Staff report

LANDIS — South Rowan quarterback Nathan Chrismon rushed for 167 yards and threw for 106 in an exciting 28-18 Central Carolina Conference victory on Friday.

Chrismon and Wisdom Simms scored two touchdowns as South came from behind to beat the Green Dragons of West Davidson at Donnell Stadium.

The Raiders had had to overcome a pile of adversity.

South (2-2, 2-1) had golden opportunities to score twice in the early going, but fumbled into the end zone after a successful pass play and then failed to punch it in after blocking a punt and taking over at the West Davidson 5.

After a scoreless first quarter, South got its first two points on a West Davidson punt attempt when the ball was snapped out of the end zone.

On West Davidson’s free kick following the safety, South was looking at a short field after a nice return, with a 15-yard penalty tacked on. Jackson Deal got 21 yards on an option pitch to get the Raiders in scoring position and Chrismon put the ball in the end zone. Alex Fike’s PAT made it 9-0.

Momentum swung sharply after West Davidson recovered a South fumble. Jeremiah Walker put West Davidson (0-4, 0-3) on the scoreboard with a 4-yard scoring run. The PAT kick failed.

Then Walker broke a 50-yard run to move the ball to the South 2, and QB Logan Garrison scored from there for a 12-9 lead. The Raiders blocked the extra point, but the Green Dragons had the halftime lead despite just 89 yards of offense — more than half of that on Walker’s long run.

South’s defense got a quick stop to open the second half. The Raiders moved the ball, but the frustration continued when Chrismon was intercepted in the end zone.

West Davidson still led 12-9 going to the fourth quarter, but South’s defense came up with an interception and the Raiders were driving hard at the end of the third period and were inside the WD 5.

One of South’s big backs, Wisdom Simms, scored the go-ahead TD for South as the fourth quarter got under way.

Chrismon connected with Bronson Hunt, who made a great catch with his fingertips, right off the grass and near the South sideline for a 38-yard pickup. That led to another bruising TD by Simms.

South’s defense stopped West Davidson on a fourth-and-5 at the South 35 shortly before Chrismon sprinted 41 yards on a bootleg, racing down the far sideline for six. That put South ahead 28-12.

Garrison got a TD for the Green Dragons in the final minute when he was deemed to have broken the plan on a fourth-down play inches from the South goal line.

Deal had 13 carries for 103 yards for South.