Strom Thurmond looks to achieve final goal in AA state championship game

Johnston – After going 10-3, winning a region title and reaching the quarterfinals of the AA football state playoffs in both 2022 and 2023, Strom Thurmond High School went 6-4 and lost in the first round of the playoffs in ’24.

 “Last year we had a chance to win each of those four games in the fourth quarter,” said Rebels head coach Andrew Webb. “We discovered the difference between winning and losing was taking care of the little things. That was something the seniors had to live with after the season.”

So, the Class of ’26 set a goal of going undefeated at home this year. Check. It wanted to win the Region 2 title. Check. The final goal is winning the school’s first state title since 2005.

 Thurmond will get to see if it can put a check in that box on Saturday. The Rebels won the upper state title with a 15-13 victory over Fairfield Central and will face lower state champion Hampton County at South Carolina State’s Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg beginning at 4:06 p.m.

“It’s really special,” Webb said of reaching the title game. “This is a group of seniors who’ve worked really hard. I know the pride they take in being a part of Rebel football. I’m excited for the team, the school and the community.”

 The Rebels are 12-2 and have won nine straight games. After losing close games to region foes Batesburg-Leesville and Saluda  last season, Thurmond won close games against those two to go undefeated in winning the region title.

The win over B-L was by a 28-26 score in overtime. However, Thurmond trailed 14-0 entering the fourth quarter. Webb points to this game as the key to the season.

“It was just a gutsy win,” said Webb, who is in his fourth year as head coach. “They fought back and found a way to win in overtime. Since then, we’ve played really good football.”

           In the win over Fairfield Central, the Griffins scored a touchdown on the last play of regulation to make the score 15-13. They obviously went for the 2-point onversion. However, the Rebels came up with a stop to set off a massive celebration.

           Webb said there hasn’t been any kind of hangover from the exhilarating victory.

           “We’ve had some games that ended with a lot of excitement and we were able to refocus on the upcoming week,” he said. “We’re excited about the accomplishments, but the players feel like their jobs are not finished.”

           Thurmond is averaging 36.5 points per game and has a run-oriented attack. It is led by senior running back Deonte Phillips and sophomore running back Kaden Wigfall. Phillips, who has been selected to play in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl all-star game as a linebacker, has rushed for 1,054 yards and 23 touchdowns on 152 carries. Wigfall has 700 yars and eight TDs on 70 carries.

           Sophomore Zy Rouse also sees plenty of action in the backfield. He has 71 carries for 540 yareds and 13 scores.

           Three seniors anchor the offensive line in left guard Amari McCelleny, right tackle Carter Boatwright  and right guard Micah Warren. The other starters up front are junior center John Laster and junior left tackle Hezekiah East.

Another key component in the blocking scheme is junior H back Braylon Searles.

           “Our offensive line seems to get better each week,” Webb said. “We’ve really relied on them in the playoffs, and we’ve ran it pretty well down the stretch. When we’ve thrown it guys have made plays for us.”

           The Rebels throw the football an average of just over 12 times a game. Senior quarterback Brishaun Lee has been very efficient, completing 101 of 174 passeas for 1,776 yards and 19 5ouheowns against nine interceptions.

           Lee’s top targets are senior wide receivers Shy Williams  and Kaleb Simpkins. Williams has 45 catches for 762 yards and eight touchdowns, while Simpkins, also a Touchstone Bowl selection as a defensive back, has 34 receptioisn for 690 yards and seven scores.

Defensively, Thurmond has been particularly stout since the Batesburg-Leesville game. The Rebels has allowed just 66 points over that 8-game stretch.

           Thurmond operates out of a 4-man front with Searles and senior Grady Stone starting at the tackles and seniors Grayson Smith and Kobe Windless  starting at the ends.

                       Smith leads in tackles for loss with 18 and is tied for the lead in quarterback sacks among his 59 tackles. Stone has 60 tackles, 17 TFLs and two sacks, Searles has 38 tackles, seven TFLs and one sack, and Windless has 21 tackles and three TFLs.

           The starting linebackers are seniors Bryston Coleman and Mason Johnson and junior Gregory Moore. Coleman is the leading tackler with 94 and is tied for the sacks lead to go with 14 TFLs. Moore has 63 tackles, 13 TFLs and two sacks, while Johnson has 48 tackles, five TFLs and one sack.

           Phillips has 33 tackles and 10 TFLs.

           Simpkins starts at one cornerback slot with senior Jalin Collins at the other. The safeties are Williams and junior Wytravious Dugar. Simkins has two interceptions, 17 tackles and one TFL, while Collins has one pick and 33 tackles. Williams has two INTs, 50 tackles and one TFL, and Dugar has 82 tackles, six TFLs and one interception.

           Junior Garrett Pearson and freshman Justus Daly  are sharing the placekicking duties. Pearson is 31 of 41 on extra point attempts while Daly is 9 of 10. Daly has attempted the only field goal, a 28-yarder which was good.

           Lee is the punter, averaging 31.2 yards on 26 attempts with three landing inside the opposition’s 20-yard line. Senior Brison Yonce handles the snapping duties.

           Sophomore Preston Holmes has returned the most kickoffs, 15 with a 19.5 return average. Williams has returned 11 punts for 110 yards and Simpkins has 10 for 83 yards.

OFFENSE

QB -- 3 Brishaun Lee Sr.

RB -- 2 Deonte Phillips Sr.

RB -- 11 Kadin Wigfall So.

H Back -- 8 Braylon Searles Jr.

WR -- 7 Kaleb Simpkins Sr.

WR -- 5 Shy Williams Sr.

LT -- 68 Hezekiah East Jr.

LG -- 72 Amari McCellney Sr.

C -- 78 John Laster Sr.

RG -- 77 Micah Warren Sr.

RT -- 74 Carter Boatwright Jr.

DEFENSE

DE -- 18 Grayson Smith Sr.

DE – 8 Braylon Searles Jr.

DT -- 35 Grady Stone Sr.

DT –- 28 Kobe Windless Sr.

LB – 10 Bryston Coleman Sr.

LB – 24 Mason Johnson Sr.

OLB – 15 Gregory Moore Jr.

CB – 7 Kaleb Simpkins Sr.

CB – 6 Jalin Collins Sr.

S – 9 Wytrayvious Dugar Jr

S – 5 Shy Williams Sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

PK - 32 Garrett Pearson Jr.

and 94 Justus Daly Fr.

P -- 3 Brishaun Lee Sr.

LS =- 53 Brison Yonce 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.