South Charleston Edges Princeton 33-32 With Late Scoring Drive

South Charleston escaped Hunnicutt Stadium with a 33-32 victory over Princeton on Friday night, but the win may carry a heavy price for the Black Eagles as they head toward the postseason.

The regular-season finale, delayed by over 30 minutes due to South Charleston’s late arrival, concluded with a chaotic final sequence that resulted in the ejections of both the Black Eagles’ starting quarterback and their head coach.

Yahoo Sports reported that the game hung in the balance until the final 10 seconds, when Malakhi Hope punched in a 6-yard touchdown run to secure the lead. That score followed a high-stakes possession sparked by a strip-sack turnover at the Princeton 19-yard line with 4:56 remaining. However, the celebration was cut short by officiating decisions that could reshape the Class AAA playoff bracket.

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Following the go-ahead touchdown, quarterback Tramel Musgrove was flagged and ejected for taunting. Head coach Donnie Mays was subsequently tossed while protesting the call. With the official playoff pairings expected this weekend, South Charleston now faces the uncertainty of potentially competing in the next round without its primary signal-caller and leader, pending the outcome of inevitable appeals.

Statistical Breakdown of the Clash

Player	Team	Key Performance
Malakhi Hope	South Charleston	298 rushing yards, 4 TDs
Aaron Hood	Princeton	171 rushing yards, 2 TDs
RJ Coatney	Princeton	57 rushing yards, 2 TDs

The contest was defined by a series of volatile momentum shifts. Princeton’s early lead was built on the back of a powerful ground game, including two 1-yard scoring crashes by Aaron Hood. Yet, the Tigers struggled with consistency in the kicking game, missing multiple extra-point opportunities that ultimately left the door open for South Charleston’s late-game heroics.

South Charleston vs Princeton

Despite the loss, Princeton head coach Nathan Tanner emphasized the resilience of his squad, which had previously faced difficult defeats against teams like George Washington and Herbert Hoover. “Our turnovers came at real unfortunate times. We turned it over down there at the start of the game and we turned it over on that drive at the end to seal the game. That was definitely costly,” Tanner told Yahoo Sports.

“We talk about responding no matter the situation or circumstance all the time. I thought our kids battled to the end,” Tanner said, acknowledging the performance of his offensive line throughout the evening.

The Stakes of the Postseason

South Charleston moves to 8-2 with the victory, but administrative fallout creates a major obstacle. Losing a head coach and a starting quarterback at the start of the playoffs is a rare and difficult situation for any high school program. The school will likely look toward the official state athletic association guidelines for guidance on the appeal process.

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Princeton, finishing its regular season at 4-4, remains a dangerous opponent despite the narrow margin of defeat. Their ability to move the ball effectively—evidenced by an 11-play, 71-yard scoring drive in the third quarter—demonstrates the offensive efficiency that kept them competitive against the Black Eagles until the final whistle.

As the state prepares to release the official Class AAA playoff pairings, the focus shifts from the field to the front office. The outcome of the appeals will dictate whether the Black Eagles enter the postseason at full strength or forced to adjust their personnel in the face of sudden adversity. The events at Hunnicutt Stadium show how thin the line is between a successful season and a premature exit.