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Kenny Fey

Daniel High School’s Ethan White (20) and Duvon Young, right, combine for a big hit on Seneca running back Chris Robinson during the Lions’ 14-0 win on Friday in Seneca. The Bobcats managed just 85 rushing yards on 37 carries on the night.

SENECA — It may have taken every last bit of effort the Lions had in the final seconds of play, but the Daniel High School defense got what it had been looking for all season on Friday night at Seneca – a coveted shutout.

Holding the Bobcats to just 165 yards of total offense, Daniel (7-0, 2-0 Western AAA) was able to take advantage of a few big plays in the passing game from quarterback Justin Walker for a 14-0 victory at Bobcat Stadium.

The shutout was nearly broken up in the closing seconds of the game, as Seneca quarterback James Hunter found tight end Wynton Stephens for a 64-yard gain down to the Lions’ 15-yard line with two seconds left to play.

But on the ensuing play, Daniel’s Chris Tuner intercepted his second pass of the night on the goal line, preserving the shutout, which was the Lions’ first of the season and first against Seneca since the opening game of the 2002 season.

“It was a big deal,” Daniel head coach Randy Robinson said. “Our defense hadn’t had a shutout in a while, and they’ve been begging for one. We almost gave it up in the last 10 seconds of the game, but I’m proud of our defense for playing tough.”

Picking up a shutout is a weekly goal for the Daniel defense, and cornerback Jerrodd Williams said getting its first of the season against the Bobcats made the occasion all the more special.

“It felt good getting the shutout,” the senior said. “We’ve been working all season to do it, and it feels good to it against our rival team.”

Seneca (1-6, 0-2 Western AAA) managed just 85 yards on 37 carries as it tried to control the ball on offense and run the clock against the Lions, which the Bobcats did a good job doing in the first quarter with a 19-play drive that spilled into the second quarter and ate 8:36 minutes off the clock.

But the Bobcats failed to capitalize on the long drive with a missed field goal attempt, which is when the game turned for the Lions.

“That was big,” Seneca head coach Ron Duncan said. “We would have liked to have had some points there and kind of get a lead and take some momentum.”

Instead, the Lions took all the momentum on the ensuing drive, as Walker found receiver Marquez McDowell for a 23-yard gain on the very next play, and followed it with a 57-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins just two plays later.

“They kind of took the ball away from us in the second quarter, and once we got the football, we had some things open,” Robinson said. “It was just a matter of executing.”

Daniel added its final score late in the third quarter when Walker found McDowell on a short pattern on the left side, before the junior wideout took it to paydirt from 15 yards out to give the Lions some offensive insurance.

Both teams will be back in region action next week, as Daniel will look to stay undefeated as it hosts Belton-Honea Path at Singleton Field in Central, while the Bobcats will be at home again next week when they host Woodmont.

Daniel 14, Seneca 0

DWD 0 7 7 0 — 14

SHS 0 0 0 0 — 0

SCORING SUMMARY

Second quarter

DWD — Hopkins 57 yard pass from Walker (Howard kick) 4:20

Third quarter

DWD — McDowell 15 yard pass from Walker (Howard kick) 3:38

TEAM STATISTICS

DWD SHS

First Downs 12 10

Rushes-Yards 30-105 37-85

Passing Yards 153 80

Comp-Att-Int 9-11-0 4-16-2

Punts-Avg. 4-42.8 5-35.2

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 1-0

Penalties- Yards 6-62 1-15

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing — Daniel, Anderson 8-54, Wingard 10-38, Jacks 4-17, Greenlee 1-8, Hopkins 2-(-)6, Walker 2-(-)6. Seneca, Robinson 22-59, Hunter 11-28, Bibb 1-6, McNeely 3-(-)8.

Passing — Daniel, Walker 9-11-0 153. Seneca, Hunter 4-11-1 80, McNeely 0-5-1 0.

Receiving — Daniel, Hopkins 2-62, McDowell 3-53, Cannon 2-31, Greenlee 1-5, F. Williams 1-2. Seneca, Stephens 1-64, Wright 1-12, Earle 2-4.