May River’s magical season ends with loss to Dillon in 3A Lower State final

It wasn’t the ending Rodney Summers and the May River football team wanted but it was definitely a season it won’t forget.

Playing in its first state semifinal game, the Sharks nearly overcame a 21-point deficit but fell just short in losing 35-28, to Dillon in the Class 3A Lower State championship on Friday night

Dillon will play Chapman for the 3A title next Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium with kickoff at 3 p.m. It is the third time in the last four years Chapman and Dillon meet in the title game.

The Wildcats will be making their eighth straight championship appearance.

“I told the guys, ‘Don’t look back on what you wish you would’ve done. Go back and remember how much you fought in the second half,’” Sharks coach Rodney Summers told reporters after the game. “They made it a respectable ball game and had a chance to win it at the end. We had an opportunity and that’s all you can ask. I’m really proud of them.”

May River finished the year at 10-3 and went went 22-4 over the last two years. The Sharks lost 38-2 to Dillon last year in the third round. But this time around, the Sharks proved they could hang with one of the top programs in the state.

“It’s a special group of guys,” Summers said. “They’ve been with me since the beginning. I just hope that they go out and remember the good times and learn from the tough times. They did something really special that nobody’s done before.”

Dillon led 28-7 at halftime but the Sharks scored twice in just over three minute span in the third quarter to cut it within 28-21. Terry Fields picked up May River quarterback Ahmad Green’s fumble for a TD and Rod Grant scored on a 1-yard run with 2:15 in the third.

Green left the game after the fumble with an injury and didn’t return.

The Wildcats made it 35-21 on Tyquan King’s 1-yard run with 7:50 left in the game. But Fields answered back with kickoff return for a touchdown 13 seconds later.

After stopping Dillon on its next possession, the Sharks got the ball back with less than five minutes left. But Dillon forced a May River punt and ran out the clock.