How this Myrtle Beach football standout claimed back-to-back Toast of the Coast honors
Luke Doty walked out of the visitor’s locker room at Williams Brice Stadium after watching his teammates fall in the state championship game, ready to face a throng of local media members who had only one question for the Myrtle Beach quarterback: “How’s the hand?”
As he’s handled each big moment of his high school career, Doty smiled and gave the perfect response, ensuring the local media and each person it reaches through its coverage, that he would be back to normal very soon and that he just ran out of time to get back on the field.
If only we’d been able to see Doty triumphantly return to the field to lead the Seahawks to back-to-back Class 4A state championships, capping off an undefeated season as his curtain call.
Doty, a University of South Carolina signee, will soon be gone from Myrtle Beach High School, but his impact will reverberate around the program for years to come.
For his efforts in a stellar senior season, Doty is The Sun News Toast of the Coast Player of the Year for the second time in as many years.
While his season was cut short in the playoffs, the standout senior put on a show in the regular season, passing for 1,800-plus yards and 25 touchdowns with another 400-plus rushing yards and four scores on his way to being named Mr. Football for the state of South Carolina.
Coming into the season, the Seahawks were not devoid of offensive talent but Doty was one of the only known commodities on the offensive side. Gone were his top targets from a standout junior season, replaced by unknown names like JJ Jones, Adam Randall, Darius Hough, and Rayshad Feaster. All offseason, Doty worked to build a rapport with his skill position players, finding timing and rhythm with each repetition. When players went down, others stepped up and all regular season, Doty was a constant for the offense. It seemed not to matter who was on the field, Doty made the right plays, hitting an open weapon for a chunk play to increase the lead over an opponent. From a shootout with Carolina Forest to a nail-biter with Wilson, Doty made the plays to complete a perfect nine-game regular season.
All that stopped the storybook ending to the four-star quarterback’s two-year reign as the Myrtle Beach quarterback was a freak injury in the first round of the playoffs. A quick surgery to repair the damage and aggressive physical therapy was too much to overcome, turning the playmaker into a de facto assistant coach to close out his career.
While the ending wasn’t perfect — with Myrtle Beach losing to Wren in the state title game — it was just what the doctor ordered.
Now, the hometown kid is off to put on his next uniform, representing the state at its namesake university. He’ll carry with him the title of two-time Toast of the Coast Player of the Year.
Offensive Player of the Year: Mason Garcia, QB Carolina Forest
A laser-armed, dual-threat quarterback with experience in the offense and an embarrassment of weapons at his disposal is bound to put up huge statistics and that’s just what Garcia did in his final season at Carolina Forest. Passing for 2,149 yards and 19 touchdowns with 761 rushing yards and 14 scores thrown in for good measure earned the East Carolina University signee a Shrine Bowl nod and Class 5A Offensive Back of the Year honors. His efforts to raise the Carolina Forest program might be the lasting memory of Garcia’s time in black and cardinal.
Defensive Player of the Year: Kenny Byrd, LB Myrtle Beach
An impact transfer isn’t new to the Myrtle Beach program, but adding a stellar linebacker like Byrd, who came into the program from York, helped elevate a Seahawk defense that carried the team throughout the playoffs. Byrd plugged in and produced, compiling 160 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, eight and a half sacks, six forced fumbles, four interceptions, and three touchdowns. His production helped anchor one of the top defensive units in Class 4A and his efforts earned him a spot in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl. Not bad for a one-year wonder.
Coach of the Year: Marc Morris, Carolina Forest
Building a program takes time and this season the Carolina Forest community saw the fruits of Morris’ labor as the coach led his team to its most successful season to date with an 11-2 record and a record breaking offensive output. Morris has built to this point, going from a program where wins were few and far between to competing in the largest classification in the state with a playoff run to the Lower State finals on his resume. Morris has to replace a hugely productive senior class, but he’s built for this.
Toast of the Coast Football Team
As the year comes to a close, now is the time to take a look back at the high school football season that was. Green Sea Floyds kept a championship ring on the collective hand of the Grand Strand with its Class A state championship, while Myrtle Beach fell just short of a perfect season and another state title. Carolina Forest had its deepest playoff run in program history, falling to eventual Class 5A state champion Dutch Fork.
The offseason may be upon us, but the exploits of the area’s best players are certainly worth a look back. Luke Doty, Mason Garcia, and Kenny Byrd have already been covered as the best of the best in the area, with Carolina Forest coach Marc Morris taking top billing in the coaching ranks.
But, we shouldn’t forget the booming punts of Zane Smith, the big hits of Shedrick Pointer, the electrifying runs of Jaquan Dixon. The Grand Strand has a plethora of talent and it was on display for nine weeks (thanks, Hurricane Dorian) to entertain us all.
Offense
QB – Andrew Brown, Aynor
Dual-threat wouldn’t begin to describe Brown, who ran for 1,072 yards and threw for another 798 on the season. His leadership and grit helped the Blue Jackets topple Dillon and win the region, each firsts in recent memory.
RB – Jaquan Dixon, Green Sea Floyds
As a junior, Dixon averaged over 11 yards per carry and led the Grand Strand with 1,815 yards and 32 touchdowns.
RB – David Legette, Carolina Forest
Legette powered the Panthers’ potent offense with 1,612 yards and 29 scores on his senior season.
