GSPD Game Balls: Week 6

Ian Guerin September 30, 2023 @ 07:04 PM

Seven players on the Grand Strand and Pee Dee made sure their teams started off region play on the right foot, including two who linked up in the most dramatic fashion.   This week's Game Balls also feature a young linebacker and a tailback making their mark for one of the state's traditional powers, a quarterback with a short memory, a running back delivering his team's first victory of 2023 and a lanky linebacker who led the charge against one of the higher-scoring teams in Class A.   [player_tooltip player_id='1254177' first='Gibson' last='Goodroe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='816753' first='Rayvon' last='Green'] (pictured), Myrtle Beach - The relatively inexperienced quarterback-receiver combo etched their names into the story of the Seahawks' 2023 season by linking up on a 34-yard touchdown pass as time expired to give them and their teammates a  29-28 win over West Florence to open Region VI-4A play. Earlier in the fourth, Goodroe threw another touchdown pass to receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1267320' first='Jon' last='Kelly'] to get Myrtle Beach within striking distance to pull off the road victory.   [player_tooltip player_id='346196' first='Jamarion' last='Fling'] RB, Dillon - Fling is putting himself in rarified air over the course of the last three games. First, it was 203 yards and three scores against Socastee in Week 4. Then, it was 120 yards and five touchdown against Marlboro County. Then, in the region opening victory over Loris on Friday, the junior tailback added - ready for it? - 213 yards and four touchdowns. All four of his touchdowns against the Lions came in the second and third quarters. And that's 536 yards and 11 touchdowns in three weeks.    [player_tooltip player_id='1025771' first='Keryien' last='Brown'] LB, Dillon   Dillon has most definitely found it's next highly effective middle linebacker. After tacking a sack and tackle for loss onto his 4.5 tackles against Marlboro County last week, Brown went next level against Loris in the region-opening win. Brown had six total tackles and two interceptions against the Lions. The first pick happened as Loris appeared to be heading into the end zone for six points; on the second, he grabbed a deflected pass and tuned his inner tailback, breaking a couple tackles and using a spin move to take it 41 yards for a touchdown.     [player_tooltip player_id='1007499' first='Trevon' last='Washington'] RB, Conway - The Tigers needed some players to step up in a big way against St. James - one of those region contests that could eventually serve as a make-or-break game in terms of earning a playoff bid. Washington fulfilled that need. With seven carries, he finished with 138 yards and two touchdowns, both from 63 yards. The first was simply him bursting through the line with a head of steam and out-running everyone. On the second, he got himself into a log jam in the middle of the defense before breaking free and racing up the sideline.     [player_tooltip player_id='295367' first='Gabe' last='Cusack'] QB, Marion - Talk about a bounce back performance. One week after throwing four interceptions in a lopsided, non-region loss to Myrtle Beach Cusack not only had a much better showing, he spurred a key 42-32 region victory over Andrews. In the win, the senior completed all eight of his pass attempts for 180 yards and two touchdowns (and no picks). He also rushed for 55 yards and another score.     Keaton Braddock LB, Lamar - The Silver Foxes turned a lot of heads by holding the high-scoring Latta offense to just seven points. Braddock had a lot to do with that. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound outside linebacker ended the game with seven tackles, three tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. It was the first time the Vikings had scored fewer than 28 points in any game this season.

Seven players on the Grand Strand and Pee Dee made sure their teams started off region play on the right foot, including two who linked up in the most dramatic fashion.