The 2008 season for the North Myrtle Beach Chiefs football team ended against two of the best AAA football teams in the state of South Carolina. First, there was the regular season finale loss at Myrtle Beach and then it was this past Friday night's 45-14 loss at Crestwood in the opening round of the AAA State Playoffs.

The season ending loss to the Knights (10-1) also brought the end to the playing careers of 11 seniors that played an important role in the resurgence of NMB football.

"We are really going to miss this group of seniors as they did everything that you could ask," said Head Coach Denver Cromer. "They were leaders both on and off of the field and very positive. They worked hard for this team, the school and the community. It is an honor to be associated with them."

The Chiefs (6-5) played very well in the opening quarter on the defensive side of the ball. Entering the game, Crestwood touted one of the most dangerous running games in the State. The teams battled scoreless for the first six minutes as the Chiefs' defense held the daunted Crestwood running attack mostly in check. Unfortunately, Terrance Wilson was not to be held for long as the senior running back bolted 32 yards into the endzone with 5:57 to play in the opening quarter to break the scoreless tie.

The opening quarter ended with the Knights holding a 7-0 lead but driving for another score. This time it was the quarterback portion of the Wilson twins, Treginald, to score for Crestwood as he ran for 42 yards into the endzone.

On the ensuing possession for the Chiefs, Crestwood bent but appeared not to break as NMB's senior quarterback Daniel Smith threw an incomplete pass on a fourth down play. Fortunately for the Chiefs, Crestwood was called for a roughing the passer infraction, giving North Myrtle Beach new life. Daniel Smith took advantage of the opportunity on the next play as he connected with Bashawn Lewis on a slant route for a 14-yard touchdown pass.

Crestwood responded with two scores to close the opening half but they came by unconventional means for the Knights. Treginald Wilson connected with Damone Pringle for an 18-yard TD pass and then with Randy Moulds on a 21-yard passing score with just 17 seconds remaining.

"We tried to do everything that we could to fool them," said Coach Cromer. "They are a very talented bunch up front on defense. I wish that we could have made a few plays where we had the chance in the first half. I really felt that if we could have stayed in the game a little further than there may be a chance for an upset. I felt if we could have held at 21-7 going into halftime that we would have still been in the game but that last score before half really hurt going into halftime."

While the Knights had an offensive story in Terrance Wilson's 242 yards rushing, the bigger story may have been the Crestwood defense that had Daniel Smith either on the run or on his back much of the game. Crestwood had 10 sacks, caused two fumbles and returned one of the fumbles for a touchdown.

"We were outmanned from a talent standpoint," said Cromer. "We fought with them where we could but they ended up being too much for us."

The Wilson brothers were a two-man wrecking crew in leading the offense for the Knights. Terrance, who now has 1,756 yards rushing on the season, had the one touchdown to go along with his 242 yards rushing. Treginald ran for 88 yards and a score on just four carries and passed for 59 yards and another two touchdowns.

The North Myrtle Beach offense sputtered much of the contest as the ground game was non-existent and the air attack struggled because of the strong rust by the Crestwood defense. Daniel Smith completed just 17-of-35 passes while throwing on the run almost the entire game. He had 175 yards passing and two touchdowns. The running game saw the Chiefs post just 24 yards on the ground on 23 carries.

The Chiefs' season, one that opened with great promise as the team entered Region VII-AAA play with a 4-1 record, ended in a game of what could have been. The first Region contest saw the Chiefs fall to Socastee in a game that the Chiefs should have won and probably would win nine out of 10 times. But, as they saw, that is why you play the game. The loss ended up costing NMB a home playoff game against a much easier opponent than Crestwood. The Chiefs ended the season in a three-way tie for second place in the Region VII-AAA standings and took the fourth seed entering the playoffs due to the tiebreakers.

With the close of the season comes the end to the high school careers of two-year starting QB Daniel Smith, three-year starting linemen Josh Pierce, Stuart Hill and Tony Montgomery, and two-year starter at running back and defensive back Jermaine Vereen. Key transfers Dexter Green and Josh Wilson played just one season with NMB, but they were key to the successes of the 2008 season. Other seniors playing their final year of prep football were Jarrett Bellany, Adrian Isom, Patrick Caron and Keitheen Small.

"I can really say from my heart that I really enjoyed coaching this team and we are going to miss a bunch of them," said Coach Cromer. "We are going to miss them not only as football players but as people that we are around all of the time and have developed a relationship with. Like I told them, the season only ends on a good note for one team and, while I would have liked to have played longer, I am still very proud of them."

SCORING:

RUSHING:
NMB -- Jermaine Vereen 6-19, Dexter Green 4-(-2), Kelton Chestnut 4-23, Daniel Smith 6-(-38), Corbin Randall 3-22.
CRESTWOOD -- Terrance Wilson 16-242, Rashad Spann 5-64, Robert Simon 8-33, Treginald Wilson 4-101, Broderick Clinkscales 6-35, Brandon Cox 2-39, Jeremy Moses 2-4.

PASSING:
NMB -- Daniel Smith 17-35-0-2-175.
CRESTWOOD -- Treginald Wilson 3-6-0-2-59.

RECEIVING:
NMB -- Bashawn Lewis 5-29, Jermaine Vereen 4-24, Drew Smith 5-101, Dexter Green 2-3, Corbin Randall 1-18
CRESTWOOD -- Damone Pringle 2-38, Randy Moulds 1-21.