Flora football looks to rebound, other sports look to continue success
A.C. Flora Football Head Coach, Ken Floyd
By WORTHY EVANS
Special to the HSSR
Columbia - The A.C. Flora football team enjoyed a lot of recent success, with a 4A state championship under head coach Dustin Curtis in 2020 and a 4A lower state runner-up ending in 2022 in head coach Ken Floyd’s first year at the helm.
Much of that talent from the 2022 season graduated, including quarterback Carew Bates and running back Markel Townsend, leaving Floyd with a very young team for the 2023 season.
Besides youth, the Falcons had depth issues as injuries piled up in a 4-7 effort. Sophomore quarterback Roper Wentzky passed for 2,694 yards and 30 touchdowns to eight interceptions, but the defense struggled, giving up 28 or more points in seven games and 70 points or more twice.
“Last year was a disappointing year,” Floyd told the Columbia Star before preseason practice. “We started 2-1, then go into the Camden game down a couple of players and lose (running back) Noah Kelson on the fourth series and (senior linebacker) Albert Perkins on the next series. Both were out for the year. After that we struggled. We were pretty much playing a JV football team. It was a tough year for sure. The good news is we return the bulk of our production from last year. We should be a much better unit this go around.”
Topping that list of names is Wentzky, in his junior year.
“He’s a hard worker,” Floyd said. “He desires to be great. Some guys just get it and are able to process and make good decisions and be gamers. Roper is one of those guys. It comes natural for him. He’s a good football player.”
Also returning is junior Kendall Byrd, who caught 66 passes for 1,069 yards and 14 TDs in 2023, and sophomore Josh Davis, who had 30 catches for 476 yards and two scores. Senior Aiden Mosley, who rushed for 455 yards and six touchdowns, returns to anchor the backfield.
The Falcons open the season at former Region 5-4A rival Westwood, which moved up to the 5A classification this fall, Aug. 23. Flora then plays at Chapin and hosts Christ School and Laurens before opening Region 3-4A competition at South Pointe.
When the girls basketball team takes the floor in the fall, the Falcons look to build on a program that went to the 4A state championship in March. They wound up with a runner-up trophy following a 62-32 loss to Riverside, but head coach Jacob Thompson said that getting to that final game was a testament to the whole team’s working together to turn in a successful run to the championship game.
“I told them from the beginning that they’re special, and I mean that,” Thompson said after the game at the Florence Civic Center.
“Tonight didn’t turn out like we wanted. Riverside’s a really good team. They did a lot of great things and frustrated us at times to where we missed some shots. But how much I love and respect that group of girls in there, I can’t put it into words.”
A.C. Flora lost six seniors, including guard Terriana Gray (17.3 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game). The Falcons return a lot of talent in junior guard Skylar McCray (10.3 points), senior Madison Mickens (8.9 points), and junior Tamira Delaney (7.5 rebounds).
