Jerry Hatcher laid down three goals for his Whale Branch Warriors at the start of the season.
Win seven games. Make the playoffs. Win three playoff games in a row.
Now, he’s just one win away from checking them all off — and making program history.
But the final hurdle to that last goal will be the toughest yet. After an impressive victory at Lake View, the Warriors will head out on the road again to face a fast and talented C.E. Murray team for a chance at their first-ever spot in the SCHSL Class 1A final four.
“We probably played our best game of the season last week against Lake View,” Hatcher said. “We knew it was going to be physical, and we answered their physicality. We thought we had a solid gameplan going in, especially defensively, and the kids executed and played exceptionally.”
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The path to the Lower State semifinals wasn’t without its challenges. In late September, the Warriors’ season took an unexpected wrong turn. Whale Branch was enjoying a 25-8 halftime lead in a region title clash against rival Baptist Hill, but the Bobcats pounced back after a quarterback change to steal the game and the Region 7-1A championship.
But despite the setback, Hatcher’s goals were all still in front of him.
He admitted his offense was not at its best in a 19-0 playoff-opening win over East Clarendon, but the Warriors responded on Friday with a terrific 27-12 victory against Lake View. They’ll have to be at the top of their game again Friday against a C.E. Murray side averaging an impressive 54 points per game in playoff wins over Cross and Branchville.
Quarterback Tyree Prunes has been the catalyst of the red-hot War Eagle offense, running for 93.6 yards per game with nine touchdowns while throwing for seven scores. But the Warrior defense is certainly up for the challenge.
Hatcher’s unit made a statement at Lake View, feasting behind the line of scrimmage all night long and racking up an incredible 18 tackles for loss. Senior Xavier Chaplin has been a monster on the line alongside D’Ante Parker and sophomore sensation Bradford Thompson, who will look to stymie the runshing abilities of Prunes and the dangerous Quentarius Grant.
In just his sophomore season, Keith Chisholm has become a lockdown defensive back for the Warriors. He dominated his matchup all night long a week ago, allowing just one catch while picking off three passes for a second straight game. With eight interceptions in nine games so far this season, Chisholm has already earned comparisons to former Whale Branch star and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Dee Delaney.
Hatcher thought the play of his defense would be the biggest factor, but he knows Kai’Shawn Jenkins and the Warrior offense will need to execute and take care of the football for his team to come through on the road. Joseph Hicks has been next-to-unstoppable on the ground this season, and he’s had some gaping holes to run through thanks to Chaplin and a dominant offensive line.
Jenkins has been Hatcher’s preferred signal-caller with an excellent arm, but expect utility man Jakhi Pusha to step in and use his multifaceted abilities as a thrower and runner. He’s worked in the weight room for three years to improve his strong frame while honing his throwing mechanics. The Warriors will need to find a way to pick up blitzes from the outside, as War Eagle linebackers Grant and Nicolas Brown have been known to wreak havoc behind the line of scrimmage.
When Whale Branch has gone on the road this season, the Warriors have used their team buses with the school colors of yellow and purple adorned on the outside. But last week, Hatcher’s group took a charter bus, signaling this wasn’t just any game.
The playoffs can be cruel, but they can also be a second chance to right wrongs of earlier heartbreak. On the heels of a fantastic showing at Lake View, the Warriors will hit the road again Friday, this time with a chance to rewrite the season’s script, and its history books.
“It would mean a lot to our players, our students, and our community,” Hatcher said. “We had a lot of support last week, we had people make a six-hour trip to come and support us. They didn’t have kids playing football, they were just there to watch Whale Branch football. It means a lot to our community. They believe they can beat anyone, they’ve felt that from the beginning of the season. These kids just don’t think anybody can beat them. You go back to the first game of the season, we were down 18 points to Calhoun County and we found a way to win. That’s kind of the attitude they have. They’re a fun team to coach.”
By Wes Kerr
PREDICTIONS
Wes Kerr (4-1 last week, 92-15 overall): Whale Branch 28, C.E. Murray 21
Justin Jarrett (5-0 last week, 88-19 overall): Whale Branch 36, C.E. Murray 30
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