Laurence Manning hopes to build on runner-up finish from last year
Senior Tyler June, freshman Grainger Powell sharing time at quarterback
Manning – Laurence Manning Academy reached the first ever SCISA AAAA football state championship game last season. The Swampcats lost to Hammond, which won its sixth straight state championship.
With seven starters back on defense and six on offense, the goal for LMA is returning to the title game and obviously reversing the outcome.
Laurence Manning is off to a 2-0 start, beating South Carolina High School League AAA school Lake City 21-20 on August 18 and Pinewood Prep 34-19 on August 25.
Swampcats head coach Will Furse is happy with the start but knows the team has to steadily improve.
“We are 2-0 so we have done some good things on both sides of the ball,” said Furse, who is in his second season as head coach. “But we have to do a better job of finishing drives on offense, keeping our composure on defense, and tackling on special teams.”
LMA has freshman Grainger Powell and senior Tyler June splitting time at quarterback. June, a 4-year starter, is playing wide receiver when he isn’t lined up behind center.
“Guys like Tyler don't come around very often with his athletic ability,” Furse said. “He's going to do a lot of different things for us this year. He's going to play quarterback, receiver, special teams, defense. He's going to do a lot of things for us.
“We've got a freshman quarterback in Grainger Powell who's extremely good. He had a great summer, a great spring. Both of those guys are going to get snaps at quarterback this year. It's going to be game plan and situational as to who is playing where.”
Each of them threw two touchdown passes against Pinewood Prep. Powell was 7 of 9 for 140 yards, while June was 2-for-6 for 65. June ran for 41 yards on four carries. Against Lake City, Powell completed 15 of 20 passes for 140 yards with June having four of the catches for 30 yards. June also completed 5 of 8 passes for 52 yards and ran for 71 yards on nine carries.
Along with June, some of the other receiving targets are wide receivers Josiah Burson, Noah Tanner and Jackson Brunson and tight ends Bryson Hodge and Drew Ferriell.
Burson had four catches for 29 yards, and Brunson had three catches for 37 yards against Lake City. Against Pinewood, Burson had two catches for 89 yards and two TDs, Tanner had two catches for 66 yards and one score, and Hodge had a 35-yard TD catch. Ferriell had a 45-yard reception.
Furse is happy with the versatility the Swampcats possess on offense.
“It's really going to be what we have to do to win,” he said. “We're prepared to throw it more, but we're not going to throw it to throw it. We have the ability to. We've got the receivers and the quarterbacks to do it.”
Tanner thinks this is a faster team than last year’s edition.
“I think we have a lot more speed this year, and I feel like we're going to use more weapons,” Tanner said. “We've got a lot of speed guys. This year we're going to have to do that to win.”
Laurence Manning ran for 215 yards against Pinewood. Thomas Sumpter had 65 yards on 16 carries, Ian Harris ran for 52 yards on 13 carries and Bryson Smith had 52 yards on three carries.
Against Lake City, Harris picked up 51 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown. Sumpter had five carries for 54 yards.
“We've got a really deep running back room with Ian Harris, Thomas Sumpter and Bryson Smith,” Furse said. “Bryson has started the last two years, but with him starting on defense as well, he probably won't get quite as many carries as he has in the past Those guys are extremely explosive, they're hard workers. I think those guys can be extremely effective for us this year.”
LMA returns only two starters on the offensive line in right tackle Jack Wellborn and right guard Bryce Manlove. Nik Ambroggio is starting at left tackle, Dillon Smith at left guard while Gavin Brown and Herman Holland are sharing time at center.
Furse believes the unit is making steady progress.
“It's coming along pretty good,” he said. “Obviously, the offensive line is the hardest position to play in my opinion You can run the same run play three plays in a row, but you've got to block in it a different way every time based on what the defense is doing. We're just trying to get guys confident in their assignments.
“I think we have plenty of guys with ability. Physically we're OK, it's just mentally making sure we're confident in which way we're stepping, who we're supposed to block, getting off double teams in a timely fashion. We feel like we've got potential there, so we're excited about it.”
The defense is led by Hodge at defensive end. “He's had two good years in a row,” Furse said. “He was a force as a sophomore, and he was even better last year. We're excited about where he is going to be this year.”
Also starting up front are Wellborn and Nate Hawthorne, while Ferriell and Wyatt James are sharing time. The linebackers are Bryson Smith, Chappell Brogdon and Reid Moore.
The secondary is stacked with Sumpter, Burson, Brunson and June starting.
The Swampcats are also strong on special teams. Sumpter returned a punt for a touchdown against Lake City. Mills Lee is the placekicker while Tanner handles the punting chores.
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