The Butler did it!
Columbia 7
Brookland-Cayce 6
Story and photos
by Mike Maddock
Mike@TheColumbiaStar.com

Richard Butler did not catch this pass, but he did grab the winning touchdown with just over a minute left in regulation.

Down 6-0 in front of a hostile crowd at a place known as The Cage, the Columbia High Capitals found their undefeated season in jeopardy Friday, September 15, 2006. The Brookland-Cayce Bearcats looked like they may just get their first win of the season. The Capitals had driven the ball deep into B-C territory and had a first and goal at the Bearcat six-yard line, but in three plays Kemper Amick's team lost seven yards and was faced with a fourth down and 13 yards to go with one minute and 18 seconds left in the game.

That's when somebody rang for the Butler. On that crucial fourth down, Columbia quarterback Justin Payne mishandled a shotgun snap, but regained his composure, calmly rolled to his right, and lofted the ball to the back of the end zone. Richard Butler leaped high to snag it coming down well in bounds to tie the game at six. Stand-out defensive lineman Khiry Mullins stepped in and delivered an old-style straight-on kick to get the extra point and put the Capitals up by one to win the game.

Columbia's Khiry Mullins (58) closes in on B-C's A.J. Felder. Mullins played defensive line for the Capitals, and he kicked the extra-point to put the Capitals up for good. Felder passed for 71 yards and rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown.

The Bearcats drove the ball to the Columbia 35-yard line with 18 seconds remaining in the game off the running and passing of A.J. Felder, but on fourth down with seven yards to go, Felder was picked off by Columbia's Jarou Brown. Brown returned the interception 65 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the play was called back due to a block in the back. Payne downed the ball with no time remaining on the clock keeping the Capitals' perfect season intact and the Bearcats winless in four attempts.

Early on, the game was not so much a defensive battle as it was a battle of errors. The Bearcats fumbled the opening kick-off, and then their next three drives ended in a fumble, a punt, and an interception. The Capitals did not fare any better. After recovering the fumble on the opening kick, they drove to the Bearcat eight-yard line. The Capitals then went backwards from first and goal to fourth and 26 ending with an incomplete pass. They had four more possessions in the first half in which they turned the ball over on downs twice, fumbled a kick-off return, and missed a field goal.

Cedric Jeffcoat runs for one of his 27 carries. Jeffcoat rushed for 149 yards.

The Bearcats did have a 43-yard, two minute and 45 second scoring drive starting at the 7:46 mark of the second quarter. Felder completed passes of 15 and 12 yards to Tony McCoy and Andrew Richardson respectively. Running back Chris Montgomery added 13 yards rushing, and Felder ran the final three yards on a fourth down play to put the Bearcats up 6-0. The PAT was muffed.

Bearcat Head Coach Brad Coleman will try to get the season, which started with such promise, turned around when his team travels to winless White Knoll September 22. After defeating Calhoun Falls then four straight Class 3A programs, the 2A Capitals will take a break next week and gear up for region play against Gilbert on September 29.

Brookland-Cayce Head Coach Brad Coleman said the Bearcats played well enough to win defensively once again, but they could not take advantage of opportunities given to them on offense.