TEC Bowl: Wednesday Practice Notes

Ian Guerin December 6, 2023 @ 08:02 PM

MYRTLE BEACH | In the hours before the start of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl week, the South team needed to replace an offensive lineman at the last minute.   It picked up one of the biggest in the state.    Lower Richland tackle [player_tooltip player_id='771036' first='Dakarai' last='Sumter'] measured in Tuesday at 6-foot-7 and 397 pounds. As such, he was an instant talking point during Wednesday's opening practices. Sumter was the biggest player on either field, and it's not like the linemen from the two squads are small.   “I want the extra work and want to get better every day,” Sumter said. “It means a lot. I always dreamed about playing in North-South. I know I'm big; I know I'm bigger than everybody. But I just stay humble and go after it.”   Late addition or no - Sumter (pictured, middle) was added in place of Stratford's [player_tooltip player_id='745898' first='Landon' last='Stradcutter'] after the latter was ruled out Monday with an illness - the tackle fit right into the equation for a South squad that intends to revolve the rest of its offense around what it can do in the trenches. Sumter joined an offensive line that also features Richland Northeast's [player_tooltip player_id='771236' first='Mark'Quelle' last='Moser'] (6-foot-4, 387 pounds), Carolina Forest's Phil McLean (6-foot-4, 313 pounds) and Dillon's [player_tooltip player_id='1142578' first='Jayden' last='Benjamin'] (6-foot-3, 344 pounds).   Needless to say, the South squad won't be lacking any size this year.   Nor will it be lacking the type of players who have pave the way for plenty of production throughout the 2023 season.    In addition to the super-sized guys up front, [player_tooltip player_id='997162' first='Carter' last='Rimpf'] (Camden), [player_tooltip player_id='448985' first='Andrew' last='Tumbleston'] (Cane Bay), [player_tooltip player_id='589058' first='Justin' last='Joe'] (South Florence) and [player_tooltip player_id='771089' first='Kamden' last='Sox'] (Brookland-Cayce) were all part of some dynamic offenses that ran very different systems this fall. Those eight and block-first tight ends [player_tooltip player_id='393028' first='Rodney' last='Lesane'] (South Florence) and Dwayne Simmons (Ashley Ridge) provide some massive bodies for the North squad to contend with during Saturday's game. It is easily the biggest offensive line top-to-bottom at the Touchstone Energy Bowl in recent years.    AROUND WEDNESDAY'S PRACTICES   Crestwood linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='448977' first='Seneca' last='Moore'] and White Knoll receiver [player_tooltip player_id='448995' first='Austin' last='Cunningham'] were both removed from the game due to illness. Since they were in deeper positions, neither player was replaced.   However, after South kicker/punter [player_tooltip player_id='340392' first='Sam' last='Crocker'] (Philip Simmons) was injured during the morning session, Chapin's [player_tooltip player_id='1142880' first='Chase' last='Cline'] was brought in as an emergency kicker for the game.    Gray Collegiate offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1001124' first='JT' last='Sowell'] (injury) was ruled out of Saturday's game after sustaining a hit Wednesday.   In the non-injury department, Crestwood's [player_tooltip player_id='589062' first='Khalil' last='Moody'] showed off some early skill with an interception along the sideline during the morning session. Moody, who could see some time at receiver after catching 13 passes for 452 yards (34.8 ypc) this year for the Knights, also led Crestwood with a pair of interceptions and finished with four for his career.

MYRTLE BEACH | In the hours before the start of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl week, the South team needed to replace an offensive lineman at the last minute.