LOOKING BACK AT THE SEASON'S FIRST HALF

It is hard to believe, but we are at the halfway point of Gaffney's 2011 football season. Leading into the Open Date this week, I would like to look back on their first six games and look ahead to what me might see for the rest of the season. To say the Gaffney Indians have been on a roll this season would be an understatement. They have been AWESOME! Let's look at the first half of the season.

Week 0 Boiling Springs @ Gaffney..... The season started off with a big bang, as the Tribe pounded the Bulldogs 47 to 0. The offense showed how talented they are and how many weapons they have. They started their season scoring on their first possession and they have been scoring points in bunches all season. The defense was as good as advertised, as the Bulldogs didn't come close to scoring.

Week 1 Gaffney @ Dorman..... The next game was a road game at Dorman to play a Cavaliers team they had lost four games in a row to. The Tribe got off to a fast start, scoring on their first possession, with a 76-yard pass play Joey Copeland to Quinshad Davis. It was back and forth through the 1st quarter and we had a 14 to 14 score after one. The Tribe scored late in the 2nd quarter to go up 21 to 14 at the half and then put the game away in the 3rd quarter with two more TDs. They won the game 35 to 14.

Week 2 Greenwood @ Gaffney..... The next test for the Tribe was the powerful Greenwood Eagles. The Tribe again got off to a fast start by scoring on their opening possession of the game. They didn't stop scoring, as they were as efficient on offense as I have ever seen them. They were unstoppable and led the Eagles 35 to 7 at the half. Thunder Storms hit the area during the 3rd quarter with Gaffney ahead 42 to 7 and the game was delayed about 50 minutes. When play resumed the Eagles scored two TDs against the Gaffney reserves and the Tribe added a safety and a field goal for a final score of 47 to 21.

Week 3 Union County @ Gaffney..... This game had the makings of a trap game for Gaffney. They had just beaten the two 4A State Runner-ups from last season and they had a Union County team coming in that was down this season. After a slow 1st quarter in which the Tribe led only 7 to 3, they put it together in the 2nd quarter with 42 points to lead 49 to 3 at halftime. They would add two more scores in the 2nd half and Union scored one late against the reserves to make the final score 62 to 10.

Week 4 Gaffney @ Byrnes..... The next game was the much anticipated game with Defending State Champion Byrnes. Some of the luster was off the game when Myrtle Beach snapped the Rebels 70 game home winning streak the week before. Gaffney and their fans wanted this game BAD! The Tribe had not won at Nixon Field since 1999 and had been steamrolled by the Rebels 60 to 7 the last time they were here. The defense was great in this game for Gaffney. They stopped a forth and goal by the Rebels in the 1st quarter and on two other occasions, in the game, they had their backs to the wall after turnovers by their offense inside the 10-yard line. The Gaffney offense did get on track in the 2nd quarter and led 14 to 10 at the half. Byrnes 10 points came off of turnovers. They got a field goal in the 1st quarter after getting the ball inside the 10-yard line on a fumble and scored a TD late in the 2nd quarter when they recovered a bad snap by Gaffney in the end zone. The Tribe put the game away in the 2nd half with 3 more TDs. They got a 99-yard kickoff return to start the 3rd quarter from Shaq Davidson and two more scores in the 4th quarter to seal the deal. The Tribe won the game over the Rebels 35 to 13.

Week 5 Gaffney @ Greenville..... This was another game that made you wonder would the Tribe be focused to play. The question was answered early and often, as they raced out to a 28 to 0 1st quarter lead and kept on racing. It was 56 to 0 at the half and most of the starters were out of the game before the 1st half was over. In the 2nd half, the reserves would add 17 more points and keep the Red Raiders off the scoreboard. Final score Gaffney 73 Greenville 0.

FIRST HALF OF SEASON STATS

Gaffney Offense..... 299 points scored for average of 49.8 points per game.
Gaffney Defense..... 58 points given up for an average of 9.7 points per game.
The Tribe defeated their first six opponents by an average of 40.1 points.
Gaffney has 10 turnovers and has forced 15 turnovers for a +5 in the Turnover/Takeaway Ratio.

QB Joey Copeland is 95 of 134 passing for 1,625 yards for a completion percentage of 71%. He has 18 TD passes and only 4 interceptions. He also has 237 yards rushing and 11 TDs.
RB C.J. Miller has 362 yards rushing for a per carry average of 4.7. He has 5 TDs.
RB Hyleck Foster has 298 yards rushing for a per carry average of 8.8. He has 1 TD.
WR Quinshad Davis has 40 catches for 804 yards and 10 TDs and is averaging 20.1 yards per catch.
WR Shaq Davidson has 19 catches for 495 yards and 6 TDs and is averaging 26.1 yards per catch.
WR Brandon Bevis has 18 catches for 227 yards and 2 TDs and is averaging 12.6 yards per catch.
WR Ryan Frock has 16 catches for 212 yards and 2 TDs and is averaging 13.2 yards per catch.
DB Cobby McDowell has 4 interceptions and 1 TD.
DB Marquis Brannon has 3 interceptions.

My View From The Stands..... (1) The Tribe has been even more impressive than I thought they would, so far this season. (2) Since I have been watching Gaffney football I have never seen a Gaffney football team as dominant as this team has been. (3) The 2006 Indians, that went 15-0 and won the schools 16th State Championship, was probably the best team I have seen in Gaffney, until now. They weren't the most talented team, but they were probably the best I had seen. (4) This season's Gaffney Indians is probably the most talented team that I have seen. They look like not only the best Gaffney team, but the best High School team that I have ever seen to this point in the season.

What I Want To See In The Second Half Of The Season..... (1) I want to see continued improvement from week to week. I expect it to happen, as it is a Gaffney Tradition. (2) I want to see even better protection of the football. They have 10 turnovers for the season for an average of 1.7 per game. Much better than last season. (3) I want to see better special teams play. They especially need to improve in their punting game and their punt return game. (4) I fully expect to see this team get better (which is scary) and win the State Championship in Death Valley in December. When they do that they will prove that they are the BEST TEAM IN GAFFNEY INDIANS' HISTORY!

TRIBE FACTS..... The 73 points the Tribe scored last Friday night at Greenville is the most they have ever scored on the road.

There will be no Gaffney football this week due to an Open Date.
Until Next Time.