Dixie (6-3) at Ware Shoals (2-7)
This is actually an important game in terms of the playoffs. Dixie is coming off a big win over Whitmire, but should they drop this contest and the Wolverines upset McCormick, they would fall out of second place, lose the tie-breaker to Ware Shoals based on the head-to-head loss and would most likely be out of the playoffs even at 6-4. They were able to line up and run it last week to the tune of almost 250 yards. If Ware Shoals doesn’t win this one, it’s time to count cleats and starting throwing a ball through a hoop. We’ve seen recently that nothing is a sure thing, but it just doesn’t feel like the Purple Hornets can score enough points to win this game. They’ve scored more than 20 once all year and that came last week against Calhoun Falls Charter’s roster of 13 players. Whitmire (4-5) at McCormick (5-4) The Wolverines had a rough go of it last week against Dixie, falling 38-6. The team, which is very young, got a little overwhelmed at the line of scrimmage and actually didn’t manage a score on offense (Jaylen Brown had a 99-yard kickoff return for the team’s only score). Still, have already punched their playoff ticket (most likely hosting HKT next week if everything plays out the way I think it will). McCormick lost to AAA Columbia out of region last week 28-2. Helmet-wearing rocket Mataeo Durant, who tweaked his ankle the week before, played limited snaps last week and I’m actually surprised he played at all since the game meant nothing. If he’s healthy, the Chiefs are clearly the favorite tonight to win, clinch the region title and earn a first-round playoff bye. A Whitmire win, though, plus a Dixie loss makes the Wolverines region champs. If Whitmire and Dixie win we get a super fun three-way tie for first. I don’t expect that to happen but McCormick doesn’t need to let a scrappy, hard-playing team like Whitmire hang around… Great Falls (0-8) at Lewisville (6-3) Last week, short of having a player eaten by a bear, pretty much everything bad that can happen to a team happened to Lewisville. They turned the ball over six times, had an interception returned for a score, threw a pick in the end zone, allowed two kick returns for scores and despite all that, they drove inside Timmonsville’s 20 in the final seconds with a chance to tie the game. It’s kind of like pooping in your pants…you’d rather do it in the privacy of your car than in church where everyone can see it. That was a terrible analogy, but you get my point (or you don’t, because I really don’t either) which is that if you’re going have a stinker of a game, do it now instead of when the playoffs come and it ends your season. Lewisville is not a very deep team, but they have as much top-level talent as anyone. They have offensive versatility with QB Rhett Cox, WRs Mikial Fourney and Johnny Courtney and uber-productive RB Quentin Sanders. Defensively they are loaded up front with Josh Belk and company, have one of the state’s most underrated LBs in Jaylen McFadden and an active secondary. Great Falls is building something for the future with most of their 12 freshmen now starting. They have real talent (sophomore WR Kelton Talford has the potential to be one of the state’s best) but please refer back to the previous sentence and the whole 12 freshmen playing thing. This should be a chance for Lewisville to get the bad taste of last week out of their mouth…but they also don’t need to look past a rival hungry for a win. Lamar (9-0) at McBee (2-7) The top-ranked Silver Foxes have outscored their three region opponents 140-32. They have the best defense in 1A, they are great on special teams, they have a stable of terrific backs and they have improved throwing the ball. They are a complete team and the favorite as of now to win the upperstate title. McBee got off to a rough start, losing their first seven before notching wins over Great Falls and Camden Military the last two weeks. It’s been a significant drop-off for a team that made three straight deep playoff runs, but given the bumper crop of talent (that made them competitive in every sport, really) they lost, that’s understandable. Tyreke Wright is a threat to score whenever he touches it, but they’ve had a really tough time on defense this year. They have to win this to have a shot at the playoffs but it just feels like too heavy a lift against a team this good… Blackville-Hilda (3-6) at North (0-9) The Hawks aren’t as good on defense and don’t impose their will quite to the extent they did in 2016 when they would just punch you in the giblets and bleed the clock dry, but they still have a solid power-running game and that should be plenty against North, who has the state’s longest losing streak. Denmark-Olar (2-7) at Williston-Elko (7-2) The Blue Devils figure to make it seven straight wins tonight. Tyran Parker is a two-way threat at quarterback and they’ve played really well on defense. They’ve already clinched the region title, a number one playoff seed and a first-round bye. Denmark-Olar is home of the largest skeeters I’ve ever seen, which could perhaps be trained to attack the opposition…but they’re playing at Williston, so that won’t save them tonight, though the Vikings are headed to the playoffs. Wagener-Salley (7-2) at Estill (2-7) I figure that the Chitlinville Express will notch an eighth win tonight. Honestly, the Hand Slung All-Stars have had some struggles on offense this year which may present a problem come next week against Lewisville in the playoffs. Their defense comes to play every week, though which should equate to a W tonight. