Class 4A State Championship Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The two teams who were heavy favorites to make the Class 4A state championship game have done just that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Pointe. South Florence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Their collision course will formally reach its end a few minutes after noon on Saturday at South Carolina State. Two teams who have rattled off win after win - often in lopsided fashion - will meet with everything on the line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The expectations? Sky high.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Without coming home with a state championship, it would be a disappointment,” Stallions senior linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1594865' first='Brysen' last='Ginn']</strong> said. “It's a lot of factors. The talent we have is some of the best South Pointe has had in the school's history. We've been practicing so hard for this. This is something that's been drilled into us since we fell short last year.&nbsp; If we don't win, we would be the first senior class to graduate without winning a state championship. There's a lot of pressure.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For South Pointe, some of that is because the team its facing has been in this game four straight season, having won the whole thing in 2022 and against last fall. Senior linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='816736' first='Terry' last='Gordon']</strong> has been a part of every phase of this run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He put up 47 tackles as a freshman for the team famously led by current University of South Carolina starting quarterback <strong>LaNorris Sellers</strong> and then was a big part of the team's smash mouth brand of football on both sides the ensuing three years.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The personality of this squad is entrenched in violence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“They're a physical team,” Gordon said of South Pointe. "But I think we're just as physical as they are. It's how we practice. Coach [Drew] Marlowe tells us every week we've got to make sure Monday through Thursday is the focus. Then we go out there and play.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When game time arrives, there will be no shortage of star power.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Florence quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1166986' first='Messiah' last='Jackson']</strong> (2,300 yards passing/rushing, 44 touchdowns) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422638' first='Cam' last='James']</strong> (1,434 yards, 16 touchdowns rushing) lead the Bruin offense, while Gordon (79 tackles, 29 TFL) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267265' first='Amare' last='Reaves']</strong> (41 tackles, eight interceptions, six non-offensive touchdowns) do the same on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Pointe junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1271263' first='KJ' last='Burg']</strong> (150 tackles, 27 TFL) gets plenty of help from the likes of Ginn (93 tackles, 29 tackles for loss) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592625' first='Dequan' last='Evans']</strong> (92, 18) and <strong>Darien Judge</strong> (72, 12), among others we'll get to below. Offensive, the Stallions are loaded. Receivers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='513067' first='Malik' last='Ratliff']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='930586' first='Dailan' last='Duncan']</strong> have combined for 1,600 yards and 17 touchdowns. Senior tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165128' first='RJ' last='Brown']</strong> (1,025 yards, 20 touchdowns) has excelled in his one year at South Pointe after previously starring at Lancaster, and he's got star linemen such as [player_tooltip player_id='1165103' first='Anthony' last='Baxter'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1734465' first='Jaydon' last='Lee'] in front of him. And that brings us to the No. 1 overall player in the Prep RedZone Class of 2026 rankings.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>LEGACY GAME</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Pointe senior quarterback and defensive back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819627' first='J'Zavien' last='Currence']</strong> (2,764 yards and 24 touchdowns passing and 1,497 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns rushing) has done everything that's asked of him and then some. But what he hasn't done is hoist a trophy with his teammates. The Stallions went 8-4 during his freshman and sophomore season and were booted from the playoffs in the second round both years, and South Pointe went 11-4 but fell in the Upper State finals to Westside a season ago. Statistically, Currence has checked every box. But earning that final W of the season would cement his place among the school's impressive list of all-time greats.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>MATCHUP WITHIN THE MATCHUP</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While guys like Ginn will be a factor in the trenches from his outside linebacker spot, what we're going to see from the down lineman from South Pointe and the offensive line from South Florence likely dictates not only the pace of this game, but the result. Stallions <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1591712' first='Seth' last='Tillman']</strong> (pictured), <strong>Hayzon Lumpkin</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='284136' first='Miles' last='Wilson']</strong> will be the stiffest test yet for the Bruins counterparts of tackles <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820899' first='Josiah' last='Mason']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592650' first='Ethan' last='Cash']</strong> guards <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823529' first='Travis' last='Sansbury']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820914' first='Jerry' last='Genwright']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820912' first='Luke' last='Thayer']</strong> at center. One way or the other, those inside battles are going to be driving the storylines from this game, no matter what the skill guys do. