Eight Players Who Will Dictate West Florence-South Florence
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Game of the year? West Florence at South Florence will certainly earn that distinction for Region VI-4A, the Pee Dee/Grand Strand zone and maybe even the entire state this coming Friday. The pair of rivals and 9-0 teams will meet…
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Continue ReadingGame of the year?
West Florence at South Florence will certainly earn that distinction for Region VI-4A, the Pee Dee/Grand Strand zone and maybe even the entire state this coming Friday.
The pair of rivals and 9-0 teams will meet in an already sold out stadium, and the interest in the game is so much that the Florence 1 School District is airing the game on its own YouTube channel. Yes, more eyes than we can count will be on this single game – one that will be arguably the biggest piece of the Class 4A Lower State playoff seedings for the ensuing three weeks.
When it comes to the Knights and Bruins, we have a massive sample size to tell us exactly which four players from each team could play a huge role in determining the outcome.
WEST FLORENCE
Kelvin Hunter Kelvin Hunter 6'1" | 185 lbs | DB West Florence | 2024 State SC LB
You want to slow down a top-flight offense? Get yourself a linebacker who can drop back in coverage and get into the back field from one play to the next. Hunter is that dude for West Florence. Through the first nine games of the year, he put up 52 solo tackles, another 20 assisted stops, 13 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, four pass break-ups, two sacks and an interception. He’s also blocked five kicks/punts. How good is the player with a couple of SEC and Sun Belt offers? Good enough that some folks were furious that he didn’t make either of the state’s all-star games because they believed him to be a senior. Nope, he’s got another year until one of them can come calling.
Franklin Emerson Franklin Emerson 6'0" | 220 lbs | ATH West Florence | 2024 State SC LB
There may not be another sure-fire tackler in Class 4A than Emerson. Also a junior, he’s compiled 190.5 total tackles over the course of the last two seasons. He does it by paying attention to every snap like its his last and always being in the right spot to do his job. In the meantime, he’s added in his share of those high-impact plays (five TFL, 1 INT, 2 FR, 2 FF, 5 PBU).
Emerson’s range in the middle of that defense will take some of the pressure off the Bruins’ secondary and allow them to stay back when necessary to prevent the over-the-top home run balls that South Florence has made a key to its offense this year.
Deuce Hudson Deuce Hudson 6'0" | 165 lbs | QB West Florence | 2023 State SC QB
After a dynamic and highlight-reel inducing 2021, Hudson is already well above both his rushing and passing averages heading into the 2022 regular-season finale. The senior signal caller is an equal threat to run (811 yards 9.32 ypc, 12 touchdowns) as he is to throw (60-116-2, 10 touchdowns).
Hudson frequently is among the first players out on a game field on every given Friday because he likes a little more time to warm up and make sure he’s ready. It’s a big reason West often jumps on folks and then rides the wave to another victory.
Darren Lloyd RB
We can’t get over the fact that Lloyd is only 20 yards from hitting 1,000-yard rushing mark … during region play. That’s right. In four games against Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Wilson and Hartsville, the bruising tailback has 980 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. It’s propelled him to 1,495 yards and 19 scores overall through nine games. During those last four, he’s averaging 13.8 yards per carry and simply running through and around just about everyone in his path.
The amazing part is that there are no gimmicks or tricks associated with what he’s doing. He’s going to get the ball a bunch (he’s had his name called on 58% of the teams rushing plays this year) and he’s going to get up field in a hurry and see if good things can happen.
SOUTH FLORENCE
Quincy Rhodes Quincy Rhodes 5'11" | 155 lbs | DB South Florence | 2024 State SC DB
The Bruins are a ball-hawking, fast-twitch defense that makes its size count even more through speed. Look no further than Rhodes. The junior safety moves fluidly from one side of the field to the other and has left some opposing offenses scratching their heads because he can crash the middle of the defense quicker than most at his position. Rhodes’ 46 solo tackles (and 30 assisted tackles) have been the crux of his game. However, his three picks and a pair of forced fumbles have gone a long way toward putting the ball back in the hands of the Bruins’ offense that doesn’t need any extra favors.
Jaylin William Davis Jaylin William Davis 5'11" | 220 lbs | LB South Florence | 2023 State SC LB
No part of the divide in the range between power rushing attacks and the super spread offenses has seemed to do much to slow down Davis (pictured) this year. Good example: A couple weeks back against Myrtle Beach, the Seahawks tried to run a polecat set. Davis went by three defenders and took out the receiver behind the line of scrimmage. The next week against North Myrtle and its more conventional offense, he was all over the back field and piled up three tackles for loss.
It’s been that type of season for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl selection. After all, he enters Week 10 with 99.5 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.
Evin Singletary Evin Singletary 5'9" | 160 lbs | WR South Florence | 2023 State SC WR
At 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, Singletary may not look like much of a deep ball threat. And then you see him in person his numbers all start to make sense. The soon-to-be 1,000-yard receiver averages 26 yards per reception and has already reached the end zone 10 times (plus once more on a rushing play).
He’s elusive with the ball in his hands, rarely takes a direct shot from opposing defenders and already has a 70-yard touchdown reception on his ledger this year. What makes Singletary so dangerous is that South does a good job of lulling defenses into a fall sense of confidence. That’s usually about when Singletary strikes.
LaNorris Sellers LaNorris Sellers 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB South Florence | 2023 State SC QB
Two parts of Sellers’ game have gone overlooked this year. First, he rarely turns the ball over. In 167 pass attempts and 73 carries, he’s thrown just two picks and fumbled only twice. That’s four times he’s given the ball away in nine games despite the fact that every play runs through him. That’s one turnover every 60 Sellers plays. Sort of nuts, right?
But there’s more. With those 73 rushes this year – designed or otherwise – the senior has averaged 10.63 yards per carry. His yards per attempt passing? It’s a nearly identical 10.97. That means, on average, every time he throws the ball or runs it, it’s good for a first down. That’s even more insane.