Tunnel vision: Myrtle Beach’s sole focus on task at hand

Drayton Arnold is the poster child for moving on.

It was two years ago the quarterback led Myrtle Beach to the state championship after the Seahawks defied expectations and celebrated at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. And it was only a 12 months ago that an injured Arnold watched in street clothes as his team fizzled out of the playoffs in an unceremonious fashion.

Somewhere between the low-key Myrtle Beach team that entered the 2013 postseason with little outside attention and last year’s squad that was 9-1 heading into it, this fall’s version has a high ceiling but also the understanding that nothing is given.

“It’s a different mindset,” Arnold said in advance of his team’s playoff opener against Dreher. “You’re enjoying the game, competing with your teammates to win a state championship.

“I say that because of what happened last year. Things don’t always go how you expect them to go. You don’t know how many days you have left, or how many more you can even throw a football.”

Right or wrong, many look at Arnold as the reasoning for what happened each of the past two years. He’s the quarterback of one of the best teams in the state, so he knows it comes with the territory.

It’s something that Tyler Keane and Everett Golson were saddled with before him, and something the next varsity starter will more than likely face, as well.

But what may ultimately decide how well Myrtle Beach does in the next handful of weeks may stem from his approach, namely not corresponding how the last couple playoff trips ended to how the current one will.

Naturally, the other guys who have been through it are already following their quarterback’s lead.

“We know we can be a good team. We’re focusing on the little things, making sure we’re concentrating on the right things,” running back Brandon Sinclair said. “We’re not relying on the past years. What’s in the past is in the past. We’re just focused on this year and making a run to the championship.”

Sinclair said he hasn’t discussed the 2014 playoffs with anyone since this summer, when he and former Seahawk receiver Kyle Belack talked about how Myrtle Beach didn’t get its “fair shot.” During the preseason, he mentioned how it was fuel for getting better and making the most of the core of this team’s final opportunity.

Despite struggles in the non-region portion of the schedule - where, like in 2013, the Seahawks were 2-3 - the final five games of the schedule looked even better than the one that preceded the last title. Myrtle Beach’s offense scored at least five touchdowns against each Region VII-AAA opponent.

The only team that threatened the Seahawks late was Lake City, whom Myrtle Beach played during nasty conditions and without Sinclair.

“I feel like our momentum is really strong right now,” Wilson said. “We’ve playing really well the last three ball games. It’s about peaking and staying healthy. Things can change in a hurry.”

No individual has felt that more than Arnold.

The events of his first two playoff appearances can’t be completely forgotten. However, he’s not going to let either impact what he does this time around.

“I feel like everything happens for a reason,” he said. “Of course [the injury] makes you mad. But as far as changing your mentality, I don’t think it does. I’ve been doing it for a while. I do my best to focus on whatever’s happening right now.”

This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Tunnel vision: Myrtle Beach’s sole focus on task at hand."