Associated Press
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Austin Kendall threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another to lead North Carolina to a 54-39 win over South Carolina Saturday in the 79th Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas.
West Rowan offensive lineman Hezekiah Banks played for the North Carolina team. He has offers from East Carolina and Charlotte.
“We talked to our kids from the very start that South Carolina had a streak, and it’s three in a row,” North Carolina head coach John Kirby of Eastern Alamance said. “We wanted to break the streak and our kids did a pretty nice job of doing that.”
Kendall threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another to lead North Carolina. Kendall, an Oklahoma commit from Cuthbertson, completed 13 of 16 passes for 190 yards and was named his team’s offensive MVPs.
The 93 total points scored broke the previous high of 80 points in 2000 when S.C. romped 66-14.
North Carolina scored touchdowns on each of its first five possessions to jump out to a 35-12 lead.
Cornell Powell, a Clemson commit from Greenville Rose, returned a kickoff 98 yards with 4:06 to go in the first quarter for North Carolina.
Powell and A.C. Reynolds running back Rico Dowdle scored two touchdowns apiece for North Carolina.
Special teams set up a 24-yard touchdown pass from Kendall to Divine Deablo of Mount Tabor with 12:52 left in the second quarter.
Linebacker Tyler Pistorio, a Navy commit from Charlotte Providence, blocked a South Carolina punt on the opening play of the second quarter to set up the Deablo touchdown.
Crest linebacker Aaron Ramseur, who finished with nine total tackles, was named defensive MVP for North Carolina.
South Carolina got a 5-yard touchdown pass from Dorman quarterback Collin Hill to Chavis Dawkins from Byrnes with 5:02 remaining in the second quarter, and Emerald’s K.J. Chamberlain returned an Austin Kendall interception 50 yards for a South Carolina score 1:46 before the half to cut the lead to 35-26 at the break.
Hill, a Colorado State commit and South Carolina’s offensive MVP, started the game for South Carolina and completed 15 of 28 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
Richland Northeast linebacker T.J. Brunson, a Louisville commit, was named South Carolina defensive MVP after turning in 13 total tackles.
The Tar Heels did a better job of rushing in the second half, largely because of Freedom running back B.J. Emmons, an Alabama recruit.