What We Saw: Irmo 55, Myrtle Beach 24
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IRMO | Telvin Smith Telvin Smith 5'9" | 175 lbs | WR Irmo | 2024 State SC gets somewhat overlooked when discussing Irmo’s offensive weapons. While the wide receiver’s overall numbers may pale in comparison to quarterback AJ Brand AJ…
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Continue ReadingIRMO | Telvin Smith Telvin Smith 5'9" | 175 lbs | WR Irmo | 2024 State SC gets somewhat overlooked when discussing Irmo’s offensive weapons.
While the wide receiver’s overall numbers may pale in comparison to quarterback AJ Brand AJ Brand 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Irmo | 2025 State SC running back Jaden Allen-Hendrix Jaden Allen-Hendrix 6'2" | 230 lbs | RB Irmo | 2024 State SC and position mate Donovan Murph Donovan Murph 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Irmo | 2026 State SC , Smith’s value remains high.
On Friday, his play on special teams helped the Yellow Jackets defeat Myrtle Beach 55-24. His three second-half touchdowns – two on kick returns of 93 and 40 yards and one receiving – helped put the game away against the Seahawks.
“I had to depend on my blocks,” Smith said. “I read the field, I knew my teammates would block for me and took it from there.”
Irmo (12-0) got its usual high production from its Big Three in reaching the third round for the first time since 2010. Brand threw for 184 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 128 yards and a score.
For the season, he now has 60 total touchdowns and is 88 yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards to go with 2,624 passing yards.
Allen-Hendrix, a Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl running back, also drew closer to a milestone. He rushed for 185 yards to move within 32 yards of 2,000 on the season. He also scored three touchdowns, two on the ground and the other on one of Brand’s two 57-yard touchdown passes.
Brand’s first went deep to Murph, who finished with four receptions for 82 yards.
“We knew this team would come out with some dog in them,” Brand said. “So we had to prepare for this dogfight. Nothing that we couldn’t bounce back from, so I think this was a great experience for me and my team knowing we haven’t been through adversity that much this year. Definitely a test for us going into the next round.”
The defense did allow its most points of the season to Myrtle Beach, Quarterback Gibson Goodroe Gibson Goodroe 5'10" | 170 lbs | QB Myrtle Beach | 2025 State SC threw three touchdown passes and running back Malachi Washington Malachi Washington 6'2" | 185 lbs | DL SC had more than 100 all-purpose yards and a score on a 67-yard hook-and-ladder play.
While the secondary was greatly challenged by Myrtle Beach’s wide receivers in Rayvon Green Rayvon Green 5'10" | 155 lbs | WR Myrtle Beach | 2026 State SC John Simmons John Simmons 6'3" | 200 lbs | WR Myrtle Beach | 2025 State SC and Jon Kelly Jon Kelly 6'2" | 200 lbs | WR Myrtle Beach | 2026 SC , Irmo’s defensive front made it difficult in sacking Goodroe eight times. It even forced a timely interception from Matthew Blocker to halt Myrtle Beach’s momentum after recovering an Allen-Hendrix fumble.
“That’s just a testament to those guys,” Irmo coach Aaron Brand, AJ’s dad, said. “ Xavier Montgomery Xavier Montgomery 6'1" | 210 lbs | DL Irmo | 2024 State SC (pictured on top of Goodroe) was awesome tonight off the edge. When you’ve got baggers in the middle kind of directing and commanding that defense, it is what it is.
“Those guys just played well, and the defense continued to get pressure on that guy (Goodroe) and they were gassed a little bit. So, Myrtle Beach played a little bit of hurry up and just something we weren’t used to right at the beginning. But we got adjusted and we knew if we could get two-three stops in the second half, then we had a chance to win the game going away.”
Up next is a return visit to James Island for the third round. The Trojans defeated the Yellow Jackets 24-2 in last year’s second-round matchup.