WHAT WE SAW: South Florence 43, A.C. Flora 27
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South Florence and A.C. Flora looked very similar through the first 13 weeks of the season. They seemed destined to meet in the Class 4A Lower State championship from the early stages of the season and once it came to…
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Continue ReadingSouth Florence and A.C. Flora looked very similar through the first 13 weeks of the season. They seemed destined to meet in the Class 4A Lower State championship from the early stages of the season and once it came to fruition, neither team disappointed.
The biggest difference is the Bruins had LaNorris Sellers LaNorris Sellers 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB South Florence | 2023 State SC and the Falcons didn’t. The Syracuse verbal commit ran for a season-high 230 yards and five touchdowns Friday night to lead South Florence to the program’s first-ever state championship game. South Florence will play Northwestern, a 33-28 winner over Greenville, next Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Benedict College’s Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.
“LaNorris Sellars is the best player in the state,” South Florence coach Drew Marlowe said. “If he doesn’t win Mr. Football, you better get rid of the award because it is garbage. He made some critical throws and runs and played great.”
It was back-and-forth the first three quarters with A.C. Flora’s Markel Townsend Markel Townsend 5'8" | 170 lbs | RB AC Flora | 2023 State SC doing everything he could to match Norris. The Falcons senior running back ran for 155 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 40 rushing TDs on the season.
South Florence (14-0) held a 28-27 advantage entering the fourth quarter thanks to a Falcons missed extra point Townsend’s fourth TD of the night – a 1-yard plunge with 1:58 remaining in the third quarter.
At that point, the only time either offense had been stopped was at the end of the first half. A.C. Flora punted with less than 15 seconds remaining and South Florence took a knee to end the half.
It looked like the Falcons had seized momentum when they stopped the Bruins on a fourth down from the A.C. Flora 16-yard line. But three plays netted two yards and A.C. Flora punted it back to South Florence at their own 47-yard line.
That’s when Norris put the finishing touches on his night. Norris accounted for 50 of the 53 yards on the drive and scampered in from 17 yards out with 8:41 remaining. Norris made it a 36-27 lead when he easily scored on the two-point conversion try.
A.C. Flora came up a yard short on a fourth-and-9 play on its next series to turn it over on downs at the Bruins 30-yard line. Norris and the Bruins responded with the final dagger at that point. Norris had runs of 19 and 35 yards early in the drive before capping it off with his fifth TD of the game, this one from 13 yards out.
“That kid is really special,” AC Flora coach Ken Floyd said. “When it came down to it and they needed a yard or 10 yards or whatever it was, he made it happen. He was the difference-maker, no doubt.”
“I think we stopped them one time the entire night. Hats off to our defense – that is just a tough out. That is a good unit (offensive) unit over there, and with Sellers as an X factor, it makes things really tough.”
Norris typically beats teams with his arm, but he was held in check in the passing game – finishing 11-of-17 for 140 yards. But he thought the Falcons defense was open to him being able to run more than usual.
Shikeem Shilow helped take some of the pressure off Norris. He rushed for 95 yards and the Bruins first touchdown on 20 carries. Evan Singletary was Norris’s top target with five catches for 64 yards. Juan Fargas added 52 yards on four receptions with Jayden Sellers Jayden Sellers 5'11" | 160 lbs | WR South Florence | 2025 State SC catching one pass for 13 yards and Rodney Lesane Rodney Lesane 6'1" | 235 lbs | TE South Florence | 2024 State SC adding a catch for 11 yards.
Defensively for South Florence, the linebacker trio of Jaylin Davis, Trokel Prew Trokel Prew 5'8" | 185 lbs | LB South Florence | 2023 State SC and Noah Moore more than held their own against a Falcons offense that came in averaging over 40 points per game. Safety Quincy Rhodes Quincy Rhodes 5'11" | 155 lbs | DB South Florence | 2024 State SC also played a huge factor.
Carew Bates Carew Bates 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH AC Flora | 2023 State SC finished his career by going 10-of-19 passing for 135 yards to go along with 46 yards rushing. Chris Lofton Chris Lofton 5'10" | 165 lbs | WR AC Flora | 2023 State SC played both ways and finished with four catches for 70 yards. Towsend, Jack Purdy Jack Purdy 6'4" | 195 lbs | WR A.C. Flora | 2023 SC , Aiden Mosley Aiden Mosley 5'11" | 175 lbs | RB AC Flora | 2025 State SC , Heath Moser, and Chapman West all finished with one reception.
Despite the huge night from Norris, Eric McClain, Albert Perkins and Mason Little played well defensively for A.C. Flora.