SCISA's finest: Sumter Item names 25 to All-Independent Football Team

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The Sumter Item has selected 25 players to its All-Independent Football Team.

The team was selected based on nominations from local South Carolina Independent School Association school coaches. Final selections were chosen by The Item sports department.

This year's team consists of 10 players from Wilson Hall, eight players from Laurence Manning, four players from Lee Academy, two from Thomas Sumter and one from Clarendon Hall.

The quarterback of the team is Laurence Manning's Grainger Powell. The sophomore threw for 2,242 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season.

The running backs are Lee Academy's Andrew Bowers and Wilson Hall's Milling Galloway.

Bowers was a machine for the Cavaliers, rushing for 1,010 yards and 13 touchdowns, while catching 12 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown.

Galloway ran 100 times for 777 yards and eight touchdowns, adding six catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.

The pass-catchers are Wilson Hall's Ford Wilder and a duo from Laurence Manning, BJ Balls and Drew Ferriell.

Wilder caught 27 passes for 518 yards and five touchdowns, earning all-region and SCISA all-star honors.

Balls caught 32 passes for 576 yards and six touchdowns. Ferriell added 15 catches for 162 yards and three scores, while grading out at 89% as a blocker at tight end.

The offensive line is Cooper Scott and Carson Wilsey of Wilson Hall, Trace June of Lee Academy, Laurence Manning's Dillon Smith and Thomas Sumter's Jake Lessard.

Scott graded out at 81% for the Barons' offensive line, adding 25 tackles and a sack on defense. Wilsey and Scott are both two-time all-region players and SCISA all-stars. On defense, Wilsey also had 52 total tackles and three sacks at linebacker.

June graded out at 81% with 18 knockdowns.

Smith graded out at 84% for the Swampcats.

Lessard was TSA's most consistent offensive lineman while starting on both sides of the ball.

The all-around athlete of the team is Cain June of Lee Academy. He played defensive back, linebacker, wide receiver, running back and quarterback for the Cavaliers this season. He had 31 catches for 358 yards and two touchdowns, 24 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown, 34 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

The special teamers are Wilson Hall's Jackson Bonser and Laurence Manning's Daniel Vargas.

Bonser was a rock for the Barons, going 34-37 on extra points while connecting on seven of his nine field goal attempts with a long of 48. He added 50 tackles on defense.

Vargas was 24-25 on extra points, while making four of his six field goal attempts with a long of 38.

The defensive line consists of Walker Wilson and Andrew Howle of Wilson Hall and Laurence Manning's Tristen White.

Wilson had 51 total tackles and five sacks for the Barons, while Howle finished with 24 total tackles and seven sacks.

White had 40 tackles and eight tackles for a loss as the anchor for the Swampcat defensive line.

The linebackers are Owen Meyers and Ben McLaurin of Wilson Hall, Clarendon Hall's Griffin McIntosh and Lee Academy's Tucker Boyce.

Meyers had 61 total tackles, nine tackles for a loss and five sacks while also lining up at quarterback for the Barons. He completed 63 passes for 1,009 yards and 12 touchdowns as he led Wilson Hall to the SCISA 3A state championship game. McLaurin finished with 38 total tackles, two interceptions and two tackles for a loss. He also contributed offensively with 106 carries for 511 yards and six touchdowns.

McIntosh had 133 tackles for Clarendon Hall, adding 14 tackles for a loss, a pick-six and three forced fumbles.

Boyce finished the season with 88 tackles and four tackles for a loss.

The defensive backs are Zy and Scoop Dennis from Laurence Manning, Carter Hill of Thomas Sumter and Wilson Hall's Harris Naylor.

Z. Dennis had 40 tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries on defense while adding 37 catches for 277 yards and five touchdowns on offense. S. Dennis added 43 tackles on defense while contributing 37 catches for 418 yards and six touchdowns on offense.

Hill led Thomas Sumter in tackles while pulling in six interceptions. He also had three total touchdowns on the season.

Naylor had 24 total tackles in the Baron secondary while adding 36 carries for 246 yards and seven catches for 176 yards with three total touchdowns on offense.


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