CENTRAL — They say the third time is the charm.

Daniel High School’s football team had faced Chester in the state AAA playoff the past two years, coming away with a loss each year.

This year, the Lions held on for a 27-24 win, reversing the score of last year’s game in the Upstate Championship game.

The win places Daniel against Greenville Friday night at Sirrene Stadium in the Upstate semi-finals. The Red Raiders have yet to allow a touchdown in the playoffs, topping West-Oak 59-0 in the first round, then shutting out Riverside 35-0 last Friday night.

In the other Upstate semi-final game, Clinton travels to Union.

Neither team scored in the first quarter, but Daniel opened up a 10-0 lead in the second quarter with a 26-yard field goal by David Gammon and a 2-yard touchdown run by William Wingard. But Chester scored 10 points in the remainder of the second quarter, and the game was tied 10-10 at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Daniel pulled ahead with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Tevin Robinson to DeAndre Hopkins. Five minutes later, Chester answered with a touchdown

Gammon hit his second 26-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the third quarter, giving Daniel a 20-17 lead going into the final period.

Daniel increased its lead to 10 with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Colton Korn to Antonio Cannon.

Chester came back with a touchdown with just over six minutes remaining in the game, then held Daniel on the next drive to earn a chance to score a game-winning touchdown.

The Cyclones drove to the Daniel 22 with just 30 seconds remaining in the game. But J.P. Hill intercepted a Chester pass, ending the Cyclones’ scoring threat and sending the Lions into the third round of the playoffs.