Hilton Head Christian in football state championship game for fourth time in 5 years
Eagles take on Wilson Hall for SCISA AAA state title on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Bluffton – After starting the year by dropping their first two games, including a 17-10 loss
to Saturday’s opponent in Wilson Hall, the Hilton Head Christian Academy Eagles made a
couple of adjustments and ran off 10 straight wins outscoring the opposition 402 to 104 to find
themselves in their fourth state championship game in the past five years.
“We played two good teams to start the year and did not play particularly well. We had
some guys going both ways and after those two games we decided not to do that moving
forward,” said HHCA head coach Ron Peduzzi.
During the 10-game winning streak the Eagles have been rarely challenged as they have
put up over 40 points a game while allowing just over 10 points game. The only time they have
been in a 4-quarter game during the win streak was in last week's semifinal contest against
Pinewood Prep. While the Eagles never gave up the lead, they did need a clutch fourth-quarter
drive to put the game away.
“Last week was the first time we had been challenged like that in a while, so I was proud of
the way we responded each time Pinewood drew close and how we finished the game,” Peduzzi
said.
Next up is the last team to beat the Eagles, the Barons of Wilson Hall. Wilson Hall is the polar
opposite of HHCA in that it likes to pound the rock and shorten the game.
“This is a tough matchup because of how they like to run the ball and control time of
possession,” said Peduzzi. “We are a better football team than when played earlier in the year, but
so is Wilson Hall.”
The Eagles come into the championship game with several players who have already won
a couple of rings, so experience is on their side, but, as Peduzzi said, this is a different type of
team than the Eagles' back-to-back championship teams of 2020 and 2021.
“This team is very unselfish and deeper than those previous teams. It allowed us to make the
move of limiting 2-way players. We have kids that played different positions in previous years that
switched to a new position and have played well at their position.
Leading the Eagle offense are senior left guard Tyler Borack (6-feet, 200 pounds) and senior
center Connor White (5-feet-10=inches, 210). They have provided leadership to the offensive line.
Junior left tackle Hamilton Butler is one of those players that switched positions to benefit
the team. Two freshmen round out the starting offensive line in right tackle Ethan Hames (6-3, 311)
and right guard Jack Guarisco.
The offensive line protects one of the most exciting players in SCISA in quarterback Dylan
Clark (5-11, 175). He rebounded from a slow start to lead the team in passing and rushing with
2,129 yards through the air and 636 on the ground. He has accounted for 40 touchdowns while
throwing only six interceptions all year.
“Dylan has been a catalyst for us all year. He has no fear and plays hard all game long. He
got a little tired in the first half last week as he was going both ways. He makes big plays and trusts
the guys around him to do the same,” Peduzzi said.
While Clark is the team’s leading rusher, the Eagles have several players that have contributed
to the running attack. Seniors James Crosby, Tyshone Mansell and Zane Wilson have rushed for
over 500 yards apiece. Wilson will get the start with Crosby nursing an ankle sprain. Crosby has also
been a threat in the passing game with 16 receptions for over 100 yards.
Mansell, along with fellow seniors AJ Houpt and Gage Zatalokin have been Clark's primary
receivers. Houpt leads the team in receiving with 56 receptions for 915 yards and 13 scores.
Mansell has 34 receptions for 543 yards and 10 touchdowns while Zatalokin has caught 32
balls for 487 yards and five scores. Zatalokin is also the team’s top returner in the kicking game,
averaging 18 yards on kickoffs and 13 yards on punt returns.
Junior Harrison Arnholt is the fourth receiver and has 11 receptions for 215 yards. Last week
on the first Eagles series of the game, he came up with a beautiful catch over the defender for a
35-yard gain on third down and 25 yards to go.
Defensively, the Eagles line up in a 3-4 with seniors Isaiah Anderson (6-5, 200), Jackson
Conrad (6-1,280) and junior Harper Mitchell (6-4, 280) forming the defensive front. Anderson
is a terror off the edge and sees some time at receiver. He had a touchdown reception against
Pinewood in the semifinal. Conrad leads the team in tackles for loss with 16 and is tied for the
quarterback sack lead with nine while Mitchell has two fumble recoveries.
The linebackers are the strength of the defense with seniors Wilson, Bradlee Anderson and
Keene Reese and sophomore Reid McCollum. Wilson (6-0, 195) is the team leader in tackles with
130 to go with 13 tackles for loss (second on the team). Anderson (5-11, 170) is second in tackles
with 86 while Reese (5-10, 170) has 56.
McCollum (6-3, 180) is a rising star and is third in tackles with 69, second in tackles for loss
with 14, tied for the team lead in sacks with nine and leads the team with four interceptions and
three caused fumbles. He has also seen time at quarterback.
The secondary is also a senior-led group with Evan Elliott, Tucker Tevepaugh and Clark.
Tevepaugh is the Eagles' fourth leading tackler with 66 stops from his safety position to go with
three picks and two caused fumbles. He is also the team’s punter, averaging 41.6 yards. He
currently has offers from Connecticut and Arkansas State as a punter.
Freshman Jackson Richardson joins the three seniors in the secondary and has three picks
to go with 35 tackles.
Junior Ian Kelly handles the kicking duties and has converted 42 pf 43 extra points and is 6 of
8 on field goals with a long of 44 yards.
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