Gaffney's Davis lands another scholarship offer

Photo by Larry Hilliard/ The Gaffney Ledger

Shortly after walking off the practice field Tuesday, Gaffney's Quinshad Davis learned he had received another scholarship offer, this time from Illinois.

Requests for Quinshad Davis’ services keep rolling in.
Illinois was the latest to offer the Gaffney standout a scholarship, according to head coach Dan Jones, who received the offer by way of a fax on Tuesday.
“We are quite excited for him; Quinshad’s talent will be able to write him a check to go to the college of his choice,” Jones said.
The Fighting Illini join a crowd of schools including Clemson, North Carolina State, South Carolina and Wake Forest hoping the talented receiver chooses them come National Signing Day in February.
Davis earned quite a name for himself last season, hauling in 86 balls for 1,380 yards and 15 touchdowns. The 6-foot-3 wide receiver was ranked No. 250 among the nation’s top prep football players in the Class of 2012 on a list compiled by Rivals.com.
“You’ve got to like his size, a little bit like former Georgia and recently drafted Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green; he provides quite the target for an offense to work with, which is important,” said Rivals Southeast football recruiting analyst Keith Niebuhr. “He definitely will be difficult to cover, as he knows how to separate from defenders using his body, and times the ball well. Also, he’s quite the weapon in the red zone.”
The list also features Palmetto State talents like Allendale-Fairfax defensive back Ronald Geohaghan (No. 216), Bamberg-Ehrhardt defensive end Martin Aiken (No. 189), and Lexington all-purpose man Shaq Roland (No. 63).
While players don’t typically announce their college intentions prior to the end of their senior season, Jones admits times have changed — and the time is drawing near that Davis will have to make a decision.
“He’s got to make a decision; but he had a good visit at Wake (Forest), and really seems to like them,” Jones said. “They are definitely in the mix.”

Class AAAA-Big 16 outlook

Photo by Joe L. Hughes II

Dorman's Raymond Smith hopes to again lead the Cavaliers to the promised land in 2011. However, getting past rival Byrnes could be quite the task in Class AAAA's Big 16 ranks, which could be as hotly contested as it has been in recent years.

Arguably, no other title is more coveted in South Carolina high school athletics than the Big 16 football championship.
Three out of the past four years, however, the hardware has found a home in Duncan on the Byrnes High School campus, including last season when the Rebels disposed of cross-county rival Dorman 34-14 in the state championship game. It was the program’s 10th state title overall.
Last season was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Byrnes, replacing several Division I talents such as South Carolina star running back Marcus Lattimore and Rutgers signal caller Chas Dodd. At least through the end of the regular season another championship seemed in doubt, head coach Chris Miller’s squad losing three games -- the most it had lost since 2007-- equaling its total from the preceding two seasons.
Keyed by the hard running of Shakeem Wharton and a steady defense which gathered itself at the right time, Byrnes easily defeated Mauldin before impressive wins at Dutch Fork and against Lexington en route to the final.
Wanting to gain a measure of revenge from its loss to Dorman in the 2009 final, the Rebels jumped quickly on their rivals and seized control of the game and the crown, winning 34-14.
Byrnes is again in a familiar role to begin the 2011 season, favored to repeat as Class AAAA Big 16 champion. Returning the likes of Wharton, speedy wide receiver Akia Booker and many pieces of a quick, disciplined defense including “Doc“ Dillard and Jamal Johnson, one should expect the squad to make another deep run in the playoffs.
Inexperience at quarterback could derail such aspirations however, the high octane offense of the Rebels expected to start sophomore signal caller Shuler Bentley. Byrnes last great quarterback, Dodd, first led the squad as a sophomore, part of a unit which won two state titles.
Bentley, his half brother, could become the next to be fitted for a ring.
Among those at the head of the line hoping to dethrone Byrnes again is Dorman, returning running back Raymond Smith, who rushed for 2,000+ yards last season, in addition to Patrick DeStefano, the state’s top offensive lineman. One has to wonder whether the squad can overcome the amount of talent it lost last year, including Clemson signee wide receiver Charone Peake.
Gaffney is also expected to make a run this year at adding to its state record total of 16 championships. Though losing veteran signal caller DeEdward Burris, a talented core returns, including highly sought after wideout Quinshad Davis. The Indians are expected to be as stout as they have been in several years on defense, keyed in the middle by linebacker Savon Dukes.
Dutch Fork, which lost to the Rebels 31-14 last November in the Class AAAA Big 16 quarterfinals, should make strides in head coach Tom Knotts’ second season on the job. The Region IV-AAAA champions return quite a talent at running back in Brandon Quattlebaum, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards last season, and is expected to shoulder the load again in 2011 for the Silver Foxes.
No one needs to be introduced to Lexington’s Shaq Roland. However, the X-Factor in the Wildcats’ potential to make a run at a state title lies with Kevin Miller, whose tough running was instrumental in the squad to the Region V-AAAA title last season.
Lexington made its deepest run in the state playoffs in 2010 since Demetrius Summers roamed the gridiron at the school, and is looking to take that final step this year.
Don't be surprised if Summerville rebounds and contends for a title this season following a disappointing 2010 according to its lofty standards.

