Week 3 GSPD Games To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With several teams in the zone either traveling around the state or off altogether, Week 3 of the 2024 season will be arguably the lightest in terms of the number of games.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It hasn't emptied the cupboard.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From Lake City to Murrells Inlet, the Grand Strand and Pee Dee will offer plenty tickets more than worth the price of admission.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LAMAR (1-2) AT LAKE CITY (1-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you're looking at the sum of these two teams, it stands to reason that it could be one of the more exciting games in the zone this week. On one hand, Lake City's offense - led by quarterback <strong>Amari Hanna</strong> (337 passing yards, three total touchdowns) and tailback <strong>Rakeem McCray</strong> (130 yards, touchdown) - has struggled to find much consistency against bigger schools like Myrtle Beach and May River. Meanwhile, the Lamar defense has left a little to be desired at time, too. The Silver Foxes will need to control the line of scrimmage with defensive linemen <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267226' first='Devaughn' last='Locust']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='762756' first='Kendall' last='Walton']</strong> against Lake City because the Panthers will likely prioritize a numbers advantage by utilizing its run game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the flip side, Lamar quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165108' first='Zori' last='Pierce']</strong> is coming off a losing effort against Central where he threw for 166 yards and ran for another 93. However, he completed less than 50 percent of his passes and coupled with two offensive fumbles from teammate and another on special teams. That last part is now a major concern against Lake City. <strong>Hunter Blanchard</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id='1253928' first='Torrance' last='Wilson'] have each forced two fumbles already this year, and <strong>Shakeem Epps</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1254131' first='Messiah' last='Brayboy-Singletary']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464893' first='Treshon' last='Burgess']</strong> (pictured) have forced one apiece. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AYNOR (2-1) AT GREEN SEA FLOYDS (0-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Speaking of fumbles, Green Sea Floyds had four of them last week in a loss to Mullins, after which coach Patrick Martin said was the basis of the team's struggles. Quarterback <strong>Thomas Gunnells</strong> still passed for 51 yards and rushed for another 55. Tailback/returner <strong>Josh Dixon</strong> had an 80-yard kickoff return for a score and <strong>Isaac Hewitt</strong> chipped in another 60 yards of offense. The Trojans will need that and a lot more because staying on the field against Aynor is of the utmost important. That will be Green Sea Floyds' best defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aynor's offense is just two weeks removed from pumping out 524 rushing yards and seven touchdowns against Class 5A St. James. The Blue Jackets struggled Friday against Socastee, but fullback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1269581' first='Austin' last='Tanyika']</strong> still registered a 25-yard touchdown run, one that extended his streak of games with at least one score to three games. Aynor is going to have a size advantage in the trenches and Tanyika's backfield mates <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1188517' first='Matthew' last='Kerby']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734403' first='Luke' last='McCracken']</strong> will have their chances to shine, too.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LORIS (3-0) AT NORTH MYRTLE BEACH (3-0)&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For all the noise about the Lions averting 53 points per game in the first three weeks behind quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='797160' first='Moon' last='Gerald']</strong> (461 passing yards, eight touchdowns, no interceptions), receivers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592447' first='Jacobien' last='Lewis']</strong> (137 yards, four touchdowns) and <strong>Quantez Dyson</strong> (169 yards, three touchdowns) and tailbacks <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422632' first='Makel' last='Stephens']</strong> (268 yards, five touchdowns) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422629' first='Roderick' last='Purchia']</strong> (161 yards, three touchdowns), Loris' defense has set it all in motion. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395062' first='Demarea' last='Thurmond']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464883' first='Javon' last='Johnson']</strong> have been abusing opposing offensive linemen, and a stream of heat-seeking missiles behind them clean up seemingly everything else. It's why the Lions have given up only six points.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>North Myrtle Beach's offense will need to be multiple to counter all that. We've seen some great production from tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1574055' first='Drew' last='Prince']</strong> in spurts. Same can be said for quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='985097' first='Landon' last='Cloninger']</strong> and receivers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='929482' first='Kaden' last='Gore']</strong> and <strong>Andrew Kreider</strong>. All of them are about to be tested more than in any other game so far this year, including against fellow Class 5A squad Goose Creek. While none of that on paper sounds great for North Myrtle Beach, this rivalry game has been decided by a single score the last two seasons, including last fall, when the Lions won in overtime.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>OTHER GAMES TO KEEP ON YOUR RADAR</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>IRMO (3-0) AT CAROLINA FOREST (1-1-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yellow Jackets quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand']</strong> is almost assuredly going to be the top quarterback to come play a game in the GSPD this year. He's bringing with him plenty of other high-profile weapons, including receivers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='377560' first='Donovan' last='Murph']</strong> (314 yards, two touchdowns) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422528' first='Maleek' last='Miller']</strong> (287 yards, three touchdowns). Carolina Forest is coming off a beatdown at the hands of Hough (N.C.), but if tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1149046' first='Chris' last='Livingston']</strong> can get back on the field and help <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1148537' first='Jaryn' last='Fox']</strong> this week, the Panthers can make this one even more interesting that some will expect.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>WANDO (1-2) AT ST. JAMES (0-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned in to the pair of junior quarterbacks in this one. Wando's <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592323' first='Harris' last='Stone']</strong> has thrown for 435 yards and a touchdown. Counterpart <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267347' first='Alex' last='Sandt']</strong> at St. James already has a 300-yard passing game after just two as the starter. This game could be a simultaneous confidence booster for both of them as we inch closer to region play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->