Hilton Head Christian, Thomas Heyward football go for SCISA championships
Two Lowcountry football teams go for SCISA state championships on Saturday.
Thomas Heyward goes for its second straight Class A title when it faces region foe Bethesda Academy at 1 p.m. while Hilton Head Christian takes on Trinity-Byrnes in the 2A championship. Both games are Charlie Johnson Stadium at Benedict College.
The Class A game is a rematch from earlier this season. Bethesda defeated THA, 28-16, on Oct. 18.
Since the loss to Bethesda, the Rebels have won three straight games by a combined score of 113-19, and Bruzza Pusha has become a big part of the team’s running game. He has 331 yards and five TDs over the last three games.
JR Patterson leads the team with 1,298 yards rushing and seven TDs. John Clark Tilton has 986 yards on the ground, and Peyton Bennett has thrown for 1,481 yards and 16 TDs.
Running back Jaden Wright leads Bethesda’s rushing attack with 2,167 yards and 31 touchdowns. Wright had 253 yards and three scores in the team’s first meeting. Quarterback Antjujan McKay has thrown for 1,891 yards and 20 touchdowns.
HHCA is making its first championship appearance since 2013 and seventh overall since the school began playing varsity football in 2002. The Eagles, who are looking for their fifth state title, have won 11 straight games since the season-opening loss to Thomas Heyward.
“We are not very big, but we play big. We play hard the entire 48 minutes. We could be down two touchdowns or up two touchdowns. We play hard all 48 minutes,” HHCA coach Ron Peduzzi said. “The boys put the team first and play for each other. I enjoy watching them play even though I am the head coach.”
The Eagles have a dynamic passing offense led by quarterback Hayden Shinn. The senior has thrown for 3,257 yards, rushed for 728 and accounted for 52 touchdowns this season. Shinn’s top target is John Peduzzi, who has 57 catches for 1,040 yards and 17 touchdowns. Daniel Harrington has 1,126 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns.
Jackson Lanier leads the defense with 140 tackles, and Robert Hall has seven sacks.
Trinity-Byrnes is going for its first championship in school history. The Titans played in the 2017 Class 2A game before losing to First Baptist.
Trinity-Byrnes relies on its running game with four players having rushed for more than 750 yards this season. Region Bennett leads the way with 1,342 yards and 18 touchdowns, and Donovan Lambert has 1,018 and 16 TDs.
“Trinity-Byrnes is a great football team with great players and great team speed. They will a great challenge,” Peduzzi said.
This story was originally published November 22, 2019 at 1:19 PM.