How Upstate football players helped South Carolina win Shrine Bowl
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Jude Hall of Christ Church scored game-sealing touchdown and Kentavion Anderson of Dorman had an interception to set the tone on defense as they helped South Carolina win the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas at Spartanburg High School.
Spartanburg kicker Will Love on his home field made a 35-yard field goal in the first half for the eventual winning margin as the Sandlappers beat North Carolina, 17-7, in the high school all-star contest featuring the top seniors in both states on Dec. 20.
Liberty’s Paul Sutherland, head coach of South Carolina, heads into retirement with a victory in his final game.
“This has been such a blessing,” Sutherland said. “The players were phenomenal. There were some kids on the field who will play on Sundays.”
Hall, who has signed with Arkansas, made a one-handed catch in the back of the end zone with 1:29 remaining for an 8-yard touchdown to give South Carolina a 10-point lead.
“We almost ran the ball there to make them use their final timeout and at least get a field goal,” Sutherland said. “We know with Will Love it’s going through. … Jude’s had a phenomenal week. Really happy for him.”
Hall said he was not the intended target on the play.
“It was technically supposed to go to the other side to Kameron Vance (of Northwestern), who is an awesome player,” Hall said. “It was crazy. It was unbelievable. The quarterback (Jachin Davis of Stratford) had trust in me. That means a lot.”
Anderson, who signed with Clemson, made a diving interception just 1:23 into the game.
“I’m over here just reading the wide receiver and I just kind of baited him,” Anderson said. “It was me and (South Carolina all-purpose defensive back J’Zavien Currence of South Pointe). One of us was going to get it. I just happened to get it in my hands.”
Anderson also made tackle for loss on a punt return and went the width of the field for two more stops on running plays.
“He’s just a tremendous football player,” Sutherland said. “You can put him anywhere on the field. He’s like a linebacker. … We ran a jet sweep in practice, and he made it a gain of one yard from across the field. I said, ‘Guys, he’s special.’ Clemson is getting such a great player.”
The game featured a dozen players from the Upstate. Also helping South Carolina were quarterback Banks Bouton of Gaffney, running back Jamijae Karim of Liberty, wide receiver Amiri Acker of Crescent, tight ends Walker Kelley of T.L. Hanna and Kam Taylor of Woodruff, offensive lineman Scottland Dover of Gaffney, defensive linemen Justice Hopkins of Byrnes and Christian Waring of Dorman, and defensive back Jamarion McKinney of Greenville.
Todd Shanesy covers high school athletics for the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail in the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at todd.shanesy@shj.com. Follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, at @ToddShanesySHJ.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Upstate football helps South Carolina, Paul Sutherland win Shrine Bowl
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