fresh face leading a squad that finished 2-10 last year, including a 37-27 loss to Summerville in the first round of the 4A Division I state playoffs.
Strickland brought more than a new face, however.
This year was vastly different as the Indians sport a 13-1 record, with the only defeat a 42-14 loss to defending Division II state champion Byrnes. Gaffney is now ready to face Sumter for the Division I state title Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium beginning at 2 p.m after beating Summerville 19-16 in overtime last Friday.
For senior wide receiver/defensive back Sidney Rice and linebacker Antwan Sarratt a change was evident as soon as Strickland had control of the team.
“I noticed as soon as the coach came in, he cared about the players right off the bat,” Rice said Monday at a press conference at the South Carolina High School League offices. “He wanted everybody to get together and talk to him about whatever questions we had to ask him.”
“He was more concerned about school than just football,” Sarratt said. “That really caught my attention. He could take us somewhere. By listening to him, we finally made it. Our dream came true of being in the state championship as a senior.”
The Indians did have to work hard to make the title game as they scored two second-half touchdowns to send the game into overtime. They vanquished the previously undefeated and nationally-ranked Green Wave in overtime when Rice caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Antonio Gaffney.
Rice, who is listed as 6-4 and 185 pounds, used his height advantage to make the catch.
“I was just glad coach gave me the opportunity to catch the ball,” Rice said. “The quarterback put it right there. I’m used to getting jump balls. It was almost perfect. I just went up and got it.”
Rice, who leads the team with 73 catches for 1,316 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with one rushing touchdown, is used to getting jump balls since he has played with Gaffney’s boys basketball team, the state’s defending 4A champion.
“It feels good to be a part of two teams that made it down here the same year,” Rice said. “I always wanted to (do it). I didn’t know it was going to happen.”
Rice’s receiving numbers nicely complement the rest of Gaffney’s offense, which also has a strong running game in senior running back A.J. Littlejohn.
Gaffney has completed 153 of 262 passes for a team-high 2,459 yards and 23 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He also has four rushing touchdowns. Littlejohn has a team-high 24 touchdowns and 1,484 rushing yards on 240 carries.
As a team, the Indians have 2,556 rushing yards on 464 attempts and 2,600 passing yards, completing 167 of 285 passes against 10 interceptions.
Gaffney will face a Sumter team that’s just as balanced offensively as the Gamecocks have 3,254 rushing yards and 2,547 passing yards.
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