Scott’s Branch football team looks to take another big step
Eagles return three top skill players in Nyren Bowman, Keith Rogers, Quintin Jackson
Summerton – The Scott’s Branch High School football team has gone from 0-10 the year before Patrick Fleming took over as head coach to 4-7 and then to 9-3. The Eagles believe another big jump in wins could come this season, and if that were to happen, that would possibly mean some more room might need to be made in the trophy case.
“We want to continue to take the next step and get to the championship round of the tournament (Class A state playoffs),” Fleming said. “We’re just working on revamping some things, but that’s the expectations going in. It’s time to chase some hardware.”
SB will have nine starters back on defense and five on offense. The revamping Fleming spoke of is along the offensive front, but he believes a lot of progress was made in spring practice.
“I feel like we had a really good spring,” he said. “We lost a good deal of offensive linemen, so that was a focus for us this spring.”
Scott’s Branch lost three starters on the O line with rising senior Zion Starks (6-feet-0-inches, 265 pounds) returning at left tackle and junior Sa’Nye Hilton (5-10, 250) at left guard. Also back is senior Danny Ragin (6-2, 245), a dominant blocker who was a first team All-Region 5 selection last year.
The Eagles are also having to replace Jaiven Conyers at quarterback. The new signal caller will be sophomore Kaleb Minger, who transferred from fellow Clarendon County School District school Manning.
Minger recently received a scholarship offer from NCAA Division II school Clark Atlanta during a camp at South Carolina State.
“He had a good spring,” Fleming said. “He’s a pure pocket passer. He’s 6-4 and 210 pounds and has got a big arm.”
SB has some outstanding skill players returning led by senior All-Region wide receiver Keith Rogers. He had 43 catches for 802 yards and 10 touchdowns. Defensively in the secondary, Rogers had 50 tackles and four interceptions, returning one for a score. Rogers returned three kickoffs for touchdowns as well.
Also back are senior wide receiver Nyren Bowman and senior athlete Quintin Jackson, who were both first team All-Region defensive selections at linebacker and defensive back, respectively.
Jackson did a little bit of everything for Scott's Branch. He filled in at quarterback after a season-ending injury to Conyers and threw for 500 yards and six touchdowns. He added 57 carries for 454 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 18 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns.
Bowman, who has received an offer from DII Anderson University, had over 30 catches and five TD receptions to go with 92 tackles on defense.
“The older guys have become leaders and the young guys are starting to follow,” Fleming said. “We’ve told the guys great teams are player-led, and they’re doing a great job being leaders in the weight room, practice, competitions. They were athletes when we first got in, now they’re football players.”
