We tell you everything you need to know about the 2022 Sumter County football team in this preview. We take a look at roster changes and what fans can expect from the team this season.
2021 Stats
- Overall Record:1-8
- Points Scored: 141
- Points Against: 362
Key Losses
The Sumter County Panthers don’t lose too many seniors from last year’s team; in fact, fewer than 10 graduated. That group includes WR/DB Trauntavious Robinson, who hauled in 17 catches during his time in a Panther uniform, good for 233 yards receiving and four TDs. From his DB spot, Robinson made 14 tackles with one sack and one forced fumble. As a special teamer, he returned three kicks for 20 yards each.
RB/ATH Jarod Lewis made several contributions as a Panther, rushing 100 times for 455 yards and two TDs. He also had 24 catches for 220 yards receiving and a couple of TDs, and he contributed as a kick returner, ending up with 115 kickoff return yards and 110 punt return yards. One of his punt returns was for a TD.
Other senior contributors from last season who are not returning are 6-foot, 262-pound T/DE Kason Hodges, WR/DB Timothy Wooden, NG Jadeer Thompson, and DE/OT Michael Holt.
Who’s Back
Returning to the Sumter County team and new head coach Clifford Fedd this season will be starting QB/FS Cameron Evans, a senior who has thrown for 1739 yards and 18 TDs so far as the Panthers signal caller the past two seasons. He has also been a threat with his running abilities, rushing for 301 yards and two TDs on 57 carries.
A couple of his favorite targets are back this season, including fellow senior Kadarrius King at DE/WR. Last year he hauled in 19 receptions for 294 yards and five TDs. The other target for Evans is returning junior Anthony Tyson, who caught 34 passes for 506 yards and two TDs. Tyson also saw time in relief of Evans last season at QB, completing 13/40 passes for 93 yards, while rushing 25 times for 44 yards and two TDs. The other returning starters and contributors from last season will be senior TE/DE Bryan Williams, junior Bryant Foster, and Kicker Jose Diaz.
What To Expect
Sumter County fans are hoping to see a once-proud program restored to respectability under new head coach Clifford Fedd. The former Dutchtown coach says he intends to indeed bring back that winning attitude to Sumter County, an attitude that made the Panther program a respected, championship-caliber team.
Fedd took Dutchtown to the playoffs each season during his five years there, and he has made it clear to anyone who will listen that he intends to have the Panthers in the postseason sooner rather than later. To do that is going to require a change of attitude that has caused the program to go through four different head coaches in the past four seasons. Fedd rebuilt the program at Duchtown, who had made the playoffs just once before his arrival in 2017. Under his guidance, the Bulldogs went 43-16 and made the postseason each season. Can he do that same thing in Americus?
Prediction
Baby steps. Fedd gets it turned around, but not all at once. Five wins this season is a good start.
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