HSFB: THA further solidifies dynasty with 4th straight state title

To become a dynasty, it takes consistent excellence in coaching, teamwork, and execution. On Saturday, the Thomas Heyward Rebels showcased all of those qualities and captured their fourth consecutive state championship.

Behind a monster effort on the ground from eighth-grader Tony O’Banner, the Rebels blitzed Lee Academy 35-13 at Charleston Southern University to knock off the Cavaliers in the SCISA 1A title game for the second straight year and complete the four-peat.  

“They’re all special in a different way, and this one is too,” head coach Nic Shuford said. “It’s a fun feeling.” 

The extraordinary achievement is one shy of a program record for most consecutive titles, which was accomplished from 1977 to 1981. 

After a quick defensive stop, the Rebel offense flew out of the starting blocks. On its first official play from scrimmage, Anthony Fripp landed the first blow, finding a hole on the outside and cutting upfield for a 72-yard touchdown run to ignite the crowd and give Thomas Heyward a 7-0 lead. The Rebels never looked back.

Heyward’s defense fed off the big play, forcing a three-and-out to put the ball right back in the hands of Shuford’s squad. Then, it was the eighth-grader’s turn. O’Banner stole the show with a duo of electrifying runs, breaking into the secondary for a 15-yard scamper before racing into the end zone from 30 yards out to double the lead to 14-0. 

The Cavaliers were desperate to answer and cut into the growing deficit, and they turned to reliable running back Hampton Gaskins to push the ball into THA territory. With so many emotions at stake in a state championship game, the physicality began to heighten, and it got the better of the Rebels. Senior Preston Hamilton was disqualified following a personal foul, and Gaskins punched the ball in from the 1 to swing the momentum towards the challengers and cut the lead to 14-7. 

When freshman sensation Dietrich Shuford was lost for the year midseason, there were major concerns about the Rebels’ passing abilities going forward. But third-stringer Tyshon Mansell earned the trust of his coach down the stretch, and on a crucial 2nd-and-10 on the biggest stage of the season, the new quarterback delivered. He fired a perfect pass to the outside of receiver Brandon Howard on a route across the middle, and the senior star made the play in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown catch. Mansell handled the moment like a seasoned veteran and gave his team a commanding 21-7 lead to end the first quarter. 

Lee Academy looked to pull off some trickery with a reverse handoff to get the offense going, but Carter Zareva was right on top of it, jarring the ball loose from the runner’s grasp. Senior Jordan Mikell did the rest, scooping the ball up from the turf and outrunning a diving Cavalier to the end zone as his teammates surrounded him along the Buccaneer Field track.

With the Rebels set to receive the football to start the second half, Shuford’s offense knew the importance of what an early score could do. They got it done on just one play. 

O’Banner took the handoff to the outside, weaved his way through a host of Cavaliers, and broke one more tackle down the sideline on his way to an eye-popping 48-yard touchdown run to make it 35-7. It was the culmination of a clinic on the ground from the Heyward offensive line and a dynamic pair of runners. 

With several reserves entering the game in the third quarter, the Rebel defense continued to feast on the line, as Cameron VanGeison pounced on a loose ball to halt the Cavaliers’ last-gasp comeback bid. Freshman Nick Robinson ate away at the clock with a series of tough runs, and Cody Parker intercepted a Clayton Catoe pass for the Rebels’ third takeaway of the afternoon. Drew Nix scored from 28 yards out to keep Lee Academy’s slim hopes alive, but the Rebels salted away the rest as the Gatorade bath soaked Nic Shuford once again. The four-peat was complete, and it may have been the most impressive showing yet. 

O’Banner finished his breakout season with an unreal championship game, rushing for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Fripp added 91 yards and a score, while Robinson impressed in limited work with nine carries for 31 yards. Howard pulled in two receptions for 31 yards and a score while leading a phenomenal defensive effort in his final game. Nearly two years ago, he wasn’t sure when he’d put his pads on again. Now, after leading his Rebels to a pair of state titles, the Ridgeland-Hardeeville transfer has made his mark on a championship program.

“When I came here, the guys just welcomed me with open arms, and it just felt like home,” Howard said. “I built relationships with these guys that I’ll have forever, and I love all of them. These guys, we go Monday through Thursday in the weight room, and we just give it all in practice. I just love how that feels on me to know that I got brothers behind me giving it their all.” 

Shuford remembered what he had learned after his Rebels fell to Pee Dee Academy in 2017. He put in the work even harder to reach the pinnacle, and his players have done the same. There’s no doubt now: The Rebels are a full-fledged SCISA dynasty. And with the young talent on full display Saturday, it may be just beginning. 

“It’s not just a team that we’re building, it’s a program, and these guys have really bought into it,” Shuford said. “If we keep working, we should be pretty strong again next year.” 

By Wes Kerr