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 Saturday Morning Quarterback  . . How bout them Jackets? How bout them Rebels? How about the fact that you can look anywhere else in the state, and you aren't going to find a place where two state champions are about ten miles apart in distance. All season long, I would look in the USA Today and find Summerville ranked as one of the top 25 teams in the nation. I knew that they weren't the best team in the state. I would then look at the top ten teams in the South. There was no Byrnes, no undefeated Greenville, and no two-time defending state champion Union. It was very frustrating for me. This weekend, however, that frustration went away. On Friday, I watched the Byrnes Rebels claim their second straight title. As nice as last year's championship was, I think this season was a little sweeter. Everyone knew that the Rebels would have the talent, but few gave them the chance to win another state title, let alone have the first undefeated season in school history. When I looked around after the game was over, I saw coaches and players unable to hold back their emotions, and I knew right then how special this season was. Around the middle of the day on Saturday, I found on that Gaffney had won the Big 16 title by beating Sumter. I took special pride in this because Byrnes crushed Gaffney during the regular season, Sumter didn't doubt for a second that they would win, and because it gave the Upstate another state title. Saturday night, I made the trip back to Columbia. A few people seemed shocked to see me there, and seemed more amazed by the fact that I was wearing a Greer High cap. The truth is, I wouldn't have missed that game for the world. With the exception of the week they play Byrnes, I am pulling for the Yellow Jackets to win. In talking to Sinclair Cannon, Walter Booker, Josh Williams, and so many of the other players, I have found this year's team to be a classy group of young men with hearts as amazing as their talent. And then of course, there is Coach Perry. I jumped on this man's bandwagon as soon as he was mentioned to take over the coaching job at Greer High, and knew it would only be a matter of time before he took the program back to Columbia. As much as I loved to see Coach Bentley win another title on Friday, seeing Travis win the title was the highlight of the season for me. I don't doubt for a second that Greenville or Union could have won the state title on Saturday, because after seeing what I did, I know for a fact that the best football teams are in the Upstate. But with all do respect to the Red Raiders and Yellow Jackets, the team that won the final game of the season on Saturday was truely the best team in the state. Congratulations again to Greer and Byrnes. I can't wait to see it happen again next year. Joel can be reached at fitz14@bellsouth.net  . 11-23-03 . Early Friday Morning, hundreds of thousands of people across the country will pop up out of their beds, shower, and race to malls, department stores and any place else that celebrates the day after Thanksgiving, also known as the first official shopping day of the Christmas holidays. Greer area high school football fans, however, have already been given one of the best Christmas presents they could ask for. Both the Greer High Yellow Jackets and the Byrnes Rebels will host upperstate title games, with a trip to Columbia on the line. And although these two schools are bitter rivals on the field, I know that the coaching staffs, players, and fans of both schools will be pulling for the other to inch one game closer to winning it all. In what has become a tradition in the 3-A state playoffs, Greer and Union will lock up. I am not even sure if Greer keeps up with this, but I have a feeling that this could be one of the highest attended games in Dooley Field History. Not only will fans of both schools be there, but players from teams who have already been eliminated and people who just like to see great high school football will also be there. My advice, get there early.....like around Tuesday night. Everyone who asked me how I thought the Greer and Greenville game would come out got the same answer. If the Yellow Jackets could limit the damage of Greenville running back Travil Jamison, they would win the game. Although Jamison rushed for close to 300 yards, Greer had something that I underestimated, heart. They never stopped believing, and in the end, proved to be the better team. The Yellow Jackets will need that heart again on Friday. Although Union wasn't its typical dominating self during the regular season, the Yellow Jackets have clearly been a team on a mission during the postseason. Two weeks ago, they went to B-HP and pitched a shutout. Last Friday, they held Eastside to a total of 12 yards. The title "Game of the Year" has been used a lot this season, but