Five things to know about South Pointe-Greer

Most families’ Turkey Bowl traditions involve drawing up plays on a cousin’s belly, shuffling through backyard leaves and uncles playing all-time quarterback. South Pointe’s Turkey Bowl tradition has been a bit more organized.

Since Bobby Carroll was coaching at the school, the Stallions have played in 10 straight Turkey Bowls (or their state semifinal equivalents postponed because of weather), another indicator of the program’s winning tradition.

“It’s a huge tradition that’s long-running,” said South Pointe coach Strait Herron. “We can’t get complacent. We’ve got to remember the team that’s playing against us they want to beat us. We’ve got to be ready to play, we’ve got to have the mentality that we’re going to play our best game yet. Playing in the Turkey Bowl is great, but we want to get to the next one.”

This year’s Turkey Bowl takes the Stallions to Greer.

“I’m excited,” said South Pointe senior defensive lineman Keshawn Veal. “This could be my last game or this could lead to another week.”

Three-time state champion Greer is on its deepest playoff run since 2003 when the Yellow Jackets beat West Florence to win the 3A state title. Will Young’s team, which has 15 seniors, has scored at least 40 points in 12 of 13 games and dispatched rival Greenville 47-15 last week.

“I think there is a lot of excitement,” Young said Wednesday. “Around here there are expectations that you’re gonna get here every year; we just haven’t been able to get here in a while. The excitement is pretty high.”

South Pointe playing on the road

Is Young a fan of the South Carolina High School League’s predetermined brackets?

“”Hah!” he said when asked. “We’re just trying to win the next game. We’re glad it worked out for us, that South Pointe’s coming to us, that’s for sure.”

It’s an unexpected – and unearned – advantage for Greer. But the Yellow Jackets aren’t complaining.

The Stallions are 17-1 away from home the last three seasons with the lone loss coming to a Maryland private school able to recruit its players. Road trips seem to galvanize the Stallions, who tend to play with an “us against them” mentality regardless of the setting.

“Look at any sport in the world and usually the highest-ranked team gets home field advantage,” said Herron. “It seems like every year we don’t get that home field advantage so we use it as motivation.”

Who’s special for Greer?

Quavian White is a play-maker that would fit right in at South Pointe. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound athlete plays all over the field, leading the team in receiving and punt and kickoff returns. White, an Appalachian State commit, has 1,700 total yards and 23 touchdowns, including two punt return and two kickoff return scores. He was selected to the Shrine Bowl and produced a game-winning performance against Greenville, catching two touchdown passes and returning a kickoff for another score.

Quavian White’s highlights versus Greenville:

South Pointe coaches have talked about Bradly Thompson multiple times this week. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman also made the Shrine Bowl, while well-built defensive back Jacob Harris (6-2, 190) was selected to the North-South all-star game and has four interceptions this season.

Greer QB hasn’t thrown an interception

Remember when South Pointe Greg Ruff traversed almost the entire 2015 season without an interception, only to throw one in the Stallions’ state championship blowout win? Greer QB Trey Young is on a similar run, throwing 261 passes and 35 touchdowns in 13 games without a pick. Will Young said it was a goal of his quarterback’s to have an interception-free season.

“He’s been really cautious with the football, really smart,” said Greer’s coach. “He’s got a little bit of athleticism and can use his feet when things break down. But he just makes really good decisions.”

Trey Young encounters a South Pointe defense that’s starting to create more turnovers. The Stallions had mundane turnover numbers -- by their lofty standards -- during the regular season but have six interceptions in the last two games. If Greer falls behind and is forced to throw more than it would prefer, it could be a night of Thanksgiving feasting for the Stallion secondary.

Run vs. pass

Opposing teams have not been able to disrupt South Pointe’s offensive game plan this season because the Stallions are so balanced. Greer doesn’t have quite the same balance, so it’ll be interesting to see if South Pointe’s defense focuses on stopping the run and Quavian White, and leaves its cornerbacks on their own, or if Jason Winstead decides to take another tact against the Yellow Jackets.

South Pointe’s smaller linebackers

South Pointe’s top-three tacklers are the starting linebackers, but only one of them truly looks like a traditional LB, Dwayne Davis. The other two, Deangelo Huskey, the team’s leader in tackles (123), tackles-for-loss (20) and interceptions (four), and Savion White (106 stops), more closely resemble defensive backs. Combined, Huskey and White weigh just over 300 pounds. But that’s been an advantage in several ways.

“They can fit through, they get under offensive linemen,” said Veal. “They’ve had a fantastic year so far. Size doesn’t matter, we proved that already playing a big team like Buford.”

Huskey and White could be key again to slowing down Greer, a team that has more speed than most of the South Carolina teams South Pointe has faced this year.

“I’ve been watching 29 (Huskey) a lot,” said the Yellow Jackets coach, Young. “Not a very big kid but runs extremely well and does a good job getting to the ball. He brings it when he gets there.”

This story was originally published November 23, 2017 at 9:41 AM with the headline "Five things to know about South Pointe-Greer."