Thirteen local players named to North-South game

Three of the state's biggest playmakers head up a list of 13 Lowcountry players who were selected to play in the 62nd annual South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association North-South All-Star Football Game.

Burke's Del'Javon Simmons, Berkeley's R.J. Robinson and North Charleston's Denzel Myers, all threats to score from anywhere on the field anytime they touch the ball, head up the local contingent who will battle the North squad at noon Dec. 12 at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach.

"I think it's great for the Lowcountry and great for North Charleston," said North Charleston coach Jimmy Brown, who has two players on the team: Myers and Corey Washington, a standout wid receiver. "We have some great football players who are great athletes.

That includes Myers, a dynamic quarterback who will play in the South secondary.

Myers has accounted for 24 touchdowns and 2,737 all-purpose yards for the Cougars, who went 9-1 during regular season. But he's a lockdown cornerback with 23 career interceptions.

"Defense, that's how he got on the radar," Brown said. "I know when South Carolina started recruiting him, they projected him to play on defense. Fortunately, this year we don't have to play him so much so we can keep him fresh on offense and special teams."

Robinson arguably has the most impressive big-play numbers in the state. The Berkeley running back is averaging 25.1 yards every time he touches the ball. He's had 63 attempts for 1,582 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns.

Simmons plays quarterback for the Bulldogs, but the 5-11, 190-pound standout is listed as an athlete on the South roster. Simmons exploded for 246 yards and four passing touchdowns while topping 300 yards in total offense as the Bulldogs cruised past Cane Bay in last week's regular season finale. In the last two weeks, Simmons is 15-of-21 passing for 459 yards and nine touchdowns.

Other local players selected to play for the South include James Island running back Martell Johnson, Battery Creek defensive back Ricardo Chaney, Fort Dorchester defensive back Laurez Matthews, Cross linebacker Corde Doily, Fort Dorchester linebacker Geno Porter, Stratford linebacker Ian Thompson, Wando defensive end Michael Klein, Goose Creek offensive lineman DeAndre Shell and Stratford wide receiver Francis Lloyd.

Orangeburg-Wilkinson's Tommy Brown is the head coach of the South team. He was happy with the selection process.

"I feel blessed for the opportunity to work with my staff to pick the players that best fit what we want to do," Brown said. "People have to realize we can't pick everybody and we have to select players that fit our system. We want to run the all and we feel like we got the right players."

The players selected for the SCADA North-South All Star Football Game were announced Tuesday. The game will be played Saturday December 12th at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach.

South Roster: QB Elliott Alford, Marlboro County; WR Melvin Clanke, Orangeburg-Wilkinson; WR Alex Sharpe Battery Creek; Ath. Del'Javon Simmons, Burke; QB William Murden, Airport; DB Quintin Brown, Hemingway; RB R.J. Robinson, Berkeley; RB Quinton Singleton, Scott's Branch; RB Martell Johnson, James Island; RB Jeremy Robinson, Midland Valley; DB Ricardo Chaney, Battery Creek; DB Dante Stewart, Calhoun County; DB Jerrell Priester, Allendale Fairfax; DB Laurez Matthews, Fort Dorchester; DB Denzel Myers, North Charleston; LB Jovanta Middleton, Bamburg-Ehrhardt; DL Demarcus Lawrence, Silver Bluff; K Ray Early, Darlington; LB Montel Hughes, North Augusta; LB Rashawn Smalls, Hemingway; LB Malik Brown, Edisto; DL William Morant, Manning; LB Corde Doiley, Cross; LB Geno Porter, Fort Dorchester; OL Jaquez Jenkins, Richland Northeast; LB Brandon Hudson, Darlington; OL Charles Coleman, North Augusta; OL Marques Pair, Sumter; OL Lee Pegues, Marlboro County; LB Ian Thompson, Stratford; DL Michael Klein, Wando; DL Travis McConico, Crestwood; OL Kaleb Carter, Wilson; OL DeAndre Shell, Goose Creek; OL Jordan Thomas, Richland Northeast; OL Eric Mack, Calhoun County; OL Ruiz Reyes, Camden; DL Trevelle Stephens, Bethune-Bowman; WR Tyler Smith, Sumter; WR Francis Lloyd, Stratford; WR Corey Washington, North Charleston; TE Steven Cobb, Myrtle Beach; WR Morgan Byrd, Myrtle Beach; DL Jonathan White, Cheraw;

Head coach: Tommy Brown, Orangeburg-Wilkinson. . Assistants: Carlos Cave, Battery Creek, Andy Palmer, Edisto, Ken Cribb, Hemingway, Tony Crobb, Stratford, Marty Haper, Midland Valley.

Reach Philip M. Bowman at pbowman@postandcourier.com or at 937-5592.