South Florence Wins Rematch In The AAAA Football Finals With Thrilling Come-From-Behind 42-41 Win Over Westside High

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Orangeburg—Had ESPN aired the SCHSL Class AAAA football state championship game, won by South Florence over Westside, 42-41 at South Carolina State University on December, 13^th,  it would have given a national audience of sports fans a first-hand view of just how strong football truly is in the Palmetto State.

It was a shame either team had to lose this Prize Fight quality rematch of last year’s AAAA title game when Westside High rallied to win (34-32) after getting down 20-7 to the Bruins after the first quarter.

After this year’s big win, South Florence’s five- year coaching veteran, Drew Marlowe, shared his thoughts from the field. “This team just kept fighting and fighting throughout the game, and they were not going to be denied,” said Coach Marlowe. “You have number 16 (LaNorris Sellers) already a legend at South Florence, and now number 17 (brother Jayden Sellers) is also a legend in our program with his great performance tonight.

“Our quarterback’s ability (Messiah Jackson) to check plays, check protection, and to get us into the right calls is unreal also,” said Coach Marlowe. “Most high school quarterbacks are not as intelligent as he is and he has worked hard to get better every week.

“I told Jayden all week not to feel like he had to win the game for us,” said Coach Marlowe. “I told him to let the game come to you and it did.”

Coach Marlowe was also proud of the Bruns offensive line. “I felt like they were dominant all game and they were physical and nasty with 9 and 10 bodies in there,” said Coach Marlowe. “We told them at half-time, if we want to win the game that we have to break them. We have to control the tempo of the game, and I thought our line and our running backs  accomplished that.”

Coach Marlowe’s comments on the play of Woods, “I told him after the game that it has been an honor to play against him. It has also been a pain also.”

Coach Marlowe talked about how his team handled the two-point loss to Westside in the finals a year ago, as they prepared for the 2024 season knowing, in their minds, it could be a match-up with the Rams once again in the finals. “I think you can take those experiences, and you can let them humble you, crush you, or fuel you. Another thing we talked about is that it is okay to be upset about it, and angry about it, but let’s make sure that it is a controlled rage that we come to practice with every day.”

Coach Marlowe said that when “Sellers & Sellers” become teammates at South Carolina next season positive things will be happening. “They love playing together and they love playing for each other,” said Coach Marlowe. “They make each other better.” 

Coach Marlowe said he and his staff made few half-time adjustments but he was to the point with his charge to the team. “Down seven, with two quarters to play, I told them we have to break them. We are not just trying to win a football game, but we have to win a street-fight and we have to break them with hard-nosed physical play.”

South Florence football will be graduating 21 seniors. “Most of them have played together in 45 games the past three seasons and we miss everyone of them,” said Coach Marlowe.

Brian Lane is the head coach at Westside High. After the hard-fought game he told the HSSR, “It was a great game, and going for two at the end was the right call,” said Coach Lane. “You have to execute big plays with the game on the line and we came up one point short.

Coach Lane’s thoughts about Wood’s 411 passing yards and six TD passes: “What a great young man who has been a tremendous leader for us throughout his career and I am very proud of him and what he has meant to our program,” said Coach Lane. “He has a tremendous future ahead of him.

“Our kids put it on the line tonight and I am proud of each and everyone of them,” said Coach Lane. “The plan is to keep winning, and to keep building the program, and I have enjoyed 35 years of playing and coaching the great game of football.”

Cutter Woods also spoke with the HSSR after the game, “It was great to have Bomar and Weaver transfer into the program (from Byrnes) this season and they are so fast they can get behind the defense on most plays and they did that again tonight,” said Woods as USC quarterback LaNorris Sellers stood near him. “I left it all on the field tonight.

“I liked the two—point play call and give credit to the South Florence defense for making a great play on the ball,” said Woods. “Although we came up a couple points shy, I am excited for them.

“I am just thankful to God for allowing me to be a Westside Ram and I will always have Him first and foremost in my thoughts going forward,” said Woods. ”I always tried to give it my all, and whether or not I deserve the credit, I love the game and look forward to my future.”

South Florence’s Jayden Sellers led the Bruins on offense with three touchdown receptions. He told the HSSR after the game, “We have been working towards playing Westside again since Week one,” said Sellers. “It has been a blessing to play for South Florence and I just thank God for the strength to work hard early in the mornings and late into the night.

“The coverage was tight on me tonight but I consider myself a play-maker and it is my job to make plays regardless,” said Sellers. “Our quarterback throws to a spot and it is up to me to make a play on the ball.

“I am looking forward to joining my brother at South Carolina next season,” said Sellers. “We have been playing football together since we were little kids and I am looking forward to the future.”         

Westside quarterback Cutter Woods, a South Carolina signee, certainly did all he could do to help his team compete to defend their title. He completed a 11-of-19 passes for 411 yards and six touchdowns. The Rams lost by a mere point when Woods hit Chamarryus Bomar with a 50-yard scoring pass with 1:52 to close the deficit to a mere point. A trick play calling for a wide receiver reverse pass to the end zone was well defended to preserve the victory for South Florence.

