Julie McCombs
Alex Waters, Greer's outstanding offensive lineman, jumps over a Union player to charge downfield looking for players to move out of the way.
“Coach (Bob) Massullo told the defensive line if we got five sacks he would take us out for a steak,” John Hicks, senior linebacker, said. Hicks got five sacks alone, including 18 tackles, 10 assists and one tackle for loss. Defensive linemen Tim Ballenger returned an interception 10 yards for a touchdown and Ty Campbell recovered a Union fumble at the 15 late in the game to preserve Greer’s cushion.
Greer beat Union tonight, 41-28, at Union County Stadium for its second straight away win to improve to 2-1. Union dropped to 1-2. Greer also keeps the mythical “Jacket Bowl” for the second straight year by beating Union.
Greer plays Greenville at Sirrine Stadium next Friday.
Nesbitt gained 178 yards and scored three touchdowns on 22 carries. As if to put an exclamation point on the victory, Nesbitt broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run with 3:31 left in the game to give Greer a three touchdown lead. Two Union players were angling for a crushing tackle, but Nesbitt juked one so convincingly the defender fell backwards onto the ground and the other was turned completely around and was running away from Nesbitt at the end of the play.
“The defense got us some big momentum, Quez ran well and (Josh) Gentry had a big game, although the stats won’t show it. He threw well and most of his missed passes were catchable,” Greer Head Coach Will Young said.
Gentry scored on a 50-yard run 23 seconds after Union built a 14-0 lead. Malek Johnson returned the kickoff 30 yards to the 50 and Gentry blasted through the line, veered right and outraced Union defenders into the end zone.
“Coach Ab (Jay Abercrombie, offensive coordinator) told me I was going to be running the ball more,” Gentry said. “On that touchdown we pulled the guard and tackle and they opened a big hole for me. They did a great job tonight.”
“One of the things you can’t have is a one-play drive,” Union head coach Steve Taneyhill said. “We have got to get better after this game.”
Hicks could have easily been mistaken as Union’s 12th man on offense but in a different uniform. He was in the backfield frequently and was like a traffic cop directing Greer’s other defenders to the ball carrier.
“We knew the quarterback was going to run. My job was to contain the quarterback and force him inside,” Hicks said. Hicks, who has had a history of shoulder stingers, took some hits tonight that showed him at times with one arm dangling.
Ballenger said he was also staying at home when he played the screen pass perfectly. “I watched a lot of film and knew when (QB Keiston Smith) was going to throw the screen. When the pass was coming to me the only thing on my mind was to score. I didn’t even think of not catching it.”
Ballenger was matter-of-fact when he described the play after the game. “Big time players make big time plays,” he said.
Smith passed for 302 yards and four touchdowns to lead Union.
Union had pulled to within 21-26 with 8:18 remaining in the fourth quarter when Kaylay Jones scored on a 30-yard pass play from Smith.
“We were in the huddle before that play praying for a fumble,” Campbell said. “It was a fumbled snap and I fell on the ball. I wasn’t afraid of it being taken away because my own player was on top of me.”
Nesbitt scored on runs of 34-, 2-, and 65-yard runs.
Union built its 14 point lead on two Smith touchdown passes, an 8-yard completion to T.J. Foster with 8:33 left in the first quarter and a 24-yard scoring strike to Kalay Jones early in the second period.
Greer had Union County on its heels and scored two more touchdowns in a 17 second span late in the second quarter. Nesbitt, who Union thought it had bottled up, escaped for a 4-run blast through the middle for a 20-14 lead.
Josh Cooke’s short kickoff apparently confused Union County and Greer recovered the ball for possession and first down at the 34. Following an incomplete pass Nesbitt took the hand off and sprinted past Union’s defense for the final score of the half.
Centers, who made his first 13 PATs as a starter this sophomore season, missed his first PAT when it went wide left and didn’t get the height to go over the goalpost after Nesbitt’s 4-yard run.
SCORING SUMMARY
|
Greer |
0 |
26 |
0 |
15 |
41 |
|
Union County |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
28 |
First Quarter
8:33. Union County: T.J. Foster 8 pass from Keiston Smith. (Brandon Shetley kick), 7-0.
Second Quarter
10:35. Union Co.: Kalay Jones 24 pass from Smith (Shetley kick). 14-0.
10:12. Greer: Greer: Josh Gentry 50 run (Thomas Center kick). 14-7.
8:42. Greer: Tim Ballenger 10 interception return (Center kick). 14-14
3:35. Greer: Emmanuel Kelly 4 run (Center kick failed). 14-20.
