Julie McCombs
Xavier Wright may be the smallest Greer wide out at 5-foot-5, 141-pounds, but he played big in win over Southside.
Senior wide receiver Xavier Wright, the smallest of Greer's wide outs listed at 5-foot-5, 141 pounds, came up big in the Yellow Jackets 35-0 victory Friday night at Southside.
“I'm the shortest, but I'm still the oldest,” Wright said with a smile after the win, which coupled with Chapman's 31-28 victory over Blue Ridge, earned Greer (9-0 overall, 6-0 Region 2-AAA) the region championship.
The diminutive receiver played no small part in the victory with four catches for 77 yards and a touchdown.
Wright's 41-yard catch also set up Troy Pride's touchdown run in the second quarter that put Greer up 21-0.
On the Yellow Jackets' next possession, Wright hauled in a 24-yard strike from quarterback Mario Cusano as Greer extended its lead to 28-0 before the half.
Wright finished second on the team behind Dorian Lindsey in catches and receiving yards. On the season, Wright is behind only Lindsey in receptions (27), receiving yards (364) and touchdown catches (6).
Wright said a move from the “Y” or slot receiver position he normally plays was a factor in his increased production.
“We ran the same plays we ran in practice all week,” Wright said. “We already knew what we were going to do, and we came out and capitalized.”
While Lindsey has been Cusano's favorite target during the course of the season, he connected with four different receivers against Southside, and Wright nearly matched Lindsey's reception total.
“We really don't (know who will be targeted most),” Wright said. “We just come out every week and play hard every Friday and ball out.
A year ago, Wright was on the sidelines due to injuries. Greer Defensive Coordinator Travis Perry said Wright spent the year on the junior varsity roster.
Wright returned to the field and is now one of only a handful of seniors on the Yellow Jackets' roster and has been an integral part of the team's thus-far perfect season.
Greer puts its 9-0 mark on the line Friday night at home against rival Blue Ridge.
“We all know what next week is, but I'm not going to speak about that,” Wright said.