Future Clemson Tiger earns MVP honors in Touchstone Energy Bowl
Mike Foster and RJ Brown capped off their big months with a pair of MVP performances.
Foster, the Indian Land linebacker, and Brown, the South Pointe running back, earned top honors in helping the North squad to a 35-27 win over the South in the Touchstone Energy Bowl at Myrtle Beach’s Doug Shaw Stadium.
“Coming here, I meshed real well with my teammates,” Foster said. “We had an amazing week of practice, and we were able to finish it off with a win.”
Foster began his month committed to East Carolina but flipped to Clemson in a viral moment during signing day at Indian Land. Then on Saturday, he backed it up with a strong performance, putting pressure on South quarterbacks during the game.
But Foster’s biggest contribution came when he blocked a punt to set up a North touchdown in the third quarter. Foster said he was actually supposed to be in a spot between the guard and tackle but improvised and moved more outside when he saw the South team’s formation.
“I went through that gap, and I was like, ‘I got to get that,’” Foster said.
Foster’s blocked punt put South at the 7-yard line. After a penalty on the South wiped off an interception and extended the drive, Brown scored on a 2-yard run to put the North up 28-10.
Brown finished with 88 yards and two touchdowns. The South Carolina State commit’s performance came a week after helping the Stallions to the Class 4A state championship, in which he rushed for a career-high 193 yards and two touchdowns.
“It has been amazing these last two weeks,” Brown said. “I want to give all the praise to God for the last two weeks. Last week winning a state championship and this week, balling hard and winning the offensive MVP of the North-South game. Just a blessing.”
Brown’s touchdown looked to make for an easy win, but the South team rallied to make a game of it as things got chippy on the field, with two players having to be removed from the game in the fourth quarter.
Bluffton’s Aedean McCarthy hit Ridge View’s Carter Coleman on a 13-yard TD. Then CJ Falotico’s field goal cut the lead to 28-20 with 8:58 left.
But Clinton’s Javen Cook returned the ensuing kickoff for a score to put the North up 35-20 with 8:44 left.
South got within 35-27 as Bishop England’s Quinn Mahoney scored on an 8-yard run with 5:06 left.
The South squad had one final possession, but McCarthy’s 56-yard attempt was broken up in the end zone.
McCarthy was 7 of 17 for 193 yards and two touchdowns to earn South Offensive MVP honors. South Florence’s Terry was the South Defensive MVP with eight tackles.
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
N - Stone Furrey 7 pass from Roper Wentzy (Brock Franklin kick), 7:14
S - Marcus Cann 34 pass from Aedan McCarthy (CJ Falotico kick), 4:00
Second Quarter
N - RJ Brown 6 run (Brock Franklin kick), 3:26
S - CJ Falotico FG, 0:15
Third Quarter
N - Jayden Johnson 1 run (Brock Franklin kick), 5:18
N - RJ Brown 2 run (Brock Franklin kick), 3:21
Fourth Quarter
S - Carter Coleman 13 pass from Aedan McCarthy (CJ Falotico kick), 11:53
S - CJ Falotico 25 FG, 8:58
N - Javen Cook kickoff return (Brock Franklin kick), 8:44
S - Quinn Mahoney 8 run (Brock Franklin kick), 5:06
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
PASSING - N: Wentzy 9-11-1 102; Thoma 5-7-0. S: Dantzler 3-8-0 24; McCarthy 7-17-0 193; Mahoney 4-9-0 23
RUSHING - N: Brown 20-88, Cook 9-24, Thoma 7-20, Whitt 1-2, Johnson 1-1, Wentzky 3-1. S: Campbell 4-39, Fox 6-27, Mahoney 4-9, McCarthy 1-3, Dukes 1-1. Dantzler 1 (-8).
RECEIVING - N: Furrey 5-48, Moates 2-42, Whitt 2-23, Crowe 2-15, Brown 2-8, Hillstock 1-0. S: Crosby 8-15, Coleman 3-79, Cann 2-45, Campbell 1-1.
TACKLES N: Ratchford 6, Roman 4, Williams 4, Atkins 3, Boyd 3, Lee 3, Turner 3, Kyerefo 3, Nance 2, Simpkins 1, Furrey 1, Forrester 1, Phillips 1, C. Foster 1, Littlejohn 1, Wentzky 1, Wilson 1, Johnson 1. S: Gordon 8, Meetze 7, A. Brown 5, Pimental 5, K. Brown 4, McKinnis 4, Grate 3, Esiki 3, Singletary 3, Ravenell 3, Stewart 3, Price 3, Thurmond 3, Geronomi 2, Reaves 2, Bennett 2, Campbell 1, White 1.
SACKS - N: Kyerefo 1, Turner 0.5, C. Foster 0.5. S: Thurmond 1, Esiki 0.5, Stewart 0.5
INTERCEPTIONS - S: Singletary 1.
This story was originally published December 13, 2025 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Future Clemson Tiger earns MVP honors in Touchstone Energy Bowl."
