AC Flora Falcons in 2020 football state championship: How they got there
A look how A.C. Flora High School got to the Class 4A football state championship game. The Falcons play North Myrtle Beach in the title game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Benedict College’s Charlie Johnson Stadium.
TEAM HISTORY
A.C. Flora is making its first appearance in a football state championship and is trying to become the first Richland 1 school to win a football title since Lower Richland in 1970.
The Falcons were ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, the biggest classification at the time, in 1968, for six weeks but missed the playoffs after going 9-1-1. Only the region champion made the postseason then, and Flora lost its regular-season finale to Eau Claire. Flora also had a good run in the early 1980s.
The Falcons have had their best football success over the past decade with coaches Dean Howell and Reggie Shaw. They made it to the state semifinals in 2011 and 2014.
A.C. Flora won a region title under Collin Drafts in 2018, a year after going winless. Drafts left for a job in Florida and the school hired former assistant Dustin Curtis to lead the program in 2019.
STAR FOOTBALL ALUMS
Some of the top notable football players from A.C. Flora include Tommy Moody (South Carolina/107.5 FM), Steve Sisk (South Carolina), Steve Strowder (South Carolina), Mike Reagan (South Carolina), Mark Giles (BYU), Joseph Charlton (South Carolina/Carolina Panthers), Denzel Johnson (Clemson) and Rion Davis (Liberty)
HEAD COACH
Dustin Curtis was hired in April 2019 and is in his second season as head coach. The Falcons are 18-2 in his two seasons. Curtis spent seven seasons as an A.C. Flora assistant, including three years as offensive coordinator, before taking over at Westwood High in 2016. He also was an assistant coach at Spring Valley before his first stint on the A.C. Flora staff.
Curtis played at Lexington High School and was part of the school’s 2000 team that played for a state championship.
THIS YEAR’S TOP FALCONS
▪ RB Matt Pack: Has rushed for 1,065 yards and 13 touchdowns. Closing on 3,000 yards rushing for his career.
▪ QB Ethan Beamish: Transfer from Hillcrest High in Greenville has completed 70% of his passes for 1,256 yards and 16 touchdowns.
▪ TE Banks Pope: Appalachian State commit plays tight end and defensive line. Has caught seven passes for 119 yards and a TD and also has 11 tackles on defense.
▪ DL Omarion Hammond: Georgia State commit leads the team with eight sacks, 10 tackles for loss among his 32 tackles.
▪ DB Boyce Bankhead: Leads team with four interceptions and has 19 tackles.
THE 2020 SEASON
The Falcons are known for their running game, which averages 326 yards a game, an an opportunistic defense that has held opponents to 8.3 points per contest.
▪ Sept. 25: A.C. Flora 44, Westwood 6: Ethan Beamish threw two touchdowns and Falcons’ defense returned two interceptions for scores in the opener.
▪ Oct. 1: A.C. Flora 49, Richland Northeast 8: Ethan Beamish threw four TDs in the first quarter to get the Falcons to 42 quick points. Beamish finished with 283 yards passing and five TDs.
▪ Oct. 9: A.C. Flora 45, Irmo 14: Matt Pack and Tyrell Coleman each rushed for more than 100 yards and two scores as the Falcons won the matchup of Region 4-4A leaders.
▪ Oct. 23: A.C. Flora 63, Dreher 0: Ethan Beamish threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns and five different Falcons had rushing touchdowns in the game.
▪ Nov. 6: A.C. Flora 71, Lugoff-Elgin 8: Ethan Beamish threw for two TDs, Matt Pack rushed for two and Falcon defense scored twice in their highest scoring game of the season.
▪ Nov. 13: A.C. Flora 41, Travelers Rest 0: Markel Townsend, Matt Pack and Tyrell Coleman each rushed for more than 100 yards as the Falcons gained 424 yards on the ground in the playoff opener.
▪ Nov. 20: A.C. Flora 41, South Pointe 14: Falcons broke open a 14-7 game at halftime with a 21-point third quarter. Matt Pack rushed for 269 yards and three touchdowns and Falcons had 526 yards rushing as a team.
▪ Nov. 27: A.C. Flora 41, Catawba Ridge 21: Matt Pack rushed for 173 yards and four touchdowns as the Falcons won the Class 4A Upper State championship. Pack’s 3-yard run in the third quarter put Flora up 28-14.
2020 SC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
Friday’s game
▪ Class 5A: Dutch Fork vs. TL Hanna, 7:30 p.m., at Benedict College (WACH Fox 57)
Saturday’s games
▪ Class A: Southside Christian vs. Lake View, 11:30 a.m., at Benedict College (www.nfhnetwork.com)
▪ Class 3A: Camden vs. Daniel, 3:30 p.m., at Spring Valley HS (WACH Fox 57.2/1250, www.nfhnetwork.com)
▪ Class 4A: AC Flora vs. North Myrtle Beach, 7:30 p.m., at Benedict College (WACH Fox 57.2/1250, www.nfhnetwork.com)
Dec. 18
▪ Class 2A: Marion vs. Abbeville, TBD at venue to be determined (www.nfhsnetwork.com)
This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 10:46 AM.
