South Pointe and Nation Ford - 7-on-7 juggernauts - meet in Week Zero opener

There have been numerous South Pointe-Nation Ford encounters in 7-on-7 tournaments during the last few summers.

The two teams haven’t played in a football game that counted since 2013, but that changes Friday when they meet in season-opening Week Zero. It’s a considerably more stern test for No. 2 South Pointe, which kicked off last season with a 40-0 rout of home-school amalgamation New Covenant. The Knights were swept off the schedule and promptly replaced by one of the best offenses in South Carolina.

"Nothing against them, but we didn’t want to play them in the first place,” Herron said about New Covenant. “We couldn’t find another game. Everybody was booked."

South Pointe knew what it was getting into with Nation Ford, the fifth 4A team on its non-region schedule. The Stallions have watched and competed against the Falcons in the Cam Newton 7-on-7 tournaments the last two summers, events in which Michael Allen’s teams have done very well. With South Pointe coming to visit, Allen and the Falcons know what they’re getting into as well.

"We want a test right out of the gate,” he said.

Nation Ford is built for 7-on-7 success; senior QB Cole Martin threw for 4,000 yards last season and fellow seniors Hank Tuipulotu and Jordan Helms combined for exactly 200 catches, 26 touchdowns and over 2,300 yards receiving. Throw in speedster Josh Shade on the outside (47 catches, 565 yards, six touchdowns) and you have an offense well-equipped to air the ball out.

South Pointe is also built for 7-on-7 success. The Stallions’ roster is brimming with athletes, especially in the skill positions on both sides of the ball. Herron returns seven of his top-nine receivers from last season, four of whom are college football prospects, and a fifth, sophomore Derion Kendrick, who only played six games of varsity last season and will be a much bigger factor this fall.

“I think we’re two of the best skill position teams in the state,” said Nation Ford’s Martin. “It just comes down to execution.”

But what happens when the parts missing from the 7-on-7 tournaments - the big guys in shorts and t-shirts passing out water or loitering on the sidelines, or even in some cases running hills over on the periphery - are thrown into the mix on Friday nights? How will that effect a game between two teams that are blessed with everything else?

“The difference will be what happens up front,” said Herron. “Watching them on video that’s the first thing I noticed is that they look strong.”

A ball-control game would suit South Pointe, even though the Stallions run an Air Raid scheme. According to SCFootballHistory.com, the school is 0-13 all-time when allowing 30 or more points in a game. Nation Ford averaged 34.5 points per outing last season.

Neither team ran the ball very consistently in 2014, though South Pointe got enough from the run and its screen game to support its dynamic passing attack. Sustaining long offensive drives early on offense will be particularly key for the Falcons, who will run the ball with Tyree Chaplin behind an offensive line featuring three players 6-foot-5 and weighing more than 300 pounds - Chandler Smith, Tyric Walker and Shane Fadeley.

"It’s very critical for us with our offensive line to get off to a good start, establish ourselves," Allen said.

The coach might as well have been referring to his program, which has struggled mightily against South Pointe, and is trying to rebound from a 2-9 record. The defending 3A state champs offer an SAT-level first test, one that requires little extra effort to get excited about.

"It’s tough to get any more motivation than the first game of the year, playing a reigning state champion," said Martin. "This is about as hype of a game as you can get."

This story was originally published August 20, 2015 at 6:23 PM with the headline "South Pointe and Nation Ford - 7-on-7 juggernauts - meet in Week Zero opener."