Regular readers of this website know that each week during the high school football season we recognize two groups of players — the RBC Heritage Player of the Week nominees, and the Unsung Heroes presented by Candor USA.
Every once in a while, the Venn diagrams overlap.
A few guys who usually play the role of Unsung Heroes, doing the dirty work that helps others put up big stats, stepped into the spotlight this week, and the online voters noticed.
Thomas Heyward running back John Clark Tilton, typically overshadowed by the Rebels’ wealth of offensive weapons, earned a spot on the list with a huge game Friday against Pee Dee Academy, and the THA faithful turned out to support him with 40.3% of the vote.
Tilton narrowly edged Beaufort High receiver Matt Haley, who picked up 34.5% of the vote after a strong showing in a loss at Valdosta.
But what did our voting panel have to say?
Well, they loved the quarterbacks. Two votes went to Bluffton’s Lee Kirkland, who passed for 412 yards and three TDs in a loss at Hartsville, and another went to Hilton Head High’s Gaston Moore, who passed for 287 yards and three TDs and rushed for a score in a win over Ridgeland-Hardeeville.
Ahh, but the last vote was mine, and I gave it to one of those guys whose efforts too often go unnoticed.
Tilton’s 95-yard sprint to the end zone Friday was the back-breaking play in THA’s 42-23 win over Pee Dee Academy, and he added another long touchdown run in the second half to help thwart an Eagles comeback, finishing with 172 yards on 11 carries.
Since one of Tilton’s two votes was the online fan vote — which is also the tiebreaker — the power of the people has elevated the senior from role player to RBC Heritage Player of the Week, a well-deserved distinction.