The Quez Nesbitt Express has left the station and it’s running at breakneck speed.
Nesbitt packaged 388 total yards with a career-high 314 yards rushing and six touchdowns (5 running / 1 receiving) and tacked on an additional 74 yards receiving to lead Greer to a 63-14 victory over cross-town rival Riverside tonight.
Greer earned its first win of the season after two games and Riverside fell to 0-2, losing its 12th straight since the second game of the 2011 season.
Nesbitt has 530 yards rushing, 11 touchdowns and 150 yards receiving in two games.
His longest run tonight was 94 yards for a touchdown with 5:06 left in the game. Last week he had a 91-yard TD run. Ironically, Greer Head Coach Will Young was only trying to gain a little breathing run to put in the reserves. Nesbitt made that point moot.
“They just told me to go,” Nesbitt said.
Nesbitt, a junior, said it’s all about “staying focused. Last year I was nervous running the ball. I’m reading the blocks better this year.”
Greer Head Coach Will Young said he’s noticed a big difference in Nesbitt’s maturity on and off the field. “He’s really growing up as a person. The biggest difference is we believe in him and he believes in his coaches. I can see him in the huddle and calling plays."
Nesbitt had TD runs of 25-, 35-, 2-, 1-, and 92-yards. He averaged 18.5 yards per carry.
Josh Gentry had a subpar night for him. He completed 6 of 15 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. But he had two picked off, one on a desperation pass while trying to escape Riverside tacklers.
Greer’s offense had possession for 21:43, five more minutes than last week and five minutes less than Riverside. However, Nesbitt was a factor in that with his three scoring runs of 25 yards or more.
Riverside quarterback Greg Pollastrini gave Greer’s defense headaches rushing for 94 yards and scoring two touchdowns. He only had 4 completions in 21 attempts and two passes were intercepted, both as a result being tipped at the line of scrimmae. That can be attributed to Greer’s defense shadowing him throughout the game.
“The defense played better tonight,” Young said. Riverside was held to 177 yards on 52 plays.
Riverside Head Coach Steve Euote said he thought his team was gaining on Greer answering the Yellow Jackets' first three touchdowns with two of their own to draw within 21-14 with nine minutes remaining in the half.
“This team did not quit,” Riverside Head Coach Steve Euote said. “This team, this year, this coaching staff is positive.”
Greer started the game with Nesbitt scoring the first three touchdowns and Thomas Center making good his points after touchdowns.
Pollastrini answered with his two scores and from then on Greer’s weaponry was too much to overcome.
Greer plays next week at Union County, coached by former South Carolina quarterback Steve Taneyhill.
Riverside plays Woodmont next week at the Reservation.
TEAM STATISTICS
|
|
GREER |
RIVERSIDE |
|
First downs |
26 |
9 |
|
Rushes / yards (net) |
38 /420 |
31 / 131 |
|
Passing yards (net) |
159 |
46 |
|
Passes – Att./Comp./Int. |
16/6/2 |
21/4/2 |
|
Total offensive plays /yards |
53/579 |
52/177 |
|
Fumble returns / yards |
0/0 |
1/12 |
|
Punt returns / yards |
7/157 |
1/9 |
|
Kickoff returns / yards |
2/42 |
10/172 |
|
Interception returns / yards |
2/32 |
2/26 |
|
Punts / number / average |
1/48.0 |
9/36.8 |
|
Fumbles / lost |
1/1 |
0/0 |
|
Penalties / yards |
7/68 |
7/49 |
|
Possession time |
21:43 |
26:17 |
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING
GREER
|
|
Attempts |
Net |
Touchdowns |
Longest run |
Average |
|
Nesbitt |
17 |
314 |
5 |
94 |
18.5 |
|
Kelly |
2 |
43 |
1 |
30 |
21.5 |
|
Gentry |
9 |
29 |
1 |
25 |
3.2 |
|
Wright |
3 |
23 |
0 |
8 |
7.7 |
RIVERSIDE
|
|
Attempts |
Net |
Touchdowns |
Longest run |
Average |
|
|
Pollastrini |
15 |
94 |
2 |
40 |
6.3 |
|
|
Stoddard |
9 |
24 |
0 |
7 |
2.7 |
|
|
Funes |
4 |
7 |
0 |
5 |
1.8 |
|
|
Team |
2 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
2.5 |
|
PASSING
GREER
|
|
Attempts |
Complete |
Intercepted |
Yards |
TDs |
Longest |
|
Gentry |
15 |
6 |
2 |
159 |
2 |
74 |
RIVERSIDE
|
Pollastrini |
21 |
4 |
2 |
46 |
0 |
23 |
RECEIVING
GREER
|
|
Number |
Yards |
Touchdowns |
Longest |
|
Kelly |
5 |
85 |
1 |
32 |
|
Nesbitt |
1 |
74 |
1 |
74 |
RIVERSIDE
|
|
Number |
Yards |
Touchdowns |
Longest |
|
Jackson |
4 |
46 |
0 |
23 |
PUNTING
GREER
|
|
Punts |
Yards |
Average |
Touchback |
Inside 20 |
Longest |
|
Cooke |
1 |
48.0 |
48.0 |
0 |
0 |
48 |
|
RIVERSIDE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manfre |
9 |
331.0 |
36.8 |
0 |
1 |
43 |
PUNT RETURNS
GREER
|
|
Returns |
Yards |
TD |
Longest |
|
Kelly |
2 |
77 |
0 |
45 |
|
Fleming |
2 |
47 |
0 |
26 |
|
Johnson |
3 |
33 |
0 |
17 |
RIVERSIDE
|
Jackson |
1 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
KICKOFF RETURNS
GREER
|
|
Number |
Yards |
Touchdowns |
Longest |
|
Johnson |
1 |
25 |
0 |
25 |
|
Nesbitt |
1 |
17 |
0 |
17 |
|
RIVERSIDE |
|
|
|
|
|
James |
5 |
71 |
0 |
31 |
|
Jackson |
2 |
58 |
0 |
33 |
|
Quiles |
3 |
43 |
0 |
16 |
SCORING SUMMARY
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
|
Greer |
21 |
28 |
7 |
7 |
63 |
|
Riverside |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
First Quarter
10:03: Greer – Quez Nesbitt 25 run (Thomas Center run), 7-0
8:27: Greer – Nesbitt 35 run (Center kick), 14-0
5:20: Greer – Nesbitt 2 run (Center kick), 21-0
:13.4: Riverside – Greg Pollastrini 3 run (Ted Manfree kick), 21-7
Second Quarter
9:17: Riverside – Pollastrini 2 run (Manfree kick), 21-14
6:03: Greer – Nesbitt 1 run (Center kick), 28-14
4:38: Greer – Josh Gentry 17 run (Center kick), 35-14
4:04: Greer – Emmanuel Kelly 25 pass from Gentry (Center kick), 42-14
2:15: Greer – Nesbitt 74 pass from Gentry (Center kick), 49-14
Third Quarter
3:41: Greer – Kelly 30 run (Nick Roberson kick)
Fourth Quarter
5:06: Greer – Nesbitt 94 run (Roberson kick)
