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In the game that would decide first place in AA Region 1, the Landrum Cardinals (4-4, 2-1) finished a distant runner-up in a 48-0 road loss to the Abbeville Panthers (6-2, 3-0). 

 

At Hite Stadium in Abbeville, SC, the young Cardinals team fought hard but could not gain traction in a brutal road setting. Abbeville, a consistent 2A powerhouse with 11 state championships since 1971, including a championship[ title in 2020, had outscored its last four opponents 169-21 coming into the game. 

 

The matchup between undefeated region foe got off to a rocky start for the road team, with Abbeville blocking a punt, which they recovered. A holding penalty would push the Panthers back, but Abbeville ran in a 22-yard touchdown soon after. This was the first of several big plays for the Panther offense on the night. 

 

They stopped the Cardinals on their next possession and took the ball on another long drive to put them up 14-0. A missed field goal and a fumble recovery gave Landrum some hope early in the second quarter, but a fumble of their own would result in a one-play Abbeville drive, a 47-yard touchdown run to build the lead to 21-0.

 

Another Cardinal three-and-out forced them to punt it away, and once again, Abbeville would turn good field position into a 42-yard Panther touchdown run. A promising Cardinal run ended in another fumble on their own 39, which was followed by a short drive by Abbeville. The drive was finished off by a 19-yard touchdown pass which sent Landrum into the locker room down 35. 

 

Coach Farmer’s team would come out and show more defensive fight in the second half, holding their opponent to only 13 points, but they could not put together any kind of offensive push, resulting in a final score of 48-0. 

 

The game for first place will have to be put quickly out of mind as the Cards look to secure second in the region and solidify playoff seeding as they play at home versus Liberty (3-5, 1-2) this Friday at 7:30 p.m. Friday’s temperature is predicted to be in the high 60s during the day, but temperatures for Senior Night are expected to cool down quickly and reach the high 30s during the evening.