I think Friday's clash at Dooley will be the one to live up to it. The Byrnes Rebels will host the upperstate finals for the third straight year, as Berkeley pays a visit to Nixon Field. These teams have history that dates back to the late 80's, but I believe the Stags will be in for a rude awakening on Friday. Any team who has played the Rebels will tell you that to beat Byrnes, you will have to outscore them in a shootout. The catch to that theory is that the defense has improved with each game, so unless the offense has a bad night, the outlook for a return trip to Columbia seems to be a very bright one. Watching Byrnes win the state title on December 5 and Greer doing the same on December 6. Talk about an early Christmas present. . 12-1-03 When I got the call Friday afternoon, I wasn't very happy. I had been waiting all week to see Byrnes host the 4-A upperstate title game for the third straight year. But because there was quite a bit of water on the field, the game had been moved to Saturday at 7:30 p.m. But then it hit me. This was one of the best things that could have happened to me. Because the game had been moved, I was going to be able to see Greer's game on Friday, and Byrnes' game on Saturday. One thing I have always loved about Dooley Field is seeing the team walk through the stands as "2001" plays over the loud speaker. That gets me pumped up as a fan, so I can imagine what it does for the players. Once the action got underway, it was exactly what I had hoped for. Like the two heavyweights they are, Greer and Union traded punches, touchdowns, and the lead. Union led 17-14 in the fourth quarter, but you still had a feeling that the game was far from over. Sinclair Cannon, who I wish my Michigan Wolverines would have been smart enough to recruit, put Greer back ahead with a beautiful touchdown pass to Chad Cartwright. Union has been to the state finals four straight years, and on their final drive of the game, you had the feeling that they were going to find another way to win. I don't like to ever blame officials, but Union was given life on a fourth and 22 play when their receiver pushed down a Greer defender and caught the pass, giving Union a first down. Union drove down inside the Greer five-yard line, and with less than a minute to play, seemed poised to take the lead, giving Greer little time for a comeback. But then, an almost fairly tale ending took place. Union quarterback Justin Knox spotted an open receiver, but didn't see Greer's Josh Williams, who sealed the game with an interception. I couldn't be happier for Josh because he is a great young man, and after having to move from starting quarterback to receiver/defensive back, he deserved to be the hero. Saturday night's game between Byrnes and Berkeley wasn't quite as close, but I was just as excited. Berkeley was a very good team that did a great job of containing the Rebels' run game, but as the Stags found out, Byrnes doesn't have a one-dimensional offense. Quarterback Trey Elder had a career night passing, and now the Rebels will have a rematch next Friday with Conway, the school they beat for the state title last year. So, I got my wish. Byrnes and Greer will both play for the state title next weekend. Now it's up to the coaches and players from both schools to make life even sweeter for Greer area fans by bringing home a pair of titles. 11-16-03 If I had my way, I would make it so I could be three places at one time this Friday night. My body, camera, and heart will be in Duncan watching Byrnes take on Greenwood in the second round of the 4-A state playoffs, but my mind will be on what is happening at Dooley Field and at Eastside High School. The purpose of the playoffs is to crown the best team in the state, and to do so by gradually weeding out the weaker teams, eventually having the best teams play each other. In talking to Greer High players all season long, they have been wanting to play three teams in the playoffs. They want to face Union to show the victory earlier in the season wasn't a fluke. They have been wanting to play Eastside to pay the Eagles back for one of the two losses suffered earlier. And they have been wanting to play Greenville because they are tired of hearing how good the undefeated Red Raiders are, and want to show them who is really the king of Greenville County. Greer has the amazing Sinclair Cannon on offense, while Greenville is led by quarterback Jordan Sorrells, running back Travil Jamison, and wide receiver Markus Boswell. This is could to be an amazing game to watch, and I think everyone in attendance will be getting a bargain for the price they are paying for a ticket. Eastside will host Union. The Eagles beat a good Greer team and held a 21-point lead on Greenville, so they have proved they can play with the big boys. In the Yellow Jackets, however, they may be facing their