FAVORITE: Byrnes
CONTENDERS: Dorman, Gaffney, Dutch Fork, Lexington, Summerville
LOOK OUT FOR: Spartanburg - The Vikings come into 2011 with its most talented squad in years, particularly at the quarterback position. Look for the squad to make quite a bit of noise in Region III-AAAA this season.

Northwestern's Worley, Blacksburg's Hames lead list of dazzling Week 10 performances

Photo by Scott Powell/ The Gaffney Ledger

Blacksburg running back Chase Hames became the program's single season leading rusher last Friday night, running for 212 yards in a 26-14 victory qualifying the Wildcats for postseason play. The senior has 2,155 yards this season.

Week 10 was chock full of dazzling performances around the Palmetto State, as players hoped to drive their teams toward region titles and favorable playoff positioning. Here are a few of the noteworthy performances last Friday night:

Kevin Miller, Lexington: The Wildcats' leading rusher had a night to remember last Friday at Wildcat Hollow, running through the Orangeburg-Wilkinson defense to the tune of 407 yards and five touchdowns in Lexington's 69-20 victory. He scored on runs of 12, 64,16, 27, and 6 yards.
And to think, Miller did that much damage in three quarters of play.
Montrece Kennedy, Northwestern: Likely a name Gaffney quarterback DeEdward Burris will not soon forget. The Trojans' safety picked off three passes during Northwestern's 42-28 win, lifting his team to the Region III-AAAA title.
Daiquone Ford, Myrtle Beach: There was little capable of stopping the Seahawks' running back last week, Ford accounting for 199 yards and four scores on the ground as well as an 85-yard kickoff return for a score in Myrtle Beach's rout of rival North Myrtle Beach.
Chase Hames, Blacksburg: Already recognized by MaxPreps as the nation's player of the week earlier this year, Hames added another honor last Friday, becoming the school's single season rushing leader during a 26-14 win over Southside Christian. The senior ran for 212 yards in the contest, upping his total for the 2010 season to 2,155 yards on the ground.
Justin Worley, Northwestern: No matter how much Gaffney tried, there was no stopping the Trojans' Worley last Friday night. The Tennessee prospect was 37 of 48 for 427 yards and five touchdowns, in addition to another score on the ground to help Northwestern claim the Region III-AAAA championship in a 42-28 victory over the Indians.
Rondreas Truesdale, Indian Land: Truesdale scored twice on the ground and passed for a touchdown in Indian Land's 41-13 win over Buford. He wound up with 214 yards on 14 carries on the night for the Warriors.
Quinshad Davis, Gaffney: Northwestern's Jimmy "Moose" Wallace became the latest coach around the state to rave about Gaffney's Davis. The junior wide receiver torched the Trojans' defense last Friday night, catching 13 passes for 258 yards in the Indians' 42-28 loss.
Hunter Townes, Christ Church: Accounting for more than 400 yards passing and seven touchdowns is more than enough to make our list, the Christ Church quarterback leading his team to a Region II-A title and top seed in the Class A playoffs with a 57-26 drubbing of rival Landrum.

