April On Campus: AC Flora Falcons

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>COLUMBIA |</strong> Few programs have enjoyed as much recent championship success in the South Carolina High School League than AC Flora.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The athletics program has racked up its high share of region and state titles. Most recently, the football program entered the championship conversation with five straight region titles, were a Lower State runner-up last year and claimed the Class 4A title in 2020.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Our athletic program, in general, is strong here and it has been for a long time,” said head coach Ken Floyd, who's entering his second year at the helm. “Since I've been here, we've won numerous titles in basketball and baseball. We always win in golf and tennis and now, we've won in football. This is a place known for its winning traditions. It's all over our athletic program.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>AC Flora looks to continue its winning ways in football despite having lost its two biggest offensive contributors to graduation. Running back and Mr. Richland County Football Player of the Year <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202726' first='Markel' last='Townsend']</strong> accounted for 2,660 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns and quarterback Carey Bates tallied 1,935 total yards and 30 touchdowns in leading the Falcons to an undefeated regular season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Floyd is more certain about replacing Townsend with what he called a "dynamic" backfield in seniors <strong>Noah Kelson</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272714' first='Aiden' last='Mosley']</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kelson showed promise after rushing for 351 yards in his first four games before suffering a season-ending fractured thumb. Blessed with breakaway speed, an ability to run through open holes in a defense and improved lower body strength, Kelson looks to use his tutelage behind Townsend to maintain the Falcons' running attack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mosley is also seen as a ‘home run threat', according to Floyd. He also possesses 4.4 speed like Kelson and AC Flora looks to utilize him at wide receiver and even special teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensively, the Falcons' linebacking corps is expected to be a strength. Senior <strong>Eric McClain</strong> led the team in tackles (95) and, along with <strong>Albert Perkins</strong> and <strong>Jermonte Williams</strong>, who was moved from defensive end, are expected to further boost AC Flora's interior defense.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The past two seasons has witnessed a dogfight for the top spot in Region 5-4A. Floyd expects an even more intense race this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“This is a tough, tough region,” he said. “I think this next season is even probably going to be the toughest region in 4A, in my opinion. Between Irmo and Ridge View and Richland Northeast and Lugoff(-Elgin), all those guys are good football programs and very talented.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":758456,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Albert Perkins","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"AC Flora","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u0026nbsp;rnu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eMade an immediate impact in his first year on the varsity level with 63 tackles and two sacks last seasonu003c/spanu003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cli style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eShowed versatility in playing both at inside and outside linebacker with equal effectivenessu003c/spanu003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cli style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eAt 6-0 and 205 lbs. and with 4.7 speed, Perkins provides an effective extra defender upfront against the runu003c/spanu003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cli style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eA verbal leader on defense who's always looking to uplift teammatesu003c/spanu003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cli style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eFurman and Limestone have shown interestu003c/spanu003eu003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":758470,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Noah Kelson","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"AC Flora","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u0026nbsp;rnu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eShowed promise in rushing for 351 yards in the first four games before suffering a season-ending fractured thumbu003c/spanu003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cli style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eSpent past two seasons learning the position backing up All-State running back [player_tooltip player_id='202726' first='Markel' last='Townsend']. 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