Zack Gibson was a longtime assistant looking for a good landing spot to lead a team of his own.
The South-Doyle football team was filled with experienced players, but looking for some stability at the top after going through two coaches in a three-year span.
If there was a preps edition of the Match Game, Gibson and the Cherokees would be winning, just like they did on Friday at Carter by a score of 34-14 to improve to 4-0 this season.
Gibson, most recently an assistant at Powell, inherited a talented roster, but that didn’t necessarily mean the results would come this fast.
South-Doyle (4-0, 2-0 District 2-4A) hasn’t reached the postseason since 2021, and before Friday had not defeated Carter (1-3, 1-1) since 2020.
Gibson said the players coming back played a role in his decision to take the job.
“It was definitely a big thing for us, my family and I looking at this, and the game experience they had coming back. We have multiple four-year starters, multiple three-year starters, definitely a bunch of returners from last year.
“They’ve welcomed me with open arms, this roster has, the coaches that are still on staff have, the school, the community, everybody. It’s been such a blessing to me and my family so far, and they’ve bought into everything I’ve been giving to them,” Gibson said.
“With the seniors too, I’m their third head coach they’ve had, and they’ve accepted me with open arms. They’re doing everything that I’ve asked them to the right way at a high level.”
Defensive lineman Lincoln Jackson, receivers Kamariyon Rice and Jeremiah Smith, quarterback Benson Brang and running back Walter Gould – all members of the senior class – played pivotal parts in the win over the Hornets.
For most of the night it seemed like South-Doyle was in command, taking a 21-7 advantage into the half. But the Cherokees missed some chances to extend the lead in the third, fumbling a kickoff return and turning the ball over on downs during the quarter.
Carter made it a one-possession game at 21-14 early in the fourth quarter, but South-Doyle had the answer with 13 straight points to close things out.
Facing 4th-and-4 on the Carter 46 and up seven with nine minutes to play, Brang located Rice for a 15-yard reception in a tight window.
Three plays later, it was Rice again with an 18-yard touchdown grab – his second of the game – to extend the Cherokees’ lead to 27-14 with 7:01 remaining.
Rice also caught a 26-yard TD on a pretty deep ball from Brang with two defenders in the area in the first half.
“D.D. Rice has done a really good job for us. He’s an experienced kid, played a lot last year, and he’s making some big plays in the clutch for us right now. I’m really proud of him and happy for him,” Gibson said.
Down 13 and running out of time, Carter went for it on fourth down in its own territory, but the Hornets were stopped on a sack by Jackson.
It was a fitting way to bookend the evening for Jackson, who made a tackle to stop Carter on 4th-and-3 on its first possession, and forced a fumble that South-Doyle recovered on the Hornets’ second possession.
“Lincoln Jackson is an absolute football player,” Gibson said.
“He does everything right that we ask him to. He’s continued to play on defense for us, and we’ve also had some shuffling around and played him on the offensive line as well. He’s playing pure, old-school ironman football right now and earning every second of it.”
Inheriting good field position after the turnover on downs, South-Doyle put the game away on a 13-yard pass from Brang to Smith with 3:47 left.
Gould scored South-Doyle’s first two touchdowns on short runs.
It was a makeshift night at quarterback for Carter with DaVonte Scruggs, typically a standout receiver, getting the start under center.
Hornets coach Todd Helton said starting QB Braeson Gourley, a transfer from Central, missed the game after picking up a knee injury during last Friday’s win over Union County.
While still also returning kicks and playing safety, Scruggs made some things happen at quarterback, including an impressive 35-yard run that eventually set up Carter’s fourth-quarter touchdown.
“DaVonte Scruggs did a lot of great things, he’s very athletic, a competitor,” Helton said.
“But we just didn’t do enough. Eight guys doing what they are supposed to do, but not 11. We just can’t seem to get that all meshed together on offense.”
Even though it’s early in the season, Friday’s contest could be pivotal when it comes to playoff seeding and qualification.
“One-hundred percent (it was an important win),” Gibson said.
“In an eight-team region like what we’re in, in Region 2-4A, every region win matters. So being able to stack those up in the right direction will give us a leg up.
“But at the same time I’ve told our kids every play has a life and death of its own, every game has a life and death of its own. We’re 100 percent focused on our next opponent now. We’ll enjoy this briefly and then we’re back to work and will try to get another region win next week against the Gibbs Eagles.”
Article written by Matthew Lutey/5Star Preps. To read more on area high school sports or to see photo galleries, videos, stat leaders, etc., visit 5StarPreps.com — and use promo code HAMMERS for 30% off your first year or month subscription.
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