toughest test. Union is the defending state champion, and is playing like it. They easily handled Mann in the first round, and shut out 10-1 BHP on the road last week. I know that Eastside has one of the strongest running games around, but if the Eagles want to advance to the Upperstate finals, I really believe they are going to have to do some damage in the air as well. I also hope that while all of our great area fans and players are enjoying themselves on Friday, that they will keep North Greenville College on their minds as well. The Crusaders will be in Beaver Falls, Pennslyvania playing in a Bowl game. Coach Brian Smith is a Greer Native, and has turned that program around in two short years. What makes it even better is the fact that he is winning with players from this area. Good luck Crusaders. 11-9-03 I have been saying that the 3-A state playoffs could be the most exciting of all classifications, and last Friday proved just how true that is. Greenville, Greer, and Eastside all advanced to the second round, but it was by no means easy for any of them. Eastside was caught off gaurd on the opening play of the game when Clinton recovered an onside kick, and the Red Devils promptly marched down the field to take a 7-0 lead. After trailing 7-6 at halftime, the Eagles exploded for 29 second-half points to end Clinton's season. I know that it takes a team to win a game, but anyone who was at that contest knows a big reason why the Eagles won that game was because of Jason Leventis. The senior took the game over on both sides of the ball. Eastside will look to advance to the third round on Friday with a trip to York. Greer was given all it could handle in the first half by Wade Hampton, but used a 29-point third quarter to end the Generals' season with a 48-28 win. The Yellow Jackets will host Daniel this Friday, and depending on which Lions team shows up, this could be a real interesting contest. Daniel was manhandled by Eastside early in the year, but is also the team which won at Spartanburg and put 63 points on Clover in the first round. Greenville scorched Broome for 65 points earlier this season, but the Red Raiders found themselves in a tie game heading into the fourth quarter last Friday. Greenville won the contest, 34-20, and will host Fairfield-Central this week. I also have to mention Darlington High School. When former defensive coordinator Phil Magdic left Byrnes before the start of the season to become head coach/athletic director at Darlington, every one who had seen this man coach knew he could turn a 1-9 program around. Darlington finished the season with a 5-5 record, and upset Strom Thurmond in the first round of the playoffs. Finally, I would like to say how proud I am of our athletes who continue to excel after high school. Yesterday, Ben Hall (Byrnes) and Sergio Gillam (Greer) were a part of Clemson's huge win over Florida State, while Terrell Allen (Byrnes) was involved in Pittsburgh's win over highly-ranked Virginia Tech. I watched Derrick White (Greer) haul down an interception in North Greenville's sixth straight win, and Mazzie Drummond (Greer) is setting the world on fire at Newberry. And to top it all off, Brandon Bennett (Riverside) scored a touchdown for the Cincinati Bengals today. I think these young men speak volumes for the talent this area has. 11-3-03 I hated to see Riverside end its season with another loss, but having four of our five area teams win last Friday was very nice to see. Now I am hoping to see us go four for four when three teams begin postseason play and Byrnes finishes out the regular season. The Blue Ridge Tigers will open the playoffs at Pendleton. Although the Tigers won just three games this season, they proved last year that once the postseason starts, anything can happen. The Bulldogs finished the regular season with an 8-2 record, but two things stuck out to me about their season. Their average margin of victory was less than seven points, and the team with the next best overall record in their conference was 5-5. It's going to be tough for the Tigers to come home with a win, but stranger things have happened. After winning the Enoree River Conference title, the Greer Yellow Jackets claimed a number one seed and will host the Wade Hampton Generals. Wade Hampton opened the season with seven straight wins, but lost to Greenville, Mann, and Eastside over the final three weeks of the season. The Generals were torched by Eastside's Josh Durham last Friday, and if Sinclair Cannon and Arthur Sitton have the kind of games they are capable of, Wade Hampton's stay in the postseason will be very brief. Although they only lost one game during the regular season, the Eastside Eagles may actually be peaking right now. Two weeks ago, they pounded Southside, 63-0. Having seen Southside twice this season, I will admit that they weren't that strong of a