Hampton County well rested and ready for playoff s

By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Varnville  - The Hampton County Hurricanes came into the 2024 season with a lot of unknowns as coach Rob Hanna had a young, inexperienced but talented group of players that just needed to get game experience.

“At the beginning of the year, we were so young and inexperienced, but I feel as the year has gone on, we have rotated guys in and due to injuries, certain guys have had to step up and play significant snaps or change roles and it has allowed us to build depth at different positions, especially on the OL and DL,” coach Hanna said.

The six-ranked Hurricanes grew up in a hurry as they won their first four contest of the year including knocking off AAAA Bluffton 14-7.  After dropping a tough game to AAAA Hilton Head they went 3-1 in region 5AA losing only to region champ Barnwell in tightly contested game.

Next up is the AA playoffs and a familiar foe in the Woodland Wolverines. Woodland (7-3,3-2) comes into the as the third-place team from region 6AA. Last season these two teams were in the same region with Hampton County winning in dominating fashion 66-0.

The teams match up evenly with Hampton County averaging 31.9 points per game to Woodlands 29.3 while Woodland gives up 15.4 points per game to Hampton County’s 18.3. They had two common opponents in Colleton County and Whale Branch and both defeated them soundly. Each had an extra week to get ready for the playoffs, however, coach Hanna was not a big as it will be three weeks since his team has played.

Coach told the HSSR, “It was not really that important, we had a week 10 bye already so an extra week actually hurts us more than helps us because we have had a long layoff. But we will be ready at game time.”

When asked what his team needed to do to make another deep run in the playoffs coach replied, “Not let Hampton County beat Hampton County. We always believe we are in control of what we do in a game and determine the outcome. We need to prevent explosive plays on defense and make teams drive on us and on offense we need prevent turnovers, be patient and take what the other team gives us.”

Senior quarterback Chris Terry has been his usual steady handed self, passing for 702 yards and 9 touchdowns while rushing for another 223 yards and three scores. He is also the Hurricanes punter averaging 34.3 yards.

Junior Jaylen Singletary and sophomore Jayvin Risher have led the ground game rushing for 996 yards and 643 yards respectively. Singletary has rushed for 10 touchdowns and has caught four passes of which three have gone for scores. Defensively, he has 37 tackles, two picks and a fumble recovery. He also averages 17 yards per punt return.

Risher has scored 9 touchdowns but he has also spent a lot of time in the other teams backfield as he is second on the team tackles for loss with 10, sacks three and quarterback hurries with 11. He has 37 total tackles.

Terry’s top targets have been junior Tarell Grant and sophomore Jordan Bovain. Bovain leads the team in both receptions and yards with 14 and 247 while Grant has 13 catches for 157 yards. Grant has a team high 8 passes defended.

The offensive line has been led by senior left tackle TJ Wright. He has mentored his young teammates in sophomores in right tackle Charles Williams, left guard Javon Holmes and right guard Cautey Taylor and freshmen Cleavon Maxwell. This group has gotten better each week.

On the defensive side of the ball two-time All-State player Mandrell Sanders has been his dominating self all year and teams have run away from him all year. Despite that he leads the in tackles with 69, tackles for loss 10.5 and sacks 6.5. He has also seen time on the offensive side of the ball rushing for 98 yards and passing for 79 yards.

Sophomore Malik Terry has been one of the young players that has gotten better every week and is second on the team in tackles with 57. He has 45 solo tackles and six tackles for loss.

Tyler Davis, a junior, has been a ballhawk leading the Hurricanes in interceptions with four to go with one fumble recovery. He also has 29 total tackles.

Junior Braydon Blake has stepped up his game. The linebacker is third on the team in tackles with 56.

The winner of the Hampton County/ Woodland contest will take on the winner of the Manning/ North Central game. Manning is the region 7AA champion while North Central is the fourth team out of region 4AA