This year it was Westside High that led 21-14 and the Bruins were the team that rallied to win.

The game was a tale of two extremes. While the Rams passed for 411 yards, and ran just 27 plays the entire game, the Bruins ate the clock with 361 rushing yards and they ran 77 plays. The time of possession favored South Florence 38:45 to 9:15.

The Bruins were led on the ground by senior running back Tre Leonard who rushed for 191 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown, Zion Gilbert rushed for 114 yards on 20 carries and quick-football quarterback Messiah Jackson added 49 yards on 14 carries and two rushing touchdowns.

Westside scored first with 5:41 left in the opening period when Bomar ran a streak route and Woods delivered a well-time pass right on target for a 38-yard score. Brayden Burnette made the first of his five PAT’s during the game to put the Rams up 7-0 early.

With 2:06 left in the first period South Florence tied the game 7-7 on Jackson’s 18-yard scoring pass to Jayden Sellers. Evan Holland made the first of his six PAT’s for the game.

The Rams went up 14-7 with 1:45 left in the first when receiver Dreson Evans scored a 74-yard home run ball by Woods that hit him on stride for a touchdown. The PAT was good.

Then with 9:53 left in the second quarter, the strong and deftly accurate arm of Woods struck again, catching Bomar behind the defense on a 69-yard scoring pass that looked like money when it was in the air coming towards him. The PAT was good and it was now 21-7 after the made PAT. One year ago, South Florence had led by 21-7 about the same time in that game.

South Florence closed out first-half scoring, to close the deficit to 21-14, following a double-digit drive, when the speedy Jackson scored on a two-yard run with just 39 seconds left. The PAT was good.

In the second half the South Florence senior dominated line began to win the battle of the line of scrimmage. The Bruins scored with 10:37 left in the third period  on Jackson’s one yard scamper and Holland’s PAT to tie the game at 21 each.

On Westside’s next possession, Woods once again showcased his golden arm with a 74-yard “Dan Marino” looking touchdown pass to Armoni Weaver with 10:03 left in the third. The PAT once again gave the Rams a 28-21 lead.

Then with 2:55 left in the third period, Jackson showed off his own arm’s accuracy with a 22-yard touchdown strike to a well-covered Sellers and the made PAT tied the game again at 28-28.

Here comes Woods again, on the Ram’s next possession. This time he hit Bomar for a 56-yard scoring strike at the 1:41 mark of the third period, and the made PAT by Burnette, gave Westside a 35-28 lead heading into the final period.

With 9:08 left in the game, Jackson tossed his third touchdown pass of the game to Sellers, South Carolina signee, from 31-yards and the PAT to tie the game at 35 each with the made PAT.

Then after finally slowing down the “Woods Express” the Bruins took over after a quick kick. In another clock eating drive, Bruin running back Tre Leonard, who rushed for 191 yards on 25 carries during the game, scored on a four-yard run with 2:12 left in the game to put the Bruins up 42-35 (PAT good) to give them their first lead of the game as their fans began to rock the foundation of Oliver C. Dawson on the home side of the stadium.

“The Woods Express” took only 20 seconds to cut the deficit to 42-41 with 1:52 left in the game on a 50-yard strike to Bomar who looked like his pass route running ability was launched out of a cannon. Going for the win the Rams trick play on a wide receiver reverse pass two- point play failed after a mass pile-up of humanity in the end zone.

Westside did get the ball back on a tremendous 42-yard punt by Jackson to the one-yard line with 39 seconds left. The South Florence defense stiffened, and the game ended on a 14-yard pass completion from Woods to Weaver as time expired. 

The stats leader for SF included Jackson who completed 9-of-11 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Sellers caught all three scoring passes and he netted 121 yards on seven catches. Malik Robinson and Lennix Valerie each had one catch also.

Behind the Bruins leading rusher Leonard, Zion Gilbert ran well, finishing with 114 yards on 20 carries and Jackson added 49 yards on four carries with two rushing touchdowns. Sellers had four carries for 13 yards.

The SF defense was led by Willie Kennedy and Terry Gordon with three and two tackles respectively. Clemson five star defensive end commitment Amare Adams had one tackle an done sack for the game.

Bomar led Westside receivers with four catches for 213 yards and four receptions resulted in touchdowns. Weaver finished with four catches for 115 yards and one touchdown. Evans had one catch for a 74-yard TD and Sharode Richardson and Da’Maysa Dawson each added a catch.

Woods and Richardson each gained 27 yards rushing for the Rams. Woods had two quick kicks for a 52-yard average and Jaxson Barbee added a 46-yard punt for the Rams.

The top tackler for the Rams included Jameson Wilson with 16.5 total tackles, RJ Livingston added 10 total tackles along with Dreson Evans (7.5), Weaver (six) and Malachi Peterson (5.5) as leaders on the Rams hit index.