SCISA Championship Weekend Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's Weekend of Champions for the South Carolina Independent Schools Association (SCISA) and there are four games being staged at Charleston Southern University. The Class 4A game will be held Friday evening with three other games being played on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is our preview of the four championship games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 4A Hammond (10-2) vs Laurence Manning (10-2), Friday, 7:30 p.m.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a rematch from last year's state championship game and also a rematch from earlier this season. The Skyhawks won both and are aiming for their seventh straight SCISA state championship. Hammond comes in with on a nine-game winning streak and without a loss to a SCISA team this season. The Skyhawks have used three different quarterbacks with all three of them seeing time on each series. <strong>Robert Malanuk</strong> has thrown for 521 yards and ran for 179. <strong>Charlie Allen</strong> added 324 passing yards and <strong>Ben Kiser</strong> has thrown for 261 yards and ran for another 170. They lean heavily on the running duo of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1575317' first='Immanuel' last='Johnson']</strong> and <strong>Kinson Holland</strong>. Johnson leads the way with 1,083 yards and Holland has 825 yards and two have combined for 19 touchdowns. In the 20-6 win over the Swampcats earlier this season, Johnson had 146 of the 221 total yards for Hammond and two scores. <strong>Michael Tyler</strong> is a big-time target with 484 yards receiving and six touchdowns. LB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='947684' first='Will' last='McQueen']</strong> is having a having a great season with 95 tackles, 33 tackles for loss and 19 sacks. Hammond only allowed Laurence Manning 80 yards of total offense in the first meeting. <strong>Durham Kirk</strong> has 53 tackles. 19 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. <strong>Brewer LaMotte</strong> has added 43 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and three interceptions. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360106' first='Zay' last='Mathis']</strong> has 17 pass breakups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Laurence Manning will lean heavily on QB <strong>Tyler June</strong>. He was almost perfect in the semifinal win over Porter-Gaud when he went 18-of-19 for 265 yards and three touchdowns. June will also play wide receiver and some running back when freshman <strong>Grainger Powell </strong>goes under center. He also added a rushing score. <strong>Jackson Brunson</strong> and <strong>Josiah Burson</strong> are a couple of his top targets with <strong>Thomas Sumpter</strong> and <strong>Zylen Dennis </strong>providing depth. <strong>Bryson Hodge</strong> and <strong>Drew Ferriell</strong> are also targets from the tight end spot. <strong>Ian Harris</strong> is the top running back for the Swampcats. Brunson is one of the top defenders from his cornerback spot. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1359132' first='Jeremiah' last='Burson']</strong> and <strong>Noah Turner</strong> will also try to make it difficult for the Skyhawks offense to get on track.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 3A Hilton Head Christian (10-2) vs Wilson Hall (10-2), Saturday, 3:30 p.m.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hilton Head Christian comes in on a 10-game winning streak after dropping the first two games of the season. The second loss was a 17-10 setback against Wilson Hall on August 25. QB <strong>Dylan Clark </strong>has passed for 2,169 yards and 25 touchdowns and is the leading rusher with 636 yards and 15 scores. <strong>James Crosby</strong> is second in rushing with 245 yards. <strong>AJ Houpt</strong> (56 receptions, 915 yards, 13 TDs), <strong>Tyshon Mansell</strong> (34-543, 10) and <strong>Gage Zatalokin</strong> (32-487, 5) give the Eagles a trio of big-play receivers. The defense is led by MLB <strong>Zane Wilson</strong> and his 130 tackles. <strong>Bradlee Anderson</strong> has added 86 tackles. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395087' first='Reid' last='McCollum'] </strong>is a difference-maker in the secondary with 69 tackles, nine sacks and four interceptions. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='589061' first='Tucker' last='Tevepaugh'],</strong> <strong>Keene Resse</strong> and <strong>Jackson Conrad </strong>also bring plenty of pop.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Barons will attack with RB <strong>Dylan Jones</strong>, who has 1,327 yards and 19 rushing TDs. QB <strong>Clark Kinney</strong> has thrown for 1,026 yards with eight touchdowns and added 235 yards rushing and 10 scores. <strong>Miles Van Patten</strong> has nine rushing touchdowns, and 626 yards and <strong>Ben Reynolds</strong> has added 418 rushing yards. The main receiving threat is <strong>Blake Van Patten</strong> with 30 catches for 701 yards and nine scores. