John Clayton
Quay White (19) and Alex Syphertt (2) celebrate a touchdown.
John Clayton
Quay Thackston (33) is tackled by Quantavious Cohen (3) and Ethan Alexander (14)
John Clayton
Noah Hannon (60) is a returning starter on the offensive line.
John Clayton
Quarterback Trey Houston dives forward for yardage as Ethan Alexander closes in.
Rosters were available for this year’s Greer High School spring football game Friday evening.
They were also needed.
After graduating 22 seniors from last year’s 11-1 Yellow Jackets squad, a mostly new cast of characters were on the field Friday for a 50-41 victory for the offense over the defense. The defense were given special ways to score and kept the live scrimmage close throughout.
“We’ve got a lot of new faces, and we’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Greer Head Coach Will Young. “But this is definitely a group we can work with. We’re going to get better, but we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
The Yellow Jackets have won four-straight Region II-3A championships, but will move to Class 4A in the S.C. High School League’s new five-division alignment.
But a new classification is the least of the Yellow Jackets’ concerns.
Finding a way to replace the 22 seniors, including three NCAA Division I signees at receiver and quarterback in addition to North-South All-Star Adrian McGee at running back. McGee, who ran for more than 3,000 yards in his high-school career, said he plans on accepting a preferred walk-on slot at South Carolina.
All the quartet of McGee, receivers Troy Pride (Notre Dame), Dorian Lindsey (Wofford) and quarterback Mario Cusano (Presbyterian) did was account for more than 6,800 combined yards from scrimmage and 61 of Greer’s 69 touchdowns.
The Yellow Jackets must find production in 2016 from a largely untested group of players, including senior receiver Alex Syphertt who had 21 catches for 268 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Syphertt is by far the most experienced returning skill-position player on Greer’s roster.
“It feels good to be returning,” Syphertt said. “We’ve got a great group coming up … I honestly feel like I can take on the challenge. Dorian Lindsey was a great role model for me.”
The full-contact scrimmage also meant full contact for the three quarterbacks battling to replace Cusano, a three-year starter at Greer.
Senior Brice Green and sophomores Trey Houston and Matthew Huff will figure into a quarterback competition, but neither Huff nor the southpaw Houston had taken a live varsity snap before the spring game.
Green saw action in seven games last year, completing 6 of 8 pass attempts for 74 yards, an interception and a touchdown.
“Throughout our two weeks of spring practice, I think we’ve looked really good,” Green said. “I think we’ve come together a lot more than people have expected. We’re clicking pretty good, and I think we’re going to surprise some people.”
Though Green, a senior, is the most experienced among the quarterbacks on the roster, he struggled to find a rhythm in the spring game.
“It was a rough day – I think a lot due to nerves,” Green said. “I’ve been Mario’s backup for three years, and I felt like there was a lot of weight on my shoulders.”
The Yellow Jackets will begin play in 7-on-7 competition in June, and Green said he believes the team will come together over the summer.
“Once we have some time to work through the summer and get used to playing with each other, we’re going to be fine,” he said.
Young said he expects Green to bounce back during the 7-on-7 season.
“We’ll have to see what each one of them do well,” said Young. “They are different animals, but we’ll take a look and pick the right one in the end.”
SPRING GAME NOTES:
• Former Greer RB/DB Adrian McGee said he is being recruited for a preferred walk-on spot at South Carolina by former Byrnes head coach and Gamecocks running backs coach Bobby Bentley.
• Quay White, a transfer RB/WR/DB from Southside, made an impact in the spring game with three touchdowns and an interception before exiting early with an ankle injury.
White, a rising junior, said he is happy to be with the Yellow Jackets.
“Everything is better here,” White said. “Nobody is taking off plays here; everybody has a positive attitude. Nobody is breaking down.”
Young called White a “special athlete,” who could possibly fill a role similar to that of Pride, who played receiver, defensive back, running back and punt returner on last year’s team.
“He was definitely impressive,” Young said of White.