With playoff dreams on the line, this game could not be any bigger for the Hornets or the Chiefs. With both squads losing to Dixie, it’s time to hit panic mode as they try to scratch and claw their way back into the playoff picture, with the Greenville private schools breathing down their neck. Nonetheless, this should still make out to be a good game on Chieftain Hill on Friday night.
This season has been a rebuild for the Chiefs. With a new head coach and one of the toughest regions in the state, the Chiefs were fighting an uphill battle from the very beginning. And when you add on the fact that the Chiefs will be without starting quarterback Markese Stevens on Friday, it seems as if the Chiefs are trying to accomplish an impossible feat.
Stevens was ejected in last week’s contest against Christ Church following two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, preventing him from playing against Ware Shoals on Friday. This forces this Chiefs to roll with star Camden Durant, who is used to making his presence felt on the defensive end. However, Durant showed promise at quarterback when he was forced to take over for Stevens against Christ Church, giving the Chiefs the one last sliver of hope that they desperately need.
Durant’s main targets will be seniors Dre Thomas and Adarius Murray. Thomas, who recently received his first division 1 offer for track and field from USC Upstate, has been a force to be reckoned with all season. With a 6-foot-1, 210 pound frame, the jumping ability of a kangaroo and the speed of a cheetah, Thomas is a big play threat every time he lines up. Expect senior running back Kenyan Morton to have a big game as well, as he’s taken double digit touches in almost every game this season.
Defensively, the Chiefs have had a problem stopping the run. Having to go up against Karson Norman (Abbeville), Dashun Reeder (Christ Church) and Brandon Nance (Dixie), the Chiefs have faced their fair share of electric running backs this season. That trend will not stop this week, as the Chiefs will have another full load on their hands with Justice Lomax (ranked 5th on the SK Media Top 10 Running Backs List) lining up in the backfield for the Hornets. Containing Lomax will be crucial, as he is the main source of offense for the Hornets. Expect seniors Demetric Anderson and Camden Durant to get into the backfield early and often. We may even see Durant drop back into coverage, as he’s excelled in that roll as well.
Speaking of coverage, the loss of Markese Stevens also leaves a gaping hole in the secondary of the Chiefs. This is where Dre Thomas has to step up. Thomas has shown flashes of greatness at safety and linebacker this year, but has been inconsistent. His play will be pivotal in shutting down Jace Stewart and Jasir Farhan, two of Ware Shoals’ starting quarterback Jaydon Johnson’s favorite targets.
Ware Shoals is coming off a heart crushing loss last week to Dixie. It was a game where they controlled the tempo for all four quarters but fell up just short as time ticked away in the warning seconds of the contest. Justice Lomax had two huge touchdowns on the ground last week, but made his impact felt just as strong on the defensive end, forcing a fumble and blocking a PAT.
The Hornets had plenty of success stopping the run against Dixie, a huge reason why they held the lead for three and a half quarters. The McCormick offensive line will have to put up a fight vs a hungry Ware Shoals defensive front.
Jace Stewart is coming off the best game of his high school career. He made his biggest impact as a backup running back to Lomax. His power and elusiveness running the ball is a nice change of pace for a Ware Shoals offense that was in need of another element.
Jayden Johnson and Jasir Farhan both got snaps as QB in the Hornets previous game, but the offense excelled with Johnson under center and Farhan as a wide-out. Johnson also proved that he wasn’t scared running the ball, looking for Ware Shoals to venture into their dual-threat QB playbook in the coming weeks.
There aren’t many must win games in September, but this has the feeling of one for Ware Shoals. With Dixie already having two wins in region play, it’s imperative they have a good showing vs McCormick to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Prediction: The Hornets come out the gate fast with two quick touchdowns from Justice Lomax in the first half. The rest of the first half is at a stalemate, until Dre Thomas punches in a goal line touchdown from the wildcat formation to send the Chiefs down a score heading into halftime. The second half is where the Chiefs take over. Sick of losing, the Chiefs pound the rock into the Hornets front seven for the entire second half. Behind a do-it-all performance from Cam Durant, the Chiefs pick up their second win on the year 28-20.