South Florence Edges Past Summerville 22-21 In Over-time

South Florence Edges Past Summerville 22-21 In Over-time

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Summerville—Two quality football teams hooked up when Summerville, the defending Div. I AAAAA runner-up from 2024, and South Florence, the defending AAAA champions from last season, met on John McKissick Field on August, 29 with the Bruins winning a hard-fought game in over-time, 22-21.

Both these teams might not lose a game the rest of the season, and both teams should be better prepared to face upcoming competition as a result of playing each other. This week Summerville will host Berkeley while South Florence will host Northwestern.

South Florence head coach Drew Marlowe said he told the team this heading into over-time. “I told them it might take us four plays to score but that we were going for two when we did,” said Coach Marlowe from the field after the game. “We also knew that (quarterback) Messiah Jackson would have the ball in his hand on the two-point play and he came through for us.



“He’s the leader of our team, the leader of our program, and he’s the guy that I want everyone in our program to emulate because of the kind of person he is and the kind of worker he is,” said Coach Marlowe. “I had no doubt that he would get the ball in the end zone on the two- point conversion.”

Coach Marlowe cited several other players in the huge road win. “Gabe McLaughlin is a first-year senior running back who came out for football his final season, and he’s a baseball guy, but we are thankful to have him on the team, and he made several nice runs in the game,” said Coach Marlowe. (McLaughlin led Bruin rushers with 85 yards on 10 carries). “He helped us keep moving the chains in the second half with some tough runs.”

On defense, Coach Marlowe cited the play of senior linebacker Terry Gordon who had 11 tackles and one sack in the game. Also, our senior defensive back Amare Reaves had two interceptions and that was huge for us also. Those two guys have been starting since their freshman years which gives them 45 games coming into this season. They have now been a part of 47 games for us. Certainly, the moment was not too big for them tonight as they both played well.”

Two seniors, Josiah Mason and Ethan Cash were cited by Coach Marlowe for their leadership in the offensive line during the game.

“This win will be a huge confidence builder for us going forward,” said Coach Marlowe. “Honestly, we did not play as well as we are capable of on offense tonight and the penalties kept killing us. We as a staff have to do a better job coaching and we will. The penalties hurt both teams.

“No doubt our main goal is to repeat as AAAA champions this season and anything less will be disappointing,” concluded Coach Marlowe.     

  Summerville head coach Ian Rafferty shared some brief comments after the game, “We are an undisciplined team right now and we have to grow up quick,” said Coach Rafferty in reference to numerous penalties called on the Green Wave. “I knew tonight was going to be tough and we kind of got humbled by a real good football team.”

What will the Green Wave work on the most at Monday’s practice? “We just have to become a more disciplined team and not do dumb things at the wrong time that kills good drives we have going. We need to get a lot of things cleaned up before we play Berkeley this week.

“I thought we cleaned up things a little bit since the Stratford game,” said Coach Rafferty. “We just have to get back to work. I knew playing a great team like South Florence, on a short week, things would be even tougher. The kids hung in there for the most part. It was making mistakes at the worse possible time that hurt us.”

  After a scoreless opening period, South Florence got on the board first after intercepting a pass that gave them possession at the 25- yard line with 8:11 left in the second period. Five plays later quarterback Messiah Jackson scored on a three-yard run and a PAT by Coy Joyner made it 7-0 with 6:12 to go in the first half.

Following a short SF punt, Summerville began their scoring drive at the 49-yard line with 1:36 left in the half. On third down, from the 41, top rated junior running back Jayvyn Williams sprinted 41 yards for a touchdown right through the middle of the Bruin defense. Nate Beaver added the PAT with 1:17 left in the first half.

In the second half, both teams failed to score in the third period. South Florence scored first with 10:04 left in the game on a seven play 45-yard drive. The big run on the drive was by senior running back Gabe McLaughlin who ran through a gaping hole 27 yards that gave the Bruins a first down on the 11- yard line. Two plays later Jackson scored on a two-yard sneak and Joyner’s PAT put the Bruins up 14-7.

Following a SF punt, Summerville took over the ball with 3:23 left in the game down seven. Five plays into the drive Wiliams, burst up the middle, breaking several tackles, on his way to a 40-yard touchdown run with 1:59 left in the game. Beaver’s PAT tied the game at 14.

In over-time, Williams broke to his left, met a SF defender at around the five and Williams lowered his head and carried the defender into the end zone as he scored on a determined 10-yard run. Beaver’s PAT put the Green Wave up 21-14.

It was now the Bruins turn to try to score from the 10-yard line. Junior running back Cameron James gained five and two yards on the first two plays to put the ball on the three-yard line. Then James tossed a touchdown pass to senior receiver Jay’Aun Perkins to make the score 21-10.  SF elected to go for two points and the win. Jackson scored on a determined three-yard run in front of a wall of blockers to give the Bruins an exciting road win at Summerville.

For the game, SF was led by Jackson who completed 11-0f-23 passes for 113 yards one passing  touchdown. Jackson also added two rushing touchdowns.

Other top rushers for SF were senior McLaughlin, who gained 85 yards on 10 carries, and James who added 37 yards on 9 carries. Semaj Parker caught five passes for 49 yards and Perkins caught four passes for 63 yards including a one-yard touchdown catch in OT.

HSSR Top 100 Member LB Terry Gordon led the Bruins on defense with 11 tackles and one sack along with Willie Kennedy who had 10 tackles.

Summerville was led by Williams, among the top running backs in the state, with 178 yards on 16 carries and two touchdown runs of 41 and 40 yards. Transfer QB Matt Stafford struggled in this game after playing very well in the Green Wave’s opening season win over Stratford. Unofficially, the HSSR, had him completing just six passes for around 50 yards in the game.  Back-up QB Cooper Kafina, who played well in the state finals against Dutch Fork last season, entered the game with 7:01 left completing several passes and he moved the offense down the field really well.

“I am not going to comment on the play of our quarterbacks tonight, other than to say we will play the quarterback that gives us our best chance to win,” said Coach Rafferty.

The Bruins secondary held highly regarded junior receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray to just three catches for 37 yards in the game. Soph Green Wave WR Jaelyn Pounds caught one pass for 20 yards.