May River Football Is A Transition to Success

HSSR AAAA Ranking   (Ranking After Week “6” Oct. 4^th)

1. Westside - 4-0 (190-102) 

2. Daniel - 3-1 (153-97)

3. May River - 5-0 (180-59)

4. Seneca - 5-0 (195-77) 

5. South Pointe - 4-2 (271-71)

6. South Florence - 4-2 (265-136) 

7. Bishop England 5-1 (183-69)

8.Hartsville- 4-1-1 (183-127)

9. North Augusta 4-1 (108-80)

10. Wren 301 (153-50)

11. Bluffton 4-2 (217-159)

12. AC Flora 4-2 (178-198)

13. Fountain Inn 4-1 (166-101)

14.Richland Northeast 6-1 (194-133)

15 Hilton Head 4-2 (193-53)

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Bluffton -- Everyone who follows sports enjoys reading about turnaround teams, who pick themselves up off the ground, after a three-or-four-win season, where they reinvent themselves by changing their offense from a spread, to a Wing-T; change their practice schedule from 4 pm to 6 a.m. in the morning, in the name of seeking progress.

 Such a transition, for the May River football team being featured, led to “around” five all-region trpe players to transfer, just five miles away to their arch-rival team, Bluffton. That certainly made for some conversations around the dinner table in a shared community, where folks stop at the same gas station to and from work.

 May River is now 5-0, fresh off of a 42-6 region win over Colleton County last week. They were 4-7 a year ago under first year head coach Richard Bonneville.

Interested in reading further. How can they possibly be 5-0 as a AAAA program down to 31 hard-working average athletes, still learning a very complex and disciplined offense? What kind of act of God has favored this team to have defeated teams 180 to 70 so far in the 2024 season? How many teams can afford to lose five of their better sophomores and juniors to transfer and bounce back the following season 5-0?  

Say hey! You might find fans of the five teams May River has defeated this year asking this question: Why didn’t my team, with possibly more talent, beat these guys? Simply watching the May River Sharks warm up before their “Road Homecoming” region opener against Colleton County last week, many neutral observers would have turned to a friend and said, “Colleton County should beat these guys 21 points.”

 Bonneville, a proud Citadel graduate, grew up getting coaching lessons/advice from his father Jim Bonneville (former head coach at Spring Valley) at the dinner table every night. Coach Bonneville told the HSSR recently, “We are playing at West Ashley (won 28-21), and with the game on the line, one of our players makes a key defensive play, and running by me coming off the field he yells in my ear, “Coach, they don’t get up at 5 a.m. to come to practice like we do! We are not losing this game!”

(Amen, and please pass that last biscuit on the plate to that focused athlete!)   

 So far, the Sharks have defeated Airport (34-13), West Ashley (28-21), Lake City (41-6), Brookland-Cayce (35-13) and Colleton County (42-6). They have won by combined scores of 188-59 through five games. True, those teams have a combined record of 8-20 but until a team figures out to stop the Shark’s version of the “Slot T” you have to be impressed with the marked turnaround of the team.

 That test should come this week on the road at 5-1 Bishop England. The Bishops beat Hilton Head (4-2) 21-7 last week. 

“We know that Bishop England will be a major test for us on the road this week,” said Coach Bonneville. “Our team will be ready and I just stress to my players to always be the best version of themselves.”

 Being the son of a coach, Bonneville is always talking to his father, who just happens to be a proud Grand Father to May River offensive lineman William Bonneville (6-3, 275) who is drawing considerable recruiting interest on the Sharks team this season.

 “I can't say enough good things about him,” said Coach Bonneville, in reference to his father who also played at The Citadel. “He was a wonderful role model. One of the things that resonates with me from his leadership is the saying "quitting is not an option." 

“Many times, in my life I have run up into things that have had me question if it was possible but that quote from him kept me in the game to the end,” said Coach Bonneville. “I still talk with him about situations that I run into that he can give me perspective on. I became a coach specifically because of his influence.”

 The game against Colleton County saw the Sharks pound out nearly 350 rushing yards on the ground. Their version of the Wing T is more of a Slot T. Starting quarterback Tanner Macy (6-2, 175) does a masterful job with his ball handling and it is very hard to determine just who he hands the ball off to on each play.

The Sharks offense breaks the huddle, they full sprint to the line and hike the ball as quickly as possible. During the Colleton County game, when the offense came off the field, Coach Bonneville was constantly going on to the “study tent” yelling, “Get to the line faster, speed it up!”

 After a scoreless first quarter, the Sharks exploded for three touchdowns in the second period to take a 21-0 lead into the half. With 9;00 left in the second quarter junior running back Andrew Johnson (6-0,180) scored on a seven-yard run that had been set up two plays earlier on a 39-yard run by senior running back Asa Hawkins (6-2, 190). Junior place kicker Hudson Tanner made the first of his six PAT’s on the night to put the Sharks up 7-0.

 Following a good return of a punt by Will Bostwick (6-0,180) the Sharks began a three-play scoring drive from the 36-yard line. Johnson to score from the seven, and the PAT made it 14-0 with 2:20 left in the half.

On their final drive of the first half, the Sharks began at the 33-yard line. On the first play, Macy kept the ball for a 13-yard gain to the 20. Four plays later Haskins scored from the two and the PAT made it 21-0 with just 18 seconds left in the first half.  

May River received the second half kick-off and they drove 66 yards in seven plays like a well-oiled machine. On second down Macy gained 9 yards and then on the next play Johnson took off around the end on a 36-yard whomp down to the 19- yard line. Three plays later, at the 8:53 mark, Haskins scored on a determined 13-yard run breaking several tackles. The score was now 28-0.

