Carvers Bay goes for trifecta against Lamar
ANGELA E. KERSHNER/MORNING NEWS
Carvers Bay will face Lamar for the third straight year in the Class A playoffs
Despite a lot of new faces, including a new coach, the Lamar Silver Foxes and Carvers Bay Bears will find themselves in familiar territory this Friday —
playing for the Class A Division I lower state championship.
For the third straight season, Lamar and Carvers Bay lock horns to decide who goes to Orangeburg in the Morning News Game of the Week.
The Bears have won each of the first two meetings and, this year, will have home-field advantage.
“It’s always nice not to have to take that bus ride,” Carvers Bay coach Nate Thompson said. “Other than that, it’s going to be a tough football game. Lamar has gotten better as the season has gone on, and both teams are going to have to be ready to play.”
After losing starting quarterback Arlington Scott to a torn ACL against Latta on Sept. 19, Carvers Bay fell to third in Region 8-A with back-to-back losses to Hemingway and Lake View.
The offense has suffered slightly as the Bears averaged just 20.8 points during their last seven games. But Thompson believes new quarterback Carlton Linnen and the offense have started to gel.
“I think Carlton’s done a good job coming in under fire and learning things on the fly,” Thompson said. “He’s performed well, and our running game has helped that.”
One of the biggest concerns Thompson has is facing a well-balanced Lamar team. Jonathan Dargan leads a Silver Fox rushing attack that has gained 2,835 yards this season.
Quarterback Trevor Norris has also thrown for 830 yards, including 151 last week against Hannah-Pamplico.
“It’s something we have not faced a lot of this season,” Thompson said. “We’ve seen a lot more smash-mouth teams this year, so the passing game is something we’re going to have spend time on in practice.”
Lamar coach J.R. Boyd returns to the lower state championship for the first time since 2004, the last of three straight Class A championships with the Silver Foxes in his first tenure.
“It means a great deal, especially from the way we started and where we’re at now,” Boyd said. “We had our best effort all season last week, and I’m proud of the guys for what they’ve been able to accomplish so far.”
A major key for Lamar will be making sure Carvers Bay running backs Clayton Geathers and Davious Chestnut don’t get off to good starts, Boyd said.
“We have to make sure we wrap them up early and don’t let them get into the open field,” he said. “They’re both excellent runners.”
Carvers Bay’s defense has been as stout as ever, registering 13 sacks and coming up with 37 turnovers in 12 games.
“We’d like to keep a good mix with the run and the pass, but the main thing is making sure we stop penetration,” Boyd said. “Hopefully, we can get three or four yards a run and keep the ball out of their hands.”
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Reader Reactions
Ok, I can appreciate 1 A football but everyone here seems to overlook the fact that a classic 2 AA football confrontation is about to take place in the Wolves Den at Timberland High. Dillon and Timberland are about to take the field for the Lower State Championship. I know both of these teams are a little removed from Florence but, come on…. This one has been a long time coming. I have followed Timberland all year long mostly because I work in that area and know most of the fathers of the players. I have also read most of the articles relating to Dillon Football. I gotta tell ya, I believe Dillon has gotten little or no respect here. No one seemd to care that they have scratched and clawed their way to this game. Winning against Manning and losing a key player in the process. I don’t know but it seems to me they are giving their all. Let me just say that even if no one else believes in them, I do. Dillon can beat Timberland….. yes I said it, they can beat Timberland. The Wolves are so one dimentional. They are putting all their eggs in one basket with Roc King their small, fast back. Stop King and you’ve beaten Timberland. That is what Cheraw overlooked besides all the penalties…. Dillon has an awesome defense and with that can shutdown Timberland cold. Cody Kreg the Quarter back for the Wolves is fair but lacks the wide receivers to catch a pass. Again they go to King…. Also the Wolves Kicking game is lacking, they have no range at all. Yes, Timberland has earned their shot but they have not played a defense like Dillon has and have not had to worry about Roc getting shutdown. Dillon is going into this game a under dawg but, in my eyes they have the key to make this the game of the year. I am pulling for Dillon in this one. They have earned it…...
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