D' Anta Fleming is congratulated after hauling in a touchdown pass from Josh Gentry. Fleming caught the pass at the 30 and ran untouched into the end zone.
Greer quarterback Josh Gentry had a superb performance versus Mauldin tonight at the J.L. Mann Jamboree. Gentry threw two touchdown passes and engineered a third scoring drive.
Connor Merrell, center, is helped off the field after injuring his knee in tonigh's scrimmage.
Emmanuel Kelly displayed his athleticism on a 40-yard catch and run for Greer’s first score with 9:06 left in the first quarter. He pulled in a flair pass from Gentry, was wrapped up and escaped one tackle and shook off another defender before sprinting into the end zone.
Quez Nesbitt scored on a 3-yard touchdown run at the 5:31 mark to give Greer its second score and Nick Roberson added the first of his two extra points for a 13-0 Yellow Jackets lead.
Gentry’s second touchdown pass was a superb play with wide receiver D’Anta Fleming. Gentry lofted the ball well in front of a sprinting Fleming who got past the receiver and hauled in the pass at the 30 while running full speed. The footrace was all Fleming. Roberson’s PAT ended the scoring.
“Gentry is doing great,” Greer head coach Will Young said. “He has done everything we have asked of him.”
Gentry was not penciled in as the starting quarterback entering summer practice. His steady play, leadership and management of the offense have convinced the coaches he earned the position.
“Josh has shown us he can run the show. He doesn’t have to do it all by himself. He’s got a lot of skilled players,” Young said.
Gentry, a two-sport (basketball) star at Greer said he is a student his senior season. “I’m learning everyday at practice,” Gentry said. “I try to get better everyday.”
Alex Waters anchored a strong offensive line with Roland Nall, Cole Henderson, TJ Donaldson and Connor Merrell.
Gentry did an excellent job running the offense tonight. On one occasion he was forced out of the pocket and threw the ball out of bounds instead of losing yardage. Another time he was rushed and had little chance to do anything but fall to the ground to minimize his loss and protect the ball. Gentry had one fumble when he was trying to twist out of the grasp of Mauldin defenders.
His TD pass to Kelly was the result of his scrambling until he found an open receiver. Fleming’s catch was an excellent throw allowing him to run under the ball in full stride. “We go over the timing routes everyday,” Gentry said.
Young said he was pleased with the Jackets and said they have the makings of a good team. “We have good athletes and the kids are working hard. I didn’t think we played our best football today.”
Greer’s defense, led by Brook Chapman, Ray Booker, Tim Ballenger, Ty Campbell up front, and Fleming, Florida transfer Jarrett Szabo, Tay Woods, John Hicks, Jackson Tipton, DeAndre Moren and Kelly kept Mauldin out of the end zone. Moren picked off a pass and Hicks had a pair of sacks.
Greer had a controlled scrimmage with J.L. Mann at Dooley Field Friday morning and had the day off except for tonight’s scrimmage with Mauldin.
• Center Connor Merrell left the scrimmage on Nesbitt’s touchdown with a knee injury. He did not return to the field. Jake Purvis took over at center and was praised by Young for a good performance.
• Malek Johnson had a vicious but clean open field hit on a Mauldin runner who was cutting across the middle into Johnson’s path.
• Greer has scrimmaged all Class 4A teams this summer. Gaffney, Byrnes, J.L. Mann and Mauldin offered a decided edge in number of players. Greer’s final scrimmage is next Friday at Blue Ridge when the Jackets play 3A Woodruff.