Jamboree scores, what we learned in final tuneups for Midlands high school football
High school football teams from around the state are having their final tuneups before the regular season begins next week.
One of those events was held at Aun & McKay Jamboree at Chapin High School, which involved Chapin, Spring Valley, Gray Collegiate, Westwood, Blythewood and Newberry. Another was the Richland One Sertoma Jamboree on Saturday.
Here are some takeaways from the games played this weekend:
Big-time running backs
Chapin’s Bennett Galloway and Gray Collegiate’s KZ Adams are two of the top running backs in the Midlands and showed it Friday night, each winning MVP honors in their games. A.C. Flora’s Markel Townsend looked good in limited action on Saturday against Lower Richland.
Galloway, a North Carolina State commit, had a 90-yard touchdown reception and also returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the 19-7 win over Spring Valley. The senior is the grandson of former USC running back Benny “Getaway” Galloway and showed 4.4-4.5 speed on the long touchdown catch and kickoff return.
Adams, who is committed to Georgia State, ran for two touchdowns in Gray’s 28-6 victory over Westwood. The senior and four-year starter had more than 2,000 all-purpose yards last season in just eight games and should have another big season.
Adams also started at cornerback for the War Eagles.
Townsend had a touchdown run and couple long runs for the Falcons’ in the 14-0 win over Lower Richland.
Injuries, injuries
Injuries took their toll on the teams Friday night.
Gray Collegiate starting quarterback Tre Robinson was knocked out of the game after being hit on a two-point conversion in the 28-6 win over Westwood.
Robinson’s head snapped back on the turf and he stayed on the ground for more than 15 minutes before being put on a board and carted off. The senior quarterback was taken to the hospital after an ambulance took more than 30 minutes to get to the stadium.
Robinson was released from the hospital later Friday night and coach Adam Holmes said Saturday Robinson has a sore neck. But it’s too early to tell if he can play in next week’s opener against Camden. Riley Staton came in for Robinson and played well.
“We will just see what the doctor says. If he could go, I know he would want to play,” Holmes said. “If not, Riley Staton came in and did a good job for us.”
Blythewood lost two players in its game — starting quarterback Harrison Collins and defensive lineman Jabari Collins. Harrison Collins injured his hand trying to make a tackle after throwing an interception on the Bengals’ first possession. Bengals coach Jason Seidel said Harrison will be looked at Saturday for further evaluation. Transfer David Herndon, who moved from North Carolina at the end of summer, took over for Collins and led the Bengals to a pair of scoring drives.
Jabari Collins suffered a knee injury and was carted off of the field.
Spring Valley starting quarterback DQ Smith also left the game after landing awkwardly while recovering a bad snap but is OK.
No swan song
Phil Strickland is hanging it up after the season in his 40th year as coach, but don’t expect the Newberry coach wanting a farewell tour.
Strickland, who won state titles at Gaffney and Batesburg-Leesville, said his top priority is getting his players ready and hopefully avoiding disruptions from COVID. The Bulldogs were off for a three-week stretch last season because of the virus.
“It’s not about me,” Strickland said. “Let’s hope for the kids that we can get as many games in as we can.”
COVID will be a factor all season
At least one game in each of the Midlands jamborees were canceled because of teams being in COVID-19 protocols.
Dreher and Swansea will miss Week 0 games because of COVID, and Mid-Carolina and Eau Claire also are in quarantine
Fairfield Central and Richland Northeast have been in quarantine during the preseason but will be able to play in Week 0. Fairfield’s game at Blythewood will be moved to Monday, Aug. 23 to let the Griffins have enough time to prepare for the games.
RNE has had several players in quarantine but will open up at Darlington for Walt Wilson’s debut as coach.
Preseason a challenge for AC Flora
Defending Class 4A champion A.C. Flora made the most of its two possessions in Saturday’s Richland One Sertoma Club Jamboree.
The Falcons scored on both drives in the 14-0 win over Lower Richland. It is been a shortened preseason for the Falcons, who were in quarantined because of COVID and didn’t get to play in their first two scrimmages.
Flora coach Dustin Curtis said the team didn’t go to full pads until this week but was pleased with what he saw Saturday night. The Falcons played two quarterbacks and their QB situation is still up in the air with Trey McCardle and Phillips Daniels alternating the two possessions. McCardle had a TD pass to Chris Lofton.
“Both of those guys have been fairly even, to be honest,” Curtis said. “I don’t know if either one of them pulled away. ... But if one pulls away next week, then that one will start. Both of those guys work hard, have a great attitude and do everything we ask them to do.”
CA Johnson, Keenan impress
C.A. Johnson and Keenan looked good in their wins Saturday in the Richland One Sertoma Club Jamboree.
The Hornets defeated Ridgeland-Hardeeville 20-0, and Keenan won 22-0 over Columbia. Both programs have new coaches with Scotty Dean taking over at CAJ and Ray McCleod at Keenan. Dean inherited a good nucleus of players at CAJ, which is coming off its first winning season since 2009.
“The coaches before me did an excellent job with coach (Walt) Wilson last year and coach (Stephen) Roberson before that,” Dean said. “We got a lot of kids that played a lot of football. We just trying to take what they have done and improve on it and take it to the next level.”
McLeod was the Raiders’ defensive coordinator since 2017 and has been around winning football tradition as a player and coach at Northwestern High in Rock Hill. McLeod is trying to put his stamp on the program, and his intensity was noticeable on the sidelines Saturday.
Jamboree scores
A look at scores from scrimmages involving Midlands high schools
Saturday
Richland One Sportsarama
AC Flora 14, Lower Richland 0
Keenan 22, Columbia 0
C.A. Johnson 20, Ridgeland-Hardeeville 0
South Beltline Classic
Heathwood Hall 9, Robert E. Lee 0
Thomas Sumter 20, Cardinal Newman 8
Ben Lippen 14, Greenwood Christian 0
Richard Winn 16, New Hope Leadership 6
Friday
Aun & McKay Jamboree
Gray Collegiate 28, Westwood 6
Blythewood 13, Newberry 12
Chapin 19, Spring Valley 7
Lexington Sportsarama
Estill 22, Pelion 6
River Bluff 13, Gilbert 7
White Knoll 7, Batesburg-Leesville 0
Joe Turbeville Jamboree
Irmo 28, Laurens 21
West Florence Jamboree
West Florence 7, Brookland-Cayce 0
McDonald’s Classic
At Spartanburg High
Dutch Fork 17, Cardinal Gibbons (NC) 0
Greenwood Jamboree
Saluda 21, Emerald 13
Kershaw County Jamboree
Ridge View 7, Lugoff-Elgin 0
Blacksburg Jamboree
Hammond 17, Blacksburg 6
This story was originally published August 14, 2021 at 9:42 AM.
