Saluda offense continues to roll along, averaging 48.1 points a contest

     Saluda – Simply put, the Saluda High School football team is explosive on offense. And that might be an understatement.

           Through seven games, the Tigers were averaging 48.1 points per game. The fewest points they had scored in a game was 33 in a 2-point loss to Abbeville.

           SHS head coach Greg Woerner thinks his players are simply comfortable with what he and his coaching staff are asking them to do.

           “This is the third year for many of these players in this offensive system, so they have a better base knowledge of what we are trying to accomplish,” Woerner said. “We are able to add and build on the base offense a lot more effectively because of the players’ knowledge of the system. 

“The players also get a lot of reps at the plays throughout the week and have been having really good, focused practices and that is showing up on Friday nights in the games.”

Saluda is 5-2 overall and 2-0 in Region 4-AA after beating Pelion 42-0 on October 9. The Tigers are ranked seventh in the High School Sports Report AA poll.

Prior to opening region play, SHS had an epic shootout against Emerald, dropping a 55-54 decision.

Emerald, which was ranked fourth in the AAA poll, led 55-41 after scoring with 6:19 remaining in the game. However, the Tigers scored twice in the final 1:30 of the game.

Quarterback Avery Coyle tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Darryl Hill, and Levi Berry added the extra point to make it 55-48 with 1:21 left.

  SHS then recovered an onside kick on the kickoff. Coyle threw a 4-yard TD pass to Mehki Linton with 44 seconds to go. Woerner decided to go for the win, but running back Tristan Daniels’ fell incomplete as the Vikings held on for the win.

Coyle had an unbelievable game. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 445 yards and seven touchdowns. Coyle had a good start through the first four games, passing for 616 yards and nine scores. However, his performance against Emerald was next-level stuff.

“He does a great job of identifying the defense and where the ball needs to go,” Woerner said of Coyle when explaining what makes him so effective. And when a play breaks down, he has the ability to extend the play and make something happen. Friday night (against Emerald) he did both of those things extremely well. He recognized where the ball needed to go and he got it to the receivers, who then made big plays for him and the team.”

 Hill was Coyle’s favorite target, finishing with eight receptions for 216 yards and three of the touchdown catches. Ceddion Springs had five catches for 131 yards and two TDs, Jahmeer Myers had four grabs for 51 yards and a score, and Linton had three receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown.

  Springs also rushed for 108 yards and two TDs on just three carries.

Senior running back Tristan Daniels only had 28 yards on 13 carries with no pass receptions. However, the Vikings are about the only team that has been able to slow Daniels down.

He had 613 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 74 carries while catching seven passes for 178 yards and three scores.

Despite giving up 55 points to Emerald, Woerner thinks the Tigers will be fine on defense.

I feel good about our defense,” he said. “We have a lot of good, athletic players on that side of the ball. Emerald has a high powered offense with a lot of weapons to account for which makes it difficult on any defense that plays them. 

“The guys have been learning a new system and have been playing hard. We have had a couple blown assignments in a few games that have gotten a lot of attention, but, overall the defense has been playing well. We just have to read our keys and make sure we are doing what we are supposed to be doing.”