Lions are State Champs — Again

PICKENS COUNTY — Sometimes in big games, you can throw the final statistics out the window. It just doesn’t tell the whole story.

That’s how it was to me last Saturday night, when Daniel High School’s football team pulled out a thrilling 49-48 win in overtime over Camden in the state championship game.

Personally, I’d have to pick Lions senior Sean Bolger as the Most Valuable Player of the Game.

Some of you are saying Sean who?

Bolger is a 6-foot-3, 230-pound offensive lineman for Daniel and plays center.

“Words can’t even describe how it feels,” said Bolger, after the state-championship victory. “Throughout spring ball, you are thinking of this one goal. Now that the goal is accomplished I don’t even know what to do with myself. As a team, we fought so hard in the practices and it paid off.”

But beyond the journey of it all, the dedication and the heart that Bolger showed in the state championship game is another level. He got hurt and he kept playing. He didn’t want to let his teammates down. He was on crutches after the game and I’m not sure how he even drove his car home with an injured leg.

“I don’t even remember how it (the injury) happened,” said Bolger. “I just remember something in my ankle and not being able to get up, but you just have to push through in those situations. My last game as a Daniel Lion – you are going to have to kill me to not play in this game. You just have to use the grit that you have to push through it.”

Continued the 17-year-old Bolger, “I was not going to leave the game with my brothers out there. I left it all on the field for them because I know they would do the same for me. It’s that close of a relationship we have on the offensive line. I wouldn’t trade anything in the world for this right now.”

From the defensive side of the ball: Preston Rollins, a senior outside linebacker for Daniel, took some time to reflect on the memorable 15-0 season.

“We knew it was a possibility with the playoff games that we could keep going or go home,” he said. “It was fun – next game and ready to play. We were just excited to keep going. The people before us helped carve this legacy. It was a whole new experience. The atmosphere and knowing what we were playing for.”

A proud cheer coach and football mama: Stella Welborn is the Daniel cheerleading coach and also the mom of Qwentin Welborn who made the big tackle at the end of the game.

“I love these girls,” said Stella, about her Daniel cheerleading squad. “We had a blast, a long day but well worth it. Just the atmosphere that Daniel brings … we are one Daniel.”

Stella went on to say, “My mama heart is not taking it very well because he (Qwentin) is a senior and it was his last football game, but we are very proud of him. It’s bittersweet for him because he is graduating.”

More Green Wave cheer support: Eva Kelley, a senior cheerleader for Daniel, was beyond proud of the senior football players and the whole team.

“State was so good,” she said. “Everyone expected us to win, but I’m glad it was a challenge. When it got really close and we went into overtime, I was like you all got it. I was screaming at the top of my lungs. I’m just really proud of the seniors. They got their ring and won state. I’m super proud of the football team.”