The beat goes on for Silver Bluff football in spring practice
Bulldogs looking to replace Maleik Williams at quarterback
Aiken – The faces inside the helmets may change, but the plan remains the same for Silver Bluff High School football head coach De’Angelo Bryant when it comes to spring practice.
“Our focal point has always been the same,” the veteran head coach said. “That is for our players to develop, learn and continue routines, compete, and implement things the Bulldog way.”
That is something that has worked out in a pretty good fashion for Bryant, who will be entering his sixth season as head coach when Silver Bluff faces South Aiken on August 18. The Bulldogs went 11-1 two seasons ago and played for the AA state title. Despite losing a lot to graduation, they were 6-6 last year and reached the second round of the playoffs.
Bryant said he had 46 student-athletes out for spring practice, including a big class of rising sophomores.
A major priority during the spring and into the summer will be finding a replacement for graduated quarterback Maleik Williams, who led the Bulldogs to the title game. Last season Williams completed 165 of 248 passes for 1,790 yards and 11 touchdowns against just five interceptions. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 626 and 10 touchdowns on 137 carries.
Rising juniors Bradley Anderson and DeAntray McCorkle are in the battle to be the starting quarterback.
“Bradley Anderson has a quick release, good deep ball touch and natural leadership,” Bryant said. “DeAntray McCorkle has varsity game experience (started eight games at safety in 2022), is athletic and can make any throw he needs. Both guys are very competitive and bring a lot to the table.”
A pair of rising seniors, Timothy Morris and Daniel Jones, both ran for over 300 yards last season. Another rising senior, Desjuan McCorkle, had 41 catches for 450 yards.
Silver Bluff does return three starters on the offensive line, led by 2-year starter Christian Echols. Garris Chambers, who made his first starting appearance in the 2021 state championship game as a freshman, returns as does Trayce Johnson.
Bryant said he and his coaching staff are still seeing exactly what this team will be all about.
“It's too early to tell what our strengths may be at this point,” Bryant said. “We have a lot of our players competing at a high level. If I had to say who are the frontrunners it would have to be out defensive and offensive lines.”
TRACK AND FIELD
Silver Bluff had three male athletes and one female athlete score points in individual events and three relay teams place in the AA track and field state meet on Friday, May 19, at Lower Richland High School.
Freshman Hiszari Grant finished fifth in the boys long jump with a jump of 20 feet, 11 inches. Senior DenTavis Morris was sixth in the 400 dash in a time of 50.52 seconds, and sophomore Trevion Harris was seventh in the 100 dash in a time of 11.20.
For the girls, senior Alexis Bryant finished seventh in the high jump with a jump of 4-10.
The boys 4x400-meter relay team finished third in a time of 3 minutes, 27.16 seconds. The 4x100 relay team was fifth in 42.85. The girls 4x400 relay team finished fifth in a time of 4:16.97.
Morris also qualified for state in the 100 and sophomore Gerald Lark did so in the 110 hurdles. For the girls, junior MaKya Bing qualified in both the triple jump and the 100 hurdles, sophomore Aaliyah Washington in the 100 and senior Aaliyah Lawrence in the triple jump.
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