Class 2A State Championship Preview 

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='617663' first='Kaleb' last='Simpkins']</strong> knows this isn't Strom Thurmond's first rodeo against a top-notch tailback. The Rebels have faced others in recent months, and the thought of needing to stop <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165165' first='Jaylen' last='Singletary']</strong> on Saturday in the Class 2A state championship game isn't anything that's preventing Simpkins and his teammates from appreciating the moment.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“If we can collectively attempt to slow him down, our chances of winning go up,” Simpkins said. “Our defense has done a lot better job stepping up to the plate against heavy run teams. The game against Lincoln County prepared us for going down the stretch. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267286' first='Amadre' last='Wooden']</strong> from Batesburg and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402503' first='Mike' last='Doe']</strong> from North Augusta, playing great backs from around the state has prepared us.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Singletary may be the most notable player heading into this game. He's rushed for 2,482 yards and 42 touchdowns while averaging 10.5 yards per carry. It's why he's one of the 10 finalists for the Prep RedZone South Carolina Player of the Year award and absolutely the driving force for a Hurricanes' offense that averages 43 points per game and hasn't so much as had a game decided by single digits since the calendar turned to October.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a run that only started after Hampton County dropped three straight game against Class 4A opponents Bluffton, Hilton Head and Christ Church in a span of 15 days in September.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I wouldn't say that we needed those losses, but we needed them,” Singletary said. “The complacency [was creeping in]. After that, we knew we wanted to win a state championship. It became about the little things. There's a sign in the locker room that say ‘Little Things Matter. Only State Championship Reps Allowed.' No team in the state prepares like us.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While comparing offseason or in-season weight regiments is probably a waste of time, there's no doubt the final two teams standing in Class 2A have earned the right to be here. Rebels tailbacks <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820530' first='Deonte' last='Phillips']</strong> (1,079 yards, 23 touchdowns), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1615095' first='Kaden' last='Wigfall']</strong> (709 yards, eight touchdowns) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818416' first='Zy' last='Rouse']</strong> (598 yards, 13 touchdowns) have been a three-headed monster, taking turns during this playoff run demoralizing opponents. Linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820529' first='Bryston' last='Coleman']</strong> (94 tackles, 14 tackles for loss) and defensive end <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823104' first='Grayson' last='Smith']</strong> (57 tackles, five sacks, 18 tackles for loss) have been everywhere.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hampton County has gotten max value from Singletary offensively, but he's also part of a much more collective effort on defense, tying for the team lead with five interceptions. Linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823002' first='Malik' last='Terry']</strong> (103 tackles, 12 tackles for loss) leads the way in tackles. Fellow linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1824660' first='Gavin' last='Polite']</strong> (17 tackles for loss, four sacks), defensive back and quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1644574' first='Tarell' last='Grant']</strong> (five picks, pictured) and linebacker <strong>Brayden Blake</strong> (two forced fumbles, 79 tackles) have had heavy influences in disrupting opposing teams with high-impact plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Put it all together, and the number of highlights from Saturday's state championship game could be numerous. And the two teams participating are already amped up for the opportunity.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I'm most excited about going after it one more time with my guys,” Simpkins said.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Said Singletary: “I feel like a young kid on Christmas Eve. I'm going to have to my force myself to go to sleep Friday night.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>LEGACY GAME</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strom Thurmond quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1820528' first='Bri'Shaun' last='Lee'] is about to play his 35th game at the position since starting to get sprinkled into the lineup as a sophomore. He took over the job as a junior and has spent his final run showing that while not always flashy, he can handle the pressure. Take the aforementioned game against Batesburg-Leesville on October 3. In that one, a 28-26 Rebels' win, he completed 12 passes for a season-best 246 yards and two touchdowns. Those two scores came early in the fourth quarter with Strom Thurmond trailing by two scores. It showed he can handle the moment of a tight game and can hit receivers in stride when necessary. After all, he hasn't thrown for 1,700 yards this year by accident.