Julie McCombs
Mario Cusano tries to squirm out of the grasp of two Travelers Rest defenders.
Julie McCombs
Noah Hannon moves Travelers Rest lineman Isaac Shipman (64) out of the way.
Julie McCombs
Greer cheerleaders put a happy face on for a rainy Friday night in Travelers Rest.
But thanks to a dominating second half by the Yellow Jackets, the final result was the same as it seems to always be – a 41-13 Greer victory, the 13th-straight win in the series dating back to 1986. Travelers Rest last defeated the Yellow Jackets in 1985.
For a while, though, the Devil Dogs seemed poised to defy their history.
Greer needed the first of three Troy Pride touchdown runs to take a 13-7 lead with 9.7 seconds left before halftime. Pride scored on a 43-yard run and had his best rushing performance of his career. He ran for 190 yards on 13 carries, including touchdown runs of 43, 7, and 84 yards.
“Playing running back was great, but this was about getting the win,” Pride said. “This is a Travelers Rest team that was 3-0 to start the season, and they came out here and played well, so we were happy to come out here and get a win.”
Pride, who spends most of his time on offense as a receiver, subbed for the injured Adrian McGee who exited the game in the first quarter with an apparent ankle or lower leg injury.
McGee’s 4-yard touchdown run with 1:38 left in the opening quarter put the Yellow Jackets (5-0 overall, 2-0 Region II-3A) ahead 7-0.
But the Devil Dogs answered quickly.
Jason Dilworth took the ensuing kickoff 90 yards to the Greer 7, setting up a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Travelers Rest star running back Xavier “Zay” Terry that tied the game at 7-7 just before the end of the first quarter.
Even though the Yellow Jackets dominated the scoreboard in the second half, Greer Head Coach Will Young was unimpressed with his team’s rocky start.
“We played very, very sloppy football,” Young said. “We didn’t play very well. … I didn’t think we played very well, but we won 41-13, so we’ve got to get back on the bus and get ready for the next one.”
Young gave credit to Travelers Rest for making things tougher than some of the Yellow Jackets may have expected.
Pride’s two other touchdown runs came on Greer’s first two possessions of the third quarter as the Yellow Jackets expanded their lead to 28-7.
Terry, who finished with 92 yards on 32 carries, scored on another 1-yard run with 11:32 to play, capping a three-play, 52-yard drive highlighted by quarterback Chris Gomia’s 45-yard scamper that ended the third quarter.
But Greer would allow Travelers Rest (3-2, 0-2) to get no closer, adding a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown runs by quarterback Mario Cusano to put the Devil Dogs away.
Greer hosts Eastside next Friday.
|
(V) Greer |
7 |
6 |
15 |
13 |
0 |
41 |
|
(H) Travelers Rest |
7 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
13 |
|
TEAM |
GHS |
TRHS |
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Score |
41 |
13 |
|
First Downs |
20 |
7 |
|
Rushes / Yards (Net) |
47 / 336 |
43 / 118 |
|
Passing Yards (Net) |
78 |
16 |
|
Passes -- Att / Comp / Int |
13/5/0 |
6/4/0 |
|
Total Offensive Plays / Yards |
60 / 414 |
49 / 134 |
|
Fumble Returns / Yards |
0 / 0 |
0 / 0 |
|
Punt Returns / Yards |
2 / 54 |
0 / 0 |
|
Kickoff Returns / Yards |
3 / 31 |
3 / 138 |
|
Interception Returns / Yards |
0 / 0 |
0 / 0 |
|
Punts (Number/Average) |
3 / 23.0 |
7 / 23.4 |
|
Fumbles / Lost |
1 / 1 |
3 / 0 |
|
Penalties / Yards |
6 / 62 |
5 / 55 |
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Possession Time |
21:00 |
27:00 |
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GHS |
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS |
TRHS |
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| Team | Qtr. | Time | Scoring Play | Conversion | Plays/Yds | Score | |
| GHS | 1 | 01:38 | Adrian McGee Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:38 4 yds | PAT Kick by Nicholas Roberson GOOD. | 8 / 50 | 7 - 0 | |
| TRHS | 1 | 00:05 | Xavier TERRY Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:05 2 yds | PAT Kick by Ryan JACKSON GOOD. | 3 / 7 | 7 - 7 | |
| GHS | 2 | 00:09 | Troy Pride Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:09 43 yds | PAT Kick by Nicholas Roberson NO Good | 5 / 61 | 13 - 7 | |
| GHS | 3 | 04:25 | Troy Pride Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN, clock 04:25 7 yds | PAT Run by Mario Cusano GOOD. | 8 / 40 | 21 - 7 | |
| GHS | 3 | 00:21 | Troy Pride Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN, clock 00:21 84 yds | PAT Kick by Nicholas Roberson GOOD. | 1 / 84 | 28 - 7 | |
| TRHS | 4 | 11:32 | Xavier TERRY Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN, clock 11:32 1 yds | PAT Kick by Ryan JACKSON NO Good | 3 / 56 | 28 - 13 | |
| GHS | 4 | 07:52 | Mario Cusano Carries(QB Keeper) TOUCHDOWN, clock 07:52 2 yds | PAT Kick by Nicholas Roberson GOOD. | 9 / 50 | 35 - 13 | |
| GHS | 4 | 01:36 | Mario Cusano Carries(QB Keeper) TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:36 7 yds | PAT Run by Brice Green NO Good | 5 / 40 | 41 - 13 |