Sun Herald defensive player of the week: Resurrection DE Paul Blackwell

Heading into Friday's Class 1A South State championship game, Lumberton's Daylon Burks had sliced up defenses to the tune of 10 yards a carry, rushing for nearly 2,700 yards and 25 touchdowns. Friday, Resurrection's defense held the senior to just 54 yards and one touchdown. Leading the point of attack was senior defensive end Paul Blackwell.

The senior ended up with 13 tackles, three quarterback sacks and a pass deflection. He also sacked LHS quarterback Jared Tribett early in the fourth quarter to set up a third-and-long with RCS holding to a 20-8 advantage.

"He's been a leader all year. He was here all summer and in the hot days of August," RCS coach Scott Sisson said. "Each week he has come up with big plays on defense and with him doing that all the other buys began buying into it and making plays. That's how we became a whole defense. If you had to pinpoint one guy who got our defense right, it would be Paul."

Listed at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Blackwell isn't the biggest kid or the fastest, but Sisson said it's his determination that has made him successful.

"He's so intelligent and he's strong," Sisson said. "I don't know that he's missed a day in the weight room in four years."

Blackwell entered the game with 94 tackles, six sacks and three forced fumbles.

This story was originally published November 28, 2015 at 11:23 AM with the headline "Sun Herald defensive player of the week: Resurrection DE Paul Blackwell ."