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Julie McCombs
Quez Nesbitt's unassuming ways clash with his speed and power running the ball.
It’s was ‘partee’ time in the Greer High School locker room Friday night.
Less than an hour earlier the Yellow Jackets disposed of Eastside, 49-0, at Homecoming for its fifth straight win (5-1) and remained unbeaten in Region II-AAA. Most notably they hailed the all-time leading rusher – Quez Nesbitt. “The kids spent a little bit longer in the locker room,” Greer Head Coach Will Young said. “They were excited about Quez setting the record and winning Homecoming. There was a little more singing and shouting than usual.”
Quez Nesbitt became the all-time rushing leader, bypassing Dominique Parks, when his 11-yard final run of the game elevated him to 4,833-yards. “We looked back on his career and he averaged 8.9 - 9.0 yards per carry,” Young said. “That is amazing!”
The most startling statistic Young pointed out was Nesbitt’s carries were more limited than most one-dimensional teams because his yards per carry was considerably higher than a back toting the ball 23-30 times a game.
Nesbitt is unassuming as a runner and appearing before the media. He had to be coaxed into posing for a photo with his teammates after his record-setting performance last week. “I don’t know that he likes all that attention,” Young said. “He’s a kid who walks around school and you wouldn’t know who he was.”
Young continued to express the importance of getting the ball more often to his skill players. “We have so many good weapons. (Dorian) Lindsay, (Emanuel) Kelly, (Zechariah) Glidden,” Young said. All those players and Brice Green and Dorian McGee made yardage Friday night.
Last week Greer’s game plan was to turn Nesbitt loose in the first half. He responded with three touchdowns and the bulk of his 247 yards rushing.
“We’ve still got to get more comfortable delivering the football to other folks,” Young said.
"They all did well and we got out of the gates real well. That’s something we hadn’t done since the Seneca game,” Young said. Greer scored 35 first-half points, the most all season and 14 more than it did at Seneca in an opening-game defeat.
Cole Henderson, offensive line, and Ty Campbell, defensive line, were signaled out for outstanding performances. Malek (Johnson) had a big game returning from a recurring shoulder injury that included a pair of interceptions.
Young, who coaches the offensive line, is reluctant to heap praise on them. “They’re getting pretty close,” to being a good line, Young said. “We go all week teaching them things. On the first drive they had to make decisions on their own and then come over and we talk about how to adjust.”
Sophomore quarterback Mario Cusano continues to develop as a starter. He completed six passes on 14 attempts and was intercepted once. He scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run.
Greer travels to Berea Friday night for another Region II-AAA game where the Jackets will again be heavy favorites. Greer scored the most points in a game last year when it routed Berea, 67-0.