The scoreboard clock at Indian Field had long reached zero seconds Friday night.

Yet for 10 minutes following Orangeburg Prep’s 23-20 loss to Ben Lippen in the first round of the SCISA Class 3-A playoffs, none of the players, coaches, cheerleaders and fans were ready to leave. Even as the Falcons’ fans celebrated at midfield, the teary-eyed OPS players remained near their end zone encircled by equally hurting Indian faithful eager to show their unflinching support.

In the middle of the circle of consolation was OPS head coach Adam Holmes. Fighting back tears while consoling players like despondent quarterback Thomas Plumb, Holmes expressed both disappointment with Friday’s outcome and pride with what the team accomplished in winning the Region 2-AAA title in his first season.

“Anytime you lose and you’ve got to end the season like this, it hurts,” he said. “But you know, like I told them, I’m so proud of them. I’m so proud of the effort and all the hard work they put into this team. Especially the seniors. They turned this program around. They brought us a region championship and I can’t ask any more of them.

“We wanted to go on and do what we wanted to do and keep going in the playoffs. But, the chips didn’t fall our way. So, you’ve got to give Ben Lippen credit. They played hard and we’ve just got to learn from it and the underclassmen and keep this momentum going that this senior class brought to this program. They did so much to get this program where it is.”

A week after holding off the Falcons at home 30-27, the Indians came up short by the same margin despite a furious fourth-quarter comeback. Turnovers in the form of three interceptions and stellar play from Falcon senior Xan Mangum would play a role in OPS’ downfall.

From the start, Mangum was a problem for the Indians’ defense. With three seconds left in the first quarter, Mangum turned a fourth and one into a 40-yard scamper into the end zone to put Ben Lippen up 7-0.

OPS responded in the second quarter with a 10-play, 76-yard scoring drive capped by a one-yard keeper by Plumb. Ryan Salley missed the PAT which kept the score 7-6 in favor of the Falcons with 7:24 remaining in the first half.

After a 46-yard kickoff return by Mangum put his team at midfield, Ben Lippen drove the football to the OPS 9 before settling for a 25-yard field goal by Eric Williamson with 4:43 remaining in the first half.

The Indians tried to answer back, getting three straight runs by Plumb to reach the Ben Lippen 36. On second down, Plumb was picked off by the Falcons’ Andre Hennie.

Ben Lippen capitalized quickly as Mangum caught two passes of 24 and 32 yards to set up a three-yard touchdown by Drew Stokes with 1:18 remaining. The PAT by Williamson put the Falcons up 16-6 at halftime.

OPS looked to seize the momentum opening the second half. A couple of long runs by Plumb put the Indians near the “Red Zone,” but they came away empty when Salley missed a 38-yard field goal.

The Falcons promptly drove the football downfield for another score. This time, it was a seven-yard touchdown run by Robert Keen with 1:07 left in the third quarter set up by a 35-yard pass from backup quarterback Mitchell Deter to Taylor Wilson.

After Hennie intercepted Plumb to thwart a potential Indian score with 9:21 remaining, it appeared the game was out of reach for the Indians. Instead, senior Jon-Michael McNew kept the Indians’ hopes alive when he leveled starting quarterback Joey Carter and separated him from the football.

As the football flew upward, an alert Salley retrieved it in the air and raced untouched into the end zone. Salley added the PAT with 7:28 remaining to cut the deficit to 23-13.

A rejuvenated OPS defense forced a quick three-and-out by Ben Lippen and a short punt gave the Indians the football at the 34-yard line. After a 12-yard run, Plumb ran another keeper and managed to fight and twist his way off tackle after tackle en route to a spectacular 22-yard touchdown run with 5:42 left.

OPS got a final chance with 3:39 remaining after the Falcons were forced to punt. The Falcons’ defense stiffened and faced with a fourth and 17 with 1:10 remaining, Plumb’s desperation pass was intercepted by Mangum.

“He had a lot of pressure in his face and he didn’t want to force it,” Holmes said about Plumb. “I’ve never doubted the way he played tonight because he carried this football team all year long. You look at all his stats ... we rode him like a horse. He was just the leader of this whole football program. It wasn’t his night throwing the football.” While the Falcons (7-5) move on to face Wilson Hall in the SCISA semifinals, OPS (7-5) now turns its attention to next season.

“We’re going to be fine here at OPS,” Holmes said. “They’ve done a great job and it’s been a pleasure coaching here my first year.”

n T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

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