Hammond's Will Patterson (44) closes in on a Porter- Gaud running back as Dylan Metts (52) goes in for the tackle.
Hammond 34
Porter- Gaud 6

The Hammond Skyhawks began playoff action with a 34- 6 stomping of the visiting Porter- Gaud Cyclones Friday, November 7, and it wasn't that close. An earlier late September meeting this season was a much more competitive game. The Skyhawks came out on top 29- 21, but this contest was over by halftime.

Quarterback Cliff Ayers found Aaron Walters for a 16- yard touchdown pass three minutes into the game. Five minutes later, Kyle George scored on a 22- yard run to put Hammond up 13- 0 at the end of one quarter.

Brad Meredith powered in from four yards out to start the second quarter, and A.D. Briggs took a five- yard pass from Ayers to end the quarter making the score 27- 0 at halftime.

The Skyhawks added one more score 20 seconds into the fourth quarter when Ayers connected again with Walters from 15- yards out.

The Cyclones put together a 12- play, 78- yard drive that ended in a five yard touchdown pass from John Dodds to William Hyman, but by then the game was all but over.

Hammond back- up quar terback Dave Nidiffer got some valuable playing time against Porter- Gaud. The Skyhawks will host Pinewood Prep next who they opened the season with this year beating the Panthers 35- 20.
Ben Lippen 23
Orangeburg- Prep 20

The Ben Lippen Falcons completed their second straight trip to Orangeburg Prep with a 23- 20 victory over the Indians in the opening round of the SCISA 3A playoffs.

The Falcons jumped out to a 23- 6 lead and held on to advance to next week's semifinal match- up at Wilson Hall.

Falcon quarterback Joey Carter went 14- of- 21 for 254 yards. Robert Keen rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown. Xan Mangum had 46- yard touchdown run. Mangum also had an interception on defense. Gabe Smith had 12 tackles and one sack for Ben Lippen while Andre Hennie recorded six tackles, two interceptions, and a sack.
Pinewood Prep 55
Heathwood Hall 7

Heathwood Hall starting quarterback Mac Whalen was forced to leave the game with Pinewood Prep in the first quarter due to an injury. Davis Ray, normally a starting wide receiver, stepped in at quarterback but was forced out by an injury in the second quarter. That left Heathwood Hall's leading wide receiver, Morgan Whalen, to play quarterback.

At the rate the Skyhawks score, the Hammond cheerleaders may be stronger than some offensive linemen. Thirty- eight points per game and 13 games a season make for a lot of push- ups. Left without many offensive options the Highlanders succombed to the Pinewood Prep Panthers 55- 7 in the opening round of the SCISA 3A playoffs.

The Panthers rattled off 27 second quarter points to build a 34- 0 halftime lead. Heathwood Hall's only score came in the third quarter when Melton Bristow ran it in from three yards out.

Sanders Bethea (right) as a future Skyhawk cheerleader in training. She helped the Hammond cheerleaders rally their Skyhawks on to yet another playoff victory.