Gators stop Sumter

By DENNIS BRUNSON
Item Sports Editor
dennisb@theitem.com

Lakewood High School running back J.C. Neal has been getting the lion’s share of attention from college football scouts over the summer and will get the same amount of attention from opposing defenses when the Gators open the 2004 season next week. However, Lakewood just may have someone else to occupy the attention of a defensive coordinator or two as well.

Quarterback T.J. Richburg rushed for 20 yards and passed for 45 more and threw a touchdown pass for the only points in the Gators’ 20-minute scrimmage with Sumter High Friday in the Sumter High/Sertoma Club Football Jamboree at Sumter Memorial Stadium.

Richburg, a 5-10, 145-pound senior, also fed Neal a pitch on an option on the corner just before getting hit. Neal, one of the most highly recruited players in the state, took the pitch and went around left end for 20 of his 67 yards.

“We know that everybody is going to try and find a way to stop J.C.,” said Lakewood head coach Greg Crolley. “That’s why we’re going to be able to work some other things off of that, because J.C. does a good job of carrying out his fakes. T.J. has been doing some good things for us.

“Coach (new offensive coordinator Mike) Pope has been working with T.J. on his passing a lot and it is paying off,” Crolley added. “He’s really worked on his mechanics, getting his elbow up and he’s responded real well. He’s reading the field, reading the defenses really well.”

Lakewood, which is trying to rebound from a 3-7 record a season ago, scored the only points late in the scrimmage. The touchdown was set up when Neal, a 6-1, 175-pounder, broke a 39-yard run on a draw play to the Sumter 8-yard line.

After Neal picked up a yard, Richburg not only threw an incompletion, but he was called for throwing an illegal forward pass. The penalty moved the ball back to the 12. However, he connected with wide receiver Marvin Hodge on the next play for the score.

“You’ve got to give Lakewood a lot of credit,” said Gamecocks head coach Paul Sorrells, who is trying to replace 17 starters — including all 11 offensive starters — from last year’s 14-1 team that reached the 4A Division I state championship game. “They came out ready to play and they looked really good. We’ve just got to get better. We’re not where we want to be, but we’re really going to work hard and we’re going to get better.”

Sumter sophomore quarterback Kendrick Pressley, who is replacing three-year starter William Richardson, had his good and bad moments. He completed eight of 16 passes for 55 yards and threw a late interception. He carried the football four times and rushed for 18 yards.

“Anybody who’s a sophomore quarterback is going to go through his ups and downs,” Sorrells said. “There are a lot of new situations where he is learning, but he did a good job. I’m proud of him, and I know he’s going to be better at the end than he is now.”

Crolley was pleased with the way his team performed defensively.

“We were getting to the football really well,” said Crolley, whose team opens the regular season next Friday at home against Scott’s Branch. “I thought we did a pretty good job against their running game and that really pleased me.”

Sumter’s best offensive possession was the second of the five it had. The Gamecocks took over at their 28 following a punt and moved to the Lakewood 19-yard line. However, they could move no closer following an illegal procedure penalty.

Sorrells said it has been slow going at times for his young team, but he isn’t worried about how it will progress.

“This bunch, with three weeks under its belt, isn’t going to be at the same level as 11 that had four years,” said Sorrells, whose team opens its season at home against Crestwood. “That’s just not good math. But we’ll get better. Maturity only comes with time.”

Reach Sports Editor Dennis Brunson at dennisb@theitem.com or 803-774-1241.