What We Saw: James Island 49, May River 14

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91365' first='Braxton' last='Scott']</strong> dazzled with his arm, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='605524' first='Amor' last='Scott'] </strong>and company feasted on the ground, and the defense did its thing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just another night at the office for the James Island Trojans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thanks to a well-oiled rushing attack with an efficient game through the air from<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='91365' first='Braxton' last='Scott'],</strong> James Island downed May River on the road 49-14 to maintain its unbeaten record, now at 7-0 overall and 2-0 in Region VII-4A play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We responded really well,” [player_tooltip player_id='91365' first='Braxton' last='Scott'] said. “Our offensive line did what they needed to do, our running backs were beasts, and at the end of the day we all came together.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It couldn't have been a better start for the Trojans on the road, as a motivated <strong>Jalen Brown-Singleton</strong> found an open seam on the left side and took it the distance for a kickoff-return touchdown. The hot start on special teams gave way to the Trojan offense, as quick and agile runner <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='605524' first='Amor' last='Scott'] </strong>asserted his presence alongside dual threat quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91365' first='Braxton' last='Scott']</strong>. Fueled by a remarkable performance by freshman<strong> Isreal Harris</strong> and his offensive line, Amor found paydirt three times with 83 rushing yards on nine carries. His excellent burst and alertness to hit the hole and accelerate quickly helped him outrun defenders and find open grass. After scoring his first touchdown on a short field to make it 14-7, he gave way to bruising 6-foot-1 and 250-pound back<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='594497' first='James' last='Maxwell'] </strong>who plowed past a flurry of Shark tacklers for a clinical 26-yard score and a 21-7 advantage. He finished with 79 rushing yards on seven carries, providing a lethal mix of power and agility from the backfield.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“He's a different breed,” [player_tooltip player_id='91365' first='Braxton' last='Scott'] said. “The first person isn't gonna make the tackle on him, he's gonna keep going and going till three people come tackle him.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91365' first='Braxton' last='Scott'] </strong>showed out through the air as well, and he sparked an eye-popping play to end the half. With one second to go before the break, Scott let a deep ball fly to the right corner of the end zone, and 6-foot-3 <strong>DJ Wright</strong> stretched out his arms for a sensational catch over a defender as the half expired. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91365' first='Braxton' last='Scott']</strong> showed his excellent hustle and vision downfield all night for a very efficient game under center, completing 12-of-17 passes for 172 yards and a score that helped gain some key separation before halftime. The Trojans' terrific work on the line paved the way, sparking 299 rushing yards on 38 carries while giving time for <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91365' first='Braxton' last='Scott'] </strong>to find his wideouts downfield.<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='448987' first='Wushi' last='Ravenel']</strong> delivered a solid game with his always-strong hands and athleticism, reeling in four catches for 50 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After giving up an early score in May River's first possession, James Island's potent defense tightened up, allowing just one additional score the rest of the way while forcing a pair of turnovers. The Trojans' active hands at the line forced an important first giveaway, tipping a Macy pass at the line of scrimmage before linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='340395' first='Chris' last='Glover']</strong> snatched it away. James Island forced another in the second, as <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208346' first='Jayden' last='Whaley']</strong> hopped on a miscommunicated screen to record the pick. The Trojans forced more pressure on Macy as the game went on with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272709' first='Malachi' last='Jefferson'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012698' first='Hendrix' last='Beran']</strong> wreaking havoc in the backfield. Defensive back <strong>Max Cates</strong> showed his reliable play for a second straight week with excellent head-up tackling, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='589055' first='Amontrae' last='Scott'] </strong>shined with his hustle and coverage at linebacker. It's a deep and well-coached defensive unit that has allowed just 28 total points in seven games this season.&nbsp;In their first game at home since Week 1, the Sharks showed some signs of improvement against a complete Class 4A team. Wide receiver <strong>Gage Duncan</strong> delivered a nice spark at wide receiver and was the primary skill position target on the field, breaking the century mark with five receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown. He's got excellent quickness and route running scenes to get himself open, including on a perfectly timed wheel route to the end zone on his touchdown grab. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360121' first='Tanner' last='Macy']</strong> had a productive day on the ground, totaling 82 rushing yards and a score on 16 carries. He's a dynamic runner who has big potential when the passing game starts to further click. <strong>Will Bostwick</strong> was everywhere defensively for the Sharks, shining in pass coverage while finishing multiple important tackles in the open field throughout the night. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1575350' first='Ethan' last='Sprinkle'] </strong>continued his terrific season at linebacker by shutting down lanes in the run game, and both <strong>Bryce Harris</strong> and <strong>Devin Watson</strong> came through with perfectly-timed rushes into the backfield for sacks. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1575340' first='Hudson' last='Flanagan']</strong> showcased his hard work in both defense and special teams whether it was playing tight coverage, finishing off tackles, or even helping recover a fumble off a kickoff.&nbsp; <strong>Giovanni D'Anna</strong> was a hidden gem on May River's defense, displaying a relentless effort to slow down the Trojan run game with important stops throughout the night. Richard Bonneville's hard-working defensive core will need to produce for the Sharks to claw back into the Region VII-4A playoff picture.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->