JOHNSTON – A Strom Thurmond defensive unit starving for takeaways feasted on the Friday buffet that was the Keenan Raiders’ offense, forcing two fumbles and a pair of interceptions leading to 21 points and a lopsided 35-7 Region 3-AA victory on homecoming.

After three straight games – and two losses – without a takeaway, this after posting 12 in the team’s first three ballgames (three wins), the Rebels needed a big play from the defense to set the tone. And it didn’t take them long, as on the first play from scrimmage after the opening kickoff, Keenan running back Daetron Hyman was drilled immediately after the handoff, with Thurmond’s Malcolm Curry coming up with the fumble.

The Rebels moved right down the short field about 30 yards or so and put the ball into the end zone on a 5-yard pass play from quarterback Raleigh Yeldell to receiver Antonio Hamilton for the early 7-0 lead after kicker Trent Miller’s point after kick.

Strom Thurmond head coach Lee Sawyer said that turnover was an early indication that the defense had maintained its focus during a solid week of practice and increased its intensity since the Thursday loss to Columbia two weeks ago.

“That was the main focus going in (to the game) was worrying about us and focusing on us and getting a little bit of an edge back and getting our confidence back,” he said. “We had a great week of practice and the coaches did a great job of brainstorming on some of the different things we needed to do. We wanted to mainly see more of a full speed, intense effort (on the field) and I think right off the bat you could see that.

“It was the first (takeaway) in what seemed like a year. We were on pace to set a state record earlier (in the season) and we hadn’t forced one since Saluda so that was another emphasis, forcing some turnovers and we did a great job of that. The other thing was kickoff coverage, we needed to shore that up some and I think the guys did a good job of that. Overall, we had to have that killer instinct and I was very pleased about that.”

That increased intensity and “killer instinct” was on full display against Keenan, as on the very next Raiders’ possession, the Rebels defense posted another fumble recovery that led to a second Thurmond score, again on a pass play from Yeldell to Hamilton, this time of 16 yards. The Rebels would add another score in the first quarter on a short run by running back Malcolm Watkins to post all the points Thurmond would need.

But the ground game would strike again in the second and third quarters as Yeldell broke free for a 92-yard touchdown run and 28-0 lead after a pair of penalties had backed the Rebels up inside their own 10 early in the second, and running back Chris Blocker scampered for a 57-yard score early on in the third quarter for a comfortable 35-0 margin.

The Rebels’ defense picked off a pair of passes in the second half, one by sophomore Hykeem Brooks and another from freshman Javeer Hammond, but the Raiders did scratch the scoreboard on a 5-yard run from reserve quarterback Quinton Stroman.

Coach sawyer said his Rebels will need to keep the intensity high against the team’s next region foe, the Eau Claire Shamrocks, if they want to have a chance at another region title.  
     
‘We have to have that (intensity) Thursday (at Eau Claire) because we can’t go in there flat if we want to crawl back into this thing,” Sawyer added. “It’s very important.”