Stevens bounces back with career game as Rebels dominate Dorman, 44-17
Byrnes quarterback Andrew Stevens (right) threw for 325 yards and racked up four total touchdowns in the Rebels’ 44-17 win over Dorman in round one of the Class 5-A playoffs.
Ahead of Byrnes’ rematch with rival Dorman to open the 5-A playoffs, quarterback Andrew Stevens locked in on a single word.
Redemption.
“That was just the word for me coming into this week,” said Stevens. I wanted to get redemption.”
Against Dorman on Oct. 13, Stevens had a game to forget. He completed just nine passes for 84 yards. He threw three interceptions, two of which Dorman returned for touchdowns. Byrnes barely survived that game, squeaking out a 28-26 win.
“I was really struggling mentally after that first game against Dorman,” said Stevens. But I just talked to God and trusted in Him, and He told me that He’s got me.”
What a difference three weeks can make.
Stevens had one of his best games as a Rebel on Friday night — against that same Dorman team.
He completed 15 of his 20 passes for 325 yards. The senior signal-caller threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another. The same defense that gave Stevens fits three weeks ago, he tore them to shreds on Friday to lead Byrnes to the second round of the 5-A playoffs. The Rebels cruised past the Cavaliers, 44-17.
“I definitely didn’t know I was going to be back here playing Dorman at Nixon Field again,” said Stevens. “But God had a plan, so I’m thankful to Him.”
“We knew that Andrew was going to bounce back and be better after that first Dorman game,” said Byrnes head coach Reggie Shaw. “I think he needed that adversity to wake him up.”
Shaw praised Stevens’ decision-making and lack of turnovers this time around.
“That was the biggest thing coming in,” Shaw said.
“If you have to eat it, eat it. Take a sack. It’s better to do that than force the ball down the field. We worked on taking what the defense gives him and protecting the football. He did a great job of that tonight.”
“My job is just to keep the ball safe and get it out to our playmakers,” said Stevens. “They take care of the rest.”
THE RUNDOWN
Last time out against Dorman, the Cavaliers returned the opening play for a touchdown. It appeared, at first, like the sequel was playing at Nixon Field on Friday.
Dorman’s K.D. Hainsworth appeared to have taken the opening kickoff back for a score, but the officiating crew ruled he’d stepped out of bounds at the Byrnes 24-yard line.
Dorman’s rushing specialist quarterback David Sorensen would score the game’s opening touchdown on a QB keeper just a few plays later, giving the Cavaliers a 7-0 lead.
As the Rebel offense struggled to get much going on its opening possession, Dorman marched down the field again on the ensuing drive. An 18-yard field goal gave them a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Once the second quarter began, the Rebels started cooking on offense.
Wide receiver Armoni Weaver took a short out route 50 yards across the field — likely covering about 150 yards of ground in the process — to the Dorman 10-yard line, setting up a Jacob Coman 28-yard field goal.
On the next Byrnes drive, freshman running back Tre’ Segarra broke several big runs to set the Rebels up at the Dorman one-yard line. Segarra punched it in from there to tie the game at 10.
“Tre’ just made some phenomenal runs. All three of our backs — Tre’ Segarra, Ta’Lik Brooks, and Dreson Evans — played lights out tonight,” said Shaw.
It looked as though the Rebels and Cavaliers would head into halftime knotted up at 10.
Byrnes defensive end Jaidyn Ferguson had other plans.
With just 50 seconds remaining in the first half and Dorman deep in its own territory, Ferguson forced a fumble from quarterback Brice O’Neal. He fell on top of the ball at the Dorman one-yard line.
“I knew it was going to be a pass. I saw the quarterback running out, and I’d already beat the O-lineman,” said Ferguson. “I knocked the running back into the quarterback, and the quarterback fumbled so I picked it up.”
Ferguson laughed.
“I’m not going to lie, I definitely thought I scored. I tried to stretch myself over the goal line. I still think I got in.”
