The Green Sea Floyds Trojans football team destroyed the visiting Hemingway Tigers by a score of 55-0 on Friday night at Green Sea Floyds High School. It was the first victory of the season for the Trojans (1-3) while Hemingway remains winless and falls to 0-4 with the loss.
It was a feel-good night for Green Sea Floyds (who were outscored by their first three opponents 110-15) and Head Coach Ty Sutherland, who earned his first win with the Trojans.
Sutherland gave all the credit to his team postgame, pointing to their work ethic and ability to compete with schools within their classification as reasons for confidence heading into the matchup.
“It’s never been about me, it’ll never be about me, it’s always been about that locker room,” Sutherland said. “They got the reward that they earned a long time ago. I told them a long time ago that I believe in this locker room and when we quit playing these 3A teams, we’re going to be pretty good.
“I’m proud of this group tonight, this turf got put in a long time ago and this is the first-ever home win on it.”
Green Sea Floyds will play at St. John’s next Friday, Sept. 18, after knocking off Hemingway on Friday, Sept. 11.
The Trojans set the tone on both sides of the ball early, with the defense forcing a three and out and the offense taking advantage, instantly marching 50 yards down the field, with the big plays being a 38-yard completion to Demestris Phillips and a 2-yard touchdown run by Aaron Fowler.
Defensively, the Trojans simply shut down the Tigers completely, recovering back-to back fumbles in Hemingway territory and three in the first quarter alone.
Fowler would have two more touchdown runs in the first frame of eight and 34 yards while Thomas Gunnells added a 1-yarder of his own. Green Sea Floyds led 28-0 after 12 minutes.
The second quarter started very similarly to the first, with Hemingway punting right away and the Trojans instantly going 61 yards to the end zone. Notable plays came from an 18-yard carry by Phillips and a 43-yard touchdown run by Fowler. Fowler would add a 70-yard touchdown pass later in the quarter, his fifth of the first half overall.
The Trojans got up 48-0 just before halftime to get to the margin necessary to force a running clock for the second half. Defensively, Green Sea Floyds forced two punts in the second quarter as well as a turnover on downs inside their own 25-yard line.
There were no scores in the third quarter. The Trojans did score one more touchdown in the final frame to up their advantage just a little more.
Friday night was always a moment that Sutherland had in mind since taking the job back in February.
He said he always felt as though if the Trojans could get through their rough patch of having to play 3A teams like Loris and Aynor that they would have opportunities to establish some momentum and gain some confidence.
“Since I took the job, it was ‘We got to make it to Labor Day’… we’re the only little 1A in the state of South Carolina that plays the 3A and we played two back-to-back, we just had to get through it,” Sutherland said. “It’s not going to be the last one. I believe in my locker room, I believe in this team and it’s these kids’ heart that makes this happen.”
The Trojans will look to keep the good vibes going when they visit St. John’s next week. Kickoff against the Islanders is set for 7:30 p.m.
The next mission for Sutherland and the Trojans is getting back to work following a victory. Continuing to improve is what the coaching staff is striving for and what Sutherland believes Green Sea Floyds will do.
“It’s just a matter of these kids have never felt this before, it’d been almost 1,500 days since a home win and 700 days since a win in general,” Sutherland said. “Good football teams get better week by week by week, responding correctly after a win is going to be a new feeling for them. That’s our job as coaches, my job to make sure they’re dialed in the right way and I believe they will be.”