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>UNDERCLASSMAN TO WATCH</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Florence sophomore linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820910' first='Jewel' last='Washington']</strong> has stayed out of the spotlight this season, if for no other reason that the Bruins' linebacker corps has been as good as anyone in the state. He's likely not going to hit star status in this game, but what he can do is show his influence in small doses like he did a week ago against Gray Collegiate. Washington picked off a pass (his second of the year), add a pair of quarterback hurries and notch a few tackles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>X-FACTOR&nbsp;</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How South Pointe elects to use kicker <strong>Lawson Miller</strong> can't be ignored. South Florence has been stealing extra points on defense and special teams pretty regularly all season. With the latter, the Stallions are likely going to try some different kickoff formulas to make sure the Bruins don't do it again here. Miller has obvious touchback distance, and that's vital to remove some of the stress off the coverage team. And when it comes to PATs, Miller has connected on roughly 90 percent of his kicks this year, but he did miss two last week against Westside. Every single point in this one could be a difference maker.&nbsp;</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>South Pointe Offense</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>South Florence Defense</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>South Pointe Defense</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>South Florence Offense</em></strong></td></tr><tr><td>QB [player_tooltip player_id='1819627' first='J'Zavien' last='Currence']</td><td>DE <strong>Miles Johnson</strong></td><td>DL [player_tooltip player_id='1591712' first='Seth' last='Tillman']</td><td>LT [player_tooltip player_id='1820899' first='Josiah' last='Mason']</td></tr><tr><td>RB [player_tooltip player_id='1165128' first='RJ' last='Brown']</td><td>NG [player_tooltip player_id='1822014' first='Brenden' last='Williams']</td><td>DL Hayzon Lumpkin</td><td>LG [player_tooltip player_id='1823529' first='Travis' last='Sansbury']</td></tr><tr><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='513067' first='Malik' last='Ratliff']</td><td>DE [player_tooltip player_id='1820902' first='Marquez' last='McKithen']</td><td>DL [player_tooltip player_id='284136' first='Miles' last='Wilson']</td><td>C [player_tooltip player_id='1820912' first='Luke' last='Thayer']</td></tr><tr><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='930586' first='Dailan' last='Duncan']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='816736' first='Terry' last='Gordon']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1594865' first='Brysen' last='Ginn']</td><td>RG [player_tooltip player_id='1820914' first='Jerry' last='Genwright']</td></tr><tr><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1476906' first='Kadin' last='Vassel']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1592462' first='Willie' last='Kennedy']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1592625' first='Dequan' last='Evans']</td><td>RT [player_tooltip player_id='1592650' first='Ethan' last='Cash']</td></tr><tr><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1036779' first='Kaiden' last='Watkins']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1615015' first='Warnell' last='Prew']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1271263' first='KJ' last='Burg']</td><td>HB [player_tooltip player_id='1823523' first='Bruce' last='Thompson']</td></tr><tr><td>LT [player_tooltip player_id='1856920' first='Tae' last='Wylie']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1820910' first='Jewel' last='Washington']</td><td>LB <strong>Darien Judge</strong></td><td>QB [player_tooltip player_id='1166986' first='Messiah' last='Jackson']</td></tr><tr><td>LG [player_tooltip player_id='1165103' first='Anthony' last='Baxter']</td><td>FS [player_tooltip player_id='1743671' first='Gerkiem' last='Hall']</td><td>DB [player_tooltip player_id='1819627' first='J'Zavien' last='Currence']</td><td>RB [player_tooltip player_id='1422638' first='Cam' last='James']</td></tr><tr><td>C [player_tooltip player_id='1822176' first='Brandon' last='Williams']</td><td>SS [player_tooltip player_id='1267265' first='Amare' last='Reaves']</td><td>DB [player_tooltip player_id='1603697' first='Zymier' last='Gordon-Miles']</td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1639826' first='JayAun' last='Perkins']</td></tr><tr><td>RG [player_tooltip player_id='1734465' first='Jaydon' last='Lee']</td><td>CB [player_tooltip player_id='1259789' first='Will' last='Wilson']</td><td>DB [player_tooltip player_id='1267332' first='CJ' last='Wherry']</td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1270861' first='Malik' last='Robinson']</td></tr><tr><td>RT [player_tooltip player_id='1825085' first='Cevion' last='Douglas']</td><td>CB [player_tooltip player_id='1820911' first='Johnquis' last='Johnson']</td><td>DB [player_tooltip player_id='1036779' first='Kaiden' last='Watkins']</td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1820905' first='Ben' last='Tyner']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table -->