Gaffney & Greenwood Have Very Competitive Scrimmage On August 13th With Both Teams Coming into 2024 Season With High Expectations

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Gaffney — The top ranked Div II AAAAA Gaffney Indians, scrimmaged Greenwood, with 18 starters back, at The Reservation on August, 13^th and after the two-hour scrimmage both teams had displayed great potential for the upcoming season.

There was no running score board, but unofficially Gaffney out-scored Greenwood by a couple touchdowns in the very competitive scrimmage.

Greenwood moved the ball really well between the 20’s but had several promising drives bog down inside the red zone. Junior Eagle QB Triston Lewis (6-3, 200) completed numerous play action passes to receivers like Jayden Adams (5-10, 170) and Jay Duncan (6-2, 179). The team’s only player via transfer is RB Trey Crawford (5-8,165) who had several nice runs during the scrimmage.

Gaffney was without top junior RB Jaiden McDowell (5-11, 175) who was in street clothes on the sideline after suffering burns to the toe area of one foot, after walking bare foot on hot asphalt according to head coach Dan Jones. Junior QB Jayvon Gilmore (6-5, 195) threw two touchdown passes to senior WR JR Smith (6-1, 190) who played like the best receiver in the scrimmage from either team.

Gilmore did not have many deep passes during the scrimmage. Gaffney offensive linemen tackle Shedrick Sarratt (6-4, 300) and junior Scotland Dover (6-4, 305) opened up numerous running lanes during the scrimmage. Sarratt, headed to South Carolina, wore number 33 during the scrimmage, and on a couple occasions he got down field so fast, leading the running backs, that he appeared to be the ball carrier, not the lead blocker.

Two returning players for Gaffney on defense who played well during the scrimmage included senior LB Andrew Ruppe (6-1, 225) and senior DB Imari Foster-Byrd (6-0,170).   If Gaffney had a weakness during the scrimmage, it was poor punting with several shanked and short punts that did not flip the field.

After the scrimmage the HSSR conducted in-depth interviews with both head Coach Jones and Chris Liner of Greenwood. 

Coach Jones announced earlier in the summer that he would be retiring after this season. The tough as nails former Indian defensive end has spent 35 years with the Gaffney program counting his high school years on the team. “There have been so many great memories,” said Coach Jones. “Certainly, the state championship win over Dutch Fork a few years ago is right up there but there are so many great memories.

“When you say that I was a tough as nails 160- pound defensive end in high school, it was more like a 135-pound defensive end,” said Coach Jones. “I enjoyed my playing days here, and my coaching days have been a lot of fun also. I have enjoyed watching so many hard-working athletes grow and mature as people while playing them in the game of football also.”

In regards to the 2024 Gaffney team, Coach Jones feels blessed to have a very talented and experienced team to mentor in his final season at his alma mater. “I think we have a good nucleus of athletes, including a lot of guys who run well on defense,” said Coach Jones. “We just do not have a lot of depth so we are going to have to stay healthy, and if we can do that, I think we have a really good this team this season.”

Coach Jones said Sarratt and Dover both have high ceilings as offensive linemen and he feels like McDowell will have a great season running the ball behind them. “Jaiden also has great hands and he can catch a lot of passes coming out of the back field,” said Coach Jones. “He is a multi-talented running back and he has put on 15 pounds from last year.”

Coach Jones said his expects Gilmore to surprise some teams with not only his strong arm, but his ability to run when he needs to. “At 6-5 he takes long strides, and while he does not look fast, he covers a lot of ground quickly,” said Coach Jones. “We didn’t throw many deep passes tonight but he can get the ball down field when we need it.”

Coach Jones called Smith the Indians “go-to” receiver and he has committed to play at James Madison. One newcomer to the varsity is sophomore Trayson Smith (6-6,205) who is the younger brother to former RB Tyler Smith. Smith filled in for McDowell during the scrimmage but this main position this year will be in an H-back role. Shane Davidson (6-4, 180) and Eli Falls (6-1, 180) will see plenty of action at WR. Depth in the OL will come from junior center Cam Shippy (6-0,225)  along with guards Nate Davis (5-10, 255) and sophomore CJ Brooks (6-4, 325).

