Football: Gators Suffer Second Region Loss, Falling 56-14 to Irmo

Three of the top 12 AAAAA football teams in South Carolina, according to MaxPreps, reside in Region 4. River Bluff has faced two of those teams to start region play. After falling to 11th-ranked White Knoll last week, the Gators suffered another defeat this week to number three Irmo, 56-14. In both contests, River Bluff was simply outmatched, evidenced by the combined score of 91-17.

A young River Bluff squad revealed a bit of its future, though, on Friday night. After giving up an opening series pick-six, the Gators brought in freshman quarterback Davis Taylor, who remained the signal-caller for the remainder of the game. "We felt like we needed to try something different at the QB position," said head coach Perry Parks. "At any other spot on the field, we go off production and performance. We felt like the quarterback position definitely needed to model the same approach."

Parks went on to express his staff's confidence in Taylor's upside. "You never feel easy playing any freshman on Friday, especially at the QB spot, but Davis Taylor is different. He will have a bright future here at River Bluff, and we are excited to watch him grow."

Several freshmen either started or saw significant playing time against Irmo. While the immediate consequence of fielding a younger, less-experienced team against one of the best in the state might be less than desirable, the future of the program may very well benefit from the experience.

Highlights for River Bluff included a nice 44-yard pass-and-catch from Taylor to Brady Barrineau for a touchdown; five pass receptions, including a touchdown, for Darius Carter; Caleb Pinkney's 104 yards on three kickoff returns; and Josiah Robinson's 17 tackles, including three tackles-for-loss and a sack. So, there are some positives for Parks and his Gators to take into this week's preparation. "We are playing in a very tough region, and our players and coaches know we have plenty of football left," said Parks. "We have got to clean up our mistakes, and find ways not to beat ourselves."  

River Bluff (3-4, 0-2) will travel to Chapin (0-7, 0-2) next Friday, October 17th. Both teams will be seeking their first Region 4-AAAAA win. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.