By Thomas Grant Jr.
For the first time since 2010, the Irmo High School football team is in the third round of the Class 4A playoffs.
The Yellow Jackets defeated Myrtle Beach 55-24 Friday in the Class 4A Lower State playoffs. They improved to 12-0 and will play at James Island for a spot in the Lower State finale.
its usual high production from its “Big Three” in reaching the third round for the first time since 2010. Quarterback A.J. Brand threw for 184 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 128 yards and a score.
For the season, he now has 60 total touchdowns and is 88 yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards to go with 2,624 passing yards.
Jaden Allen-Hendrix, a Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl running back, also drew closer to a milestone. He rushed for 185 yards to move 32 yards closer to 2,000 on the season and scored three touchdowns, two on the ground and the other on a 57-yard screen pass.
“They’re running back is special,” Myrtle Beach head coach Mickey Wilson said. “He’s a great player. He’s tough to tackle. They had some big plays on offense and that was the difference in the game.”
Brand’s first 57-yard touchdown pass went to wide receiver Donovan Murph. He finished with four receptions for 82 yards.
Telvin Smith had two kick returns of 93 yards and 40 yards to go with a 13-yard touchdown reception.
On defense, the Yellow Jackets posted eight sacks on a night where their gave up a season-high in points.
“That’s just a testament to those guys,” the elder Brand said. “Xavier Montgomery was awesome tonight off the edge. When you’ve got baggers in the middle kind of directing and commanding that defense, it is what it is.
“Those guys just played well, and the defense continued to get pressure on that guy (Goodroe), and they were gassed a little bit. So, Myrtle Beach played a little bit of hurry up and just something we weren’t used to right at the beginning. But we got adjusted and we knew if we could get 2-3 stops in the second half, then we had a chance to win the game going away.”
Irmo and James Island met in the second-round last year. The Trojans came away with a 24-22 victory.
PHOTOS BY THOMAS GRANT JR. – Irmo’s Mal Clay chases Myrtle Beach quarterback Gibson Goodroe.