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>MATCHUP WITHIN THE MATCHUP</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We already know Hampton County isn't going to line up Saturday and sling it around. But the Hurricanes showed against Central in the Lower State championship that some quick passes to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820419' first='Desmond' last='Mathis']</strong> (four receptions, 49 yards) and <strong>Jaz'Mir Goines</strong> (three, 58, touchdown) are just enough to make Strom Thurmond think twice about stacking the box. That's going to put even more pressure on Rebels' corners <strong>BJ Cresswell</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1515761' first='Jalin' last='Collins']</strong> to cover a lot of ground. They'll need to keep Hampton County's receivers in front of them, and that likely means a lot of press coverage near the line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>UNDERCLASSMAN TO WATCH</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hampton County has gotten some excellent production out of defensive tackle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1821711' first='Jayden' last='Frazier']</strong> throughout the season. He's put up 11 tackles for loss and four sacks, with all of the latter category coming since the start of the playoffs. More importantly is what he's doing when he's not adding to his individual stats. At 5-foot-11 and 260 pounds, Frazier can leverage his size down low, creating a situation where opposing lines have to double up on him to keep him from blowing up the middle of the line. When they elect to use a second lineman on him, it creates a numbers advantage for the rest of the Hurricanes' defense.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>X-FACTOR</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you're looking for a good glimpse of the future of Strom Thurmond, <strong>Preston Mathis</strong> is a good place to start. How the Rebels use the sophomore says a lot about their faith in him. On top of some occasional offensive duties - 176 rushing yards, 37 receiving yards - and on defense (22 tackles, three tackles for loss, one forced fumble), Mathis has been effective as a kickoff returner. He leads the squad in returns (15) and yards (292) and has taken two of them at least 35 yards. It's not as electric as housing one, but it's giving the Strom Thurmond a steady diet of much better field position. If and when Hampton County does score, Mathis could give his offense a short field in a hurry to return the favor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>TENTATIVE STARTING LINEUPS</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Strom Thurmond Offense</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>Hampton County Defense</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>Strom Thurmond Defense</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>Hampton County Offense</em></strong></td></tr><tr><td>QB [player_tooltip player_id='1820528' first='Bri'Shaun' last='Lee']</td><td>DE [player_tooltip player_id='1823003' first='Cleavon' last='Maxwell']</td><td>DE [player_tooltip player_id='1823104' first='Grayson' last='Smith']</td><td>QB [player_tooltip player_id='1644574' first='Tarell' last='Grant']</td></tr><tr><td>RB [player_tooltip player_id='1820530' first='Deonte' last='Phillips']</td><td>NG [player_tooltip player_id='1585670' first='Charles' last='Williams']</td><td>DT [player_tooltip player_id='1824427' first='Grady' last='Stone']</td><td>RB [player_tooltip player_id='1165165' first='Jaylen' last='Singletary']</td></tr><tr><td>RB [player_tooltip player_id='1615095' first='Kaden' last='Wigfall']</td><td>DT [player_tooltip player_id='1821711' first='Jayden' last='Frazier']</td><td>DT [player_tooltip player_id='1323421' first='Kobe' last='Windless']</td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1817619' first='Jamar' last='Housey']</td></tr><tr><td>HB <strong>Braylon Searles</strong></td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1823002' first='Malik' last='Terry']</td><td>DE <strong>Braylon Searles</strong></td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1820419' first='Desmond' last='Mathis']</td></tr><tr><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='617663' first='Kaleb' last='Simpkins']</td><td>LB <strong>Brayden Blake</strong></td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1820529' first='Bryston' last='Coleman']</td><td>WR <strong>Karinton Sabb</strong></td></tr><tr><td>WR <strong>Shy Williams</strong></td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1817621' first='Henry' last='Crittington']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1820531' first='Mason' last='Johnson']</td><td>HB <strong>Jaz'Mir Goines</strong></td></tr><tr><td>LT <strong>Hezekiah East</strong></td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1824660' first='Gavin' last='Polite']</td><td>LB <strong>Greg Moore</strong></td><td>LT [player_tooltip player_id='1585670' first='Charles' last='Williams']</td></tr><tr><td>LG <strong>Amari McCelleny</strong></td><td>CB [player_tooltip player_id='1644574' first='Tarell' last='Grant']</td><td>CB <strong>BJ Cresswell</strong></td><td>LG [player_tooltip player_id='1823003' first='Cleavon' last='Maxwell']</td></tr><tr><td>C [player_tooltip player_id='1820537' first='John' last='Laster']</td><td>S [player_tooltip player_id='1165165' first='Jaylen' last='Singletary']</td><td>S [player_tooltip player_id='1422601' first='Wytrayvious' last='Dugar']</td><td>C [player_tooltip player_id='1823001' first='Hunter' last='Lawson']</td></tr><tr><td>RG [player_tooltip player_id='1823112' first='Micah' last='Warren']</td><td>S [player_tooltip player_id='1856584' first='Tyler' last='Davis']</td><td>S <strong>Shy Williams</strong> -or- [player_tooltip player_id='617663' first='Kaleb' last='Simpkins']</td><td>RG [player_tooltip player_id='1823009' first='Cautey' last='Taylor']</td></tr><tr><td>RT [player_tooltip player_id='1823105' first='Carter' last='Boatwright']</td><td>CB <strong>Karinton Sabb</strong></td><td>CB [player_tooltip player_id='1515761' first='Jalin' last='Collins']</td><td>RT [player_tooltip player_id='1820603' first='Ty'Quavian' last='Jones']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->