The defense will be captained by Ruppe (6-1, 225) a three-year starter at linebacker. “Ruppe is a very smart kid who loves to play the game; an old school guy who plays very hard-nosed,” said Coach Jones. “Junior Zion Ratchford is another linebacker about 6-3 who played a lot last year and he has good length. Daquan Croker (6-0,185) started at linebacker for us against Fort Dorchester last year and we think he is going to help us a lot this season also.” Sophomore Kendarious Bailey (5-11, 205) will also play a lot at LB.

The three-man defensive front consists of ends Josh Corry (6-2, 225) and senior Sherman Tate (6-2, 200) with senior Kelik Harris (6-3, 240) at nose.  Joining talented Imari Foster-Boyd in the secondary will be senior Jayden Simes (5-11, 170), Viante Robbs (5-10,160) along with senior Demontia Duff (6-1, 190).

Gaffney will start the regular season on August, 30 at JL Mann.

Greenwood High returns 18 starters from a team that was 6-6 a year ago and Coach Liner feels like his team can compete at the highest level of Div. II AAAAA.

“We were super excited about coming up here for a scrimmage,” said Coach Liner. “Back in the day Greenwood and Gaffney were a pretty good rivalry. I know we had some competitive games with them back when I played in the late 1980’s.

“This was a very clean scrimmage  with very little dog yacking, just a lot of hard-nosed physical play with both teams getting after it,” said Coach Liner. “I was pleased with our young quarterback Triston Lewis (6-3, 200) tonight and we use his legs a lot. We have a lot of offensive weapons to go along with him and we are excited about the future of Greenwood football.

“Our senior captain and leader are center Rob Stevens (6-0,305) and he is a great leader and very good football player,” said Coach Liner. “It all starts with him along with our running backs Elijah Wade, and junior running back Bryce Seaborn, along with Stevens. These three guys make up three of our best leaders on the team. These three bring a lot of energy to the team.

“Last year we started 10 sophomores and we have 18 starters back, and this is not normally the case, and this is off a .500 team also,” said Coach Liner.  “It does help to have a bunch of guys back with a lot of experience.”

Jayden Adams (5-10,170) and Jay Duncan (6-2, 179) return to lead the receiving corps and Coach Liner says to also watch out for the freshman WR Destiny Christian (6-1, 190) who could be destined for a great future in football. The TE back is Thomas Chandler (6-1, 190).

The Greenwood OL includes tackles Ryan White (6-3, 250) and Jeremy Terry (6-2, 250) along with guards Isaiah Smith (5-9,265) and Jordan Thompson (6-1, 265). The center is the aforementioned Stevens. 

Greenwood has moved up to Div. II AAAAA this season after competing as a AAAA team the past two years. “We will be competing with teams like Hillcrest and Greenville much like the old Region I back in the day,” said Coach Liner.

On defense the Eagles return linebackers in Khamari Griffin (5-9-180), Mel Roman (6-1, 230), and junior Dyson Davis (5-11, 200).  Shuviouses Williams (6-0,320), Deavion Griffin (6-0,270) and Nemo Cook lead a talented group in the DL.

“We have a strong group back on defense,” said Coach Liner. “We have a total of 8 starters back on defense and we have some dang good players competing.”

Other defensive starters expected to start, or compete for significant playing time, include DL Almad Scott (6-3, 245), and JT Harling (5-11, 265). The secondary will flip Seaborn from offense as a two-way starter and he will be joined in the back by AJ Norman (6-0,172), Isaiah Goodwin (5-11, 165) and Caleb Harris (6-0,180). Noah Perrin is a senior combo kicker.

“We feel like we have a team that can compete for a state championship,” said Coach Liner. “Expectations are always high in Greenwood and I should not be the head coach in Greenwood if I felt otherwise about our team every year. This is our goal every year.”

After playing Crescent in their local jamboree on August, 16^th the Eagles will start the season in week one on the road at Beaufort High.