Wilson High School begins new "Scott" era
By Tim Singleton
Special Writer
Florence (12/21/09) The Wilson High boys basketball team enters the 2009-2010 season under the leadership of one their own.
Deandre Scott, former player and son of a former Tiger coach, takes the reigns of the program after successful stints in Chester and Myrtle Beach. Scott has highlighted his career with a Class AAA championship in 2008 while at Myrtle Beach. He also led the Chester club to an upper state finals.
This year, the Tigers are off to a 3-2 start with wins over S. Florence (2x) and West Florence. Their losses were at the hands of Hartsville and Mullins (53-54).
The Tigers have two players that are averaging double figures after five games.
Senior Forward Earl McClary (6-4) leads the squad with 11.8 points per game and had a season high of 16 against Mullins.
Sophomore Brandon Jones (6-5) has scored 10.6 points per night. The forward's season high was 14 against West Florence.
Junior forward Justin Kelly (6-4) and senior guard Maliek McCall (5-10) are near double figures with 8.4 and 8.0 per game rspectively. Sophomore Jared Charles (5-10) has chipped in with 6.2 per contest.
Brandon King (5-10), a tenth grader at the guard spot, leads the squad in assists with 2.8 per game while McCall is at 2.8 and Charles has an even two per game.
In defensive categories Jones, McClary and Kelly have been the workhorses on the boards as Jones has 29 defensive rebounds and a 7.6 per game average. Kelly has 17 defensive rebounds and 28 overall for a 4.6 average. McClary has 14 defensive and 14 offensive boards for a 5.6 per game average.
The trio also leads the team in steals with over two per game each. Jones is the high man with 2.8 per game and also leads the team in blocked shots with seven.
Off the bench, the Tigers have forwards Ramel Dials (Sr. 6-3), Antonio Marshall (Jr, 5-10), Joshua Hall (Sr, 6-5), John Israel (Jr, 6-3) and Shaliek Brown (So, 6-5). Also in reserves are guards Jashawn Thomas (Jr, 5-11), Carnell Montgomery (Jr, 5-10), and Braxton Ivery (So, 5-10).
At press time, the Tigers were preparing to face West Florence (Dec. 18). On December 19-21, they'll play in the Hilton Head Seahawk Invitational. Then the Pepsi Carolina Classic is on tap December 28-31.
After the Christmas break, the Tiger close out the season series with Hartsville and Mullins, then enter region 6-AAA play.
Wilson football teams ends season with 5-4 mark
By Rob Gantt
Special writer
Florence (11/13/09) The Wilson Tigers were a playoff-caliber team this fall but the region is so tough they missed out on the postseason despite having a winning record.
Darryl Page's team finished the season with a 5-4 record and tied for fourth in the region with Darlington, which got the last playoff spot because of a head-to-head tie-breaking situation with Wilson.
The Tigers, who missed the postseason for the second straight year since winning the Class AAA title in 2007, say goodbye to a number of key seniors, including some that were part of the championship team two years ago.
The most notable name of the group is quarterback Maleik McCall, who was the signal caller the year the Tigers won it all. This season, McCall passed for 1,366 yards and ran for 430 more. He tossed nine touchdowns and ran in for scores.
It's also the end of the road for defensive lineman James Woodberry. Woodberry led the team with 82 total tackles and also contributed on offense in the run game.
Decar Brown was also a senior. The defensive end made 50 total tackles and jumped on three fumbles. Ryan Echols, a senior defensive back, had 40 total tackles on the season. Jemel Harley had 37 tackles, while senior Bryant Bonds finished his high school career with 26 tackles.
Lineman Kaleb Carter was the top man on the offensive front and also moves on.
Senior Daniel Coleman handled punting and kicking.
Among the key players returning will be junior running back Adray Montgomery. He rushed for 622 yards this season.
Youngster Devin Borden added 388 rushing yards and scored four times.
Receivers John Israel, Justin Kelly and Jacquez Legette will return for next season. Kelly made 33 receptions for 500 yards, while Israel hauled in 23 passes for 406 yards. Legette had 14 catches for 198 yards.
They combined for 10 touchdown receptions as a group.
Key players returning on defense next season will be sophomore Brandon K. King, who made 49 total tackles and a team-high three interceptions. Shantre McCoy had 63 total tackles and Justin Chandler was in on 52 stops for the Tigers.
The Tigers' victories this season came against South Florence, Timmonsville, West Florence and Lakewood.
But they lost three of their final four region games to miss out on the playoffs.
BASKETBALL : The Wilson basketball teams will open the season Dec. 1 at home against South Florence before traveling for four straight games against West Florence (Dec. 4), South Florence (Dec. 11), Hartsville (Dec. 14) and Mullins (Dec. 16).
The boys team will have a new coach this winter in DeAndre Scott, a Wilson alum. He was previously a coach at Myrtle Beach and Chester and led Myrtle Beach to a state championship two seasons ago.
Tigers playing like contender at end of season, Darlington up next on docket
By Rob Gantt
Special writer
Florence (10/29/09) Wilson was once on that second tier of Class AAA teams that some considered could be around for a while in the Lower State playoffs.
Tigers coach Darryl Page feel like his team has now earned the right to be mentioned with the top teams now that the playoffs are a week away.
He's basing his opinion on the Tigers' hard-fought 21-14 loss against Marlboro County last Friday in a big-game atmosphere.
"I feel like before it's all said and done, we're going to have a say-so in everything," Page said. "You take a game like we played Friday night. We had the No. 1 team in the state in here and I don't think most people gave us a chance. The kids played hard and if we had executed, it might have been different."
Against the Bulldogs, Wilson outgained the Bulldogs 353-309 and forced four turnovers but just couldn't get it done in the end.
This week, the Tigers have to get it done against Darlington, Page said.
"They're very much an improved football team," he added. "Coach (Justin) Danner does a great job. Offensively, they are a handful. They are a Wing-T team that can throw the football. Everybody's read about Victor Hampton but Dominique Cooper is a top-tier back too. He is one of the best around. They have an arsenal of weapons."
If Wilson wins, it will finish in third place in Region 6-AAA and travel to the winner of this week's Midland Valley-South Aiken game next week in the opening round of the playoffs.
Against Marlboro County, Tigers quarterback Maleik McCall threw for 230 yards but only completed 43 percent of his passes.
He did score both of Wilson's touchdowns, running 24 yards in the second quarter to even the score 7-7.
In the third quarter, he ran in from three yards out to make it 21-14.
He finished with 60 yards rushing, while James Woodberry had 34 yards on seven caries. Adray Montgomery ran for 29 yards.
John Israel led all receivers with 89 yards on five catches. Justin Kelly had 79 yards on four catches. Jeremiah Gandy and Ryan Echols each caught a pass for a total of 68 yards.
Kicker Daniel Coleman made both extra points.
On defense, Shantre McCoy was in on 13 total tackles.
Woodberry and Jemel Harley had eight stops each, while Ryan Echols made seven tackles.
Brandon K. King had two interceptions and Telvin McCants picked off one pass. Decar Brown jumped on a loose ball for a fumble recovery.
McCants also had six tackles. Brown and Jerry Montgomery were in on five stops apiece.
