- Indian Land Looks Sharp in opener as 4A Team
Indian Land, SC--The Indian Land Warriors opened their season on August 21 against the Harding University Rams. Dropping back to 4A, the Warriors picked up from last season, their best in school history. Indian Land scored 42 in the first half en route to shutting out the Rams 49-0.
The Warriors forced Harding into a quick three and out. A 25-yard Kenneth Wilson punt return set Indian land up at the Rams 35. Three plays later Kenneth Foye opened the scoring with a 13-yard run.
Warriors quarterback Matt Kucia then went to work. He hit Wilson in the back of the end zone from the 10, Kucia's first of five touchdown passes. Christian Hunt set up the score with a 23-yard run.
Indian Land's defense held the Rams on fourth and 25, setting up the offense in scoring position. Aided by a Rams pass interference penalty Indian land overcame a second and 19. Kucia found Marty Conner open in the far side of the end zone. Conner leapt and hauled in the 22-yard strike for the score.
The Rams picked up their initial first down of the game with 11:06 left in the first half. The Warriors defense held after that, forcing another punt. A bad snap on the punt set Indian land up at Harding's 25.
Kucia took just one play to find Isaiah Thomas in the near corner of the end zone. Their connection put the Warriors up 28-0.
Another bad snap by the Rams set up the Warriors at Harding's 12. The snap sailed over Tytan Smith's head, was knocked free, and squirted away until Liam Stephen recovered it.
Once again Kucia and the offense needed just one play to score. Kucia dropped a pass into Wilson in the far side of the end zone.
The Rams finally mounted a drive late in the first half, but the Warriors forced their third fumble at the Indian Land 31. Ty Fallecker recovered leaving the Warriors with 1:45 to score again.
It was more than enough time for Kucia He found Maxwell Curry on the far sideline of the end zone from the 22 with just 22.9 seconds left in the half.
Indian Land backup Marek Hart led the Warriors final scoring drive of the night. The defense forced yet another fumble, setting the offense up at the Rams 32. Hart found Zachary Jean-Pierre from the eight to cap the scoring.
Indian Land's defense held the Rams to just five first downs. They forced four fumbles, recovering three, sacking Smith three times.
In one half went 15-20-229-5-0. Wilson led all receivers with 5-65 and two touchdowns. Hart led in rushing with 6-63. The Warriors averaged more than 10 yards a carry, rushing 12-130.
Next week Indian Land faces the Northwestern Trojans in a rematch of last year's 5A Division II Upper State Championship game. The Warriors and Trojans play at a neutral site, Bank of America Stadium in uptown Charlotte. Kickoff is 4 P.M. on Saturday August 29.