Run It Back? Abbeville’s Chances Of Repeating In 2021
After a two-week Covid-19 delay, Abbeville won the final game of the 2020 high school season in South Carolina by beating Marion 37-6 in the Class 2A championship. It returned to the winning ways it had instilled prior to the…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAfter a two-week Covid-19 delay, Abbeville won the final game of the 2020 high school season in South Carolina by beating Marion 37-6 in the Class 2A championship.
It returned to the winning ways it had instilled prior to the 2019 campaign, and Jamie Nickles’ team will likely open the 2021 season as a sure-fire top-three team in the classification, if not at the no. 1 spot.
What can it do to finish with another trophy?
OFFENSE
The Panthers are losing their top four ball carriers in Tyrell Haddon, Martico Jackson, J’Marion Burton and Navi Marshall. There’s no way around it: Dropping nearly 2,400 yards of offense from the backfield – plus another 800 or so from departing quarterback Thomas Beauford – is going to be a tough problem to solve.
If we know anything about Abbeville’s offense, it’s that the next crop isn’t far off.
Antonio Harrison (6-foot, 175 pounds) was able to get make the most of his nine carries last fall, going for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Ty Cade (more on him in a minute) averaged a ridiculous 17.4 yards per carry on his seven touches. Shy Brown (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) did, too.
Those players will likely be joined by a name we maybe even haven’t heard yet. So while the offensive production could expectedly dip some, it’s not going to drop off completely.
DEFENSE
Defensive back Jeremiah Lomax Jeremiah Lomax 6'0" | 160 lbs | DB Abbeville | 2022 State SC (6-foot, 160 pounds) is going to be expected to do quite a bit from his spot at free safety. That’s nothing new, as Lomax has already been in big spots during his career. He was instrumental in the win over Gray Collegiate in the state semifinals, the closest game the Panthers had all season.
Class of 2023 linebacker Ty Cade (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) is a tackle waiting to happen on any type of offensive set. Thanks to his ability to shift around the middle of the defense, he can rush the passer, going after a ball carrier and even protect against short-range throws.
Throw in Logan Busby (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) and the strength of the Abbeville front seven, speed, comes more into focus.
INTANGIBLES
Last fall proved that 2019 may have been the anomaly in Class 2A football in South Carolina. That was the only time in the last six years the Panthers didn’t bring home a state championship trophy (it went to Saluda that season). Frankly, this team is the second-most dominant team in the state by that measuring stick, giving way only to normally nationally ranked Dutch Fork.
What that means for younger Abbeville players is a history of success, even if they didn’t get starring roles. Players like C.J. Vance (5-foot-8, 150 pounds) and Zay Rayford (5-10, 170 pounds) each made huge special teams plays at key spots last year while getting on the field on defense (Vance played corner) or offense (Rayford ran for 133 yards).
Having all those blowouts meant that younger players were able to take ownership of putting Abbeville back on top. And they’ll be hungry to stay there.