Andrew Jackson one win from state title game after eliminating Barnwell from playoffs
Andrew Jackson coach Todd Shigley addressed his team with a passionate speech after Friday night’s playoff win over Barnwell. Through all the words Shigley voiced through the cold, two stood above the rest.
“Enjoy this.”
After Barnwell’s first drive — 14 plays, all on the ground, consuming nearly half the first quarter — one might have wondered what exactly the Volunteers would be enjoying hours later. After what the team described as being punched in the mouth on that drive, though, Andrew Jackson counter-punched. The Volunteers continued the barrage until they eventually knocked out the previously undefeated Warhorses.
Andrew Jackson scored 41 unanswered points, earning the coveted reward of practicing on Thanksgiving followed by a trip to the Class 2A Lower State championship game, defeating Barnwell 41-14 Friday night at Andrew Jackson Stadium.
“We haven’t had a group since I’ve been here at AJ that’s as bonded as this team. When that happens, you’ve got a really good football team,” Shigley said. “It’s just so exciting to see them bond and that success come after all the hard work they’ve put in.”
The game shaped up as a battle of star running backs and the offensive lines that have paved the way for their incredible seasons.
On one sideline, Barnwell’s Mr. Football candidate Tyler Smith has helped guide the Warhorse offensive juggernaut to 12 wins in as many outings. Smith has tallied 2,795 yards and 45 scores in his senior campaign. On the other side, Andrew Jackson’s Trey Thompson stood just yards shy of becoming the Volunteers’ all-time leading rusher, having scored 34 touchdowns of his own during the 2022 season to go with nearly 2,300 rushing yards.
Smith landed the first blow in the heavyweight battle. Barnwell (12-1) took 14 plays to methodically march down the field on its opening drive, with Smith earning the trip to the end zone. The four-yard touchdown run afforded the Warhorses a 7-0 advantage midway through the first quarter.
Thompson would answer soon enough, but the opportunistic Volunteer defense claimed the first word.
Andrew Jackson (11-2) leveled the score late in the period, as Fuller Sims stepped in front of a middle screen and returned an interception 34 yards for a score. As much as that touchdown changed the momentum, a Volunteer defensive score in the third period almost knocked the stadium’s press box off its foundation.
After the Vols forced a fumble, Weston Joyner secured the loose ball and bolted 49 yards down the right sideline to the end zone to provide the last of his team’s 41 unanswered points. The reaction from the orange-and-white-clad Volunteer faithful shook the press box, as the fans started to sense that a chance to play for a Lower State title was all but assured.
“(Getting turnovers) is something we emphasize every week,” Shigley said. “We thought we’d have some chances when they threw the ball. They hadn’t really fumbled a whole lot, but we knew they fumbled more than we do. It was a cold night, the ball was a little slick, and that proved out tonight.
“I think that when you emphasize it all the time, it just kind of happens. This is the seventh or eighth week in a row that we’ve had a special teams score or a defensive score. It swung the whole momentum, especially in the third quarter with Weston’s scoop-and-score.”
Thompson added two scores on the night and ran for over 100 yards, becoming the single-season Andrew Jackson rushing leader in the process. Thompson’s 48-yard gallop started a third quarter in which the Volunteers outscored the Warhorses 27-0.
“I’m really proud of the offensive line,” Shigley said. “Trey’s special. You’ve gotta have some special pieces in place. That’s when you do really good things.”
The special pieces on Shigley’s defensive line slowed Smith after that initial drive. The Warhorse star unofficially finished with fewer than 100 yards on the night, owing largely to a relentless pursuit at the line of scrimmage.
“We just emphasized (slowing him down) all week in practice. They just do a really good job of mental prep and of watching film,” Shigley said. “I told them before we started tonight that I knew we were in a good spot. They knew who we needed to take care of to win the game. The whole defense did a good job. We said that we didn’t know he had seen anybody as physical as us, and that proved out tonight.”
Andrew Jackson will host Oceanside Collegiate next Friday at 7:30 p.m., with a trip to Columbia and a chance to play for a state title hanging in the balance. The game holds a significance for Shigley’s Volunteers and the Kershaw community they represent.
“This is the third team to ever make it to this point at AJ in 53 years of playing football. This community’s very proud,” Shigley said. “It means a lot. We’ve been able to make a lot of history, and hopefully we’ll get a chance to keep it rolling next week.”
Box score: Andrew Jackson 41, Barnwell 14
Barnwell—7-0-0-7—14
Andrew Jackson—7-7-27-0—41
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
B – Tyler Smith 4 run (Lane Evans kick) 5:10
AJ – Fuller Sims 34 interception return (Tyson Funderburk kick) :46
Second quarter
AJ – Trey Thompson 6 run (Funderburk kick) 2:06
Third quarter
AJ – Thompson 48 run (Funderburk kick) 10:17
AJ – Hammond Wrenn 7 run (Funderburk kick) 8:23
AJ – Wrenn 8 run (Funderburk kick) 4:04
AJ – Weston Joyner 49 fumble return (kick blocked) 3:38
Fourth quarter
B – Clay Pender 67 pass from Cameron Austin (Miles kick) 9:28