John Clayton
Mario Cusano (11) puts his name ahead of Mazzie Drummond in Greer's record book for career passing yardage.
Julie McCombs
Greer Head Coach Will Young is presented a sports coat recognizing him as an assistant coach for the South Carolina Shrine Bowl team this year.
Julie McCombs / File
Nick Roberson kicked his 200th point after touchdown against Southside. The senior kicker is hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates with a game-winning kick against Westwood in a playoff game.
Former Greer quarterback and current assistant coach Mazzie Drummond was watching from the press box when his career passing record fell to Mario Cusano.
Cusano threw a short pass to Cameron Kelley for a 5-yard gain that broke Drummond's record of 5,665 career passing yards at Greer by a single yard. A couple of plays later, Cusano made sure the record stayed broken with a 37-yard completion to Dorian Lindsey. Unofficially, Cusano is at 5,725 yards for his career
Drummond, a two-time all-state football player and three-sport star for the Yellow Jackets, said he was happy to see a player he has mentored break his record.
"Mario is a special kid," Drummond said. "We've had a real special relationship since Day One. I love him like my own child.
"To be the player I was in high school, and then to be able to coach a player that can be better than you, it shows that you can give back to the game and contribute to the game without being a player."
Cusano has gone from transfer student to three-year starter and record-setting quarterback for the Yellow Jackets.
"It means a lot, you know, especially after moving here (from Connecticut) my sophomore year and everybody talking, nobody knowing who I was," Cusano said. "Now, I'm just doing all this, playing my Senior Night, breaking records. There's really nothing better."
Despite gaudy statistics, which include 1,835 passing yards this season with 24 touchdowns and one interception to go with 644 rushing yards with 8 touchdowns, Cusano has gotten only passing interest from college programs thus far.
The snub from colleges has caused Head Coach Will Young, and now Drummond, to work as Cusano's public-relations agents in the media.
"Somebody is going to notice," Drummond said of his protégé. "Somebody is going to get a steal on the college level next season."
Shrine Bowlers unite
Three of Greenville County's four Shrine Bowl participants were on the field during Greer's win over Southside.
Greer's Troy Pride and Dorian Lindsey and Southside linebacker Jeremiah Ferguson were named to the South Carolina team when rosters were announced in early October.
Pride and Lindsey have been standouts on both sides of the ball this season for the Yellow Jackets.
“It’s an honor to be selected,” Lindsey said. “I didn’t expect it, but I want to go out and prove what I’m capable of.”
Pride was an early commit to Virginia Tech but has taken official recruiting visits to Tennessee and Notre Dame over the past couple of weeks.
Like Lindsey, Pride said he was honored to be selected.
“It’s definitely an honor,” Pride said. “I just thank God for that. He’s blessed me with the talent and I’ve performed well enough to get there. I look forward to playing against those great athletes.”
The annual all-star game, which pits teams from South Carolina and North Carolina against one another, will be held Dec. 19 at Wofford’s Gibbs Stadium at 1 p.m.
Will Young is an assistant coach for South Carolina.
The game is a fundraising event for Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Getting his kicks
Kicker Nick Roberson earned his own milestone with his 200th career extra point scored against Southside.
Roberson connected on No. 200 after Cusano's 1-yard touchdown run with 3:10 left in the first quarter.
"It's one of those things that you've got to go out there and work every day for," Roberson said. "It's going out and doing the same thing every day – it's repetition. It's really a blessing."
Roberson also praised the offensive and defensive units for giving him opportunities. The Yellow Jackets are averaging 44 points (just over seven touchdowns with extra points) per game.
"It's a full team effort we've got working," Roberson said. "We all work together."
Roberson also said that, despite some popular beliefs, kickers do get some love and respect from teammates and fans.
"We do," Roberson said as he smiled. "It's a common misconception. We do get some love every now and then."
In the mix
Earlier in the season, Young alluded to an informal interception contest among Greer's competitive defensive backs.
Lindsey and Adrian McGee lead the Yellow Jackets with four picks apiece, Pride has three, while Sitton and Chris Quinn have one each.