What We Saw: Loris Defense Stifles Waccamaw In Rout

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LORIS | When the Loris special teams unit scored the Lions' first points of the game less than 2 minutes it, the tone was set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defense and offense took it from there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Loris put up a no-doubter Friday at home, beating Waccamaw 48-3 in a region game that re-set the Lions' defense for the remainder of the regular season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We always come out feeling like a championship team,” junior defensive end <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464883' first='Javon' last='Johnson']</strong> said after the near-shutout. “We proved we can be a championship team.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One week after getting blown out by regular Region VII-3A front-runner Dillon, the Lions didn't have much choice but to take down Waccamaw. That's because if Loris wants to get a home playoff game, it must run the table.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clearly, everything starts on that side of the ball for coach Greg Mance's team, and the supremacy it showed against Waccamaw showed that again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Warriors' offense - one that relies on plenty of short-yardage plays taking time off the clock and minimizing possessions, never could get started. The Warriors ran 25 first-half plays but netted only 58 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Much of that had to do with a Lions' defensive line led by Johnson (pictured), fellow junior <strong>Damarea Thurmond</strong> at nose tackle and sophomore <strong>Landon Connor</strong> at the other end position. Loris does have a tendency to slide into a four-man front, but with those three, Mance is comfortable most of the time that they can do their job. Thurmond - all 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds of him - makes much of that plan work, while Connor and a slimmed-down Johnson are quicker than most tackles off the edge. The trio made sure Waccamaw was chasing the sticks by jamming up running lanes and preventing much of anything resembling a passing game while Friday's contest was still undecided.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That wasn't very long, given that senior <strong>Tray Knox</strong> followed Waccamaw's only points of the game - a 26-yard Jake DiMaria field goal with 1:37 left in the first quarter - with an 80-yard touchdown run on the very next play from scrimmage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a two-point conversion, the Lions led 15-3 and showed no signs of giving up the lead, or even allowing any more points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>OTHER LORIS NOTABLES</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Moon Gerald</strong> QB - Lions coach Greg Mance indicated during pregame that Gerald would start getting more and more in-game reps thanks to his practice performances. Gerald entered the game having thrown 12 passes (119 yards) and rushing another 10 times. Friday was some of his best work in a varsity uniform, though. Gerald finished seven-of-nine passing yards and 67 yards and two touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='327302' first='Jackson' last='Huff']</strong> QB - Not ready to give up the reins just yet, Huff also was productive with his primary third-quarter drive. After struggling in the opening half, the junior was a perfect four-of-four for 51 yards and a touchdown pass to Knox to open the second half.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tray Knox</strong> RB - Suffering from a minor toe issue, Knox's carries were limited against the Warriors. He had that long touchdown run in the first quarter and then moved primarily to receiver so he could stay on the field. That stretch included the 38-yard touchdown reception from Huff in which Knox took the short out and made the rest of the noise himself. Mance said with 25 carries a game, Knox is a 200-yard back waiting to happen the rest of the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>WACCAMAW NOTABLES</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AJ Grate</strong> QB/LB - For his first game behind center, <strong>AJ Grate</strong> gave the Warriors something the build on. A starter at linebacker and an occasional offensive contributor since the beginning of his freshman year last fall, Grate failed to complete a pass in the first half but went three-of-five for 33 yards in the second. He also ran for 29 yards in the loss. Grate was stepping in for his twin brother, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='473025' first='Andre' last='Grate']</strong> - who has been taking most of the meaningful snaps at quarterback while also playing on defense. Andre suffered a minor shoulder injury and the staff has been trying to limit his every-down contact. Either way, it's clear coach Amondre Johnson is continuing to build around the sophomores heading into the rest of this season and beyond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->