It wouldn’t matter. Ferguson’s fumble recovery set up an Andrew Stevens one-yard QB sneak touchdown on the next play. And it gave Byrnes a much-needed boost before the break — momentum they wouldn’t relinquish.
“Jaidyn’s really come into his own these past few games,” said Shaw. “He’s worked his tail off to get to this point. He’s a real force coming off the edge. Jaidyn and Chris [Foster] have to be one of the best defensive end duos in the state.”
After the break, Byrnes took control of the game. Stevens threw all three of his touchdown passes in the second half, each to different receivers.
The first came on a 35-yard go route down the left sideline to Dreson Evans. 24-10. Dorman responded with a quick touchdown, but Stevens tossed a beautiful back-shoulder ball to Armoni Weaver on the following possession for a 39-yard score, bringing the lead back to two touchdowns.
He finished his fantastic day with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Zy Landrum in the fourth quarter, a pass a Dorman cornerback batted but couldn’t come down with. It landed straight in Landrum’s hands.
Ta’Lik Brooks carried in from 17 yards out late in the fourth, concluding an offensive clinic from the Rebels.
“I think overall, I’m most proud of this team’s resolve,” said Shaw. “We could have hung our heads after going down early. But great teams respond to adversity. We flipped the momentum there in the second quarter, and they never got it back.”
UP NEXT
The Rebels will face a familiar foe this week, welcoming Hillcrest to Nixon Field for a rematch of last year’s 5-A playoffs. Byrnes traveled to Simpsonville last year and knocked the higher-seed Rams from the playoffs, 31-28. A last-second blocked field goal by the Rebels secured the win.
Shaw knows Hillcrest will be coming in hungry to avenge past heartbreak.
“We went over there and knocked them out last year,” said Shaw. “We know that’s going to be in the back of their minds. They’ve got a great dual-threat quarterback and one of the best receivers in the state in Avery McFadden. They’ll present a challenge for us.
“But if we can run the ball and throw it as effectively as we did tonight, I think we’ve got a good chance.”
THE SCORE BY QUARTERS
Dorman 7 3 7 0 - 17
Byrnes 0 17 14 13 - 44
SCORING PLAYS
First quarter
8:12 Dorman - David Sorensen 1-yard rush (Hayden Gallman PAT good)
Second quarter
11:11 Dorman - Hayden Gallman 18-yard field goal
9:03 Byrnes - Jacob Coman 28-yard field goal
6:38 Byrnes - Tre’ Segarra 1-yard rush (Jacob Coman PAT good)
0:32 Byrnes - Andrew Stevens 1-yard rush (Jacob Coman PAT good)
Third quarter
9:24 Byrnes - Dreson Evans 35-yard pass from Andrew Stevens (Jacob Coman PAT good)
7:07 Dorman - Tra’Von Fernandez 9-yard rush (Hayden Gallman PAT good)
2:09 Byrnes - Armoni Weaver 37-yard pass from Andrew Stevens (Jacob Coman PAT good)
Fourth quarter
8:51 Byrnes - Zy Landrum 3-yard pass from Andrew Stevens (PAT blocked)
4:05 Byrnes - Ta’Lik Brooks 17-yard rush (Jacob Coman PAT good)
STAT LEADERS
Byrnes passing: Stevens 15-20, 325 yards, 3 TDs
Byrnes rushing: Segarra 17 rushes, 90 yards, TD | Brooks 5 rushes, 23 yards, TD | Landrum 1 rush, 21 yards
Byrnes receiving: Weaver 4 rec, 156 yards, TD | Bomar 4 rec, 85 yards | Brooks 3 rec, 41 yards | Evans 1 rec, 35 yards, TD
Dorman passing: O’Neal 9-16, 76 yards
Dorman rushing: Gassoway 16 rushes, 47 yards | Sorenson 11 rushes, 21 yards, TD | Sephus 1 rush, 14 yards
Dorman receiving: Fernandez 3 rec, 39 yards | Gilliam 1 rec, 17 yards | Arcega-Whiteside 1 rec, 5 yards