Irmo dominates in the trenches to power past Berkeley

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>IRMO |</strong> By the time we reached the middle of the fourth quarter in Irmo's 44-6 dismantling of Berkeley Friday night in the Class 5A, Division II Lower State Championship, the Yellow Jackets stars were standing on the sidelines dancing and cheering on the backups that were in to close out the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the likes of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422528' first='Maleek' last='Miller']</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='755890' first='Amire' last='White']</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='755914' first='Jaiden' last='Bryant']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1172366' first='Tyrone' last='Jennings']</strong>, their work was done and Irmo was in consecutive state finals for the first time since 1978-1979 seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Irmo has a rematch with Northwestern next Friday night in Orangeburg. The Trojans won last season 34-31 in a classic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“This means a lot to get back to a state championship,” Jennings said. “The job didn't get finished last year so we want to try and change that outcome this time around.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Irmo defense set the tone early, stopping the Stags on their first two possessions despite the fact they reached the red zone each time. Berkeley got to the Irmo 19-yard line but ended up doing a quick kick from the 34-yard line after a penalty and an incomplete pass. The next series ended with Jennings, Bryant and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734510' first='Major' last='Taylor']</strong> stopping the Stags on third and fourth-and-1 from the Irmo 9-yard line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We played great. The key was just staying in our gaps, playing strong and playing fast,” Jennings said. “We played physical and made plays all night.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That gave the Irmo offense time to find its footing. The Yellow Jackets scored 20 straight points in the second quarter with Miller and the defense handling the duties.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Irmo ran a jumbo package with Bryant, Jennings and Taylor lining up in the backfield and being the lead blockers. Miller scored on a 24-yard run around the left end to get the scoring started. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Miller again followed his lead blockers for a 2-yard touchdown with 3:14 remaining in the half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“It's fun to be able to help out the offense, getting them a first down or touchdown when we need it” Jennings said. “We just create the holes and let our great backs do their thing.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just 54 seconds later, Bryant had a scoop and score from around the 10-yard line for the large lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Berkeley (10-3) got an interception from <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165076' first='Marcus' last='Henderson']</strong> to set up its only score. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036733' first='Henry' last='Rivers'] </strong>threw a dart to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1766209' first='Malik' last='Callen']</strong> with 32 seconds in the half but that was the highlight of the night for the Stags offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bryant, Jennings, Taylor and <strong>Devaughan Sutter</strong> made it difficult for Berkeley to get anything established. Rivers eventually left with an injury in the third quarter after throwing for 59 yards and rushing for 58 more. The Irmo defense limited the Stags to 229 yards with a good chunk of that coming in mop-up time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I know (Bryant) gets a lot of credit but when you see Tyrone (Jennings) just destroy the pocket every game and you have [player_tooltip player_id='1734510' first='Major' last='Taylor'] on the other edge, that d-line just handles their business,” Irmo coach Aaron Brand said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The only scoring in the third quarter came on a <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816253' first='Tucker' last='Williams']</strong> 27-yard field goal. Irmo then went on a flurry over a four-minute span of the fourth quarter to salt things away.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>White scampered 26 yards on the first play of the fourth quarter to make the Yellow Jackets comfortable. But the Yellow Jackets recovered a pooch kick and White scored on a 29-yard run on fourth down just over two minutes later. After the defense forced another three-and-out, White capped his night with a 65-yard punt return.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>White finished 143 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 12 carries. Miller had 62 yards rushing, 43 yards receiving and the 65-yard punt return. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='860400' first='Drevon' last='Dopson']</strong> threw for 119 yards on 13-of-19 passing. Freshman <strong>Cory Miller</strong> added five catches for 43 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Irmo has had some injuries on the offensive front but the line of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='756223' first='Nate' last='Carson']</strong> <strong>Kieren Vauls</strong> <strong>Jackson Livingston</strong> <strong>Vernon Hairness</strong> and <strong>Mason McGill</strong> more than held its own against a defense that was only allowing 14 points per game. McGill is a freshman.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We've down offensive-line wise with some injuries and we had to play two young guys tonight,” Brand said. “Those guys picked it up and came through.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->