Scott's Branch rallies in fourth quarter to beat Manning 40-38

      Summerton – Though no one could quote a specific year, something happened on Friday at Scott’s Branch High School’s Spann Stadium that had not happened in a very, very, very long time.

           Scott’s Branch beat Manning in football.

           The Eagles scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and added a 2-point conversion after each one to rally for a 40-38 triumph.

           “They were saying like 60 years,” SBHS head coach Patrick Fleming said when asked about the last victory.

           As someone who has covered Clarendon County high school athletics since 1980 – that’s ¾ of those 60 years -- I do know a Scott’s Branch win over the Monarchs has not occurred under my watch.

           Needless to say, a victory over their county rival separated by eight miles of U.S. Highway 301 is a major deal.

           “It was a big step for the program, for the school,” said Fleming, himself a standout linebacker at Manning who was an assistant coach there for years until taking the SBHS job two years ago. “I told the guys we had some success this summer, but I think we needed the loss to East Clarendon (39-0 in the season opener) last week, a reality check. We came back to work, had a great week of practice, and it translated to the field tonight.”

           MHS was coming off of a 48-14 season-opening loss to Crestwood. Veteran Manning head coach Reggie Kennedy had an impassioned postgame speech for his team, but he knows this game doesn’t define the season.

           “We’ll get it going,” Kennedy said. “It was a disappointing loss, but that’s part of the game. They earned it. They did a hell of a job. Coach Fleming and his staff had a hell of a game plan. They executed the game plan well. They earned that win tonight.”

           Scott’s Branch jumped out to a quick 12-0 only to see the Monarchs rally for a 14-12 lead. However, Eagles quarterback Jaiven Conyers connected with wide receiver Quintin Jackson for a 24-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the first half to give them a 24-22 lead.

           MHS received the second-half kickoff and went 69 yards in six plays. Running back Isaiah Baxter covered the final 43 yards for the score and ran for the 2-point conversion to make it 30-24.

           SBHS fumbled the football away on its ensuing possession, and Manning recovered at the Scott’s Branch 44-yard line. The Monarchs reached the end zone in eight plays with Baxter going in from six yards out. When Baxter again ran for the two points, MHS had a 38-24 lead and apparently control of the game.

           The Eagles had other thoughts though.

           They responded with a 14-play, 70-yard scoring drive that ended with a 10-yard TD run by running back Ja’Den Dixon. Conyers connected with Jackson for the 2-point conversion to make it 38-32 early in the fourth quarter.

           SBHS forced Manning to punt for the only time on its next possession. Scott’s Branch took over at its 21, and on first down Conyers went up top to wide receiver Keith Rogers, who was in single coverage, on a fly pattern. Conyers hit him in stride for a 73-yard gain to the Monarch 5.

           Conyers followed that with a 5-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Nyren Bowman, his fourth TD pass, to tie it at 38-38. Conyers passed to Dixon for the 2-point conversion to give the Eagles the lead at 40-38 with around seven minutes remaining.

           Conyers also ran for a touchdown and extended many plays by breaking tackles and slipping tacklers in pursuit of him.

           “He was stellar,” Fleming said of Conyers. “He showed toughness, fortitude, leadership, all the things we preach and were hoping and expecting from him.”

           MHS managed to get as close as the SBHS 26 before the drive ended with Jackson coming up with an interception at the 15 and returned it to the 20. SBHS picked up a first down before being able to run out the clock.

           Fleming is proud of the way his team fought back and then held on for the victory.

           “We’ve been preaching that since Day 1 last year,” he said. “We want to finish, just take an adverse situation and fight for four quarters. It feels good, I’m proud of them, but it’s only the start, the beginning. Hopefully it’ll be 14 in a row.”

           Conyers’ three first-half TD passes were a 10-yarder to Majestic Hatcher, a 32-yarder to Rogers and a 22-yarder to Jackson. Conyers’ TD run went for a yard.

           Baxter rushed for 137 yards and the two scores to lead Manning. Daniel Robinson wasn’t too far behind, picking up 117 yards and having scoring runs of four and 12 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Lovell Stevenson completed 8 of 12 passes for 119 yards, one of them a 15-yard scoring pass to wide receiver CJ Robinson.

           “I was pleased with what we did offensively,” Kennedy said. “We ran the ball much better (273 yards), doing a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage.”

           Manning plays host to Lake Marion on September 5. Kennedy said it is obvious where Manning has to have a significant upgrade.

“We’ve just got to play better defense,” he said. “My feeling is defenses wins championships, and I’ve always built my teams around strong defenses. Their skill guys did a better job in space than our skill guys. We didn’t do a good job of getting the quarterback on the ground. We allowed him to escape too many times.

“We’ve got to do a better job. That comes with practice. There’s a learning curve. That comes with losing 27 seniors (from a team that played for the AA lower state championship last season).”
 

Scott’s Branch has a bye week. The Eagles play at Lake View on September 12 before opening play in Region 5-Class A with a home game against Branchville.

           “We just want to take this win and get ready for region play,” Fleming said.