South Pointe’s pursuit of a 5th straight state title began with a Razorback hunt

Marice Whitlock had 100 yards rushing and receiving to go with four touchdowns, and Joe Ervin had 231 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the first half for the South Pointe Stallions, who defeated the Walhalla Razorbacks 56-19 Friday night at home in the first round of the 4A playoffs.

The four-time defending state champions will host traditional power Daniel next week.

“Coach (Brent) Venables at Clemson, his son is the quarterback and a super athlete and he can throw the ball really well” said South Pointe head coach Strait Herron. “So we’ve got our hands full.”

It was the first time the Stallions had played a game since a Monday Night Football Region 3-4A championship winning performance 11 days ago at York. The South Pointe defense may have pitched a shutout if not for phenomenal East Carolina-bound kicker Patrick Nations and his four field goals for the visitors, one of which was 52 yards. The Razorbacks touchdown was on a pass that was ruled backwards and picked up by Cody Barnes, who returned it 40 yards to cut South Pointe’s lead to 14-10 with 2:24 left in the first quarter.

TURNING POINT

Walhalla still had a glimmer of hope at halftime only trailing by three scores 35-16. Whitlock squelched that immediately to start the third quarter by taking a jet sweep towards the visiting sideline, reversing course, and then shooting straight up the middle of the field and pulling away for an 80-yard score 19 seconds into the second half to make it 42-16. That matched Ervin’s 80-yard run which was the first score of the game for South Pointe.

“That’s tough on coaches,” added Heron. “Coach Mac is trying to spread the love around, but at the same time doing what we need to do. Everything is based on what the defense gives us. We can hand the ball to Joe and he hits a seam and he can go, and you get the ball to Marice and he makes a move and makes somebody miss and then he’s gone. They’re both dynamic players.”

CRITICAL

The Stallions had four one-play “drives” and five scoring plays of 57 yards or longer on the night. Whitlock had three touchdowns in the third quarter to finish off the Razorbacks, and Ervin had three scores in the first half.

STAR CONTRIBUTORS

Tahleek Steele was 7-for-11 for South Pointe for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Ervin and Whitlock accounted for 472 total yards of offense and seven touchdowns. Troy Frazier and Jhace Stevenson each had diving interceptions for the Stallions. Nations also had three catches for 55 yards to go with his four field goal kicking display.

ON DECK

Walhalla’s season ends at 7-4. The Stallions will host Daniel next week.

BOX SCORE

South Pointe 56 Walhalla 19

SP;14;21;21;0;-;56

Walhalla;10;6;0;3;-;19

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

W - Patrick Nations 27 field goal 4:46

SP - Joe Ervin 80 run (kick failed) 4:31

SP - Ervin 1 run (Isaac Ross pass from Tahleek Steele) 3:31

W - Cody Barnes 40 fumble return (Nations kick) 2:24 Second quarter

SP - Marice Whitlock 13 run (Wyatt Grantham kick) 11:52

W - Nations 27 field goal 7:20

SP - Ervin 59 run (Grantham kick) 6:29

SP - Ty Good 57 pass from Steele (Grantham kick) 4:15

W - Nations 52 field goal 1:04

Third quarter

SP - Whitlock 80 run (Grantham kick) 11:41

SP - Whitlock 23 run (Grantham kick) 7:10

SP - Whitlock 76 pass from Steele (Grantham kick) 4:34

Fourth quarter

W - Nations 23 field goal 4:23

TEAM STATISTICS

SPHS;WHS

First downs;15;10

Rushes-yards;27-360;28-62

Passing;9-14-2-0;11-36-0-2

Passing yards;224;109

Fumbles-lost;2-2;0-0

Penalties-yards;8-65;4-20

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING South Pointe: Joe Ervin 13-240; Tahleek Steele 5-0; Marice Whitlock 3-116; Omega Blake 1-0; Quay Chambers 1-0; Kanari Mobley 4-4. Wal: Zaire Scotland 16-31; J.J. White 3-16; Corey Loggins 3-9; Cody Barnes 4-1; Tyler Hunter 2-5.

PASSING South Pointe: Steele 7-11-2-0, 195 yards; Blake 2-3-0-0, 29 yards. Wal: Loggins 10-33-0-2, 93 yards; Barnes 1-1, 16 yards; Patrick Nations 0-1; Hunter 0-1.

RECEIVING South Pointe: Isaac Ross 1-14; Whitlock 3-100; Raseac Myles 1-8; Ty Good 1-57; Ervin 1-16; Tyshawn Bostick 1-2. Walhalla: Patrick Nations 3-55; Will Harris 6-28; Scotland 1-20; Cody Barnes 1-6.

RECORDS South Pointe: 10-1; Walhalla: 7-4