Every time Hilton Head Christian Academy has faced resistance on the football field, the Eagles find a way to power though. On Saturday, one more challenge stands between HHCA and a second straight perfect season, as the Eagles look to defend their SCISA 2A title when they face upstart Williamsburg Academy at 5 p.m. at Charleston Southern University.
The Stallions have put together a magical season under head coach Don Shelley, rattling off 10 straight wins including an impressive 35-14 thumping of perennial powerhouse Pee Dee Academy to reach their first title game since 2013. Their last step to the state championship may have been the most impressive, holding a potent Beaufort Academy rushing attack to just seven points to punch their ticket to the title game.
But the HHCA Eagles have thrived whenever the big games have rolled around. It wasn’t the prettiest start to Friday’s semifinal against Pee Dee Academy, but quarterback Jace Blackshear stepped up in the crucial moments, tossing four touchdown passes to four different HHCA receivers and converting a perfect 4-for-4 on fourth downs. His abilities through the air are complemented by his phenomenal quickness and elusiveness on the ground.
Head coach Ron Peduzzi was looking for another weapon to bolster the run game this year, and he found it from an aptly-named Ridgeland-Hardeeville transfer. Speedy Robinson has been a revelation for the Eagle offense in 2021, using his versatility as a runner and a receiver to ignite an offense averaging a whopping 47.8 points per game. He’s been a gamebreaker with his multifaceted abilities, forcing defenses to stop the run while opening up Blackshear’s signature deep passing attack led by reliable senior wideout Riley Shinn.
The Stallions have the talent to keep up with the high-flying Eagles, and ran all over a strong Beaufort Academy defense en route to Saturday’s title game. Sensational sophomore running back Teague Ward sliced through the BA front all night long, showcasing his elite vision, quickness, and power to propel the Stallions to victory. Williamsburg has relied on its improved blocking on the line and a dynamic duo of Ward and Caleb Kline to move the ball, but the Stallions are more than capable of mixing in some play action with quarterback Conrad Balder.
But they haven’t seen a defense all year like Peduzzi’s Junkyard Dogs. They certainly weren’t polished at the start of the season, allowing an uncharacteristic 23 points to the King’s Academy before surrendering 21 to Class 1A Dorchester Academy. Going into a matchup with a high-powered 3A Pinewood Prep offense that put up 48 points the previous week, defensive coordinator Matt Smith challenged his group to up the intensity against the Panthers. His team answered the challenge and pitched a first-half shutout with four forced turnovers. As senior Jackson Lanier said, “this was more than a statement, this was an exclamation.” The Junkyard Dogs were back.
Sparked by the brilliant home effort in early October, the Eagle defense dominated down the stretch, allowing zero offensive points in three straight games. They faced their toughest challenge on Friday against Pee Dee Academy and passed with flying colors. Coleby Sinclair and Landyn Tyler broke loose for long runs early, but Peduzzi’s hard-working squad found a way down the stretch, forcing a pair of fumbles to earn a trip back to Charleston and a chance at back-to-back state championships.
The battle in the trenches will be key to deciding Saturday evening’s clash. After losing the bulk of their standout defensive line from last season, the Eagles have reloaded quickly with Matthew Scarpa and James Crosby alongside an elite linebacking corps of Lanier, Robinson, and Keene Reese. If the Junkyard Dogs can feast at the point of attack and close the holes for Ward and the Stallions’ electric run game, they can force Balder to test a dialed-in HHCA secondary led by Shinn, Blackshear, and breakout freshman sensation Peter Nodelman Jr.
With a powerful run game and a menacing defensive unit, Williamsburg Academy comes into Saturday’s title bout with the confidence and the hunger to take its best shot at the kings of SCISA 2A football. After winning nine of 10 games this season by 21 points or more, the Stallions proved that they have the firepower and the willpower to shock the defending champs. But Blackshear, Lanier, and the Eagles have shined the brightest in the face of adversity, and will look to do it again on Saturday to put the finishing touches on another perfect season.
By Wes Kerr
PREDICTIONS
Wes Kerr (4-1 last week, 92-15 overall): Hilton Head Christian 35, Williamsburg Academy 24
Justin Jarrett (5-0 last week, 88-19 overall): Hilton Head Christian 33, Williamsburg Academy 20
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