HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FLORENCE − Terry Lowery Jr.'s cleats are more entrenched in his status as a playmaker. The West Florence senior returned a kick for a touchdown and produced a long run that set up another score against sixth-ranked Sumter.
But the Gamecocks' cleats trampled all over the turf Thursday with its option attack for a 63-25 win. Leading 49-14 after two quarters, Sumter set the Knight Stadium record for most single-game points by an opponent. South Florence held the previous mark with a 38-0 win last year.
And Sumter's 38-point victory tied South Florence's 2023 margin for largest by an opponent at Knight Stadium. The bad news: Sumter dominated West on Thursday with its physicality, and early Knight mistakes didn't help. The good news: West doesn't have to worry about facing Sumter again this year — even in the Class 5A playoffs since the Gamecocks are Division I and the Knights are Division II.
"They're really good; let's be honest," West coach Jody Jenerette said about Sumter. "They're top five in the state for a reason, and they mashed us as hard as you can get mashed. There's frustrations, but we'll bounce back.
" With that in mind, here are three takeaways from Thursday’s game: GO, TERRY GO! Sumter had just scored a touchdown on a West turnover, and Lowery stayed back at around the Knight 5 for the ensuing kickoff. As soon as he caught the ball, Lowery was off and running for a 95-yard score that tied the game at 7. “Honestly, I knew we had a bit of .