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360028' first='Jackson' last='Bonser']</strong> is the leading tackler with 94 stops, but he has plenty of help. <strong>Landon Gilley</strong> has 81 tackles and four interceptions. <strong>Ben McLaurin</strong> (76 tackles) and <strong>Grayson Alexander</strong> (70 tackles) are key contributors as well. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 2A Williamsburg Academy (12-0) vs Bethesda Academy (12-0), Saturday, 12 p.m.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williamsburg Academy is looking to defend its 2022 state championship and they will face a Bethesda Academy team they defeated along the way last season in trying to do so. The Stallions have a powerful running game that is led by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448999' first='Camden' last='Moore']</strong> (pictured) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='322302' first='Teague' last='Ward']</strong>. Moore has 1,037 yards rushing and 13 TDs to go along with 389 yards receiving and six more touchdowns. Ward has added 918 yards and 14 scores with 17 catches for 356 yards and four touchdowns. He also has recorded 80 tackles on defense. <strong>Conrad Balder</strong> has returned from injury and he has 17 TD passes and just two interceptions. <strong>Micah Balder </strong>filled in for him for Conrad Balder and he has 331 yards rushing on the season. <strong>Wes Smith</strong> is the leading WR with 18 catches for 278 yards. Defensively, <strong>JD Sholar</strong> has 75 tackles. Williamsburg Academy has allowed 20 points in the last four games. <strong>Landon Strong</strong> and <strong>Ty Childers</strong> each have 64 tackles and <strong>Aiden Stuckey</strong> has 51 stops and six sacks. The Stallions have won 34 of their last 35 games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bethesda Academy has five shutouts on the season and will hand their had on the defense. <strong>Kamerion Lanigan</strong> leads the way with 60 tackles and <strong>Raleigh Wesley</strong> has added 50 tackles. <strong>Jordan Cheever</strong> and <strong>Arlando Chaney</strong> each have 37 stops. Chaney leads the team with six sacks. Wesley has 7 interceptions and Bethesda has 20 picks as a team. <strong>Triston Randall</strong> does a little bit of everything. He has 65 tackles but also has thrown for 1,806 yards with 13 touchdowns and ran for 307 yards and 11 touchdowns. <strong>Noah Jenkins </strong>is the workhorse with 1,740 yards rushing and 26 scores. <strong>Thomas Peters</strong> has 695 receiving yards and five touchdowns. <strong>Caleb Dillon</strong> has 25 catches for 436 yards and four scores with <strong>Jadon Turner</strong> adding 12 grabs for 294 yards. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class A: Lee Academy (10-2) vs Patrick Henry Academy (10-2), Saturday, 7:30 p.m.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The nightcap will see Lee Academy looking to repeat as the Class A state champion. These teams played in week three with Patrick Henry claiming a 47-21 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cavaliers will look to defend that title with the play of <strong>Clayton Catoe</strong> and <strong>William West</strong> splitting time at quarterback. Catoe is also one of the better defensive players from his defensive back spot. RB <strong>Deshon Haddon</strong> has had an excellent season and looks to cap it off with another 100-yard night. TE <strong>Lance Freidenberger</strong> is also a threat in the passing game and is a punishing blocker. Other standouts on defense include <strong>Bryson Muldrow</strong>, <strong>Trace June</strong> and <strong>Tucker Boyce</strong>. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Patrick Henry QB <strong>Hugh Fairey</strong> has had a huge season with 2,257 yards passing and is the leading rusher with 867 yards. He's accounted for 28 touchdowns. His top target has been <strong>Forest Fairey</strong>, who has 47 catches for 1,025 yards and 10 scores. <strong>Mikell Tucker Mathis </strong>has done a little bit of everything. He's the second leading rusher with 384 yards and nine scores and has added 25 catches for 430 yards and two touchdowns. That goes along with being the top tackler with 86. <strong>Al-Tariq Johnson</strong> is a threat at receiver with 25 receptions for 538 yards. He's added 27 tackles on defense. <strong>Andrew Searles</strong> is second on the team with 69 tackles. <strong>Hance McCrary</strong> has 65 tackles with <strong>Cohen Freeman</strong> next with 46 tackles and <strong>Allen Berg</strong> adding 40 stops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->