South Florence looks to defend AAAA state crown, win third title in four years

Florence – South Florence High School has advanced to its fourth consecutive AAAA football state championship game, and you know what? It hasn’t gotten old yet.

           Not even close.

           “It’s always the goal,” said Bruins head coach Drew Marlowe. “You]re excited to do it because it means we’ve maxed out our season.  It means we’ve had the ability to grow and become the best that we can be. We want to try and do that every year.”

           Lower state champion South Florence will be trying to be the best AAAA team in the state for the second straight year and third time in four years when it takes on upper state winner South Pointe on Saturday at South Carolina State’s Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg beginning at 12:06 p.m.

The Bruins are 13-1 on the season and in the midst of an 11-game winning streak. They have scored 646 points for an average of 46.1 points per game while allowing just 167 points, an 11.9 average.

           Interestingly, 55 of those points were allowed in a 20-point loss to Northwestern, which will be trying to defend its AAAAA Division II state title on Friday. That loss came a week after the Bruins went on the road to beat traditional power Summerville 22-21.

“That was a pretty big swing, going to Summerville, beating Summerville in what is probably the biggest win in South Florence history to the very next week getting curb-stomped by Northwestern,” Marlowe said. “Our goal each week is to improve and get better and better. That’s what this team has done.”

           The South Florence offense is led by senior quarterback Messiah Jackson. Selected to the South Carolina squad as an athlete for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, Jackson has completed 112 of 177 passe for 1,628 yards and 22 touchdowns against just three interceptions. He's rushed for 660 yards and 22 TDs on 119 carries.

           Junior Cameron James is the starting tailback, having rushed for 1,434 yards and 16 scores on 170 carries. His backup, senior Gabe McLaughlin, has 864 yards and 15 touchdowns on 121 carries.

           Senior H back Bruce Thompson is a key contributor with his blocking ability. He joins an offensive line led by a pair of senior all-stars in left tackle Josiah Mason and right tackle Ethan Cash. Mason will play in the Shrine Bowl while Cash has been selected to play in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl.

           The other starters up front are senior right guard Jerry Genwright, junior center Luke Thayer and junior left guard Travis Sansbury. Sophomore DJ James is the tight end.

           The starting wide receivers are junior Malik Robinson, senior JayAun Perkins and senior Ben Tyner. Perkins is Jackson’s favorite target with 53 catches for 947 yards and 13 touchdowns. Robinson has 22 receptions for 256 yards and five scores, and Tyner has nine catches for 147 yards and one TD.

           James has 11 catches for 104 yards and one touchdown, while Thompson has seven receptions for 42 yards and two TDs.

The defense has the ability to make a huge impact in a number of ways. The Bruins have scored eight defensive touchdowns, six coming on their 20 interceptions and two more coming on their nine fumble recoveries. They have 85 tackles for loss and 37 quarterback sacks.

“We’ve grown up a lot on defense this year compared to last year,” Marlowe said. “With . Northwestern as the outlier, it is the only team against which our first team defense has given up more than one score. We’ve been able to get better throughout the year.”

The defense is led by senior outside linebacker Terry Gordon. A Touchstone Energy Bowl pick, Gordon has team highs in sacks with 15 and TFLs with 29 among his 79 tackles.

           Senior strong safety Amare Reaves has had an amazing season as well. He has eight interceptions with four of them being Pick 6s. He’s also returned a fumble for a score and has 41 tackles and five TFLs.

           The other starting linebackers are senior Willie Kennedy at Will, sophomore Warnell Prew at Mike and sophomore Jewel Washington at Sam. Kennedy leads in tackles with 99 to go with five TFLs and 2 ½ sacks. Prew has 87 tackles, three TFLs, three sacks and three interceptions, one being returned for a TD. Washington has 29 tackles, eight TFLs, three sacks and two picks.

           Joining Reaves in the secondary at free safety is senior Gerkeim Hall and senior Will Wilson and junior Johnquis Johnson at the cornerbacks. Hall has a Pick 6 and a scoop and score among his two picks and two fumble recoveries to go with 59 tackles and one TFL. Wilson has 23 tackles and two interceptions, and Johnson has 30 tackles and one interception.

           The 3-man defensive line is anchored by senior noseguard Brenden Williams with senior Myles Johnson and junior Marquez McKithen at the ends. Williams has 25 tackles, two TFLs and one sack, Johnson has 25 tackles, six TFLs and three sacks, and McKithen has 24 tackles, four TFLs, one INT and two sacks. 

Sophomore Coy Joyner is the placekicker and is 76 of 82 on extra point attempts and is 1 of 2 on field goal attempts. Tyner is the holder for Joyner with Thayer the snapper.

           Jackson is the punter and is averaging 31.8 yards on 18 punts with nine landing inside the opposition’s 20-yard lne. Tyner is Jackson’s snapper.

           James and Reaves are the main kickoff returners with sophomore Semaj Parker and Perkins handling the punt returns. 

OFFENSE

QB – 7 Messiah Jackson Sr.

TB – 22 Cameron James Jr.

H BACK – 11 Bruce Thompson Sr.

WR – 4 Malik Robinson Jr.

WR – 1 JayAun Perkins Sr.

WR -- 9 Ben Tyner Sr.

LT – 73 Josiah Mason Sr.

LG – 68 Travis Sansbury Jr.

C – 53 Luke Thayer Jr.

RG – 79 Jerry Genwright Sr.

RT – 77 Ethan Cash Sr.

TE – 41 DJ James So.

DEFENSE

DE – 33 Myles Johnson Sr.

NG – 50 Brenden Williams Sr.

DE – 23 Marquez McKithen Jr.

OLB – 10 Terry Gordon Sr.

WILL – 15 Willie Kennedy Sr.

MIKE – 5 Warnell Prew So.

SAM – 29 Jewel Washington So,

CB – 8 Will Wilson Sr.

CB – 21 Johnquis Johnson Jr.

FS – 12 Gerkeim Hall Sr.

SS – 2 Amare Reaves Sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – 30 Coy Joyner So.

HOLDER – 9 Ben Tyner Sr.

SNAPPER – 53 Luke Thayer Jr.

P – 7 Messiah Jackson Sr.

SNAPPER – 9 Ben Tyner Sr.

KO RETURN – 22 Cameron James Jr.

and 2 Amare Reaves Sr.

PUNT RETURN – 0 Semaj Parker So.

and 1 JayAun Perkins Sr.

State Championships

At Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

In Orangeburg

Friday, December 5

3A

Belton-Honea Path (14-0) vs. Oceanside Collegiate (12-2), 12:06 p.m.

1A

Lamar (12-2) vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt (14-0), 4:06 p.m.

5A Division II

Northwestern (12-1) vs. Irmo (12-1), 7:36 p.m.

Saturday, December 6

4A

South Pointe (13-1) vs. South Florence (13-1), 12:06 p.m.

2A

Strom Thurmond (12-2) vs. Hampton County (11-3), 4:06 p.m.

5A Division I

Dutch Fork (11-1) vs. Summerville (12-2), 7:36 p.m.