W.W. King beats Laurens Academy 50-36 to win SCISA 8-man state championship

     Greenwood -- W.W. King Academy completed its first perfect season in school history on Friday with a commanding

50-36 victory over Laurens Academy iin the SCISA 8-man state championship game at the Greenwood Christian School field.

                The Knights, who finishe the season with a 12-0 record, defeated the Crusaders for the third time on the season. Laurens closed the season 9-3.

               King Academy head coach Brian Kneece, in his first season as head coach, stated “I don’t that it's quite sunk in yet. I am just blessed to be part of a special group. I am just glad that all of the hard work has paid off.”

               Kneece, who played for Laurens Academy head coach Jolly Doolittle in high school and coached with him at King Academy and Greenwood Christian, added,  “He is very special to my life and I am very appreciative of him.”

              King opened the scoring with a 54-yards scoring drive with Joseph Morse scoring from six yards out as the Knights led 8-0 midway through the first quarter. Laurens would answer to tie the game when Caleb Hardy scored on a 1-yard run on the opening play of the second quarter.

             King would retake the lead with :19.7 econds to play in the half when quarterback Elijah Hutto scored on an 18-yard run to give the Knights a 14-8 halftime lead, as the Crusaders controlled the clock and kept it close.

            In the third quarter, the Knights began to wear down the Crusaders behind the running of the sophomore Morse. Morse had just 54 yards on 12 carries in the first half but dominated the second half en route to a game high 295 yards rushing on 24 carries to go with four touchdowns.

           When asked about Morse, Kneece stated, “He is a special player. What is so great is he is so humble and he works hard. He always gives the guys around him credit. The offensive line Josh Oswald, Wyatt Burbank, Smith Kirby, Dallas Hill, Landell Anderson, Jacob Busey, Jacob Clamp, Ty Doolittle, all those guys blocking for him. I don’t think you can talk about his game without talking about their game and everybody out their working together. Joseph Morse is a special player and a special kid and I am glad he is on our side.”

               In the third quarter, Hutto, after scrambling away from pressure, connected with Luke Harvey for a 15-yard touchdown to make it 22-8. On the next possession, Morse broke free for a 51-yard touchdown run as King extended the lead to 28-8. Laurens would answer with a 10-yard scoring run from Elijah Hornberger to make it 28-16 in the final seconds of the quarter. 

               On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Morse would break free for a 50-yard scoring run to extend the lead to 36-16. The back-and-forth affair would continue on the next series as Laurens took seven plays to go 66 yards behind quarterback Ethan Collins. Collins went to the air, completing four of five passes for 38 yards, before scampering for 19 yards and the touchdown to make it 36-22 with 9:37 to play.

              However,  every time Laurens would look to get back into the game the Knights would answer. This time, after recovering one of many onside kick attempts, the Knights went 48 yards in five plays with Hutto scoring on a draw play from eight yards out with 7:11 left to make it 44-22.

           Laurens would answer with another Collins scoring run,  this one from 10 yards out, to make it 44-28 with 5:04 to play. Morse put the game away with a 44-yard scoring run with 3:21 to play to make it 50-28. Laurens would add a 27-yard touchdown pass from Collins to Hornberger with 1:29 to play to make it 50-36, but the Knights were able to run the clock out and claim the perfect season.

               With the Knights wrapping up their first perfect season and second state championship, Kneece was asked when he knew this team had a chance to be special.

               “We had a lot of commitment this summer in the weight room,"  Kneece said. "(Assistant) Coach (Dennis) Gibson has a great weight program and a lot of our guys committed to it. When you see guys in there pushing heavy weight around and working their tails off in the summertime, you know you’re going to have some kind of chance to do something when the season starts. All credit to those guys putting in the work."

        On the night, Morse was the star for King Academy as he led the team with the 295 yards. Hutto added 108 yards rushing and two scores. For Laurens Academy, Collins was the star as he was 9 of 14 passing for 100 yards and a touchdown and added 167 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Hardy added 69 yards rushing and a score.

               Kneece added, “I am very thankful for the Lord giving us an opportunity. I know He doesn’t care who wins football games. But I am thankful for Jesus Christ dying on the cross for us. I am excited to be a part of this team and this program. I am very thankful and happy for WK.”

SCISA Championships

Friday

AAAA

Northwood 61, Heathwood Hall 7

8-Man

W.W. King 50, Laurens Academy 36

Saturday

AA

Bethesda 54, Pee Dee 15

Class A

Williamsburg 34, Colleton Prep 14

AAA

Pinewood Prep 55, Wiison Hall 13