How Myrtle Beach responded to early 10-point deficit with Lower State berth on the line

Adversity struck early for Myrtle Beach in a third-round Class 4A playoff game Friday night at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium, but soon the championship pedigree of the Seahawks’ program was on full display.

Airport grabbed a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter soon after sophomore quarterback Ryan Burger threw a pick-6 on the sixth play of the game.

Burger, a 6-foot-2, 150-pound sophomore subbing for injured senior Mr. Football finalist Luke Doty, responded by throwing three touchdown passes during a 28-point second-quarter outburst that poised the Seahawks to a 35-10 victory over the Eagles.

The slow start continued a trend for the defending Class 4A state champion Seahawks during their latest playoff run. It’s a trend Burger wants to see end, starting next Friday when Myrtle Beach (12-0) hosts region foe Hartsville, a 22-21 winner over Brookland-Cayce Friday, in the Lower State Championship.

“A little shaky start, but we pushed through it, pushed through adversity again,” said Burger. “We’ve got to start out strong and get going offensively.”

Burger took comfort knowing his defensive teammates were dominant, allowing the Seahawks’ offense to settle in.

Airport (10-4) was coming off a 444-yard rushing performance a week earlier in a second-round win over Lower Richland, but the Myrtle Beach defenders limited the Eagles to eight yards rushing on 32 carries including 13 tackles for loss.

Myrtle Beach tallied 293 yards total offense to 43 for Airport.

“Amazing job by our defensive staff, Jason Owens, John Sedeska, Doc Moore, Quinn Backus, … and our players on that side of the ball,” said Myrtle Beach coach Mickey Wilson. “Our front seven was lights out, the secondary did a good job tonight. We were playing a guy who’s been a backup quarterback all year in Ryan Burger, and he had to settle down.

“He did, he settled down in the second quarter and played extremely well and made some big-time throws for us.”

After Kenyatta Draft gave Airport a 7-0 lead with his 45-yard interception return for a touchdown, the Eagles drove to a first-and-goal at the Myrtle Beach 3-yard line. After fullback Bryce Rucker dropped a pass in the end zone on third down from the 2, the Eagles settled for Haden Rimer’s 19-yard field goal.

From there it was all Seahawks.

“I didn’t think that was going to hold up to begin with because everybody’s had a good start on Myrtle Beach,” said Airport coach Kirk Burnett. “When we didn’t score down there on that second drive and it was 10-0, I knew it was going to be an uphill battle because they’re so strong on defense. We knew how tough it was going to be.”

After Rimer’s field goal, the Seahawks righted the ship with a 15-play, 80-yard drive capped by Xayvion Knox’s 9-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, trimming the Airport lead to 10-7.

Aided by Tre’vonta Baker’s interception to end one Airport drive and an 11-yard punt on another drive, the Seahawks scored on their next three possessions to take a 28-10 lead with 4:20 left in the first half.

The Seahawks were in complete control in the second half, adding a 5-yard TD run by Knox with 3:17 left in the third quarter to cap the scoring.

Doty hurt the thumb on his throwing hand in the opening-round win over Lakewood, and his availability remains uncertain.

“(Doty) has done a great job of mentoring Ryan,” said Wilson. “He’s kind of been like an assistant coach for us. We’ll continue to evaluate him - our training staff will check with him this week. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday we’ll kind of see where he’s at.”

Airport 10 0 0 0 – 10

Myrtle Beach 0 28 7 0 - 35

A-Kenyatta Draft 45 interception return (Haden Rimer kick)

A-Rimer, FG 19

MB-Xayvion Knox 9 run (Sullivan Hardin kick)

MB-Darius Hough 18 pass from Ryan Burger (Hardin kick)

MB-Adam Randall 13 pass from Burger (Hardin kick)

MB-JJ Jones 14 pass from Burger (Hardin kick)

MB-Knox 5 run (Hardin kick)

Rushing Airport: Sa’Quan Washington 4-19, Nanders Lawrence 5-17, Bruce Staley 10-7, Markco Gilmore 13-(minus) 35. Myrtle Beach: Knox 11-61, Ben Herriott 12-51, Rayshad Feaster 13-47.

Passing Airport: Gilmore 3-12-1-35. Myrtle Beach: Burger 11-19-2, 125.

Receiving Airport: Lawrence 2-18, Eddie Staley 1-7. Myrtle Beach: Randall 4-42, Jones 3-39, Hough 2-33, Feaster 1-7, Burch 1-4.