team. But, they were able to move the ball against Greenville, so shutting them out was an impressive accomplishment. Last week, Eastside totally dominated Wade Hampton. The Eagles will open the playoffs by hosting Clinton, and with the limited passing game that these teams have, this contest could be over and done with by 9 p.m. It's going to be nice to see the win streak increase to 22 games, but I would like to see Byrnes begin postseason play rather than travel to Boiling Springs this Friday. The Bulldogs are 1-9, are allowing 36 points per game. Byrnes has already won the region and has wrapped up home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Rebels have nothing to play for, and a win would mean the world to the Bulldogs. I have known Bobby Bentley long enough to realize that he will have his team ready, but this is a game that I am sure a lot of Byrnes faithful would just assume skip. 10-26-03 . I honestly think that I couldn't be any happier for Greer coach Travis Perry. To say the least, this has been a very tough season for Coach Perry. He decided to make a quarterback change after the Byrnes loss, and that is something that is never easy for a coach to do. The Yellow Jackets then suffered a loss to Eastside, and as often is the case, people blamed the loss on bad coaching. Greer began to play much better after the loss to the Eagles, but Perry was still having a hard time keeping everyone happy. He wasn't playing every player in every game, and that upset some people. But last Friday, this fine man did something that I don't think anyone will have a problem with, he beat the Union Yellow Jackets. As good as Greer has been over the last few years, and as many great players who have come through the program, the Yellow Jackets could never find a way to beat Union. There is still a lot of football to be played and Greer will have to contend with the likes of Union, Eastside, Greenville, and possibly Dillon in the playoffs, but I think Friday's win could have been the one that sent the Yellow Jackets back over the hump. Great job Coach, and I hope Friday's big victory was the first of many that will take place over the next month. For the second straight season, the Byrnes/Spartanburg game will be for the conference title. It has been said all season that the Vikings were down and weren't among the conference's elite this season, but Friday's win over Dorman proved otherwise. I expect the type of atmosphere that was at the games between Dorman and Gaffney two and three weeks ago. Eastside and Blue Ridge also have big games. If the the Tigers can beat Chapman, they would finish fourth and qualify for the playoffs. I think last Friday's 45-0 loss to Woodruff showed that the Tigers aren't quite ready for the top teams in Class 2-A, but the playoff experience could only help Ray Hannon's young team. John Carlisle's Eastside Eagles will play Wade Hampton on Friday, and this is a contest that should also have an electric atmosphere. The two teams are huge rivals, activites between the schools take place all week, and the contest could have huge playoff implications. If I wasn't in Duncan watching the Byrnes-Spartanburg game, I would definitely want to see the Eastside-Wade Hampton showdown. Riverside coach Don Frost called me Friday night and said that because the Warriors lost to Clinton, they would be playing for pride in the season finale against Newberry. But if you ask me, the Warriors already have a ton to be proud of. Last season, Riverside lost by an average score of 50-5 in games against Greer, Clinton, and Union. This year, that average was 38-7. Some people may look at that stat and say that the Warriors are still a team that is suffering lopsided defeats. I look at it and see a team that is getting better, and will continue to do so. 10-20-03 If I was any other 4-A team in the state right now, I would be very afraid. I am not just saying this because I am a graduate of the school, but the Byrnes Rebels seem to be nothing short of unstoppable. You take away the run, and Trey Elder will throw the ball all over the field. You take away the pass, and Elder, Rodricuz Williams, Prince Miller, or Dexter Young will follow an underrated offensive line and run the ball right down your throat. And over the last two weeks, the Rebels proved that they also have a defense. Gaffney's A.J. Littlejohn had over 200 yards rushing against Byrnes, but you look at the 42-14 score and his numbers meant little. Friday, the Rebels pratically gave Dorman its only score. Unless they do it to themselves, I don't see anyone stopping the boys from Duncan. But if you really want to talk defense, then look no further than Greer High. Randon Lewis told me last week than the Greer defense has a goal of not allowing a touchdown in region play, and right now they are half way there. Riverside, Broome, and