3:18. Greer: Nesbitt 34 run (Gentry pass incomplete) 14-26.
Third Quarter
:23.7. Union Co.: Jones 30 pass from Smith (Shetley kick). 21-26
Fourth Quarter
7:37. Greer: Nesbitt 2 run (Gentry pass to Corbin). 21-34.
3:13. Greer: Nesbitt 65 run (Center kick). 21-41.
29.2. Union: T.J. Foster 23 pass from Smith. (Shetley kick). 28-41
TEAM STATISTICS
|
|
GREER |
UNION COUNTY |
|
First downs |
14 |
24 |
|
Rushes / yards (net) |
32/279 |
36/76 |
|
Passing yards (net) |
27 |
302 |
|
Passes – Att./Comp./Int. |
12 / 3 / 0 |
37 / 22 /1 |
|
Total offensive plays /yards |
49 / 306 |
73 / 378 |
|
Fumble returns / yards |
0 / 0 |
0 / 0 |
|
Punt returns / yards |
0 / 0 |
6/73 |
|
Kickoff returns / yards |
4 /40 |
|
|
Interception returns / yards |
1 / 10 |
0 / 0 |
|
Punts / number / average |
4 / 41.8 |
4 / 33.5 |
|
Fumbles / lost |
1 / 1 |
1 / 1 |
|
Penalties / yards |
6 / 54 |
3 / 22 |
|
Possession time |
18:27 |
29:33 |
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING
GREER
|
|
Attempts |
Net |
Touchdowns |
Longest run |
Average |
|
Nesbitt |
22 |
178 |
3 |
65 |
8.1 |
|
Gentry |
13 |
97 |
1 |
51 |
7.5 |
|
Kelly |
1 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
4.0 |
|
Team |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
37 |
279 |
5 |
|
7.5 |
UNION COUNTY
|
|
Attempts |
Net |
Touchdowns |
Longest run |
Average |
|
Davis |
12 |
51 |
0 |
13 |
4.25 |
|
Brown |
7 |
28 |
0 |
29 |
4.0 |
|
Booker |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
Smith |
16 |
-3 |
0 |
7 |
0.0 |
|
Total |
36 |
75 |
0 |
0 |
2.08 |
PASSING
GREER
|
|
Attempts |
Complete |
Intercepted |
Yards |
TDs |
Longest |
|
Gentry |
11 |
3 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
15 |
|
Team |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
12 |
3 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
15 |
UNION COUNTY
|
K. Smith |
37 |
22 |
1 |
302 |
4 |
30 |
|
Total |
37 |
22 |
1 |
302 |
4 |
30 |
RECEIVING
GREER
|
|
Number |
Yards |
Touchdowns |
Longest |
|
Kelly |
2 |
17 |
0 |
15 |
|
Woods |
1 |
10 |
0 |
10 |
|
Total |
2 |
17 |
0 |
15 |
UNION COUNTY
|
|
Number |
Yards |
Touchdowns |
Longest |
|
Jones |
8 |
144 |
2 |
30 |
|
Foster |
4 |
61 |
1 |
27 |
|
Booker |
4 |
37 |
0 |
16 |
|
Ruth |
3 |
32 |
0 |
13 |
|
Total |
19 |
274 |
3 |
30 |
PUNTING
GREER
|
|
Punts |
Yards |
Average |
Touchback |
Inside 20 |
Longest |
|
Cooke |
4 |
167 |
41.8 |
0 |
1 |
53 |
UNION COUNTY
|
|
Punts |
Yards |
Average |
Touchback |
Inside 20 |
Longest |
|
Shetley |
4 |
134 |
33.5 |
0 |
1 |
35 |
PUNT RETURNS
GREER
|
|
Returns |
Yards |
TD |
Longest |
|
Johnson |
1 |
59 |
0 |
59 |
UNION COUNTY
|
|
Returns |
Yards |
TD |
Longest |
|
None |
|
|
|
|
KICKOFF RETURNS
GREER
|
|
Number |
Yards |
Touchdowns |
Longest |
|
Nesbitt |
3 |
45 |
0 |
36 |
|
Johnson |
1 |
-5 |
0 |
-5.0 |
|
Total |
4 |
40 |
0 |
36 |
|
UNION CO. |
|
|
|
|
|
Davis |
4 |
41 |
0 |
19 |
|
Booker |
2 |
32 |
0 |
17 |
|
Total |
6 |
73 |
0 |
19 |