Northwestern makes statement - Trojans get last word against Gaffney, win dogfight 42-28

Photo by Joe L. Hughes II

Northwestern wide receiver Rontavious McClure hauls in his second touchdown over the outstretched arms of a Gaffney defender to clinch the Region III-AAAA title for the Trojans, who defeated the Indians 42-28.

Northwestern head coach Jimmy “Moose” Wallace warned his team in the week leading up to the Trojans’ contest with Gaffney that it would be nothing short of a war.
The two Class AAAA heavyweight went back and forth for three quarters Friday night at Rock Hill’s District 3 Stadium, however, it was Northwestern which had a little more ammo left in its chamber, defeating the Indians and claiming the Region III-AAAA title.
It took a complete team effort for the Trojans to notch the victory, as quarterback and Tennessee prospect Justin Worley found the end zone six times -- five through the air and once on the ground -- while safety Montrece Kennedy grabbed three interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter to halt Gaffney drives.
“I’m proud of our kids,” Wallace said. “We told our kids all week it was going to be a war, a dogfight. … We knew we had to play as good as we could, and our secondary did a good job.”
Things got off to a fast start for Northwestern, intercepting Gaffney quarterback DeEdward Burris on the game’s first play. A few plays later, Worley was able to find his favorite target, wide receiver Robert Joseph, for a 13-yard score to give the team a 7-0 advantage.
Burris and the Indians did not stay on the mat long, however, engineering a drive keyed by the star signal caller’s athleticism both with his arm and legs, with the senior hitting pay dirt on a 6-yard run to tie the game. After forcing a rare Trojans’ three-and-out, Gaffney would take the lead on a 4-yard score from C.J. Miller
During the drive, Burris separated his left (non-throwing) shoulder, an injury that would impact how he and his team played the rest of the game.
Northwestern would tie things at 14 apiece to end the first stanza, hitting Brandon Lewis 24 yards down the center of the field for the score.
With just over four minutes remaining in the first half, Gaffney’s Burris returned to a standing ovation by Indian faithful, driving the offense 56 yards to reclaim the lead at 21-14, with backup quarterback Joey Copeland doing the honors by running it in from a yard out.
A controversial call to end the first half drew the Trojans even as the teams went in for intermission, Worley hitting big target Rontavious McClure on a fade route just over the outstretched hands of a Gaffney defender to make the score 21-21.
“That was big, big, big; we’ve been wanting Rontavious to just go up and get the ball,” Wallace said.
Things slowed down quite a bit in the third quarter, as Northwestern was the only ones to score in the stanza. Following Burris’ second interception of the game, Worley directed a 12 play, 94 yard drive which ended with the quarterback crossing the goal line on a seven yard run, giving the Trojans a 28-21 lead.
As had been the case all game though, Gaffney would again return the favor, the drive ending with Copeland’s second score of the game. But Northwestern would seize control of the contest for good on its next possession, using its short passing game to chip away at the Indians’ defense before hitting it big, this time a 10-yard completion to B.J. Boyd for a 35-28 lead.
The Trojans would put things out of reach with Worley’s sixth score, a 9-yard pass lofted to McClure in the corner of the end zone to give them a 14-point advantage, one it would not relinquish.
The Northwestern quarterback finished 37 of 48 passing, throwing for 427 yards and five scores. He had one interception in the contest. Worley’s top target on the night was Boyd, who hauled in 11 balls for 112 yards.
Gaffney’s Burris was 15 of 25 for 246 yards and four interceptions, gutting things out despite sustaining a shoulder injury early in the first half. Quinshad Davis had 258 yards receiving for the Indians in a losing effort.
Northwestern improves to 10-0 (4-0 S.C. Region III-AAAA), while Gaffney falls to 7-3 (3-1).