Newberry have a combined 13 points against the Yellow Jackets, and those points came on an interception and two field goals. Union will be as tough as always, but if the defense can continue to play this way and Sinclair and Arthur can get the offense firing on all cylinders, I think Coach Perry will get his first win against the "other" Yellow Jackets. Eastside rebounded nicely against TR, but I still worry about the Eagles. They should win their final two regular season games, but without quarterback Chris Stone at the helm, I don't know how far Eastside can go in the playoffs. Blue Ridge has to find a way to win Friday at Woodruff. I just don't see Ray Hannon and company losing three straight region games and still making the playoffs. Unfortunately, this is a Wolverine team which has won seven of eight games, and has only given up 53 points. With Newberry and Clinton left on the schedule, Riverside will have a tough time ending its two-year conference losing streak. But, I think the Warriors still have a bright future. Michael Wade is only going to get better at quarterback, and over the past two weeks, Greer and Union coaches and players have had nothing but positive things to say about the Warriors. Coach Perry admitted that he was definitely sweating when Riverside was trailing the Jackets by just three points two weeks ago, and Union quarterback Justin Knox said he was really surprised with how many great athletes the Warriors had. Coach Frost has taken a lot of beatings in his two years as coach, but look for that to change, and soon. 10-12-03 Aside from being the sports editor for South Carolina's premiere weekly newspaper, I also do some work for a Clemson football web site. I call recruits, getting their size, strength, and speed, and ask them what schools are recruiting them and what their thoughts on Clemson are. I talk to kids from all over the country. One of the young men I recently talked to plays for a team in Alabama and told me that although being the son of a 30-year navy man had allowed him to live all over the world, he had never seen anything like high school football in the south. I thought about that statement on Friday when I was at the Byrnes/Gaffney game. I got to Nixon Field at 7 p.m. because I thought my press parking space would be open some 30 minutes before the game. I ended up having to park about half a mile from the field because over 10,000 other people were there to watch the game. I left the game a happy man and it wasn't just because the Rebels won 42-14. It was just great to be around that kind of atmosphere. The Newberry Bulldogs may have given Greer an early Christmas present with their stunning win at Union. Greer will still have to find a way to beat the "other Yellow Jackets", but they do so and the region crown is theirs. The bad part of the Newberry win is the fact that for the second straight year, the Riverside Warriors will have to play an angry swarm of Yellow Jackets after their first loss of the season. I am just hoping that Don Frost and the Warriors can catch an off guard Union team thinking "too much" about the loss. Although they aren't happy about the loss, I think the Eastside Eagles proved a lot in Friday's defeat to Greenville. The Red Raiders are one of the best teams I have seen this season, at any level, and for Eastside to have a 28-7 first quarter lead on them says a lot about their chances to challenge for the 3-A crown. The same goes for Blue Ridge. Although they lost 21-12 to Woodmont, the Tigers were a good kicking game away from taking a 15-14 lead late in the contest. If Blue Ridge can work out its kinks, I still think they can still make another playoff run. Good luck to all of our area teams. Hopefully I can talk about a 5-0 week next time. 10-5-03 . A handful of area high school football teams got a much needed victory over the weekend. After the loss to Eastside, many people, myself included, began to question the Greer Yellow Jackets. It's not that I thought that the Jackets weren't good, but when your victories are against Chesnee, TR, and Berea, you need a quality win. Greer got that win at Newberry on Friday. A loss would have been devastating, but a win, especially a shutout, shows the rest of the region that the Yellow Jackets are alive and kicking. Although it was against a winless Carolina team, Friday's victory over the Trojans couldn't have come better for the Blue Ridge Tigers. They have a big test this weekend against Woodmont, but I have always found the Tigers to be a dangerous team when they have a little momentum behind them. I also have a feeling that North Greenville College's win over St. Paul will be the first of a string of victories in the second half of the season. The Crusaders were 0-4 entering the contest, but were able to put up some big offensive numbers in each contest. With a win to now go