Photo byLARRY HILLIARD Gaffney running back Rodney Rogers finds a hole against the Spartanburg defense on Friday. Rogers gained 41 yards on 11 carries. It isn’t always easy when archrivals Gaffney and Spartanburg battle.

It wasn’t easy this time, either.

Antwan Davidson, who was returning from an injury, batted away a fourth-down pass deep inside Gaffney territory with under a minute to play to help the Indians hold on for a 14-7 victory Friday night at Gibbs Stadium.

It was another big play from a defensive squad that didn’t look like the unit that was scorched for nearly 600 total yards a week ago against Byrnes. The defense surrendered some yards but stiffened in the red zone.

“The defense did great all night,” Gaffney coach Phil Strickland said.

Up 14-7, it looked as though the Indians would ice the victory when wide receiver Khris Brown hauled in a 37-yard catch. But he fumbled the ball and the Vikings recovered at their own 23 with 1:57 left in the game.

Spartanburg quarterback Cornelius Jones ran for a couple of first downs before hitting Mykelle Jones for a first down on a third down and 2 at the Viking 45. Jones picked up a first down to move the ball to the 29. But after another Jones’ run and two incompletions, the Vikings faced a fourth-and-2 at the 21. Jones tried to hit H-back Michael Harpe, his favorite target late in the game, on a pass down the middle but Davidson got a hand on it to end the threat.

Jones, who has committed to Michigan, finished the game 18 of 30 for 184 yards. He also rushed for 74 yards on 19 carries.

Gaffney quarterback DeEdward Burris also rebounded from a poor performance against the Rebels, completing 12 of his 24 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown.

After the trouncing by Byrnes, the Indians needed something good to happen early. It did. Spartanburg fumbled the opening kickoff and Snoop Byers recovered at the Viking 22. After a 5-yard penalty, Burris connected on a 27-yard touchdown pass with sophomore wideout Quinshad Davis.

The Vikings tried to answer, driving to the Gaffney 14 but Jones fumbled and defensive end Jaylen Miller returned it to the 43.

The Indians turned a Tommy Logan interception into points when Burris broke a couple of tackles on his way to a 7-yard touchlSee -down run with 6:03 left in the second quarter. Burris found Davis and Rodney Rogers for key third down completions to keep the drive alive.

The Indians were inside Spartanburg territory on three other occasions in the first half but came away with zero points.

“We should have put them away in the first half,” Strickland said.

The Vikings pulled within a touchdown in the third quarter when Gaffney’s Savon Dukes fumbled a tipped punt at the Gaffney 20. Four plays later, Jones scored on a 3-yard run.

The Vikings had a couple of promising drives in the fourth quarter but Jones turned the ball over on a fumble and Harpe dropped a pass on a fourth-and-8 at the GHS 34.

The Indians improve to 4-2 and will open region play Friday against visiting York.

	GAF	SPA
First downs	11	19
Rushes-yards 36-66		40-135
Comp.-Att.-Int.	12-24-0 18-32-1
Passing yards 213		184
Fumbles-lost	2-2	4-3
Punts-Avg.	6-33.8	6-33.5
Penalties	4-25	1-5

SCORING
GAF - (First quarter, 10:27)
Davis, 27-yard pass from
Burris. Harris kick
GAF - (Second quarter, 6:03)
Burris, 7-yard run. Harris kick.
SP - (Third quarter, 2:55)
Jones, 3-yard run. McNeely
kick.
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing: Spartanburg
Hillstock, 17-61, Jones 19-74,
WOODRUFF, 1-(-6), M.
JONES 2-9. Gaffney Burris
15-(-10), Rogers 11-41.
Lipscomb 5-32, Grandy 3-5,
Adams 1-1.
Passing: Spartanburg Jones
18-30-1 184 yards. Kollock 0-
2-0 0 yards. Gaffney Burris
12-24-0 213 yards.
Receiving: Spartanburg
Hillstock 1-7, Martin 1-35,
Fuller 2-22, M. Jones 5-41,
Harpe 4-72, Woodruff 2-7,
Foster 1-5, Rankine 1-11,
Miller 1-4. Gaffney Craig 3-
27, Rogers 1-18, Davis 3-71,
Brown 3-89, Wood 1-11, Ellis
1-(-3).