Aiken – The Silver Bluff High School football team was rolling along with a 6-1 record. The Bulldogs then hit a bump in the road – actually two of them.
SBHS lost to Saluda 15-14 and that was followed with a 34-7 loss to Strom Thurmond. Instead of letting the losing streak take it down, Silver Bluff has rebounded in a big way.
The Bulldogs beat Pelion 45-0 to help them earn the No. 2 seed in Region 3-AA. After that, SBHS beat Mid-Carolina 47-6 in the first round of the state playoffs.
“I felt like over the last two weeks our guys played with an edge,” said Silver Bluff head coach De’Angelo Bryant, whose team is ranked ninth in the High School Sports Report AA Sweet 16 poll. “They knew after the previous two losses. We have not done things to put ourselves in the best positions to win football games. We revamped a few things to give them more confidence and give us more of a team identity.
“The resiliency of this football team has been incredible. Our guys are looking at the big picture and they understand that each week we are fighting for another opportunity. Our approach to practice has a different, upbeat feel, and I feel like our focus level is setting the tone, especially coming from our seniors and returners.”
Even by allowing 34 points to Strom Thurmond, Silver Bluff has only given up 143 points this season. The defense will have a big challenge when it travels to Winnsboro on November 10 to take on 9-2 Fairfield Central.
The Griffins are led by sophomore quarterback Cameron McMillon, FCHS is averaging over 38 points a game.
“We have to be consistent against an explosive Fairfield Central football team,” Bryant said. “Taking care of the football and keeping the chains moving will be a big key for us offensively. Defensively, we have to eliminate the explosive. plays.”
The Bulldogs have three outstanding players playing in the box on defense in linebacker Jayden Fuller, defensive lineman Jayden Easton and defensive end Jordan Boyd.
Fuller led the team in tackles entering the playoffs with 101, to go with 17 tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks.
Boyd, a Georgia Tech commitment, had 83 tackles, 26 of them for a loss, to go with 10 sacks. Eason also had 83 tackles and a team high 34 TFLs to go with six sacks.
Strong safety Trey Harris had 57 tackles, linebacker Jordan Walker had 56 and linebacker Gerald Lark had 54 tackles. DesJuan McCorkle and Terrell Williams both had three interceptions.
The defense has recorded four shutouts, held five opponents under 100 yards in total offense, come up with 23 sacks, forced 13 turnovers and has 127 TFLs.
The offense is led by running back Daniel Jones. He had 771 yards and eight touchdown on 83 carries through 10 games. Jonathan Peeples had 480 yards and seven touchdowns in just seven games played.
Quarterback Mickenzie Atterberry was 58 of 108 for 808 yards and six touchdowns against just three interceptions. Hiszari Grant had 29 catches for 490 yards and two touchdowns, while McCorkle had 20 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
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