Laurens Academy returns to 8-man championship game
Crusaders to face undefeated W.W. King on Friday at Greenwood Christian
Laurens – Laurens Academy had to knock off an undefeated team to reach the SCISA 8-man state championship game for a second straight year, beating Holly Hill Academy 30-24 in the semifinals.
In order to bring home a state title, the Crusaders will have to take down another unbeaten team. They will face W.W. King at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Greenwood Christian School field.
LA brings a 9-2 record into the game against the Knights, who are 11-0 after beating Jefferson Davis Academy 74-28 in the other semifinal. Two of those victories came against Laurens by the scores o 66-34 and 44-22.
Crusaders head coach Jolly Doolittle said his team has to take the same approach it did to its game against Holly Hill into this contest.
“We have to prepare well, practice well and play really, really well,” Doolittle said. “They have a heck of a team and they are a well-coached team. It’s going to take our very best effort.
“The first game, it was a 2-point game at halftime, then they blew us out in the second half. I don’t feel like made up any ground in the second game. But it's a funny-shaped ball, and when you play somebody three times you always hear it’s hard to beat somebody three times. We’re certainly not just happy to be there. We want to get there and win it.”
The focal point of the Crusaders offense is tailback Caleb Hardy. The junior leads the team in rushing with 1,366 yards and 14 touchdowns on 136 carries. He is also the leading receiver with 64 catches for 920 yards and 14 more scores.
“He’s had a phenomenal year,” Doolittle said of Hardy, who took over at tailback when sophomore Mason Cooper was injured in the middle of the season. “It obviously starts with the guys up front, but Caleb has really run the ball well.
“Caleb blocks as well as he runs. He does really well without the ball in his hands. He’s battled injuries all year too, but he’s done a great job.”
Junior Ethan Collins is the quarterback. The 3-year starter has completed 131 of 191 passes for 1,783 yards and 23 touchdowns while tossing just four interceptions. He’s also rushed for 516 yards and 13 touchowns on 53 carries.
“He’s everything you want in a quarterback,” Doolittle said. “He’s one of our hardest workers; he’s smart, tough, a great team guy. The tougher the game gets, the better he is. He’s very level-headed player.”
Splitting time at H back will be freshman Eli Garrett and junior Elijah Hornberger. Garrett has rushed for 27 yards on 12 carries while catching nine passes for 20 yards and a score. Hornberger has 33 carries for 178 yards and a touchdown to go with 10 catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.
The split end is freshman Riley Whittaker, who has 31 catches for 405 yards and four touchdowns. Senior Nathan Bell is the tight end. He has nine catches for 187 yards and two scores.
The offensive line is big. Senior John Walters is the center and is 6-foot-3-inches tall and weighs 215 pounds. Fellow senior Garrison Vaughan is the right guard an is 6-5 and 300 pounds. The left guard is sophomore Jeb Walters, who is 6-5 and 240.
Laurens goes with a 2-4 look defensively. Vaughan and John Walters start on the defensive line. Vaughan has an amazing 42 tackles for a loss among his 97 tackles. He has 6 ½ quarterback sacks.
“Garrison is equally as good, if not better, than he was a year ago,” Doolittle said. “He’s been dominant on the offensive side as well with lots of tackles for loss and pancake blocks.”
Walters has 30 tackles and 7 ½ tackles for a loss.
The outside linebackers are Whittaker and Garrett, while Bell and Hardy work the middle. Garrett’s had a tremendous season with 28 tackles for loss and a team high 12 ½ sacks among his 75 tackles. Whittaker has 65 tackles, 12 ½ tackles for loss and 3 ½ sacls.
Hardy leads the team in tackles with 135 and has 17 tackles for loss and two sacks to go with two interceptions. Bell is right behind with 132 tackles to go with 25 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions.
The secondary consists of a pair of freshmen in Reid Campbell and Micah Strait. Campbell has 32 tackles, two tackles for loss and one interception. Strait has 39 tackles and one tackle for a loss
Hardy and Collins share all of the kicking chores. Hornberger, Strait and Hardy are the primary kick returners.
Doolittle said Laurens has to make marked improvement in its play if it hopes to come up with a victory over W.W. King.
“They literally beat us in every phase of the game, “ Doolittle said of the Knights, who have scored 518 points while allowing just 186. “The first game they blocked a punt. They’ve returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Defensively, they held us to season lows and their offense has been great.
“There’s not a phase of the game that we’ve won. We have to be able to win at least one phase if we’re going to have a chance to win. We certainly have our work cut out for us.”
“Oir kids have played hard all year long. They’ve battled through adversity and injuries to be one of last two teams standing.”
OFFENSE
QB – Ethan Collins Jr.
TB – Caleb Hardy Sr.
H Back – Eli Garrett Fr.
And Eli Hornberger Jr.
SE – Riley Whittaker Fr.
TE – Nathan Bell Sr.
LG – Jeb Walters So.
C – John Walters Sr.
RB Garrison Vaughan Sr.
DEFENSE
DE -- John Walters Sr.
DE – Garrison Vaughan
OLB – Riley Whittaker Fr.
OLB – Eli Garrett Fr.
ILB – Nathan Bell Sr.
ILB -- Caleb Hardy Sr.
DB – Reid Campbell Fr.
DB -- Micah Strait Fr.
SPECIALISTS
Kicker – Caleb Hardy Sr.
Punter – Ethan Collins Jr.
Kick Returners – Caleb Hardy Sr.
and Elijah Hornberger Jr.
and Micah Strait Fr.
SCISA Championships
AAAA
Friday
at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
in Orangeburg
Heathwood Hall (9-3) vs. Northwood (10-1), 7 p.m.
8-Man
Friday
at Greenwood Christian
W.W. King (11-0) vs. Laurens Academy (9-2), 7 p
AA
Saturday
at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
in Orangeburg
Pee Dee (8-3) vs. Bethesda (11-0), noon
Class A
Saturday
at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
in Orangeburg
Williamsburg (10-1) vs. Colleton Prep (9-2), 3:30 p.m.
AAA
Saturday
at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
in Orangeburg
Wilson Hall (11-1) vs. Pinewood Prep (9-3), 7:30 p.m.
