East Columbus linebacker Greg Dudley sprints 97 yards with a South Brunswick fumble for the only Gator touchdown in Friday night’s 9-8 Homecoming football victory over South Brunswick.

Staff photos by Mark Gilchrist

East Columbus quarterback Alex Williamson picks up first-down yardage in the Gators’ 9-8 football victory over South Brunswick Friday night.

Jasmine Young
2007 East Columbus
High School
Homecoming Queen

LAKE WACCAMAW - Sophomore Andy Tapia did not get elevated to the East Columbus High School varsity football team until Friday morning.

On Thursday evening, he had kicked a 35-yard field goal in East Columbus’ junior varsity football win at South Brunswick.

On Friday, Gator head coach Travis Conner and his staff decided to take advantage of the state’s eight-quarter rule and gave Tapia a varsity uniform.

Friday night, the 5-foot-6, barely 120-pound Tapia came on the field with 15 seconds remaining and nailed a 25-yard field goal that lifted the Gators to a 9-8 Waccamaw Conference victory over the South Brunswick Cougars.

“I was nervous when I went out to kick, but all the guys were telling me that they knew I could do it ... to just kick it like I do every day in practice. I knew when I kicked it that it was going to be good,” he said.

The rain-soaked ECHS Homecoming victory snapped a four-game losing streak and evened the Gators record at 5-5. It was their first conference win of the season.

Tapia’s game-winning field goal stole some of the thunder from a 97-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Greg Dudley in the second quarter that gave East Columbus a 6-0 halftime lead.

The big fumble return came when the Gators’ Petey Graham laid a hit on South Brunswick running back Quan Ray at the five-yard line to jar the ball from Ray’s grasp Dudley grabbed the ball in mid-air and began his long sprint to the opposite end zone with 5 minutes, 25 seconds left in the first half.

“That was a play we really needed,” said Conner, whose squad made three fumble recoveries and a pass interception during the game. “It gave us a big lift.”

During halftime ceremonies, senior Jasmine Young was crowned 2007 ECHS Homecoming Queen. She is the daughter of Mona and Owen Young of the Armour Community

South Brunswick, which absorbed its third straight loss, got its touchdown to open the second half on a 50-yard drive. The drive took six plays with tailback Matt Miller handling the bulk of the ball-carrying. Miller, who finished the night with 135 yards rushing on 37 carries, got the touchdown on a 10-yard run and also scored the two-point conversion for an 8-6 lead with 9:32 left in the third quarter.

In the closing minutes, East Columbus quarterback Alex Williamson executed his third quick kick of the night and ball rolled out of bounds at the Cougar 3.

The Gators forced South Brunswick to punt after three plays and a short punt by Miller gave East Columbus the ball at the SB 28.

On the first play, a pass from Williamson to C.J. Ganus put the ball at the eight-yard line. After three unsuccessful passing attempts in the end zone, Tapia came on and made the game-winning kick off the hold of Alan Bracey with 15 seconds left.
South Brunswick attempted a last ditch pass, but it was picked off by EC safety Demetrious McKelvie.

The win marked only the second win for East Columbus over South Brunswick in 15 meetings.

South Brunswick saw its conference record slip to 2-3 and season mark to 6-3.

Williamson was the leading rusher for Gators, carrying 20 times for 59 yards, and Jay Graham had 50 yards on eight carries.
East Columbus controlled the football for the first eight minutes of the game after taking the opening kickoff. However, the Cougar defense and some costly procedure penalties bogged down the drive.

“We had our chances to do something early, but couldn’t quite get there Conner said. “It was a very physical game played on a wet field.”

Dudley, Graham and Wakeem Johnson paced the Gator defensive effort. ECHS was dealt another injury loss when defensive ace Jolly Jacobs sustained a torn ACL.

“Our injury situation has been like something I’ve never seen,” said Conner, who has seen 12 starters lost to injuries for at least two games this season.

East Columbus can wrap up only the second winning varsity football season of the season this Friday when it goes on the road to play Heide Trask.

South Brunswick will close its regular season Friday with a home game against Pender.

EC - Greg Dudley 97 fumble return (kick failed).
SB - Matt Miller 10 run (Miller runs).
EC - Andy Tapia 15 field goal.