By Ian Guerin
Special to LowcoSports.com
MURRELLS INLET — Hilton Head High staved off a big blow, and despite trailing at half, was about to get one of its best players back on the field.
Instead, the Seahawks were muscled off the ball, and saw their narrow deficit only continue to grow. Coach B.J. Payne’s team lost 24-10 on the road at St. James, a team that Hilton Head blasted 34-0 one year ago.
“We needed to be humbled,” Payne said. “We’ve got an experienced team, a lot of three-year starters. But we’re not where I want them to be. … We have to ground-and-pound games to win.”
After Hilton Head High went ahead 10-7 with a little over 9 minutes remaining in the second quarter, St. James scored the final 17 points of the night. The Sharks rushed for 204 yards, and do-it-all senior Deondray Stanfield had 146 yards receiving, including a 66-yard touchdown reception in the opening quarter.
The Seahawks weren’t able to get into the end zone in the second half, even though sophomore running back Lavarus Brown was fresh after serving a first-half suspension for a violation of team rules.
Gaston Moore threw for 186 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
1ST QUARTER
HH – Jacob Weaver 44 FG (8:04), 3-0
STJ – Deondray Stanfield 66 pass from Ethan White (Miles Herring kick) 7:05, 7-3
2ND QUARTER
HH – Dean Seelbach 17 pass from Gaston Moore (Weaver kick) 9:16, 10-7
STJ – White 1 run (Herring kick) 5:49, 14-10
3RD QUARTER
STJ – Stanfield 1 run (Herring kick) :18, 21-10
4TH QUARTER
STJ – Herring 32 kick, 10:33, 24-10