The Swampcats are back in the state championship game for the first time since Laurence Manning’s perfect 13-0 season in 1997, where the Swampcats defeated Porter Gaud led by former NFL All-Pro running back Ovie Mughelli.
They will face a tough task against the undefeated Hammond Skyhawks, who will be playing in their ninth consecutive state championship, and for their seventh title. The Skyhawks handed Laurence Manning (11-2) its first loss of the season Oct. 3 with a 37-7 thrashing at Billy Chitwood Field. Much like Porter, the Skyhawks are expected to pound their talented back, T.J. Brady and his 8.7 yards per carry to collect their seventh title in the past decade.
Second-year Swampcat head coach Robbie Briggs is hoping his team’s improvement will be evident 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium at Benedict College in Columbia.
The Swampcats roll into Columbia on a six-game winning streak where they’ve outscored their opponents by an average of 32 points, including a 44-7 dismantling of defending State Champion Wilson Hall in last week’s semi-final.
“I’m happy for the school,” Briggs said shortly after beating rival Wilson Hall. “Dr. (Spencer) Jordan and I put a plan together about 16 months ago and we stuck with the plan.”
Laurence Manning will trot out a true team defense that has only given up only 132 points in 13 games, with Hammond and Ben Lippen being the only schools to cross the 20-point threshold.
The production begins up front, with tackles Olin Robinson and Cameron Menser dominating the line of scrimmage for the Swampcats’ four linebackers to make plays. Seniors Todd Larrimer and Davis Martin alongside junior Tripp Mason and sophomore Maleke Davis put together one of the best linebacker groups in SCISA, as they’ve only allowed more than one touchdown three times all year.
On the back end, Briggs found a pleasant surprise when he introduced Tony Cruz into the starting lineup to offset some early season injuries. Cruz has responded by accumulating 128 tackles and eight interceptions, including three against Cardinal Newman in the first round of the playoffs, prior to last Friday’s game.
Three-year starters Cagney Brunson and Tyshawn Epps line up at the corners, where Brunson has six interceptions. The defense is coming off one of its stronger performances of the season after holding the Barons to 121 total yards, including only 24 through the air, in last week’s curbstomping. Now, the Swampcats’ defense will get a chance for revenge against the only offense to have any real success against them this year.
Laurence Manning Assistant Headmaster and High School Principal and Director of Information and Technology Tripp Boykin noted a buzz around campus this week.
“It’s an exciting time,” Boykin said. “It’s something a little different, and it has taken school spirit to a new level.”
Boykin said this game is huge because it allows Laurence Manning to showcase its students to the entire state. He attributed the school’s recent athletic success to a tremendous coaching staff that has taught a great group of students to come together and play as a team.
In the early October battle against Hammond, the Swampcats fell behind 20 points in the first quarter behind the legs of Hammond senior running back T.J. Brady.
Hammond head coach and former South Carolina quarterback Erik Kimrey was able to spread out the Swampcat defense and pound Brady up the middle for three first-half touchdowns including a 60-yard run less than a minute into the game.
The senior backer has continued to accumulate yards as he rushed for 262 yards and four touchdowns, to bring his season total to 36, in the Skyhawks’ 28-14 semifinal victory over Ben Lippen. Under center for the Skyhawks is senior dual-threat quarterback Nick Garrett, who has a firm grasp of Kimrey’s offense. His lowest offensive total has been three games scoring 28 points, including the first two rounds of the playoffs.
On the offensive side, Laurence Manning will rely on a ground-and-pound running game regularly featuring the electric Tyshawn Epps behind an experienced offensive line. Epps has run for more than 2,000 yards, while accumulating more than 20 touchdowns, including eight in a regular season contest against Ben Lippen.
Quarterback J.T. Eppley has guided an offense that averages more than 37 points a game with fellow senior Adam Lowder coming in for short yardage situations. With Hammond’s explosive offense, it will be imperative for Laurence Manning to keep possession of the ball and convert touchdowns when the opportunity is there.
Laurence Manning had one of its worst offensive performances of the season against Hammond. That may be attributed to the fact that Laurence Manning was playing from behind throughout the game and the Swampcats were a team still searching for their offensive identity. Since the loss, Laurence Manning has averaged 42 points a game including a sub-par 15-point road win at Porter Gaud.
However, just as the Swampcats have improved offensively, the Skyhawks have done the same thing on the defensive end. Hammond forced two turnovers and held Ben Lippen to 14 points last week after giving up 35 in the season opener to the Falcons.
The Skyhawks have senior Wells Mealing back on the field after missing the first half of the season with mononucleosis and the 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior has been a disruptive force on the defensive line for the Skyhawks.
In their regular season matchup, the Swampcats were never close enough to make Hammond uneasy.
Now, the Swampcats know the best way to beat the Skyhawks is to wear down their defense by sustaining long drives resulting in touchdowns.
If the Swampcats can weather the Skyhawks early, this one could go down to the wire. Laurence Manning has a weapon in senior kicker Josh Martin that may be the difference.
