Irmo beats Hartsville in SC 4-A showdown

Yellow Jackets prove they are a state-title contender

Mike Duprez | Sep 17, 2023

HARTSVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA – Irmo laid down a marker as a 4-A state title contender by pounding Hartsville, 35-21, in a battle of highly-ranked unbeaten teams Friday night in Hartsville.

The Yellow Jackets, ranked No. 6 in the state, are now 4-0. Hartsville (4-1) was ranked No. 2 behind defending state champion South Florence.

Jaden Allen-Hendrix rushes for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns

Irmo’s star tailback put his stamp on this game by running for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns. The powerful 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior has 756 yards and 7 touchdowns rushing through four games. He also has a pair of touchdown catches.

Allen-Hendrix has college offers from The Citadel, Wofford, South Carolina State, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Howard, Charleston Southern and Bryant.

Jaden Allen-Hendrix, Irmo — Jaden Allen-Hendrix rushed for more than 200 yards and four touchdowns in Irmo's impressive whipping of previously undefeated Hartsville / Photo courtesy of Jaden Allen-Hendrix Twitter

Yellow Jackets take control early on the road

Irmo, despite playing on the road, took control with a dominant first half. The Yellow Jackets led 28-7 at intermission after an impressive performance against a team that had been averaging over 50 points a game.

Hartsville’s Damarion Coe returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown after Irmo’s second score but the Red Foxes weren't able to get any closer.

A.J. Brand's D1 stock continues to rise

Irmo’s quarterback, whose father is the Yellow Jackets’ coach, threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Donovan Ralph. It was Brand’s 13th touchdown pass of the season. Brand, a 6-foot-2, 197-pound junior, has offers from South Carolina, The Citadel, Miami of Ohio, Charlotte and South Carolina State.

Irmo's rushing attack puts the game away in the second half

Carmello McDaniel scored on a 1-yard run to get Hartsville back within two touchdowns but Allen-Hendrix’s 7-yard TD run extended the lead back to 21.

Jackson Moore had a rushing touchdown for Hartsville in the fourth quarter.

Up next

Irmo plays host to Airport on Friday. Hartsville will have its bye week.

Published Sep 17, 2023

MIKE DUPREZ

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.