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Only one thing could have made this season more special for the Summerville Football team, but it just wasn’t in the cards. The Green Wave tore through the competition during the regular season and didn’t slow down much through the 5A, Division 1 playoffs. The team claimed a 35-6 victory over Sumter in the Lower State Championship game to advance to the state finals for the first time since 2007.
Summerville’s 13-game winning streak then ended with a 35-21 loss in the state-title game to Dutch Fork, which clinched its third consecutive state championship. The Silver Foxes have now won nine state football titles in the past 11 seasons. Still, when it looks back the Green Wave has a lot to celebrate.
“Our guys didn’t even flinch in that game,” Summerville coach Ian Rafferty said. “People get caught up in what’s happened in the past. We don’t think past success equals future success so we battle through things.
I’m proud of our kids, but we came up short.” Adding to the disappointment that day was the fact that Summerville lost its starting quarterback to an injury late in the opening quarter, leaving many wondering what would the rest of the game looked like had he been able to finish. Regardless, there is much from the journey the team can take and build upon.
“Our thing is we always keep working and we always strive to get there and try to win a championship,” Rafferty said. “We have a great group of kids coming back, but we also lose a great group of seniors. Those kids did everything we asked them to for three or four years and we haven’t lost that much the last few years.
The games we lost were to some pretty good football teams. We will get back to work and try to make another run at it.” Summerville will graduate seven offensive starters, including four offensive linemen and its quarterback.
The team will graduate seven defensive starters, including four defensive backs and three linemen. It will graduate its punter and place kicker, but should return its other special teams’ skills players. The Green Wave does stand to return some of its most explosive playmakers on both sides of the ball as well as some up and coming players who gained a lot of experience this Fall.
Summerville outscored its opponents 595 points to 285. The team that gave the Green Wave its best run for the money prior to the state championship game was school-district rival Ashley Ridge, which fell 49-48 to Summerville in double overtime. The Green Wave out rushed its opponents 3,352 yards to 1,562 yards.
The Wave passed for 2,694 yards while holding its opponents to 2,385 passing yards. Summerville rushed for 48 touchdowns and passed for 32 TDs. The Green Wave was strong up front on both sides of the ball.
Leading the way for the offense were center Brayden Schlabach, guards Jahmarion Lott and Francis Roberts, tackles John Corley and Avian Kinard and tight end Brice Taylor. Keshon Washington was also key as a tight end and h-back, but was out with an injury late in the season. Senior quarterback Jaden Cummings was a strong field general.
The Dartmouth College signee completed 166 of 256 pass attempts this season for 2,323 yards and 30 TDs while only throwing one interception. He rushed for 582 yards and 15 TDs. Sophomore running back Jayvyn Williams rushed for 2,010 yards and 25 TDs on 246 carries with only three fumbles.
He also had 15 receptions for 86 yards and a TD. Summerville’s leading receiver was sophomore D-1 prospect Jaiden Kelly-Murray who had 82 catches for 1,202 yards and 13 TDs as well as 33 carries for 212 rushing yards and four more TDs. Senior receiver Carson Guinn had 27 catches for 380 yards and four TDs.
Junior Kemori DeWeese held down the other starting receiver spot and played a bigger role in the absence of Washington. Senior kicker Bennett Kelley made three field goals this season, handled most kickoffs and made 62 of 66 PAT kicks. Cummings handled most of the punting and averaged 37.
5 yards per punt. Kelly-Murray, Williams, DeWeese, Guinn and junior DJ Grant provided good return speed for the team. Nose guard Nick Lincoln and tackles Yasir Smith and Julian Lofay anchored the Summerville defensive front.
Inside linebackers Tyree Patton and JT Williams and outside linebackers Demarcus King and Eli Pressley maned the team’s second level of defense. Rhyan White and Jacquez Walker were the starting cornerbacks and Jadin Waring and Melvin Teal were the starting safeties. Patton was the leading tackler with 129 stops including 3 sacks.
JT Williams had 96 tackles including 8 sacks. Pressley had 89 tackles including 6 sacks. JT Williams and Smith led the team in pass breakups.
Walker had a team-high 3 interceptions. The defense forced 16 fumbles this season and recovered 9..
