White Knoll’s Stout Defense Helps Leads Timberwolves To Hard-Fought 21-14 Win Over Summerville In Lower State AAAAA Championship Game

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Lexington - White Knoll (13-0) advanced to the gold medal round of SCHSL AAAAA state finals with a hard-fought 21-14 win over previous unbeaten Summerville (13-1), setting up a potential “game of the ages “ against region rival Dutch Fork in the finals scheduled for SC State University on Friday December, 1 at 7 p.m.

After the win White Knoll head coach Nick Pelham shared his thoughts with the HSSR from the field. “I just told our kids to play hard, have fun, and see what happens tonight,” said Coach Pelham. “We can’t wait to see what can happen for our program in the state championship game.

“I would give anything to know that we can score one more point than them (Dutch Fork),” said Coach Pelham.

Because the two teams know each other’s system so well, Coach Pelham was asked if he might tweak a few things in the state championship game against Dutch Fork. “There are always a few tricks we have that we have not used, but you have to catch them in the right formation and in the right situation. Take it from me, he (Tom Knotts) is the best in the business at getting a team ready to play in a championship game.

“I am just excited for the opportunity our kids have to play for a state title,” said Coach Pelham. “They have worked hard and bought in to our system, and I know they will be ready to play a great game in the championship.”

Coming into the state finals White Knoll is the only remaining team undefeated in AAAAA to date. They have the fewest points allowed of any defense in AAAAA allowing just 92 points all season.  The only other team in the SCHSL who allowed fewer points was Lewisville (64). Dutch Fork will come into the finals at 9-5 but they are healthy now and playing at the top of their game with a thrilling 31-30  last minute win over JL Mann last week.

Coach Pelham talked about senior LB Damenico Banks. “He has really matured  since my first season here when he was a sophomore,” said Coach Pelham. “We are able to play him in a lot of different spots. He can play inside linebacker and then we can use him on pass downs in a three technique so he can rush the passer. He did that really well in the game tonight. He does so many things really well on a football field.”

Coach Pelham touched on a key injury the Timber Wolves have been able to play through. “We lost a really good Shrine Bowl tight end/receiver (Hasan Lee) in the first quarter of the Dutch Fork game earlier in the season and our kids have stuck with it despite the loss of a key player on our team. They kept working and their work ethic is second to one.”

Junior quarterback Landon Sharpe also drew praise from Coach Pelham. “He’s been starting his freshman season and I tell anyone who will be listening that he is the quarterback in South Carolina,” said Coach Pelham. “I know some next level scouts might say he is not tall enough but all he does is find ways to win and move the chains. For my money he is the best quarterback in South Carolina.”

Coach Pelham talked about a few key freshman starters also. “Number 23, running back Tiyon Fanning is a freshman and he is a hard-nosed “tenacious” runner and number 72 (Tyrone Jennings) is a freshman nose tackle who starts for us. We got some younger players who can really play at a high level.”

In summing up his defense, Coach Pelham said, “We give multiple looks without being too complicated.”

Summerville head coach Ian Rafferty also visited with the HSSR after the game and he was very vocal about a penalty called on the Green Wave that stopped a potential scoring drive in the second half.

“We put our best athlete (Yannick Smith) in the Wildcat needing a couple yards to get a first down around their 30-yard line, and after he had run for at least three yards on his own, the official called a penalty on us I have not seen called all year,” said Coach Rafferty. “He threw a flag signaling that our linemen had assisted him in making the first down, but he was already passed the marker before anyone pushed from the rear. That was an unjustified call and you can put my comment in the paper.”

(Publisher’s note: In any football game there are always a controversial call, or two, and they usually even out for both teams. My challenge to this official is to be consistent with this “rare penalty” going forward, in all future games you are involved in. Please warn each team before the game, that you are one of the few officials in high school football who will call this rarely called penalty when your teammates provide a push behind the runner. This is legal strategy in college, and in the NFL, by the way).

After calming down, Coach Rafferty added, “This was a great environment tonight and a really tough place to play,” he said. “In the first half we did some uncharacteristic things we have not done all year. I challenged the team at halftime not to give in and we came out in the second half and played much better, character wise, and behavior wise. We really had a chance to win the game but a couple bad plays really hurt us.

“I take nothing away from White Knoll, and they are well-coached team with a truly great defense,” said Coach Rafferty. “They make plays and the ball just didn’t always bounce our way tonight.”

Coach Rafferty concluded his remarks with praise for Green Wave Shrine Bowl receiver Yannick Smith. “Anyone watching this game tonight would have to agree with me that he is best football player in South Carolina,” said Coach Rafferty. “He is the heart and soul of our team. Tonight, he made plays on defense, on special teams, along with some big times runs on offense, along with catching six passes while being doubled and tripled teamed the entire game. We are going to miss number three for sure.”   

             After White Knoll built a 14-0 lead at the half , and limiting the Green Wave potent offense to just 53 net yards at the break, with the best defense in the state at all levels, Summerville played much better in the second half and actually had several opportunities in the final period to potentially tie the game.

After a score-less first quarter Whiter Knoll scored with 8:51 left in the second period on a well-timed 35-yard touchdown pass by junior quarterback Landon Sharpe to wide open receiver EJ Earl who caught the pass in stride. Jordy Aguilera added the first of his three PAT’s during the game. The score capped off an 8 play 70-yard drive.

