Laurence Manning's Dennis named Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week after explosive performance against Wilson Hall

Laurence Manning hosted Wilson Hall last week for a matchup filled with excitement. The rivalry between the two schools already brings a level of anticipation, but the Swampcats also had the boost of their head coach returning to action, as David Rankin coached his first game amid a prolonged health scare.

When the 'Cats needed a big play against their rivals, they were able to consistently turn to their star wide receiver, Scoop Dennis, who did everything from running in touchdowns to mossing defenders in the passing game. He was recognized as the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week as a result after leading Laurence Manning to a blowout win over Wilson Hall.

"They're just a family," Dennis said of the LMA community. "I just know they're always going to be there for me. I just thank them for all of their support."

Matchups between Laurence Manning and Wilson Hall typically come with their share of drama. Last year, a blocked kick was the difference as LMA pulled out a narrow victory, but Dennis and company thought they were capable of a much more explosive performance this time around.

"My mindset was just to go in and kill," Dennis said. "We beat Wilson Hall last year, but we didn't get what we wanted to get out of it. I knew we had a big chance to win the game, and we've got a bunch of pieces on the team, so we just used those with Coach Rankin up in the box calling plays. That was real good."

Dennis showed off his big play ability early, leaping in the air to snag the game's first touchdown over the outreached arms of a Baron defender. That was just the beginning, as he teamed up with quarterback Grainger Powell for six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown, falling a yard shy of a second receiving score as he made another ridiculous leaping grab later in the game. He would go on to add 27 yards and a touchdown in the running game.

"It was just me talking to my quarterback and the rest of my team just trusting me," Dennis said of his highlight plays. "It's just me and Grainger's chemistry, us in practice every day just working on everything to get ready for the game. It's just him trusting in me and me trusting in him."

Laurence Manning has always been creative in the ways they get the ball in Dennis' hands, but he's been able to get some new looks this fall. He's lined up in the backfield more than ever this season, which has been a fun change of pace.

"It's actually pretty fun. It's really my first time being in the backfield since I played Pop Warner football, so it's really fun to me," Dennis said. "I was looking forward to being in the backfield and hoping coach would call those plays so I could run the ball and show my athleticism."

But Dennis didn't just make an impact on offense. He and the LMA defense smothered Wilson Hall for most of the night, building a comfortable 35-7 lead before both teams turned to their reserves. Dennis had an interception called back due to a penalty, but his presence was felt as the Barons struggled to move the ball. He added 90 yards on kick returns, as well, finishing with 225 all-purpose yards.

"It's just us getting in the film room, looking at film all day and everybody getting prepared under Coach Brock (Miller)," Dennis said. "Everybody was really focused because that was a big game."

While the opponent and the return of their head coach were important stakes in the matchup with Wilson Hall, it was also just important to get on the field. Five weeks into the season, LMA has played just three games due to weather. Their season opener against Williamsburg Academy was canceled, and they were forced to postpone their Week 4 matchup with John Paul II until Oct. 16 thanks to another bout of storms. Simply getting on the field and having a chance to show that they're a talented team was an important step for the Swampcats during a season that has been filled with starts and stops.

"It's actually kinda crazy that, going in, we'd only played two games, so we were really hyped to play," Dennis said. "We've been practicing, getting ready to play every time and coaches have been in our ears telling us to stay focused, even though we hadn't been playing really that much.

"We always knew we had good talent on the team, it was just us being focused and going out there ready and having our mindsets ready to play anyone that steps on the field against us."

Dennis and the 'Cats just want to keep the good times rolling, but they'll have to start gearing up for some road trips coming up. After hosting Augusta Christian for homecoming on Friday, all but one of LMA's remaining games will be on the road. A home game against Pinewood Prep, the reigning SCISA 3A champs, is the only chance for Laurence Manning to get some home cooking before the playoffs.

"It's just us keeping our heads in the game and staying focused," Dennis said, "just trusting our coaches and everybody being on the same page."