Sumrall was off to a prolific start with an explosive offense spearheading the Bobcats’ early success.
Through three games, Sumrall quarterback Landon Hawkins has laid the foundation for a potentially memorable year as he has thrown for 962 yards, nine touchdowns, four interceptions and completed 65% of his passes.
“Our quarterback is much improved compared to last year,” Sumrall coach Shannon White said. “He’s really improved, though, and his arm is better. His accuracy is better, but he is also throwing to some dudes.”
Part of the reason for the success is the depth the Bobcats have in the wide receiver room, as four different players have recorded 100 yards this season.
The Bobcats’ leading receiver is Jaycree Washington, who has produced 17 catches, 333 yards and three touchdowns. Jonathan Nelson has come down with 12 catches for 214 yards, Barelyn Harrison has 11 catches for 152 yards and Hayden Campbell has seven catches for 100 yards and two scores. Not to mention, William Hodges has four catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.
“They are good players,” White said. “None of this is a surprise. We have good players and good receivers.”
Yet, White credits the offensive line and the team’s run game, led by running back Trevor Daniels. The numbers don’t necessarily show it, but according to White, what makes the run game special is its effectiveness and timely ability to come up with plays when needed. Daniels has 205 all-purpose yards and has run for three touchdowns this season.
“The key to it is the run game,” White said. “We have an outstanding running back with Trevor Daniels. It’s an experienced and pretty darn good offensive line and good skill players.”
However, last week, Sumrall was derailed by a 51-42 loss to Seminary, which left White disappointed in his team in every phase of the game. The Bobcats held a 42-33 lead by the end of the third quarter.
“Nothing happened in the fourth quarter that didn’t happen in the previous three quarters,” White said. “We had six turnovers. Three (turnovers) were on special teams, and we had a pick-six. We dropped passes. We missed passes. We didn’t cover anybody most of the night.”
For White, the difference in the game, as well as Sumrall’s season, comes down to his team’s focus and maturity.
“All we can do is address it and hope they hold themselves accountable,” White said. “Seminary took advantage of things. They have a good team. We knew you couldn’t play a bad game and win. We can be horrible like we were Friday night, but the talent is there.
“When you have a good team, you never accept that, and you never expect that. There are no excuses. Our players were prepared by the coaches.”
Sumrall should be able to bounce back against winless West Marion this week (0-3).
In three games, the Trojans have been outscored 111-14 to start the year, with their most recent game being a 42-8 loss to Lumberton. However, White said the main issue for West Marion has been turnovers, which is due to having a young roster.
“They have had turnovers on offense and specials teams,” White said. “But they can look so good and have a good-looking offense and defense on the field, and the next thing there is a breakdown. They are a young team, and I think that’s the biggest issue they are having. The talent is there and speed is there. I’m really impressed with their speed and physicality.”
West Marion’s sophomore quarterback Braxton Albritton has thrown for 233 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions while completing just 40% of his passes. Freshman Demarious Smith leads the run game with 150 yards on 37 carries.
West Marion’s top player on the defense is Eli Rocko, who has recorded an interception, a forced fumble and a safety and hauled in a touchdown pass. However, Rocko experienced an injury in last week’s game, and may not play this week.
“They have a couple of cornerbacks that are outstanding,” said White on their defense. “They just crowd the box and lock you down. They run to the football and knock the snot out of you. In their process of running to the football, sometimes they overrun it. I’m sure that’s something they are trying to correct. They are not the biggest team in the world, but they are physical. They just have been mistake-prone.”
Sumrall host West Marion on Friday with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
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