Fike deals SJ first setback, 41-32

South Johnston’s varsity football team suffered its first loss of the season Thursday night as visiting Quad Counties 3-A Conference opponent Fike used a strong fourth quarter performance to win, 41-32.

“That’s a good football team,” said South Johnston coach Lee Webb. “I’m not taking anything away from them. I just told our guys that they fought until the end, literally the last play. That’s all we’ve ever asked. Our mission is still to win a conference championship and crazy things are going to happen in this conference. But that’s still our mission.”

Senior Brayden Barefoot ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns and had five receptions for 59 yards and senior Paul Olive was 21-of-31 passing for 177 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions, and ran for 43 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries to lead the Trojans (4-1, 1-1 QCC).

C.J. Redmond had six receptions for 46 yards. Brayden Fair had two receptions for 25 yards. Isaiaha Harris had a 24-yard reception. Jyseim Wells ran for 22 yards on three carries. Connor Lee had five receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown. Kalib Brown had two receptions for two yards.

Senior Demari Daniels was 11-of-21 passing for 187 yards and a touchdown and ran for 106 yards and five touchdowns on 20 carries to lead the Demons (3-1, 1-1).

In a back-and-forth battle, Fike took a 27-24 lead into the fourth quarter. The Demons scored early in the fourth on a two-yard Daniels run. The conversion attempt failed. D.J. Bolling intercepted a pass on the ensuing possession and then caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Daniels, who ran for two, to push the lead to 41-24.

South scored late in the quarter on a three-yard Barefoot run. Olive threw to Fair for two.

The Trojans recovered a fumble on the ensuing possession, but the ensuing drive stalled in the red zone and the Demons were able to run out the clock.

South Johnston is at conference foe C.B. Aycock (0-4, 0-1) next Friday.

“We’ve got one loss,” Webb said. “We’ve got one goal still and that’s to win a conference championship. And our guys, they’re going to bounce back. I’m not worried about that. I’m going to let them hurt, as they should. And it’s going to hurt me. But they’re going to come back Monday ready to work, because that’s just the type of guys that we’ve got.”