Green Wave rolls in third round

       By Roger Lee

       Contributing Writer

Summerville – Summerville scored on its first six possessions Nov. 29 while holding Ridge View to zero points on its first six during a convincing 5A, Division 1 Football playoff win.

The Green Wave jumped out to a 42-0 lead at John McKissick Field on its way to a 49-20 victory to improve to 12-0 and advance to the Division 1 Lower State Championship game. The Blazers fell to 8-5 and were eliminated from the playoffs.

“I wasn’t really expecting this,” Summerville coach Ian Rafferty said. “Our guys really played a complete game. Ridge View scored those 20 points on us after we called the dogs off so this is what we are capable of when we practice good, lock in and strive to be competitively great. We did that tonight.”

Green Wave sophomore running back Jayvyn Williams surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark in the first half and had four touchdowns on the night to lead Summerville to the third-round victory. Williams scored on runs of 1, 2, 19 and 1 yards. His 55-yard run on Summerville’s second possession set the tone for the evening.

Senior quarterback Jaden Cummings had some key runs, including a 1-yard TD dive on the Wave’s third possession that put his team up 21-0 with Bennett Kelly’s third of an eventual six successful PAT kicks. Cummings also completed eight passes for approximately 100 yards, including a 27-yard TD pass to sophomore receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray.

The receiver broke two tackles on his way to the end zone, one on a nifty spin move. Kelly-Murray had six receptions on the evening and threw a 49-yard pass to senior receiver Carson Guinn.

Ridge View did have some success moving the ball. Sophomore quarterback Tre Howard threw for approximately 200 yards and a pair of TDs. Junior receiver Hayden Morris made a 9-yard TD catch for the Blazer’s first score and hauled in a 49-yard TD catch with 4:04 remaining for a 42-20 score.

With Spencer Bobian and Aidan Keefe leading the way, Ridge View also had some rushing success.

However, the Summerville defense was tough in the Red Zone, particularly with its starters in. The Wave made multiple fourth-down stands and forced three turnovers. Defensive linemen Demarcus King and Yasir Smith both recovered a fumble. Summerville’s final TD of the night came when defensive back Jacquez Walker intercepted a Ridge View pass and returned it approximately 85 yards into the end zone.

The Green Wave finished at 13-1 last season after falling 21-14 to White Knoll on the road during the Lower State Championship game. Next week they will have home field advantage when they host Sumter (12-0) in the Lower State

Finals.

“The key is we have to show up and just play football,” Rafferty said. “We can’t get too high; we can’t get too low. We’ve been there before so we just have to take that next step and have a great week of preparation.”

Ridge View won two playoff games this season after falling in the first round the year before.

“I’m extremely proud of our season,” Ridge View coach Derek Howard said. “We played a very challenging schedule. This is our fifth loss, but combined the teams we lost to only lost something like three games.”

The Blazers stand to return a lot of starters next season.

“Now these guys know what it takes to compete on this level,” Howard said. “Hopefully we can continue to have some fun, win a lot of football games and keep an eye on where we need to go. Obviously Summerville has a great football team and that is what we hope to be heading toward. We have a young group so hopefully we learned and there are some positive things we can build on.”



Second photo:  Summerville defensive back Rhyan White bats away a potential touchdown catch from Ridge View receiver Hayden Morris Nov. 29 during Summerville’s third-round playoff victory over Ridge View.