With seven area teams earning wins on Friday — many of them key region victories, and at least one representing a signature win — it was tough to trim this week’s list of RBC Heritage Player of the Week candidates to just 10 players.
We had monster games on offense and beastly performances on defense contributing to big wins all over the Lowcountry, so picking just one winner will prove just as difficult. Luckily, we’ll have one more person to help us decide this week, as Wes Kerr, my co-host for the new “LowcoSports Lowdown” podcast launching next week, joins our voting panel along with myself, Island News editor Mike McCombs, WJCL’s Frank Sulkowski, and WSAV’s Greg Talbott.
Your vote still counts double in the case of a tie, though — the fan vote is used as the tiebreaker — so help us out by casting your vote before 3 p.m. ET Thursday, and have your say in picking the Week 8 RBC Heritage Player of the Week.
One housekeeping note that you may or not have noticed on your own — the candidates are listed in random order (generated by random.org) rather than the usual alphabetical order. I figured this might be more fair to those with last names that always bury them at the bottom of the list. We strive to be nothing, if not fair.
The nominees are:
The Heritage Classic Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization, enhances the quality of life and economic vitality of our region by hosting the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, South Carolina’s only PGA TOUR golf tournament.
Kevin Rogers, BA — Rushed for 110 yards on just two carries — both touchdowns — and added two tackles and a two-point conversion run in a 61-6 rout of Cathedral Academy.
Lavarus Brown, HHIHS — Seahawks’ workhorse back rushed 29 times for 159 yards and a TD and added two catches for 15 yards in a 28-7 win over Colleton County.
Hayden Shinn, HHCA — Senior QB played only one series in the second half of a lopsided game but finished 13-of-17 for 226 yards and 4 TDs, along with 45 yards on five carries in a 37-14 win over Colleton Prep.
Jace Blackshear, HHCA — Sophomore showed his versatility with 52 yards and a TD on three carries and 49 yards and a TD on four receptions, as well as two tackles in a 37-14 win over Colleton Prep.
Stone McDonald, HHP — Senior QB carried the load on offense Friday, going 13-for-20 for 138 yards with two TDs and an interception and rushing 25 times for 177 yards and two TDs in a 31-22 win over Dorchester Academy.
De’Arius Hazel, WB — Linebacker racked up 11 tackles (three for loss), blocked a punt for a safety, and returned a fumble for a touchdown, on top of 28 yards on eight carries in a 24-0 shutout of Allendale-Fairfax.
Kai’Shawn Jenkins, BA — Accounted for touchdowns on all three of his touches — a 16-yard rush TD, 60-yard TD reception, and 23-yard TD pass — and made five tackles on defense in a 61-6 win over Cathedral Academy.
James Dagin, BHS — Senior North-South pick racked up 149 rushing yards and a TD on 16 carrries and had one reception for 9 yards in a 27-21 upset of previously undefeated May River.
Gaston Moore, HHIHS — Senior QB was 16-for-19 for 163 yards and a TD and added 23 yards and a TD on six carries in a 28-7 win over Colleton County.
Jacove Anderson, BCHS — Rushed for 151 yards on 17 carries, including an 89-yard touchdown run with just over a minute left, and caught a pass for 21 yards in a 6-0 win at Ridgeland-Hardeeville.
This poll is no longer accepting votes