Preview: James Island Trojans vs. Irmo Yellowjackets
James Island has enjoyed the comforts of home their last two games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will square off against the Irmo Yellowjackets at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
James Island extended their postseason success on Friday against Hartsville. They were the clear victor by a 45-21 margin over the Red Foxes. The score at the end of the third wound up being the final score as James Island just coasted through the last quarter.
James Island's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Amontrae Scott, who rushed for 94 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 carries. Another player making a difference was Braxton Scott, who threw for 210 yards and a touchdown while completing 75% of his passes.
Meanwhile, Irmo put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Myrtle Beach 55-24 at home. Given Irmo's advantage in MaxPreps' South Carolina football rankings (they are ranked third, while Myrtle Beach is ranked 37th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Irmo can attribute much of their success to Aaron (AJ) Brand Jr., who rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries, and Jaden Allen-hendrix, who gained 267 total yards and three touchdowns. Allen-hendrix was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 57 yards. Irmo also got help from Donovan Murph who showed off his sure hands for 86 receiving yards.
James Island pushed their record up to 12-0 with that win, which was their eighth straight at home. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 45.3 points per game. As for Irmo, their victory bumped their record up to 12-0.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's contest: James Island has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 232.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Irmo struggles in that department as they've been even better at 262.1 per game. It's looking like Friday's contest might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
James Island skirted past Irmo 24-22 in their previous matchup back in November of 2022. The rematch might be a little tougher for James Island since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
