Random thoughts from Friday's games

My day started at 8 a.m. with a trip to Orangeburg. I was starting to wonder if it was ever going to end with the way Myrtle Beach and Marlboro County kept scoring at Doug Shaw Stadium. Here are some thoughts from Friday's games.

Myrtle Beach 51, Marlboro Count 50 |This was the absolute best high school football game I've ever seen. I can't imagine there having been a better game in the history of Doug Shaw Stadium or even Horry County. This game had everythings. Twists. Turns. Big plays. Big hits. A big crowd. Stars. Role players becoming stars. One overtime. Two overtimes. Tears. Pain. Joy. Ecstasy. This game was so good that even the best writer could not have written such a compelling script. Some how Myrtle Beach found a way to win a game it probably had no reason winning. Marlboro County's quarterback-to-receiver combo of Elliot Alford and Jaquan Brantly were absolutely amazing. Alford had 400 passing yards, five passing scores and two running scores. Brantly had four touchdown catches and more than 200 yards receiving. How is Kinsman Thomas, who was held without a catch, going to the Shrine Bowl and this kid barely gets any attention? Tailback Tyreek Townsend might be the most slippier player I've ever seen. He isn't overly fast, but he has quickness and strength that seems impossible for such a small player. The Seahawks also saw its standouts play well. Everett Golson was off all night as a passer, but he caused all kinds of problems for the Bulldogs with his feet in the second half. Tight end Steven Cobb, an unsung hero at both tight end and linebacker, caught three touchdowns. Daiquone Ford had a big rushing night and the defense mostly contained Marlboro County's running back. The key play, of course, came in the second overtime when Marlboro County coach Dean Boyd decided to go for the two-point conversion after pulling to within a point at 51-50. It was a questionable decision, but it's neither the right one or wrong one. Both teams were tired and his kicker isn't the most reliable, so Boyd may have figured he had a better chance of getting the game-winning conversion - the Alford to Brantly connection was unstoppable throughout the entire game - than hitting the tying extra point. It failed and he'll surely get a lot of criticism for the call. Many Marlboro County fans were already trashing their coach on the way to their cars. Somebody had to try and win it. The Bulldogs tried and failed. But they certainly weren't losers. Their faces were full of tears, but they pushed the Seahawks to the brink of defeat. Myrtle Beach has just found a way to win so many similar game this year. Myrtle Beach now faces a strong club from Chester, which beat power Daniel, in the Upper State championship next Saturday.

Starmount (N.C.) 17, South Columbus (N.C.) 14 | There will be no return trip to the state championship for South Columbus, which lost on a field goal with 18 seconds left. The Stallions just haven't been as good this year as they were in 2007. The defense has struggled at times and the offense hasn't always found ways to get untracked. Still, the Stallions had a great year after losing almost the entire defense. A big portion of the offense will graduation this offseason. The Stallions have put together a pretty good run over the last two years and shouldn't feel bad about the loss.

Chesterfield 21, Carvers Bay 0 | This was an ugly football game. Carvers Bay was so oumatched that this was never really a game. The Rams scored the winning points on the sixth play of the game. Chesterfield might be the most complete Class A team I've seen. Few teams in that class have the ability to run and throw will equal effectiveness. The Bears lost Clayton Geathers to injury, but I doubt it would have mattered. Chesterfield's small but quick defense hit the Bears in the mouth and played tough defense. It was a good year for Carvers Bay. Most people, including myself, gave them no chance of reaching the title game this year, but the tradition continued.

Comments

[chseahawkfan]

"The Greatest Game in the history of this area" http://www.carolinalive.com/sports/video.aspx?id=228690 The 10,000+ fans at Doug Shaw Friday night saw arguably the finest effort ever by two high school teams in the Pee Dee area, maybe SC or anywhere. Marlboro County QB Alford and receiver Brantly where the pair that put on an aerial show when it was expected that MB's Golson and Valentine would light up the beach air. Golson seemed to have a throwing hand problem and he was off his normal game. He did connect but not with his usual accuracy and confidence. The M.C. defense was certainly part of the reason but Golson and his Coach found a way to win again. The two teams, offenses and defenses played the kind of game, showed amazing talent, and determination that would be impossible to predict and will not be repeated. This game is a singular event, hyped but like a movie that is even better than the book it was so exhilarating that every fan, player, and coach was exhausted emotionally and physically when the last double overtime interception landed in the hands of M.B.'s Skelton. Both teams are loaded with talent. Myrtle Beach has played to or over it's potential every game but one and Marlboro County must have had some mental lapses during the season but on this night the Dawgs were awesome. The real story is how Myrtle Beach was able to win even though out manned and outplayed. The Seahawks defense has never bent so much or faced such a balanced attack. The fact that the Hawks defenders were able to keep this game close in such an onslaught of, best ever performances, by the Dawgs and Golson, Ford, Cobb, Skelton and Valentine were able to find a way to answer every time is the story that really can't be described, you just had to be there. chseahawkfan