Porter-Gaud moves into the semifinals with 44-13 win

By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Charleston – The saying goes that it is hard to beat the same team twice in the same season but Friday night at John Singleton Stadium the Porter-Gaud Cyclones made it look easy as they beat Heathwood Hall Episcopal Highlanders 44-13 to move into the second round of the SCISA playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

The Cyclones defeated the Highlanders 44-0 during the regular season.

“You know you play a team a second time the game is different. It was just a couple of plays here and there. We put the ball on the ground a couple of times which we have not done all year. That is something we cannot do at this time of year,” said PG head coach Brad Bowles. “Overall, it was 44-13 and I am proud of the way we responded when we were pushed a little.”

The Cyclones moved to 10-1 on the year and will host area rival Northwood Academy (10-2), a 49-20 winner over Laurence Manning Academy Friday night. The two teams met during the regular season with Porter-Gaud winning 28-12.

“Northwoods is a really talented team. We had a great game the first time we played. We cannot make the same mistakes we made tonight with penalties and turnovers and expect to win,” coach Bowles said.

The Cyclones jumped out to a 21-0 lead as they scored on their first three possessions as their offensive line of Frank Schmidt, Haze Marchant, Alexander Stiglic, James Temple, and Kyler Boggan paved the way on drives of 49, 81, and 72 yards. Each drive was capped by a JJ Fludd touchdown run. Fludd carried the ball 11 times for 115 yards.

“Our offensive line has been outstanding all year and we lean on them to establish control of the line of scrimmage each game,” Bowles said,

Meanwhile, the Cyclone defense was equally impressive as they held the Highlanders to minus three yards on their first four possessions. Daven Brown and Hugh Buxton applied pressure from the defensive line on the Highlander quarterback Patrick Belk while linebackers Austin Smith and Julian Buxton closed the running lanes.

Porter Gaud was set to put the finishing touches on a solid first half when they took over at the Highlander 47-yard line with  3:13 on the clock. Running back Tony Brown broke through line on an 8-yard run but as he was going down he fumbled the ball and it was recovered by the Highlanders at the 32.

The Highlanders put together their best drive of the game as they went 68-yards in 10 plays to cut the lead to 21-7 on Belk’s four-yard touchdown run. He accounted for 64 of the yards as he went 2-4 for 41 yards with a 33-yard pass to JaMonie Batts which put the ball at the Cyclone 8-yard line. He also rushed for 23 yards and the score.

Heathwood received the second half kickoff and promptly marched 67 yards in 8-plays

to pull within 8 at 21-13. Belk again was the catalyst as he went 3 for 3 through the air for 61 yards including a 54-yard strike to Chip Ravenell. He scored his second touchdown from the one, unfortunately he was hurt on the play and had to leave the game. He finished the game 7-15 for 110 yards and he had 11 carries for 22 yards and the two scores.

“I have been telling my kids all year just give your effort and your heart every game and we will live with the results. We are trying to build a program and our seniors are the foundation. I could not be prouder of the effort tonight. That is a great Porter Gaud football team but we played better than last time and that shows where we are headed,” said Heathwood Hall head coach Tymere Zimmerman.

Porter Gaud took over on their first possession of the second half and reestablished control as they went 60-yards in 8 plays as Fludd scored his fourth touchdown of the night from 15-yards out. The score was the start of a 23-0 run to end the game.

The defense also stepped up their efforts as they forced three interceptions in a row. Safety Chase Anderson had two of the picks and Hampton Geils had the other the Cyclones.

The offense capitalized on each turnover with Brown scoring from the one, Quinn Mulholland drilled a 32-yard field goal and Jackson Shealy finished the scoring with a 13-yard touchdown run. Mulholland was 5 of 6 on extra points.

The road graders up front were the key to the 450 yards plus of rushing offense the Cyclones had on the night. Fludd led them with 144 rushing yards, Brown had 136, quarterback Nolan Shuman had 71 and Shealy added 78 yards.