Class 3A Upper State Final Preview

Jed Blackwell November 21, 2023 @ 08:05 PM

The heavyweight fight we've been waiting for has arrived.   In 3A, it became clear early on that though the Upper State was absolutely loaded at the top, two teams at the VERY top looked like the class of the field.   Well, here we are. An absurd rushing attack from an upstart program will clash with a balanced, explosive offense from a team that's a pretty good bit to pencil in when August rolls around. They're the smart money to still be alive in December.   They're separated by a county line and not very many miles, but they play in different regions and haven't seen each other yet. So, without delay, here's a look at what's shaping up to be a war.   No. 1 Belton-Honea Path (13-0) at No. 1 Daniel (13-0)   Friday, 7:30 p.m.   About the Bears: About "them Bears", more appropriately, as Bears backers call their beloved squad. BHP has been on a tear since the very beginning of the year, when they handed Westside (who's still playing in 4A, just incidentally) their only loss of the season. They've done it the whole way with a rugged, explosive, better-tackle-that-guy-or-he's-gone rushing offense. [player_tooltip player_id='605525' first='Marquise' last='Henderson'], to put it simply, makes it go. He's got more than 2,100 yards. He's got a BHP-record 36 TDs. He AVERAGES nearly 12 yards per carry. But he's just the beginning. If he's the flash, then [player_tooltip player_id='1144034' first='Shaheem' last='Robbs'] is the hammer. Robbs has more than 1,100 yards himself, and has scored 13 times. [player_tooltip player_id='1253982' first='Justin' last='Lathon'], who helps lead the team on defense, has stepped up in the playoffs as the third back. [player_tooltip player_id='283891' first='Noah' last='Thomas'] has a big arm and a steady presence at QB, and Qua Alexander is a walking receiving TD. But it's not just offense. [player_tooltip player_id='1249760' first='Tye' last='Kelly'] has 12 tackles for loss, [player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin'] (pictured) has notched eight takeaways, and Lathon has four of the Bears' 21 sacks.   About the Lions: Daniel has done just what Daniel does. In the last four years, the Lions have lost one game, by one point, on a close-call two-point conversion in the third round of last year's playoffs. They were supposed to be done. But they've been "done" before. The Lions just seem to have a knack for re-loading. This year, it's [player_tooltip player_id='1055627' first='Kolton' last='Chapman'] calling the shots at QB, and he's given Daniel another top-tier look at the position, throwing for more than 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns. There's not the game-breaking receiver the Lions have become known for this season, but there are a bunch of guys who can go. Graydon Nix has 599 receiving yards, Sam Earle has 528, and [player_tooltip player_id='1360192' first='Jason' last='Bish'] has 430. On the ground, [player_tooltip player_id='997148' first='Ja'kari' last='Bennett'] is a monster, with nearly 1,300 yards, a 9.5 yards-per-carry average, and 25 scores. Tory Shaw is the complementary guy, with 670 yards and 12 touchdowns. And a lot of that success starts up front with guys like [player_tooltip player_id='1142430' first='Watson' last='Young'], who's a four-year guy, an Appalachian State commit, and a Mr. Football finalist.   Key Matchup: BHP's trio of backs vs. Daniel LB [player_tooltip player_id='1157945' first='Spencer' last='Conn']   Henderson, Robbs, and Lathon are special, as is Thomas. But this year, Conn has been on a different planet defensively. He's got 121 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, an interception, four fumble recoveries, and a blocked punt. He's fast, he's physical, he's everywhere all at once, and he's got incredible football instincts. If the defensive line can keep him clean and he's able to hunt down BHP's runners, the Lions will be in good shape.    X-Factor: Jakyri Anderson LB, BHP   Anderson does a bunch of things for the Bears, and does them well. He doesn't jump off the stat sheet at you, until you look a little closer. Then you'll notice the numbers: 54 tackles, three sacks, three hurries, a blocked kick, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception, and a defensive touchdown. In BHP's in-house defensive points system, he's tied for second on the team. He helped salt away the third round win over Clinton with a pick-six. And, he returns punts. If Anderson has a big night, the Bears will like their chances.

The heavyweight fight we've been waiting for has arrived.