Seahawks lean on veteran leadership in strong season

Hilton Head High football coach BJ Payne has guided the Seahawks to an 8-1 record, including a 4-0 mark in region play. The Seahawks have outscored their opponents 309-138 through nine games, with their only loss coming Sept. 4 against Rock Hill, 33-15, in Week Three.

The Seahawks began the season with 19 returning starters and 24 seniors on the roster. They advanced to the third round of the state Class 4A Region 6 playoffs last season.

With all of their production, Hilton Head already appears primed for the postseason, but Payne is still taking a cautious approach.

“We still have plenty of work to do and have to keep getting better every day,” stressed Payne. “We want to peak every week on Fridays and take it one week at a time. We just have to keep getting better and stay focused.”

The Seahawks have been paced by senior quarterback Derrick Raniszewski, who had completed 100 of 165 attempts for 1,624 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in nine games. His primary target has been senior Jeremiah Walters, who had caught 48 passes for 878 yards with eight touchdowns. Walters leads all Beaufort County teams in receiving yards.

On the ground, senior running back Jayvin Risher had run for 662 yards with eight touchdowns.

Payne knows he has a potent offensive arsenal.

“Derrick has been playing great,” beamed Payne. “He’s a three-year starter, who understands when to take a game over and when to manage a game.
“Risher is a special player, excellent on both sides of the ball. Walters is the best receiver in the state, and he has the most receiving yards in the county.”

Raniszewski has been pleased with his performance this season.

“I feel like my season is going great so far, lots of things to learn from and get better on,” offered Raniszewski. “I feel like I’ve improved on consistency the most, improving each and every week.”

He also believes this can be a special season.

“Coach Payne said he sensed something in us that he hasn’t sensed in years,” added Raniszewski. “That set off a fire in me and this team.

Defensively, senior Andrew Massey had led the team with 74 tackles, and fellow senior Colton Freeman had 60 stops. Senior Josh Bigger had eight sacks.

“Massey is our defensive leader,” beamed Payne. “He is a warrior. Our defense has been solid all year.”

Massey sees their success primarily as a team effort.

“Our season is going pretty well,” noted Massey, who will continue his career at Gardner-Webb. “We’re taking it one game at a time and taking every opponent seriously.

“This season I’ve improved on staying patient and understanding play concepts better. But everybody plays a role in our team and guys step up when players go down helping us stay on a good track for the season. The Rock Hill game was definitely a wake-up call and helped us take steps forward in getting better.”

Raniszewski anticipates his team playing football in early December.
“This is the most locked in I’ve ever seen us,” emphasized Raniszewski. “With and without our main stars, we still know what our ceiling is, and we haven’t even scratched it.”

Jeff Moeller has covered high school, collegiate, and professional sports for the past 42 years. He also is an avid runner and a frequent half-marathon participant.