Don't Miss a single moment of the best prep coverage in South Carolina in print and on the web! Two For ONE!
Get HSSR ONLINE AND 12 Issues of The Sports Report FOR ONE Price $40! Click here to subscribe online!

click to return home page

click to return schools page

Midland Valley wins one of first four

By David Shelton

Senior Writer

Graniteville – A tough schedule with a lot of new faces on the field has led to a 1-4 start for the Midland Valley High football team but the Mustangs are showing some signs of getting it together in time for region 5-AAA play.

Midland Valley opened the season with three AAAA opponents and a pair of top 10 quality AA foes in the non-region schedule. The Mustangs managed a nice 13-0 win over Silver Bluff, handing the Bulldogs their first defeat.

The losses this season came to South Aiken, Aiken (overtime), North Augusta and Barnwell. Barnwell and North Augusta are undefeated this season.

Airport is the favorite to win region five with A.C. Flora expected to challenge as well. Midland Valley should be in the chase for a playoff spot as well.

Midland Valley jumps right into the fire this week with a game against Airport, the sixth-ranked team in class AAA and off to a 5-0 start.

After five games, Trey Walker is the team’s leading rusher with 478 yards on 81 carries, averaging 5.9 yards per attempt. He has scored three touchdowns.

Bobby Brown has rushed for 307 yards on 62 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry.

Brown has completed 21 of 58 pass attempts for 288 yards and three scores.

Jonathan Garcia is the top receiver with seven receptions for 141 yard and two scores, averaging 20 yards per catch. Walker has six catches on the season.

Davidson Crouch is having a solid year as the punter, averaging 34.3 yards per punt. Brown is averaging 17 yards on punt returns while Walker averages 28 yards on kickoff returns.

Defensively, linebacker Jamaree Drayton continues to be the team’s leader and the heart and soul of the unit. Drayton leads the club with 60 tackles.

Casey Booth has 50 tackles and Tevin Williams has 35 hits.

Chris Johnson and Booth each have an interception this season.

 

load up the buses and head to West Columbia to meet preseason region favorite Airport. Eagles quarterback W.T. Murden is one of the better players in the state.
In a 31-9 win over Battery Creek last week, Murden ran for 61 yards and passed for 184 more and two touchdowns for the unbeaten Eagles.
"He's a special player for them," Knight said. "And it seems like they do better when they fall behind a little bit."
In their last three wins, the Eagles fell behind in the first quarter before rallying to win.
Midland Valley won last year's game 17-14 and went on to win the region championship.
The win over Batesburg-Leesville was a total team effort, Knight said.
Running back Jeremy Robinson provided the firepower offensively, rushing for 187 yards and two scores in the second half.
Knight said offensive linemen Joel Antley, Brian Hadden, Evan Williams and Dustin Rushton provided the big push up front.
Quarterback Marquet Carr has been solid running the offense.
Blair Williamson had a fumble recovery and Cole Cromer picked off a pass for the Mustangs.
The team's leading tackler is linebacker Cordes Pressley. A week earlier, he had 17 total tackles in a 7-6 win over Silver Bluff.
Other key defensive players for the Mustangs are defensive lineman Alex Carl, safety Rod Sims, linebacker Darian Curry, linebacker Wesley Meyer and linebacker Tyler Steelman.