On their second possession of the third period this well- oiled machine took over on downs at the 44-yard line. Johnson got loose on a 29-yard yard run on the first play and Macy ran down to the five-yard run on a 13-yard run on the very next play. Johnson scored from the two with 5:25 left in the third period to make it 35-0. 

“We rarely throw the ball, but when we do it is always for a nice gain,” said Coach Bonneville, talking to this writer earlier in the day.

Well, with 2:50 left in the third period Macy lofted a nice arching high pass to Johnson in the end zone, who was all alone, when he caught the ball in the end zone for a 15-yard scoring reception from Macy. That closed out the 42 points for the Sharks, after the PAT.

There was a running clock in the final period and on the Sharks only had one possession in the final period.

 After the game, Coach Bonneville spoke to his long-time friend Phil Kornblut on a popular statewide high school football show aired across the South Carolina Sports Network every Friday night during the football season.

Coach Bonneville shared his story about the team practicing hard every morning at 6 a.m. and just how hard the players had worked to become 5-0. He talked about it being a team win and also about the challenge ahead on the road at Bishop England this week.

After their 37-21 win over Airport earlier this season, Coach Bonneville told the HSSR, “Wins have been hard to come by, the past couple of seasons, so to see all the hard work pay off for these kids is very satisfying,” said Coach Bonneville. “They have been through a lot of adversity and we hope this win over Airport can be a spring board to a winning season, which is our number one goal.

“We want to have a winning season, make the play-offs and win a playoff game,” said Coach Bonneville. “This has been the total focus of the team preparing for this season.”

 Against Airport, DB and return man Peter Nodeman got the crowd, and the team fired up early, with his 60-yard return of the opening kick-off. A few plays later Macy scored on a 12-yard run and the season was off to a positive start.

 With the kind of rushing production produced by the Sharks you have to salute their offensive line. Senior right tackle and HSSR Top 100 prospect is William Bonneville (6-2, 280) and he is a three-year starter. The center is Beau Gwyn (6-1, 285) and the right guard is Caleb Oko (6-1, 220). The left guard is Nathan Vu (5-10,240) and the junior left tackle is Sean Zadroga-McNutty. 70 per cent. 

 Leading the tackle index are defenders like Nodeman (5-8, 170) who had 10 tackles against Airport and MLB Hudson Flanagan (6-0,10) who plays hard to the whistle.  DE Xavier Polite (6-3, 170) has played well all season.  Strong safety AJ Hamilton (6-2, 190, 4.5) had seven tackles in the Airport game including one forced fumble, and he blocked an extra point.

Due to hot and humid weather in the Bluffton area in the summer, Coach Bonneville and his staff have been practicing with the team starting at 6 am Monday through Wednesday mornings for the past few weeks. Everyone arrives around 5 a.m. on those mornings.

“It is just so hot and humid we kept getting wet bulbed, and could not practice, so we talked to the team and all the kids agreed to practice early in the morning,” said Coach Bonneville. “We come back in the afternoon just to work on special teams with no contact.

“This has actually brought the team closer together,” said Coach Bonneville. “It takes a little sacrifice to get here around 5 am in the morning to get ready for a 6 a.m. practice start,” said Coach Bonneville. “We are done by 8 am and the players all shower and go to their first class.” 

 Coach Bonneville wanted to mention the contributions of junior tight end Davis Hietman who spot starts and Cole Simmons, a wide receiver who contributes also.

Coach Bonneville also wanted to mention that all-region performer Gage Duncan, who has been out with an AC joint issue in his shoulder is expected back in time to contribute in the play-offs. Duncan had 600 yards in receptions last year and he will be moved to running back when he returns to action.

 At the annual HSSR media day at USC in late July five players from May River, including Bonneville came to the event. One player who came was all-region returner Ethan Sprinkle (6-1,235) a linebacker with a 215-pound bench press and 415 leg squats. He has a 3.8 GPA.

 Macy (6-1, 170) runs a 4.7 forty with a 375-leg squat and 205-pound bench press. Sprinkle is also carrying a 4.72 GPA in the class room, and his goal this season is to be the leading tackler in the region. Gage Duncan (5-10, 165) runs a 4.5 forty with a 205-pound bench press and 375 leg-squat. He has an 1,110 SAT with a 4.7 GPA. Senior Will Bostick (6-2, 180) is a safety/H-back who runs a 4.64 with a 215- pound bench press. Bostick has a 4.6 GPA.   

 Certainly, the final regular season game against region foe Bluffton will spark some mutual interest among fans on both sides. The starting quarterback for Bluffton, and one of the top receivers in the state, will be on the opposing sideline in a game that will likely determine the region champion.

“To say that game is not on our minds right now would be a lie,” said Coach Bonneville. “It just might be the fire within us, that makes all the hard work and sacrifice worth it. This team has gone through a lot of adversity coming into this season.

“I am not saying that this game is right up there with life and death itself, but I game going to die trying to figure outs ways to win this game,” said Coach Bonneville. “I can’t begin to tell you about all the hard feelings our players felt when many of their teammates left the program.

“As a staff we knew that our hard choices to find ways to be a winning team would cause some players to quit the game, and some others to transfer,” said Coach Bonneville. “So, every win this season is extra special to our players, coaches and fans.

“The sacrifices made by the players who stayed in the program can never be put into words, but we have an unbreakable bond, a team unity like no other I’ve ever been around,” said Coach Bonneville. “When we got into September, and the weather cooled a bit, we asked the players if they wanted to go back to afternoon practices.

“No way, Coach,” was their response. “We want to keep coming to practice by 6 a.m. and we want to keep working hard to get better.”

Wow! What a story for others to learn from. A team of 31 average football players. No major prospects to be found (just yet) on this roster.

 (My vote for Statewide Coach of the Year in SC goes to Richard Bonneville no matter what the rest of the season brings to the Sharks).