Julie McCombs
Greer's defensive line is in sync getting off the ball against Blue Ridge last Friday night. The challenge against Seneca will be to be able to match up with the Bobcats' fast-paced offense.
Seneca, which beat Greer in overtime, 46-45 on Aug. 25, threw some wrinkles at the Yellow Jackets that were unsuspected. “They surprised us,” Greer Head Coach Will Young said.
Seneca operated a hurry-up offense that appeared to keep the Yellow Jackets off balance the entire game. The Bobcats’ offense would sprint the line and snap the ball before Greer’s defense could get in position. That resulted in Seneca controlling the ball for 43:53 minutes that covered 71 plays and 394 yards in total offense – 290 rushing. Greer produced 423 yards of offense while having possession only 16:08.
Greer’s Quez Nesbitt got his season off to a spectacular start with 216 yards rushing, scoring five touchdowns on 13 carries. But it was Greer’s defensive lapses that allowed Seneca to score three TDs in the last 18 minutes to send the game into overtime and win on a two-point conversion on its first extra possession.
“Wayne Green’s (Seneca head coach) history has been where he hadn’t done (hurry-up offense) that,” Young said Sunday evening. “He’s had success and has stayed with it. They break the huddle fast and have an unbalanced line. They score points and get up and down the field. It will be a challenge for our defensive line.”
Greer’s defense has played near flawlessly the past two games. The Jackets beat Southside 41-7 holding the Tigers to 107 total yards, 20 on the ground. In last Friday’s Region II-3A championship game Greer smothered Blue Ridge, 35-7, holding its rival to 134 total yards, only 79 on the ground. The win earned Greer the No. 1 seed and home field advantage for at least the first two weeks in the playoffs.
“The difference in our defense is night and day,” Young said. “When we played them (Seneca) the first time it was like us playing the Atlanta Falcons and being confused.”
Nine games and some personnel changes have occurred with Greer’s defense becoming a dominating part of the game plan. Greer has recovered 10 fumbles and intercepted 15 passes during the regular season.
Senior linebacker John Hicks is the team’s leading tackler with over 100. Hicks has the most fumbles recovered, 3, with Ty Campbell recovering two. The Jackets have 38 sacks.
Raymond Booker, Ty Campbell, Tim Ballenger and Brook Chapman have been successful in stopping the run at the line of scrimmage and occupying the offensive linemen to allow the linebackers to run unchecked. Ballenger intercepted a screen pass at Union County and ran it back for a 10-yard touchdown.
Depth at linebacker has been interchangeable to allow others to play on offense. Hicks has been the stalwart with Emmanuel Kelly, Tay Woods, Tyler Wright, Tedric Gregory, Tyquan Lyles, Cedric Sullivan and Nakeem Hoke.
D’Anta Fleming, a senior, and Malek Johnson, a junior, anchor a solid secondary. Kelly can play virtually any position from end, linebacker and defensive back. Jackson Tipton, a sophomore, is the youngest member of the unit.
“Brook is a better ballplayer than a year ago,” Young said. “Tay Woods played linebacker last game. Ty Campbell is better. Ballenger is a better player than he was at the start of the season.Tyler Wright is in his first year of playing varsity and he's playing well.
“We’re a lot better team than we were at the first of the season.”
Region II-3A Standings
Final Regular Season
Region II-3A Overall
|
|
W |
L |
W |
L |
PF |
PA |
|
x-Greer |
6 |
1 |
8 |
2 |
458 |
171 |
|
y-Blue Ridge |
6 |
1 |
9 |
1 |
395 |
143 |
|
z-Greenville |
6 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
295 |
135 |
|
Pickens |
4 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
275 |
209 |
|
Southside |
3 |
4 |
4 |
6 |
178 |
176 |
|
Eastside |
2 |
5 |
3 |
7 |
200 |
320 |
|
Berea |
0 |
7 |
1 |
9 |
77 |
373 |
|
Travelers Rest |
1 |
6 |
2 |
8 |
119 |
340 |
x -No. 1 seed based on points
y -No. 2 seed based on points
z - No. 3 seed based on head to head with Blue Ridge
Last Friday’s games
Greer 35, Blue Ridge 7
Greenville 62, Eastside 13
Travelers Rest 28, Berea 22
Pickens 41, Southside 18
Friday's playoff schedule
All games 7:30 p.m.
Seneca at Greer
Lower Richland at Blue Ridge
Greenville at Chapin
Pickens at Woodruff