He couldn’t play his final high school game, but Luke Doty shows ‘very rare’ quality
Luke Doty was a rare sight on the sideline of Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday night.
The Myrtle Beach quarterback and South Carolina football commit had to leave his shoulder pads in the locker room, but stayed on the shoulder of sophomore passer Ryan Berger all night. When the Seahawks offense was off the field, he was manning an iPad, running through film with younger players.
There were few players around who had more of a reason to be sulking. Here he was, with one of the most decorated careers at one of the best high school programs in the state, and he was unable to put his prodigious skills to work in trying to get the Seahawks a second consecutive state title.
And yet, when the offense came off the field late, he was walking out to the numbers to hand out high fives. When the tears flowed as they do at the end of every high school season, he was there with pats on the back, hugs and words of encouragement.
“It’s bittersweet,” Doty said. “To come back and lose the state championship, it being the last game but, like I said, I couldn’t be more proud of my guys. Just the way they fought throughout this game, throughout the past five weeks that we’ve been in the playoffs. I love these guys, man.”
Had the Mr. Football finalist been in uniform, perhaps the 35-23 Wren win would have gone the other way, or perhaps at least a high-grade shootout throughout. Instead, a hand injury and surgery kept him on the sideline.
He and his Seahawks won a title on the same field the season prior. They fell behind early, then locked in and rallied back, Doty in calm command down the stretch of a comfortable win.
The emotions were a little different this time, and they were something Doty didn’t seem to totally dwell on.
“We were close,” Doty said. “Couldn’t get back in time, but you know that that’s how it goes, sometimes. No, it’s all good. I’ll be healthy soon.”
His team got as close as 28-23 after breaking a long run in the third quarter, but Wren answered with a 80-yard scoring drive and Myrtle Beach never could counter.
Doty finished his final season with 1,874 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions, plus 408 rushing yards in 10 games. Berger came in with 881 yards through less than five full playoff games, and he felt Doty’s backing throughout.
“He’s a great leader,” Berger said. “That’s why I think he’s gonna be a great player at South Carolina. I think he’ll really succeed. I’ll really miss him next month. He tells us to keep our heads up ... keep fighting, keep going and I really love him for that, love him as a brother.”
Seahawks coach Mickey Wilson has seen a lot of great players in his time with the team. He knew he saw something different, as Doty bounced from player to player, encouraging in the face of the loss.
“Luke, once he got hurt, he never felt sorry for himself,” Wilson said. “That’s very unusual for an 18-year-old kid, high school senior to do. He just continued to be a great teammate, and a great mentor to Ryan Berger throughout the whole process. That’s very rare to be as mature, to handle as maturely as he did. So just really proud of him, you know, it just goes to show you what a great young man he is and what a great family comes from.”
Up next for Doty is more time in Williams-Brice. He’s set to enroll early and arrive in Columbia at the end of January. The four-star will head into college and join a team in a level of transition, alongside a young passer with starting experience in Ryan Hilinski.
His high school career didn’t end the way most hope, but he didn’t seem to let that get him down.
“It’s definitely been one hell of a ride,” Doty said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world, wouldn’t trade these coaches, this team for the world. And, yeah, I’m definitely gonna miss you know planning Doug Shaw (Stadium). You know, playing for coach Wilson playing for coach (Wes) Streeter and yeah really just getting after everybody there, but, like I said, I know there’s a lot of, lot more ball to be played.”
