Hartsville erases 25 point deficit

Tagged under: Beyond The Keystone, Gameday Hub, News, pfn

Liam Christenson | October 16, 2026

Hartsville dug out of a 25-point hole to beat Loris 52-49, and Cornell Hickmon finished it by scoring from the one-inch line with 1:27 left. Loris led 28-3 late in the second quarter and looked firmly in control. Hartsville outscored Loris 42-21 in the second half to flip it.
Makel Stephens set the early tone for Loris, scoring from four and 11 yards out in the first quarter, then adding two more touchdowns in the second. His one-yard run with 3:02 left in the second quarter made it 28-3. Conner White’s first-quarter interception gave Loris the ball back near midfield, and Walt Truett’s 39-yard field goal was Hartsville’s lone answer in the opening quarter. Hickmon caught a touchdown pass from Ford Wallace with 45 seconds left in the half to make it 28-10 at the break.

Loris RB Makel Stephens celebrates one of five touchdowns on the night.

Then Trace Hillian flipped the game. He ripped off an 80-plus-yard touchdown on the first play of the second half, then did it again 2:26 later to make it 28-24. Stephens answered with his fifth touchdown of the day, a two-yard score for 35-24, and Quamel Prescott cut it to 35-31 from four yards out. Roderick Purcha closed the quarter with an 81-yard touchdown catch with 38 seconds left, putting Loris back up 42-31.
The fourth quarter was a trade of haymakers. Wallace sneaked in from a yard out to make it 42-38, and tight end Bryce Oliver caught the go-ahead touchdown from goal-to-go at 5:45, putting Hartsville up 45-42. Oliver, a baseball player who had never played football before this season, joined the team when it needed a tight end. Purcha, who finished with two touchdown catches, answered with a 35-yard reception with 3:07 to play to put Loris back in front 49-45. Hartsville had one more answer: Hickmon, who also caught a touchdown in the second quarter, scored from the one-inch line with 1:27 left, and the PAT made it 52-49.

Full Gallery coming tomorrow afternoon!

Hartsville defender stops Stephens short of line to gain

Team 1 2 3 4 Final
Hartsville 3 7 21 21 52
Loris 14 14 14 7 49