WR – Xavier Kinlaw, Conway
Turning in a productive season with a new quarterback at the helm, Kinlaw compiled 909 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season.
WR – Tyree Funnye, Waccamaw
The senior paced the Grand Strand with his 925 yards on 31 grabs with a dozen touchdowns to on the year.
WR – Josh Murphy, Carolina Forest
Providing a downfield spark for Carolina Forest, Murphy scored eight TDs with 906 yards and 44 grabs.
OL – Darin Goss, Carolina Forest
The Shrine Bowler powered a potent Panther attack that scored more than 50 points four times this season.
OL – Ashton Hales, Myrtle Beach
An immovable force on the Seahawk offensive line, Hales helped pave the way for another run to Columbia on the season.
OL – Colby Todd, Aynor
Aynor’s run-heavy attack was only as good as its offensive line… Todd and Co. ensured the Blue Jackets would have an excellent season with his leadership and powerful play.
OL – Mason McCue, Carolina Forest
Carolina Forest breezed through its region slate and made a deep playoff run due to the play of its experienced offensive line, where McCue made a huge impact.
OL – Hayden Best, North Myrtle Beach
Mr. Versatility for the Chiefs, Best filled in at many positions to ensure Ramsey Lewis and the Chiefs could make big plays on offense.
ATH – Xayvion Knox, Myrtle Beach
The Seahawks biggest games were powered by Knox and the Rhino package, where his patience and strong running helped pave a path to the state championship game.
ATH – Ramsey Lewis, North Myrtle Beach
Playing quarterback due to necessity, Lewis made plays with his arm and legs all season. His absence due to injury was noticed, as the Chiefs struggled to maintain offensive identity without “Rambo” and his return sparked a playoff run.
Honorable Mention:
Bubba Elliott, QB Green Sea Floyds
Gage Conner, QB Loris
Denson Crisler, QB Waccamaw
Anwain Graham, RB Green Sea Floyds
Malachi Butler, RB St. James
Kaimon Skinner, RB Waccamaw
Kyle Watkins, WR Carolina Forest
Brice Faircloth, WR Loris
JJ Jones, WR Myrtle Beach
Darius Hough, WR Myrtle Beach
Adam Randall, WR Myrtle Beach
Zyer Belle, WR North Myrtle Beach
Kam Green, WR Waccamaw
Ethan Damron, TE Green Sea Floyds
Deondray Stanfield, ATH St. James
Defense
DL – Tonka Hemingway, Conway
Taking on multiple blockers and schemes for his skills, Hemingway responded with 92 tackles and 24 tackles for loss on the season. He also performed well as the team’s punter.
DL – Tanner Cox, Green Sea Floyds
Cox powered the state champion Trojans’ defense with 24 tackles and six tackles for loss on the season. His pressure terrorized opposing offenses all season.
DL – Donald Smolenski, Socastee
While his team didn’t have much success on the field, Smolenski made plays all over the field for the Braves defense as a leader on the defensive line.
DL – Quamil Spells, Myrtle Beach
Spells, a Shrine Bowler, had a strong season from the defensive line with 2.5 sacks, a touchdown, 12 tackles for loss and 51 tackles on the year.
LB – Shedrick Pointer, Myrtle Beach
97 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks were an afterthought for Pointer, whose emotional leadership and big plays helped make the Seahawk defense great all season.
LB – Luke Janack, Carolina Forest
The sophomore paced the Panthers with 131 tackles on the season, adding 3 sacks from his linebacker position.
LB – Walker Parler, Waccamaw
Parler took ownership of the Warriors’ defense, piling up 109 tackles, 6 tackles for loss and a sack on the season.
LB – Jacob Morgan, St. James
The leading tackler on the Grand Strand, Morgan finished with 115 tackles on the season, helping St. James to its most successful season over the past few years.
DB – AJ Campbell, Green Sea Floyds
Campbell earned a North-South bid for his ball-hawking and hard-hitting ways from the defensive backfield for the state champion Trojans.
DB – Jevade Isaiah, Loris
The senior made 70 tackles with a forced fumble and fumble recovered on the season, leading a young Lion defense.
DB – Adam Janack, Carolina Forest
Picking off seven passes and making 30 tackles, Janack played the lockdown corner role for the Panthers defense.
DB – JJ Dent, Myrtle Beach
Dent helped quarterback a strong Seahawk defense, making 28 tackles and picking off two passes.
K – Sullivan Hardin, Myrtle Beach
Hardin made 6 of 9 regular season field goals, with a long of 36 yards. He made all but one extra point, scoring 79 points.
P – Zane Smith, North Myrtle Beach
The junior averaged 40.1 yards per punt, with 18 downed inside the 20-yard line and seven kicks of 50 yards or more.
Honorable Mention:
Nevon Tyler, DL Carolina Forest
Tate Finklea, DL Conway
Drew Shelley, LB Aynor
Al-Jaquan Washington, LB Conway
Billy Barlow, LB North Myrtle Beach
TJ Cox, LB North Myrtle Beach
Aaron Graham, DB Green Sea Floyds
Dan Johnson, DB Green Sea Floyds
Bubba Elliott, DB Green Sea Floyds
Xayvion Knox, DB Myrtle Beach
Cole Poirier, K Carolina Forest
Freddy Serrato, K Green Sea Floyds