with the stats, I have a strong feeling that the Crusaders will pick up their second "W" when they host Allen on Saturday. Although Riverside lost again on Friday, I saw something I really liked. Coach Don Frost started sophomore Michael Wade at quaterback, and moved Alex McGrath to wide receiver. The move may not turn into wins right away, but Wade has good size and a strong arm, and will only get better over the next two seasons. I can say with a huge smile on my face that two of our five area teams will be involved in the two biggest games in the state this Friday. Byrnes will host Gaffney, and Eastside will travel to Greenville. All four schools are undefeated, and I don't doubt for a second that each game will be played in front of a standing room only crowd. Gaffney's fans and radio team are some of the most arrogant groups I have ever came across, and I couldn't think of anything better than to send the Indians back to the Reservation with a loss. I didn't like what I saw in the Rebels last home game against Easley, but putting 48 points on Greenwood made me feel much better. I know that Eastside is a very good team, but I hope the Eagles don't go into Greenville feeling too good about themselves. The Red Raiders are much better than a lot of people think, and if Eastside gets too caught up in being undefeated, it could be a long night. But if Leventis, McDowell, Stone, and Durham play the way they have all season, I can see another big win. This may be jumping the gun, but if Eastside and Byrnes both win this Friday, I see both teams entering the playoffs undefeated. Ah, the wonders of technology. A few weeks back, Robbie Gravley approached me at the Greer Touchdown Club and asked me if I would do a weekly column for this website. I loved the idea right away. I decided to call it the Saturday Morning Quarterback, and use the space in the best way I knew how, talking about our area teams. The following week, I saw Robbie again and he told me that I did a great job on the column. I didn't know until I saw him again at last Thursday's North Greenville College football game that Robbie was throwing a bit of sarcasm at me, and that the columns I had been e-mailing him had never reached him. So, I am trying this again, hoping that the internet won't let me down this time. I have a hunch that it will be hard to wipe the smile off anyone's face at Eastside High School this week. The Eagles knew that they had a special team this season, but Friday's 31-19 victory over Greer has no doubt let the rest of the Upstate in on their little secret. As big of a Travis Perry fan as I am, I couldn't be happier for Eastside coach John Carlisle, who became Greenville County's all-time leader in wins with the victory over Greer. Coach Carlisle made me feel at home the first time I ever met him, and few people will argue that he is one of the classiest men in the coaching business. I don't think there will be as many smiles at Byrnes, Riverside, Greer, and Blue Ridge, however. With a trip to Newberry this Friday, the Yellow Jackets will be looking to put the loss to Eastside behind them as quickly as possible. Greer can't be happy being 3-2 heading into region play, but Coach Perry will remind his team that these are the important games, the ones that will determine a club's playoff fate. Blue Ridge and Riverside will be looking to end their current losing streaks, while Byrnes, although 5-0 and one of the top-ranked teams in the state, will be trying to improve on ugly outings against Northwestern and Easley. Easley may have the longest losing streak in the state at 25 games, but the Rebels' seven turnovers in last Friday's 35-14 win kept the Green Wave around longer then they should have been. I mentioned I was at the North Greenville game last Thursday. Although the Crusaders fell to 0-4 with a loss to Coastal Carolina, it's not hard to see the difference Coach Brian Smith has made in that program. It's also not hard to see what a difference Travelers Rest running back Will Ford would make with any team in the state. Greer and Riverside saw his potential in games earlier this year, but neither could have predicted his 411-yard outing against Wren last Friday. I don't doubt for a second that the junior will be one of the most sought after recruits in the state next season. Until next week, good bye and good luck to all of our area teams. | Past Polls | Fellowship of Christian Atheletes | Greer Area Touchdown Club | Saturday Morning Quarterback | Driving Directions | Order Form | Yellow Jacket Mayhem! | Gravley's in China!! | 2004 Game Sponsors | Laura Simmons Joy Real Estate | | Return Home | Yellow Jacket Sports Network | History, Hall of Fame, & More | Great Links | Contact Us | Enoree River Region 3 AAA | GHS Basketball | Greer Yellow Jacket Football | |
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