Mallard Creek vs. Byrnes: An inside look
On the Byrnes Rebels
KEY FACTS
▪ Byrnes, located in Duncan, S.C., -- a town of about 3,000 near Spartanburg -- is 14-3, all-time, against out-of-state foes.
▪ Byrnes has won 11 S.C. state championships, including four straight from 2002-05.
▪ In 2008, Byrnes was ranked No. 1 nationally by USA Today to start the season. Though it lost a game and that ranking, Byrnes won a state title. In 2009, Byrnes was No. 2 nationally in MaxPreps and lost to No. 1 St. Thomas (Fla.) Aquinas 42-34 on national TV.
CURRENT RANKINGS
▪ No. 48 National HS Football Top 100; No. 10 in PrepNation East Coast Regional poll; No. 4 S.C. Writers 4A poll;
FIVE KEY FORMER PLAYERS
▪ Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina RB (retired from NFL due to injury)
▪ Everett Dawkins, former Florida state DT (current Tampa Bay Arena League pro)
▪ Chas Dodd, Rutgers QB (current Italian league pro)
▪ Trey Elder, Appalachian State QB (current coach, Woodruff High)
▪ Prince Miller, Georgia DB (currently assistant coach at Byrnes)
On the Mallard Creek Mavericks
KEY FACTS
▪ Mallard Creek finished No. 9 in USA Today’s final 2013 rankings after winning its first state title.
▪ In 2014, the Mavericks replaced 18 starters and repeated as state champs, finishing 15-1.
▪ Mallard Creek, which opened in 2007, is 84-26 overall, but the Mavericks had to forfeit nine wins in 2008 because a transferred player violated an eligibility rule. Since the start of the 2009 season, Mallard Creek is 81-7. The Mavericks have lost three times since the start of the 2012 season -- all to rival Butler High from Matthews.
▪ Mallard Creek will play its third out-of-state opponent in school history. The Mavericks beat Chester (SC) 48-24 in 2010, and beat Dillon (SC) 27-21 in 2013.
CURRENT RANKINGS
▪ No. 1 Charlotte Observer Sweet 16; No. 1 NC Preps 4A poll; No. 1 Carolina Preps NC 4A Power Poll; No. 7 MaxPreps national; No. 9 National HS Football Top 100; No. 10 PrepNation national poll
FIVE KEY FORMER PLAYERS
▪ D.J. Humphries, Florida OL (currently with Arizona Cardinals)
▪ Marquez North, current Tennessee WR
▪ Marquise Williams, current UNC QB
▪ Brian Walker, current UNC DB
▪ Jaylen Samuels, current NC State TE
This story was originally published September 4, 2015 at 9:33 AM with the headline "Mallard Creek vs. Byrnes: An inside look."