‘Back to work’: South Pointe clinches region title with win over York, eyes 4A playoffs
Region championships are a usual thing at South Pointe High School. This year, though, has been far from a usual year.
Amid a very muted celebration, the Stallions claimed yet another Region 3-4A crown Friday, holding off York in a 21-7 decision at the Cougar Den.
“I’m not gonna celebrate at all,” South Pointe coach DeVonte Holloman said with a slight smile after Friday’s game. “We committed way too many penalties and hurt ourselves in good situations — third-and-short, fourth-and-one. We’ve gotta be able to get one yard. There were a couple of times out there when we couldn’t get one yard.
“We’ve got a whole lot of work to do, and I’m ready to get back to work.”
South Pointe prevails despite offensive struggles
South Pointe (4-1, 4-0 Region 3-4A) punted on its first two drives, before Nebanye Moore connected with Waymond Jenerette on a leaping, 27-yard touchdown throw to give the Stallions a 7-0 advantage with 4:30 remaining in the first half. York (3-2, 2-2) produced two prolonged drives in the opening 24 minutes, punctuated by repeated run plays, but the Stallions turned away those two drives on a forced punt and turnover on downs, respectively, carrying the 7-0 margin to the interval.
The momentum significantly changed twice in a one-minute span midway through the third period. York stuffed a seven-play South Pointe drive inside the one but was held to a three-and-out and was compelled to punt with a perilously short field. Quan Peterson caught the Cougar punt on the run and took it 30 yards around the right end to the end zone to extend the Stallion lead to two touchdowns.
“That shifted the game big time,” Holloman said of the sequence. “Anytime you score on special teams, especially when you’re struggling on offense... It changed the game.”
The Stallions’ struggles on offense were solved for one series in the fourth quarter, as Nygel Moore took a handoff 56 yards through the left side for a score to move his club’s lead to 21-0. The run helped Moore break the 100-yard plateau for the contest.
York found a bit of offensive rhythm of its own on the penultimate Cougars possession. Weston Hance hit a diving Jevon Long for a 15-yard touchdown to cap a nine-play, 84-yard York drive, bringing it back within two scores at 21-7. The drive awoke a Cougars offense that had recorded just five second-half yards.
The Cougars appeared poised to draw within a single score late, recovering a fumble and driving deep into South Pointe territory. The Stallions turned away the final Cougar advance, however, providing the final margin.
Both teams return to action at home next Friday. York welcomes Rock Hill, while South Pointe hosts four-time defending state champion Dutch Fork. Both games are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
Quotable: ‘It cost us the playoffs’
York coach Dean Boyd saw plenty of positives in that final drive and his team’s overall effort.
“I’m disappointed in the loss, because it cost us the playoffs. On a normal year, we’d be in the playoffs,” Boyd said. “This team fought to the very end tonight. That’s all I’ve been asking them all week, to battle.
“We’re not where we need to be yet. We understand that. We’re (going) in the right direction. If I can get them to battle, once we start getting stronger, getting better, and getting to believing, we’re gonna be able to play with people like that.”
South Pointe quarterback Nebanye Moore guided the Stallions under center, allowing star O’Mega Blake to be active in the run game and catching passes. Moore threw for more than 200 yards and connected on over 65% of his throws, drawing praise from his coach.
“For his first full game at quarterback, I thought he did a really good job of doing what he was asked to do and what he was coached to do,” Holloman said. “We’ll keep working on it and he’ll keep getting better.”
This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 10:49 PM.