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (4-5) at Ridge Spring-Monetta The old oaken hyphen spittoon is up for grabs tonight (not really, but they should play for one) or maybe the golden Trojan (since that is the mascot of both teams). HKT a dynamic offense led by QB Devante Scott who had 300 total yards last week (including 180 yards rushing on eight carries) in a blowout win over North. However, they are apt to give up points in bunches, especially against good teams, which RS-M definitely is. Since losing a very competitive game to Williston-Elko, the Trojans (the ones from RS-M) have outscored their last four region opponents 156-14 and this is a program that always seems to play their best down the stretch. They’ve got the number two seed and a first-round bye locked up already and figure to enter the post-season on a roll...though HKT won’t go quietly, I don’t think. Baptist Hill (6-1) at Military Magnet (2-6) So long as QB Corey Fields and his almost comical, video game stats are a healthy go for the Bobcats, this probably won’t be competitive. He got banged up in the team’s loss to the OC a few weeks ago, but the team was off last week, so he’ll hopefully be a go tonight. I don’t know a lot about Military Magnet, other than some folks who’ve seen them did tell me they play very hard. And, yeah, all I got for you on this one, Brojack. St. John’s (4-4) at Charleston Charter Academy for Wayward Dolphins A&M (1-6) If you really look at St. John’s schedule, the four wins are impressive and the four losses are all close (coming by a total of 29 points) and have come at the hands of good teams. This feels like a really good opportunity for Kam Smiley and company to pad their stats and build up some momentum heading into the playoffs. C.E. Murray (8-1) at Scott’s Branch (5-4) This may or may not be a competitive football games (and really, that’s why you come here…for insightful commentary and strong takes). I keep joking that Scott’s Branch is a perplexing fuel, pumped into the tank of uncertainty, in the car of question marks, driving down WTH Highway. They shut down good offenses of St. John’s and Bethune-Bowman, they SHUT OUT Bamberg-Ehrhardt…and gave up 52 to Timmonville and 42 to Cross. So, they are capable of neutralizing even the best offenses OR getting curb-stomped by them. The War Eagles fall into the “best offenses” category. Elijah Bey is somehow flying under the radar, despite throwing for 1,817 yards, 25 touchdowns and only three picks with a completion percentage over 64. Darius Rush has 14 TD catches but is also a threat score at RB and as a returner. On top of that, they have a nasty defense. They need to win this one to wrap up the region title, the number one playoff seed and a first-round bye. They should get it, but with Scott’s Branch it’s hard to tell. Branchville (4-5) at Bethune-Bowman (5-4) If my figuring is right (and it often isn’t) the winner of this game earns an at-large playoff spot. The Mr. T Haircuts have an exciting QB in Braxton Wedgeworth III Esq and a boulder rolling down a steep hill at RB with Makiah Simmons. This was a 5-1, ranked team before they hit region play, which has seen them get whacked by big margins in each game. I don’t know a ton about Branchville, other than those four wins have come against teams with a combined three wins, so advantage B-B, I’m thinking. Lake View (8-1) at Hemingway (9-0) This is the game of the week in Class A football and maybe the state. The winner is the region champ, the loser is runner up and both get first round byes. Lake View has won eight straight since losing the opener to Latta. They haven’t blown a lot of doors off, they’ve just consistently played well and won comfortably most every week, though they haven’t done that against the most difficult of schedules. Hemingway beats everyone so badly every week I had to invent a term to describe it (I went with “crank smack”) since no other English word really embodied the painful rootins they are handing out. Like a lot of 1A teams, both have impressive dual-threat quarterbacks (Troy Singletary at Hemingway and Deante Bridgette at Lake View) who are both capable of running or throwing for 200 on a given night. Hemingway is more battle-tested and seems to have more ways to beat you, scoring frequently on offense and defense. They are the favorite to come out of the lowcountry this year, but I highly doubt the defending champion Wild Gators are going without a fight. Creek Bridge (0-9) at East Clarendon (1-8) East Clarendon is in the playoffs with a win tonight. Hope that’s all you wanted on this one, because that’s all I’ve got. Green Sea-Floyds (4-5) at Hannah-Pamplico (5-4) Green Sea badly needs this game to earn an at-large playoff spot after a shocking loss to East Clarendon two weeks ago. H-P rolled last week behind QB Eric Mays, who had 300 total yards and four touchdowns. This figures to be a competitive game, but H-P is certainly playing a lot better right now…
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November 2021
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