Class 4A Title: Breaking Down South Florence

Ian Guerin November 28, 2022 @ 07:33 PM

In July of 2021, weeks before Drew Marlowe's South Florence squad even took the field for preseason camp, the Bruins coach verbalized the path he saw before him.   “Frankly, this year, we need to learn how to win,” <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/08/2021-season-preview-south-florence-bruins/">he told Prep Red Zone</a>. “We need to learn how to play as a group. I see us taking big steps forward this year. But we're trying to make sure we're set for '22. In '22, I think we're poised to explode.”   It's now safe to say that Marlowe wasn't simply blowing smoke.   On Saturday, an undefeated South Florence team will follow star quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='146356' first='LaNorris' last='Sellers'] onto the field at Benedict College and face No. 3 Northwestern for for the Class 4A state championship.   The reason for optimism nearly two full football seasons ago was one thing. But, did Marlowe really believe this could happen?   “Yes, I did. I really did. That was sort of the vision I had for these guys,” Marlowe said this week. “I really believed that if we learned how to play the game together as a team - not as individuals - this is the position we would be in.   “You don't get this far on talent. You've got to do it as a team.”   South Florence has both aspects working in its favor.   THE MAINSTAYS   No player on South Florence has been as big as Sellers (pictured). The Syracuse commitment and Mr. Football finalist has been a case study in simply being better than opposing players and schemes. Everyone knows the 6-foot-3 senior is at the center of it all. And yet, nobody has really seemed to be able to do much about it.   Take this into consideration: Since Sellers becomes the Bruins' starting quarterback as a sophomore, he's combined for 93 passing and rushing touchdowns (including an eye-popping 61 this fall alone). South Florence has scored 154 offensive touchdowns. That's 60.3 percent of the team's offensive trips to the end zone, a figure that would be much, much higher if Sellers didn't miss more than half of his junior season to a shoulder injury or he spent much of 2022 on the bench watching teammates end plenty of blowout victories.    And, yet, having every opposing defense track Sellers (or, at least, try to) has paid major dividends for other offensive weapons, too. Tailback Shikeem Shilow has rushed for 1,312 yards and 16 scores. He's averaging just shy of 6.6 yards per carry and as a tribute to his wrestling and weight room acumen, has fumbled just twice in 200 carries this year.   Receivers [player_tooltip player_id='336150' first='Evin' last='Singletary'] sailed on past the 1,000-yard mark during the Class 4A Lower State finals win over AC Flora, and he enters Saturday's championship game with 1,042 yards and 12 touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id='464881' first='Jayden' last='Sellers'], LaNorris's younger brother, has 35 catches for 705 yards and 10 scores.   Defensively, middle linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='263156' first='Trokel' last='Prew'] (106.5 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss) has run wild in the the middle of the defense. Jaylen William Davis, who moved to more of a edge role this fall, has 26 tackles for loss to go along with 88.5 total tackles.   Strong safety [player_tooltip player_id='996915' first='Dirrick' last='Goodman'] (six interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two defensive touchdowns) has been a defensive haymaker of sorts lately, while [player_tooltip player_id='208353' first='Quincy' last='Rhodes'] has developed into a fantastic free safety with 48.5 total tackles to go along with a hand in seven turnovers of his own.   PLAYER TO WATCH   The third piece of the linebacking unit, Noah Moore, has settled in nicely this year, even if he hasn't gained as much traction as Prew or Davis. Still, you can't fake 88.5 total tackles. Moore, just a junior, has another year in uniform for South Florence and could be one of those guys next year with the types of stats and film to warrant all-star consideration. A big performance against Northwestern that is one of two in the class to score more than South Florence this year might just springboard him into a huge senior season.   Class 4A State Championship   No. 1 South Florence vs. No. 3 Northwestern   When: 7 p.m., Saturday   Where: Benedict College, Columbia   Tickets: $15, available only through <a href="http://gofan.co">gofan.co</a>. Parking an additional $10

In July of 2021, weeks before Drew Marlowe's South Florence squad even took the field for preseason camp, the Bruins coach verbalized the path he saw before him.