Third Round Game Balls: CSRA and Midlands

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state quarterfinals in the SCHSL did not disappoint with several outstanding performances across the Midlands and CRSA regions of the state. One player capped a strong junior season with an outstanding performance in a SCISA state championship game. Another player saw their outstanding career end, but they went out with an eight-touchdown performance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at the game ball winners from this past Friday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142518' first='Demenico' last='Banks']</strong> LB, White Knoll – Banks set the tone early in the Timberwolves 35-7 win over Sumter Friday night. Banks blocked a field goal that <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012621' first='Devin' last='Geronomi']</strong> scooped up and returned for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. Banks finished with 10 total tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss in limiting the Gamecocks to 171 yards of total offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand']</strong> QB, Irmo – At this point, we could almost make Brand a permanent fixture here. All the junior accomplished in a 34-7 victory over James Island Friday night was complete 14-of-20 for 158 yards and a touchdown and he ran it 13 times for 131 yards and two scores. This came against a Trojans defense that was allowing just over six points per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='816740' first='Marcus' last='Cann']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='997288' first='Nick' last='Folk']</strong>, <strong>Eric Lee</strong> RBs, Bamberg-Ehrhardt - The three Red Raiders' tailbacks rushed for a combined 161 yards and five touchdowns on a combined 24 carries Friday in the 41-6 win over Cross. Folk started the game and had 12 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown. Cann, who got most of the carries in the second and third quarter, had nine rushes for 66 yards and three scores. Lee needed just three carries to hit 45 yards and a touchdown.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blake Croft</strong> DB, Gray Collegiate – The War Eagles were clinging to a three-point lead late in a 35-28 win over Strom Thurmond Friday night when Croft recorded a pick-six with 55 seconds remaining to seal the victory. The Rebels added a late field goal to close within seven points but were unable to recover the onside kick.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91348' first='Traevon' last='Dunbar']</strong> RB, Midland Valley – Dunbar's excellent career ended in a 68-53 setback to Westside on Friday night but even with the loss, he made his mark felt. He finished the night with 306 yards and eight touchdowns on 38 attempts. He became just the second running back in state history to eclipse 3,000 rushing yards in a single season. His scoring runs came from 13, 6, 17, 42, 3, 32, 5 and 35 yards. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1575317' first='Immanuel' last='Johnson']</strong> RB, Hammond – Johnson capped his junior season with 202 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries to help the Skyhawks to their seventh straight SCISA championship with a 28-21 victory over Laurence Manning Friday night. Johnson scored on runs of 19 and 74 yards and he added a two-point conversion as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267290' first='Ethan' last='Offing']</strong> QB, Dutch Fork – Offing replaced injured starter Jon Hunt for the second straight week and guided the Silver Foxes to a 35-10 win over Gaffney Friday night. He ran the ball 18 times for 51 yards and scoring runs of 17 and 10 yards. He also was 17-of-28 for 188 yards and an 11-yard TD pass to Trent Lodge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139311' first='Grayson' last='White']</strong> QB, Camden – White has Camden in the state semifinals for the fourth time in five years after a 35-28 win over Gilbert on Friday. White scored the go-ahead touchdown late then recorded a sack on the final play of the game. White was 17-of-25 for 195 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 82 yards rushing and two scores on 14 attempts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771224' first='Will' last='Young']</strong> QB and <strong>Deshaun Washington</strong> RB, Brookland-Cayce – All season long, it's been the Washington and Young show for the Bearcats. It was the same thing Friday night in a 53-27 victory over Crestwood. Young finished with 315 yards and five rushing touchdowns while Washington added 202 yards and three scores in the dominant victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->