Spartanburg, S.C. – A.C. Reynolds inside linebacker Brandon Guest played in most of the Shrine Bowl on Saturday, while West Henderson receiver Truitt Manuel and Robbinsville running back Cuttler Adams got in about half of the offensive plays.
South Carolina pulled away to win 24-0, for the series’ first shutout since in 2001 and ’02. This was the second straight year that the Shrine Bowl was played at Spartanburg High School’s campus, which opened in 2019. The stadium has a large video scoreboard.
N.C.’s offense platooned two sets of skill players. Manuel was matched with Marvin Ridge quarterback Evan Medders, who struggled mightily with accuracy. The squad’s other QB, 6-foot-4 Whitt Newbauer of Cardinal Gibbons, has a stronger arm.
Recent Pisgah head coach Brett Chappell coached Manuel, whom he selected, and other receivers as a N.C. assistant. Chappell is moving on after 11 Bear seasons. Before that, he sparked East Henderson’s eight-season glory era through 2012.
Manuel noted that Chappell challenged N.C. players with, “How will you be remembered?” As Coach Chappell noted, the best part about the Shrine Bowl is that it raises money for area Shriners’ Hospital child patients.
Reynolds Wrap®
Reynolds defensive coordinator Bryan Craig masterminded the N.C. defense. He patterned it after his athletic “Reynolds Wrap®” defense that foils foes, but with more 3-4 and fewer defenders up front, Guest noted. Guest liked practicing familiar schemes.
Craig has rare honor as a coordinator and not a head coach who was chosen as a Shrine Bowl coach. His son Hayden is the all-MAC Rocket QB.
S.C. led what was a defensive battle 3-0 at halftime, but outgained N.C. 363-49 yards on offense by game’s end. “We played well” overall, Coach Craig said. “They beat us on a couple of plays.” Those were S.C. offensive MVP Matthew Wilson‘s two long scoring passes. Wilson, from Rock Hill, S.C., is committed to play for App State.
Elsewhere on Saturday, all-MAC Rocket TE-LB Christian Lewis and OT Brendan Pohl played in the first statewide East-West All-Star game held in December. The East won 35-7, at Grimsley High School.
Special Guest
In the Shrine Bowl, Rocket Guest was in on several tackles. Fellow linebacker Curtis Simpson of Kings Mountain had an INT and a sack. The squad’s defensive MVP was Reagan Raider DB Landan Callahan. He led N.C. with nine tackles and made an interception.
Guest is a hard-hitting, mobile 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker. He led ACR with 86 tackles, with 62 of them solo tackles. “This is a great honor, to get to compete with these types of players,” he said after the game.
Manuel’s Encore
West’s Manuel did not get the ball often. But he made two spectacular plays. He leaped high to snatch a high pass. Later, the former middle school QB was central to a trick play. He took a handoff and headed rightward. He was to pass. But he saw tight coverage. Instead, he reversed to his left. He raced across the field and around end, to gain 17 yards and a first down.
Truitt was joined after the game by his father Luke, a Falcon star 30 years ago, and Luke’s father Mark Manuel. Mark played in the 1970 Shrine Bowl, as a DB. He quarterbacked Robbinsville to its first two state titles in 1969 and ‘70 (both in 1A). He was a reserve Duke tight end.
Truitt Manuel said that he enjoyed staying the entire practice week with teammates at a hotel in Spartanburg, S.C. It felt like a college dorm-like fellowship experience. Manuel, who is a stocky 6-2, roomed with 6-4 fellow receiver Mike Carlock of Jacksonville, N.C.
Adams Family
Adams was in on a bizarre two-play sequence on special teams. N.C. punted to Yannick Smith of Summerville, S.C. The ball bounced off of Smith, who had trouble reading the punt despite the lack of a glaring sun in his eyes on this overcast afternoon. N.C. recovered the fumble. But officials blew the play dead prematurely with an “inadvertent whistle.”
So N.C. punted again to Smith. He again misplayed it into a sloppy fumble. Adams was among first tacklers on the scene. N.C. again recovered the ball.
Adams was a close runner-up to West Henderson senior Carson Dimsdale in rushing yards and scores in 2023. Shrine Bowl players were announced in September, early in the season.
Players stayed on the field after the game, chatting with each other and their families and friends. Adams said of the game and week-long experience, “I don’t want to leave!”