Laurence Manning Rallies For 23-14 Win Over Visiting Porter-Gaud

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Manning — Turnovers were a major factor that allowed host Laurence Manning Academy’s to rally from a 14-7 half-time deficit against SCISA AAAA foe Porter-Gaud on October, 6^th as The Swampcats stout second half defense helped give the Swampcats a 23-14 win.

LMA improved to 5-2 on the season while the Cyclones are now 6-2. This week LMA travels to Augusta Christian for a region game. Porter-Gaud has a bye week before playing a region game on the road at Cardinal Newman October, 20. 

After the game LMA head coach said Will Furse said, “We forced four turnovers tonight, plus a turnover on downs, and when our defense played like they played tonight it is hard for us to lose,” said Coach Furse. “We kept giving our offense chances and I knew the more chances that we got the more opportunities would have to score. Sure enough, this is the way it went.

“Their running back (Fludd) came into the game averaging over 200 yards rushing a game and our defense held them to 150 total yards rushing as a team so I am very proud of that,” said Coach Furse. “We focused on shutting down their running game all week in practice so it was great to see the plan work.

“There were two really good teams playing each other tonight and have a lot of respect for their coaches and players” said Coach Furse. “We are just happy to have won the game.”

Coach Furse praised the interception of senior Jackson Brunson in the fourth quarter that kept the momentum in favor of LMA. “Jackson is a senior who starts both ways for us the past two seasons and is a great team leader and I know what I have in him. He is one of the leaders of this team and his interception swung the momentum back to us. He is a great tackler with a lot of talent.”

Coach Furse was complimentary of senior quarterback Tyler June’s strong arm and he also had praise for freshman quarterback Grainger Powell. “We made the decision to play Tyler for the whole game tonight but I can’t say enough about Powell, who is the face of our program for the future,” said Coach Furse. “He started five games for us this season and he has completed 48-of-68 passes and he has a great arm also. He is a next level quarterback in my opinion. We are fortunate to have two great quarterbacks.”

Tyler June told the HSSR after the game, “Our defense helped us out a lot tonight getting the turnovers,” said June. “I wanted to finish my career at LMA and I hope we are able to win the rest of our games this season.”

Porter-Guad head coach Brad Bowles told the HSSR after the game, “Turnovers are going to hurt you, and they hurt us in this game, and we knew getting up 14-0 early that LMA would not give up because they are a very good team and they were resilient after getting down,” said Coach Bowles. “We just have to go back to work on Monday and keep working hard.

“LMA did a good job hemming up number 20- (junior RB Jammall Fludd who came into the game averaging 12 yards a carry) and he is really a great player,” said Coach Bowles. “He was dealing with a cold tonight and I am sure that slowed him down a little bit.”

Coach Bowles praised inside linebacker James Ball. “He averages about 12 tackles a game and he is as good a leader as you will find,” said Coach Bowles. “Baker Lamberson is another senior leader at corner along with offensive lineman Jack Fortson (6-1, 230). “

After a scoreless first period, Porter-Gaud went up 14-0 on their first two possessions of the second quarter. The Cyclones capped off an 80 yard 12-play drive with 9:42 left in the third period when junior quarterback Nolen Shuman (6-0,175) tossed a 24- yard scoring reception to senior wide receiver Ryder Bishop. James Ball added the PAT.

Following an LMA punt, P-G started their final scoring drive of the game from their own 46-yardl line. Nine plays later Chase Anderson scored on a 10-yard run right up the gut and Ball’s PAT made it 14-0 with 3:29 left in the first half.

From that point on,  LMA scored 23 unanswered points for the come-from-behind win. The Swampcats took over the ball at their own 27-yard line with 3:23 remaining in the second period and seven plays later senior quarterback Tyler June (a commitment to the USC baseball team) tossed a four-yard scoring pass to senior Bryson Smith with just 35 seconds left in the first half. Mills Lee added the PAT. 

Porter-Gaud received the third quarter kick-off and on second down LMA free safety Josiah Burson intercepted a pass that gave the Swampcats the ball at the 48-yarrd line. Ten plays later LMA scored on a tackle breaking four-yard run by Smith with 6:39 left in the third period. A key play on the drive was June hooking with senior receiver Jackson Brunson on a fourth down play from the 26-yard line when Brunson caught a pass on a crossing route over the middle that picked up 13 yards and kept the drive alive. Lee’s PAT tied the game at 14 each.

Two possessions later, Porter-Gaud fumbled at their own 20-yard line with 10:43 left in the game. Senior defensive end Bryson Hodge recovered the fumble for LMA. It took LMA just three plays to score when Smith got his second touchdown of the game on a one-yard run with 9:36 left in the game. Lee’s PAT made it 21-14. The big play of the drive was a 19- yard p[ass completion from June to Burson on first down from the 20 that carried to the one.

Perhaps the biggest defensive play of the game for LMA happened with Porter-Gaud driving midway through the fourth period when Jackson Brunson intercepted a pass and then ran 65-yards nearly scoring on the play. After a celebration penalty LMA had the ball at mid-filed but punted back to P-G 8 plays later but they were able to eat just over three minutes off the clock. 

Senior MLB Chappel Brogdon led LMA in tackles with 10, Bryson Hodge had five tackles, two TFL, plus the sack. Jeremiah Brunson had six tackles while Jackson Brunson had five tackles, two TFL, plus the interception.

On offense, Josiah Burson caught four passes for 74 yards and one touchdown. Ian Harris rushed for 75 yards on 15 carries. Tyler June rushed for 49 yards on 12 carries and he passed for over 100 yards and a touchdown. 

   The final LMA points of the game came on a safety when Hodge tackled the P-G quarterback in the end zone with just over two minutes left in the game. LMA was able to run out the clock to secure the region win.