Bailey, Rogers key North to win in North-South game

When so many great players get together on one field, some memories are bound to be made.

And while that was the case at the Touchstone Energy North vs. South All-Star game at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium, one player’s day might stand out among the rest.

Chapin quarterback Logan Bailey stole the show Saturday, tossing two touchdown passes and running for two more en route to being named the North team offensive MVP and helping the team to a 37-27 victory over the South squad.

“God has really blessed me and put me in this position; I’m so grateful,” Bailey said. “These guys out here on the field did a great job of getting open and my [offensive] line did a great job taking care of me. It’s just a team effort.”

And Bailey’s teammates certainly stepped up.

Hillcrest wide receiver Brian Spurgeon caught eight passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns, Greer halfback Adrian McGee rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and Wren defensive back Bailey Rogers had two interceptions and three tackles to pace the North defense.

North coach Ken Schofield, the longtime head man at Great Falls, said he’d put his money on Spurgeon, McGee and Rogers every time.

“All three of those guys are tremendous. If you took and put them in their position and graded their spot out of a 10, those kids are 11s. All three of them,” Schofield said. “You just don’t have players like that on every team you go to. It was so enjoyable this week. Every one of our kids pushed themselves, learned quick and learned fast.”

Perhaps none more so than Bailey, who adjusted quickly after an early interception to Orangeburg-Wilkinson’s James Valdez on his first pass of the game. After the miscue, Bailey made sure not to let his teammates down.

“With all these guys on the field, you’ve got athletes everywhere. You can practice, but you never get that in-game feel until you’ve actually experienced it,” Bailey said. “So I had to get out there and get used to it first. But once I did, we took off.”

Bailey went 15-for-26 passing and finished with 311 total yards (272 passing, 39 rushing) and four scores. He capped off his huge performance with a 1-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter to put the North team up by the final margain.

“Logan played really well,” Schofield said. “His reads were great, his passes were very crisp and he deserves to be the player of the game.”

Rogers – who plays both defensive back and wide receiver – also came up huge for the North’s defense. Before exiting the game with a broken collarbone, Rogers had two interceptions and was named the North team’s defensive MVP.

“I couldn't have asked for anything more,” Rogers said. “It was awesome to get the chance to show everyone that I can [perform] even as a defensive player, when I'm committed to play as a wide receiver.”

“I wasn't so sure that the coaches were using me to my full ability, but it turns out it was more beneficial for the team for me to play DB,” Rogers added.

For the South team, a pair of local players made their impact early on. Waccamaw standout Jabbrel Drayton had all three of his tackles for the game in the first half.

Conway’s Jah’Maine Martin scored the contest’s first touchdown, a 1-yard run in the first quarter to put the South team ahead 6-0. Just taking part in the festivites during the week was satisfying for Martin, but he was eager to get on the field.

“It’s a blessing. A lot of people don’t get to play in this game, so I’m fortunate to be a part of it all,” Martin said. “It didn’t end how we wanted it to end, but at least I got to play and contribute.”

For Martin, Saturday was about more than just a football game. It was an opportunity for him to stand out in the memory of his late cousin Martwain Bellamy-Gregg, who passed away on July 7 after a fight with leukemia.

“I loved it. I was thinking about ‘Twain when I did it,” Martin said of his touchdown. “I know he was up there smiling at me. I do it for ‘Twain.”

Myrtle Beach’s Drayton Arnold – an Old Dominion commit – and Dillon’s Avery McCall – a Coastal Carolina commit – made the most of their situations splitting time at quarterback for the South. McCall finished 12-for-20 passing with 185 yards and an interception, also rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

McCall was recognized as the South team’s offensive MVP.

“It’s my last game in high school, it’s surreal. I’ll be here next year at Coastal and having the game here at Myrtle Beach was a great experience for me to meet new people. There is a lot I will take from this experience, not just this,” said McCall, pointing to a game ball given to the South team’s Offensive MVP. “... It was good, but not the best [game]. We came up short, but [I was] proud to be representing Dillon out here.”

For Arnold, his high school career ended on the same field where it started. The South quarterback was 7-for-13 for 101 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

“It’s really humbling. Just being a part of this all was special and to have my final high school game here at Doug Shaw [Memorial Stadium] is special,” Arnold said. “I’ll cherish the time I spent here, with my teammates, my coaches and my family. They’re all so supportive and I couldn’t ask for a better situation.”

Meanwhile, McCall finished his high school career with four state championship victories and is the only quarterback in South Carolina history to do so. He wants to finish his college career in a similar fashion.

“I’m looking to be the best,” he said.

McCall’s teammate Dae’Shawn Davis – who had five tackles for the South defense – has always been awed by McCall’s abilities. Saturday was no different.

“Avery McCall, oh my goodness. It’s amazing how that kid can play. He’s only 17,” Davis said. “The way he plays, I don’t even know how to explain it other than that kid is just amazing.”

Davis also made sure his performance was a memorable one as he picked up a sack and had an interception to go along with his five tackles.

“It’s an amazing feeling, knowing how I played out here,” Davis said. “Being around all these great players, I think, really helped me play the best I could. This is one of the best experiences of my life.”

Goose Creek’s Quintavis Davis had two interceptions for the South defense, and was honored by being named the South team’s Defensive MVP.

“This is an amazing feeling,” Quintavis Davis said. “I just did what I needed to for my team and the crowd loved it, too. I’m glad to be representing Goose Creek out here and showing what we can do.”

Meanwhile, Schofield wasn’t even sure if his team would be the best on the field heading into Saturday. But his players made sure to end their high school careers on a high note.

“I think this is a huge, huge win for the North team. Going into the game, if you just checked around the stadium, we were probably the underdogs,” Schofield said. “They have very talented athletes on the South side, and I think they played a great ballgame over there. But for our kids to win this game, I thought it was tremendous.”

However, Saturday largely belonged to Bailey as he put a cap on a stellar prep football career. The quarterback threw for 5,047 yards and 45 touchdowns, along with 2,454 rushing yards and 58 scores during his tenure at Chapin.

“We did a very good job during the regular season, I was able to put up some numbers that I never even knew I could,” Bailey said. “We also made a run in the playoffs, which is the first time Chapin has done that in a while. God has just really blessed me with putting a bunch of guys around me here – and at home – that have shined and helped me be a better player.”

This story was originally published December 12, 2015 at 8:53 PM with the headline "Bailey, Rogers key North to win in North-South game."