North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By Kaye Collins
The Loris Lions welcomed the Socastee Braves on Friday, September 19, with the game starting at 7:30 p.m. The stands were packed with family, friends, school staff, and Lions supporters. Members of the Blue Pride made their way to the bleachers or stood at the gate to catch the game. The Loris Marching Pride Band played their ditties and the cheerleaders shouted cheers to keep the crowd energized and to motivate the players as they advanced the ball up and down the field.
The LHS Lions varsity team took control of the game right from the start after choosing to defer the opening kickoff upon winning the toss. They swiftly forced the Braves offense off the field, aided by a sack from OL/DE Landon Conner (50). Following this, the Lions secured great field position at Socastee’s 24-yard line due to a punt return by WR/DB Khalid Sherman (0) and a facemask penalty against the Braves. Loris capitalized on this opportunity with a 6-yard touchdown run by QB Moon Gerald (7) in the first quarter.
The game became quite uneventful for a period as both teams repeatedly went three and out on their subsequent possessions, resulting in five consecutive punts overall. However, a 76-yard touchdown run by Lions Khalid Sherman (0) in the opening minute of the second quarter disrupted this pattern and extended Loris’ lead to 13-0.
Socastee was unable to advance on their next offensive possession, going three and out, while the Lions began their drive at their own 42-yard line. Khalid Sherman (0) made a first down carry during this drive, and he also successfully executed the 2-point conversion after WR/DB Jacobien Lewis (1) caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Moon Gerald (7), bringing the score to 21-0 with 8:26 remaining in the half. Shortly thereafter, the Lions recovered a fumble by the Braves at Socastee’s 35-yard line and quickly scored again with a 21-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB Khalil Sherman (2), extending the Loris lead to 29-0, aided by another successful 2-point conversion.
Another punt from Socastee and a touchdown drive by Loris concluded with a 1-yard touchdown run by Khalid Sherman, increasing the Lions’ lead to 36-0 at halftime. Khalil Sherman (2) intercepted a pass during the Braves’ final drive of the first half.
Head Coach Greg Mance commended Socastee’s defense for their effectiveness in challenging the Lions at the start of the game. He expressed his desire for his team to remain calm and capitalize on the opportunities presented to them while ensuring both facets of the offense functioned cohesively. “We started off slowly, but we must give credit to Socastee; they were varying their defensive formations and concealing some coverages,” Mance remarked. “We needed to help the players relax and take advantage of what was available. I believe the offensive line improved significantly; we executed the run game effectively, and a strong running game creates opportunities for the passing game.”
Loris accelerated at the beginning of the second half, with Lewis receiving the opening kickoff and advancing to Socastee’s 46-yard line. Khalid Sherman (0) then broke free for a 22-yard run, and DB/WR Terrance Hardee (6) finished the drive with a 17-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep, extending the Lions’ lead to 43-0 with 10:44 left in the third quarter.
This is the Lions bye week, they will take a week off before starting regional play on Friday, October 3, when they travel to Dillon to face the Wildcats. The kickoff for this game is set for 7:30 p.m.
Coach Mance emphasized the necessity of addressing a few issues during Loris’ break, particularly regarding penalties. “We need to address the penalties; we can’t afford to give Dillon additional possessions and provide them with short fields to operate on,” Mance stated. “We also need to strengthen our special teams a bit; I believe we performed well towards the end.”
The Lions football team achieved a remarkable 5-0 record on Friday night, securing a dominant 50-6 win against the Braves at Heniford Field. Meanwhile, Socastee’s record drops to 1-4 following their second consecutive loss.
