East Clarendon football opens Region 5-Class A play with 49-0 win over Hemingway
Wolverines travel to defending Class A lower state champion on October 13
Turbeville – That East Clarendon High School’s football team was able to pull out a victory over Hemingway on September 29 didn’t come as a surprise. The Tigers had scored just eight points in their first five games.
However, the way the Wolverines did beat Hemingway may have raised some eyebrows. East Clarendon, which had scored just 51 points in its first five games, won 49-0 in a game that had a running clock starting in the middle of the second quarter.
More importantly than being the Wolverines’ second win in six games, it came in their Region 5-Class A opener.
“This is Part 2 of the season for us,” said first year East Clarendon head coach Larry Cornelius. “I’m extremely proud of our focus last night in getting that first win in the region.
“We only had three penalties for 25 yards. Offensively, we took care of business. We didn't have to put a lot of drives together, but we did what we needed to do. In your region opener, you want to get a win and get out of there healthy. We accomplished both of those things.”
East Clarendon rolled up 238 rushing yards on just 23 carries. Running back Rod Shaw led the way with 122 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries. Tyquann Wilson had 71 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, and quarterback Takoda Cornelius, the coach’s son, had 24 yards and two touchdowns on four carries. Jay Webb ran for 16 yards and a score on two carries.
Cornelius completed 2 of 4 passes for 18 yards and a TD. Jyre Fulton had three catches for 24 yards and the TD.
What may have pleased Coach Cornelius more than anything with the win was the resolve his team showed. The Wolverines were coming off of a 69-0 spanking at the hands of Bamberg-Ehrhardt, the No. 2 team in the High School Sports Report Class A Sweet 16 poll.
“It's been a roller coaster of emotions for the team,” the head coach said. “We played very good teams in those first five games. Bamberg just really took it to us. What that shows is we can put it in the past and learn from it and that we have a not-give-up mentality.
We learned what a great team looks like and what we need to do if we want to get to that.”
Shaw has been the leader of the offense, carrying the ball 89 times for 467 yards and five TDs. Wilson has 14 carries for 150 yards and three TDs, and Cornelius has 29 carries for 118 yards and 2 TDs
Cornelius, a freshman, has completed 21 of 49 passes for 206 yards and three TDs. Fulton has nine catches for 54 yards and a TD, Whit Nesbit has eight catches for 119 yards and a TD, and Shaw has four catches for 42 yards and a score.
East Clarendon held Hemingway to just six yards of total offense. Outside of the Bamberg contest, Coach Cornelius likes the way his defense has played.
“We've gotten better every single game,” he said. “We’re missing less tackles, and we’re doing more on defense. Just like the offense, we believe in diversity on defense. The more you can do, the more you have to practice for.”
East Clarendon has a bye week on October 6 before taking to the road to face defending Class A lower state champion Johnsonville on October 13. After that, the Wolverines close out with home games at Shad Hall Field against Carvers Bay and Scott’s Branch.
“We Just want to take it one game at a time,” Coach Cornelius said. “Win a region championship is what we’re trying to do here.”
About us
Recognizing the achievements of young athletes in South Carolina since 1986.