Following a Green Wave punt, White Knoll covered 65-yards in 10 plays with RB Tiyon Fanning scoring on a four-yard run with 26.2 left on the first half clock. One big play on the scoring drive was a 24-yard pass completion to sure-handed receiver Evan Henderson that carried to the four that set up the Timberwolves second score giving them a 14-0 lead after Aguilera’s PAT.

In the third period Summerville finally got on the board led by senior Shrine Bowl receiver/Wildcat QB and East Carolina commitment Yannick Smith (6-3,200). The Green Wave covered 90 yards in seven plays as Trae Green scored on a three-yard run with 1:49 left in the third quarter. On the drive junior QB Jaden Cummings completed a 19-yard pass to Smith to keep the drive alive. Three plays later Smith moved to the Wildcat and he raced 55-yards down to the three that set up Green’s touchdown run. Bennett Kelly added the PAT cutting the deficit to 14-7.

White Knoll’s final “insurance touchdown” came with 7:20 left in the game following a five-star leaping interception, just inside the boundary, by LB Marcua Domenech, at the 39-yard line, giving WK a short field to work with. On first down, Sharpe drilled a 21-yard pass completion to WR Amari Grant. On the next play Fanning made a tackle breaking 14-yard run that carried down to four- yard line. Sharpe scored on a four-yard keeper and Aguilera added his final PAT of the night giving WK a 21-7 lead.

On the ensuing kick-off the Green Wave covered 73-yards on seven plays, starting the drive with 7:14 left in the game, with Green scoring on a two-yard burst with 4:55 left. Kely added his second PAT of the game to trim the WK lead to 21-14. On this scoring drive Cummings completed a 53-yard pass to Smith that carried down to the three- yard setting up Green’s TD run two plays later.

The Summerville defense forced a three-an-out on WK’s next possession and took over after a punt at their own 35-yard line with 3:06 left in the game.  On a fourth down play Cummings completed a 19-yard pass to TE Keshon Washington giving them a first down at the WK 47-yard line. Four plays later Smith gained one-yard to give the Green Wave a first down at the 36-yard line. Summerville’s final two offensive plays of the game came from Cummings in back-to-back throws to Smith in the end zone. On third down WK defensive back James Smith broke up the pass intended for Smith in the end zone and then on fourth down DB Caleb Geronomi broke up a pass in the end zone giving the ball back to the Timber Wolves with just 17 seconds left in the game.

For the game WK produced 261 yards of offense on 56 plays. Sharpe completed 15-of-24 passes for 181 yards and one passing TD. The leading rushers for WK included Fanning who gained 62 yards on 17 carries with two TD’s. Sharpe added 14 rushing yards on 11 carries.  The top WR’s for WK included Earl with five receptions for 69 yards and one TD. Clutch receiver Evan Henderson had four catches for 60 yards. North-South WR selection Austin Cunningham (6-0,180) had three receptions for 23 yards and Tyson Cox caught two passes for 26 yards.   

Summerville ran 60 offensive plays that produced 281 yards of offense. Cummings completed 16-0f-28 passes for 136 yards. Smith led all rushers in the game with 72 yards on 10 carries. Trae Green had 39 net yards on 15 carries and scored both Green Wave touchdowns. Cummings added 16 yards rushing on five carries and Sheldon Glenn had a 15-yard run on one carry. Smith was also the top receiver for either team  as he caught six passes for 100 yards. Washington was the next top receiver with four catches for 27 yards.

White Knoll’s smothering defense was led by Connor Burgress with 11 total tackles, and senior Shrine Bowl LB Demenico Banks had 12 tackles including a sack and 1.5 TFL. Devin Geronomi was third on the tackle index for White Knoll with six tackles and one TFL.

Summerville was led in tackles by senior DB Ryan Mitchell (6-2, 285) with seven tackles. North-South LB Kayden Gaddist (5-10,230) had five tackles and Evan Howell-Smith had four tackles for the Green Wave.

Coach Rafferty, is a former Shrine Bowl DE with the Green Wave and he has now completed his fourth season as the head coach in Summerville with a 32-13 record over this span. Coach Rafferty graduated from NC State where he started in the OL and after college, he played in the NFL for two seasons.  

Coach Pelham has completed his third season at White Knoll, after spending five seasons as the defensive coordinator at Dutch Fork where he helped lead the Silver Foxes to five state titles. To date, he is 23-12 at White Knoll as he prepares his team for the AAAAA state title game against region rival Dutch Fork on Friday, December 1st at SC State.

Special Note:  The HSSR will be busy statewide this week producing 4,000 SCHSL all-color Championship Football Game Programs, with all 10 participating teams in the state finals, receiving their own editions geared to their team and fans. All revenue in each school’s program is “double credited” to both help pay for the printing expenses of the full-color high quality programs, and each sponsor also receives an ad of equal value “free” that is placed on their team’s coverage page in the “High School Sports Report” for an entire year! This is truly a fair offer and it is the only time the HSSR offers double credit.

To salute your team, along with your favorite player or cheerleader, please go to hssr.com and click on the “advertising icon” in the mast head to down load the ad information sheet. You can also read a short article after 10 p.m. on Sunday night (Nov. 26) at hssr.com telling you which HSSR marketing person will be in your area with their phone number provided.

All congrats ad information should be sent to hsreport@aol.com. The HSSR office phone number is 843-553-0264. Billy Baker can be contacted at 843-200-9555. The AA game deadline for ads is 8 p.m. Wed nesday night. All other games the deadline is 8 p.m. Thursday night (Nov.,30).

Good luck to all participating teams!