Strom Thurmond faces final and biggest test against Hampton County for Class AA football state title

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Dec. 5—JOHNSTON — Strom Thurmond's football team has had to adjust to face multiple styles of play during its run to the Class AA state championship game.

Chesterfield liked to get in the shotgun and throw it downfield. Liberty liked to pack the box and lean on its power-run game. So did Chester, with the added danger of a big-play running back who could score on any snap. Fairfield Central liked the power run, too, but burned teams with its precise deep-ball passing game — and even that required some adjusting from Strom Thurmond after the Griffins lost their starting quarterback to injury.

Hampton County, the Rebels' opponent in Saturday's title tilt, doesn't really resemble any of those teams. If anything, the Hurricanes play more like Strom Thurmond.

They just choose to do it at a higher tempo.

"They are extremely explosive on offense," said Strom Thurmond head coach Andrew Webb. "They're the No. 1 scoring offense in 2A football. They average 46 points a game. They're physical up front on offense. They make no bones about it; they're going to run the football. They have a quarterback that can run it, a running back that can run it, the wide receivers get involved in the run game, too.

"They make you defend sideline to sideline, and they can throw it. You defend the run so much that, when they throw it, there's people running open everywhere. It's going to be tough. Our guys have got to read their keys and fit gaps. We've got to get 11 hats to the football. Every time they snap it, they've got a chance to score."

It will be a huge test for the Strom Thurmond (12-2) defense, which delights in a challenge, and it will also be a test for the Rebels' offense — their grind-it-out, ball-control run game has chewed up a ton of clock in recent weeks, and the best defense against Hampton County (11-3) may be to keep the Hurricanes on the sideline.

Especially senior running back/defensive back Jaylen Singletary, who will see his name featured prominently in the South Carolina High School League's single-season records upon the book's next update.

So far this season he's rushed for 2,482 yards and 42 touchdowns on 236 carries, and that's not all. A touchdown catch, two interception returns for touchdowns and two house calls on kickoffs put him at 47 total scores for the year, and he posted on X on Nov. 30 that he wants to get to 50. If he does, it may not just be his name going in the record books — one more big game from him could put Hampton County's name in there with the school's first state championship.

He scores the points. He lights the fire. He is the main supplier. He is the man, but he's not alone. Quarterback Tarell Grant doesn't throw it much but makes it count when he does, and he's also rushed for 640 yards and seven touchdowns on 68 carries. Desmond Mathis and former Midland Valley Mustang Karinton Sabb are the top receivers, and setting the tone up front is a physical offensive line that still springs Singletary loose even when defenses are ready for him.

"Teams knowing that he's going to get it and him still putting up numbers is hats off to that offensive line. They do a great job up front blocking for him," Webb said. "But him as a football player, you can go watch on film and you're not going to find many times that the first guy that gets to him brings him down. He's so fast. He's shifty. He's hard to tackle. He runs hard. He is an incredible football player. It's not fun to prepare for him, but he sure is fun to watch on film."

Singletary and the Hurricanes will be the latest and biggest challenge for a Strom Thurmond team that has allowed only 10.2 points per game during its nine-game win streak. The Rebels have only allowed more than 20 points in a game once during that span, and the 21 Liberty scored in the second round of the playoffs were against backups after Strom Thurmond took a 41-0 lead at halftime.

Bryston Coleman, who made the initial contact on the game-ending two-point conversion stop against Fairfield Central in the Upper State title game, leads the team in tackles with 94, and Wytravious Dugar is next with 82. Grayson Smith has a team-high 18 tackles for loss, with Grady Stone right behind him at 17. Stone and Braylon Searles each have three forced fumbles, and on rare pass attempts Hampton County will have to be aware of Kaleb Simpkins, who roams the back of the defense and has two interceptions in the postseason.

"This is obviously a big challenge. … They're good," Webb said. "They are good. Our boys are going to have to play to the standard, Blue Steel defense. They're going to have to play their best on Saturday."

The offense will, too, against a Hampton County team allowing 9.0 points per game during its eight-game win streak. Malik Terry is the top tackler with 103 in total (12 for loss), and Gavin Polite leads in tackles for loss with 17. Polite and Jayden Frazier share the team lead with four sacks apiece.

Singletary and Grant are also aces in the secondary with five interceptions apiece, and Sabb has four. Singletary has also forced a fumble and blocked two field goals.

The run game has been more of an emphasis for Strom Thurmond since their last loss on Sept. 26 to Lincoln County. Deonte Phillips has 1,054 yards and 23 touchdowns for the season, Kaden Wigfall has an even 700 on 8.8 yards per carry with eight touchdowns, and X-factor Zy Rouse has 675 yards (7.6 per carry) and 13 scores.

There's also the added danger of quarterback Bri'Shaun Lee as a runner. The Rebels opted not to run him much during the regular season, but in the last couple of games he's given them key carries to pick up first downs. He's thrown for 1,776 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, with Shaheed Williams (45 catches for 762 yards and eight touchdowns) and Simpkins (34 catches for 690 yards and seven scores) as his top targets.

None of that happens, though, without an offensive line that has stayed together and healthy for practically the entire season. Left tackle Hezekiah East, left guard Amari McClenney, center John Laster, right guard Micah Warren and right tackle Carter Boatwright have set a physical tone that opponents haven't been able to match, and they'll look to do it one final time.

That group has been the focal point throughout the postseason, clearing the way for the run game to average 234.5 yards per game in the playoffs. Maybe more importantly, they've kept the ball long enough to run it an average of 39 times per game during that same stretch, and every additional carry they log is a touch (and time) Singletary and the Hurricanes don't get.

"Coach Riley Addis, he coaches that group up front and he does a great job, takes great pride in having those guys play physical," Webb said. "Their motto is 'Be the first to the fight.' First to the fight. They have gotten better and better and better as the year has gone, and we have relied on them more and more and more because they have been so good.

"Obviously, we don't ever feel like we're good enough. We've got to keep working and keep improving and keep correcting mistakes, but that group has played as good as I've had in my four years at Strom Thurmond. They take a lot of pride in doing their job and being the first to the fight. We're going to need to rely on them one more time."

Saturday's Game

WHO: Strom Thurmond (12-2) vs. Hampton County (11-3)

WHAT: Class AA state championship game

WHERE: Oliver C. Dawson Stadium at South Carolina State University, Orangeburg

WHEN: 4 p.m. Saturday

TICKETS: $20, available online at https://tinyurl.com/yf3v8ju5

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos