Ware Shoals (1-7) at Calhoun Falls Charter (0-8)
The Purple Hornets still have the faintest flicker of a playoff flame sputtering on a tiny wick in the wind and drizzle…or something like that. They need to win this one and knock off Dixie next week. The problem is the team’s offense, which has only produced 87 points in eight games and 40 of those came against Great Falls and Greenwood Christian Academy. This game will conclude the regular season for the Flashes. They won’t make the playoffs, may not win a game and might be playing their last game of 11-man football for a while (if rumors are true) but this team gets my undying support and respect for making it through the season with 13 players and trying hard every week. Whitmire (4-4) at Dixie (5-3) So, the Wolverines are still in the thick of the region title race. With a win tonight, their matchup next week with McCormick will be for the Region I crown, a number one playoff spot and a first-round bye. This is a young team, but one that fights you for 48 minutes, is tough and stays in their lane. Last week, they had three backs run for over 90 yards, which in a scrum is exactly what you want. They mix in a nice complimentary passing attack too. Dixie is coming off a 14-7 loss to McCormick. They still have a shot at region, but you’ll need to harken back to my awful Ware Shoals candle analogy. They have to win this game, win next week against Ware Shoals, then hope Whitmire upends McCormick to create a three-way tie. As for this game, I’m expecting it to come down to the wire. Columbia (2-6) at McCormick (5-3) The Chiefs bring a five-game winning streak into this non-region match-up. McCormick knocked off Dixie 14-7 last week and did it without Mataeo Durant, the cheetah/bottle rocket/Barry Sander hybrid that plays running back for them, at 100 percent. He suffered an ankle injury early and though he toughed it out, he was obviously limited…you know, since he didn’t average 20 FREAKIN’ YARDS A CARRY LIKE HE’D DONE FOR THE LAST MONTH. However, Silas Cannady and KaDarius Garrett stepped in and contributed. I don’t know if Durant will play this week, what with this game not meaning much in the grand scheme of things, but if he does, he might be back to posting silly Playstation stats against a Capitals defense that has struggled mightily this year, particularly against the run. Lamar (8-0) at Great Falls (0-7) Let’s be honest here…barring an alien invasion (when they come, they are coming to Darlington, I’m convinced) or an outbreak of rubella, Lamar is going 10-0 and is probably going AT LEAST to upperstate. Their backfield is like two hummingbirds and a dump truck. Tyrik Herion and Jacquez Lucas are lightning quick, while Jeblonski Green is used to tote bricks away from construction sites. The thing is, he hasn’t had to play on offense a whole lot, which keeps him fresh for his DE/OLB duties…which is not what anyone lined up across from him wants. The defense is like a wall…one with legs and a surly demeanor. They’re good on special teams, too. They are pretty dang complete. Great Falls has talent and the future prospects are good, I believe…but they are just so young. They often feature a sophomore QB, a freshman RB, a sophomore at WR and two to three freshman up front on offense. That will bear fruit down the road, but it also explains the team’s struggles this year. Lewisville (6-2) at Timmonsville (5-4) The Lions have had a week of to get over the loss to Lamar and get healthy. For the second time all year, they will trot out their projected starting offensive line with Quay Simpson making his return. The Lions can run and throw with equal effectiveness, they big-play you to death, they have one of the state’s best players in Quentin Sanders and a defense that blows up plays before they get going. You get burned playing the score comparison game sometimes, but if you look at common opponents, this one should go Lewisville’s way. HOWEVER… Timmonsville has real talent on offense, with QB Jamaric Morris making it go. He’s an athletic kid with a good arm who has more than 1,800 total yards and 19 touchdowns. He doesn’t run often, but he makes it count when he does. He’s got a good back in Tyquan Eaddy and blazer at WR in Chris Taylor (nearly 25 yards-per-catch). They did have their momentum blunted by Lamar last week, however. This isn’t a gimme and if Timmonsville makes a few splash plays early or forces turnovers they can compete with almost anyone. Camden Military (1-5) at McBee (1-7) This should be an out-of-region W for the Panthers. Really, though, next week against Lamar is all that matters if they want a shot at the postseason. (insert inane candle reference here). Wagener-Salley (6-2) at Denmark-Olar (2-6) Believe it or not, Denmark-Olar, with its two region victories, actually has an OK shot at grabbing an at-large playoff spot. A win here would really bolster those chances. I’d say the odds are slim, though. The Chitlin Warriors have lost two-of-three and have struggled on offense in general and with turnovers in particular, but their defense is nasty and should be enough to get them back on track tonight. Williston-Elko (6-2) at Blackville-Hilda (3-5) Before beating a struggling Estill team last week, B-H had been outscored 112-12 in their three previous games. W-E has won five straight and they’ve averaged right at 40 points-per-game during that streak. So, you know, this might not go well for B-H. Estill (2-6) at Ridge Spring-Monetta (5-3) RS-M has won five-of-six since opening with two losses (both coming in “up” games) and they’re peaking at the right time, which they seem to do every year. They do throw the ball some now, which makes my face hurt, since I once watched them piece together a drive that lasted 11 minutes and 54 seconds, all on the ground. It was legit leather helmet, players smoking in the huddle, 1928 stuff. Anyway, they should take care of Estill and have a shot to lock up second place in the region next week. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (3-5) at North (0-8) North has the state’s longest losing streak and not to be mean, but that will probably still be the case when this game ends. HKT will give up some yards and points at time, but Devante Scott and company can flat light up a scoreboard. Branchville (4-4) at Military Magnet (1-6) A non-region game. Branchville has taken some small steps forward this year, dialing down the strength of schedule and winning four games in the process. Nothing wrong with a struggling program doing that at all. Military Magnet did get its first win last week over that school whose name I always make fun of. Um, that’s about all I got for you here, Jimmy. Bethune-Bowman (5-3) at C.E. Murray (6-2) I don’t know what has become of the Mr. T Haircuts. At one point they were rolling, ranked and making playoff plans. Now they are sitting at 0-2 in the region and are staring 0-3 straight in the face. They’ve been prone to give up some big plays, but with QB Braxton Wedgeworth III Esq. and RB Mikiah Simmons, they went over 40 points four times early this season. Now they’ve been shut out twice and have scored only 12 points in the past two weeks. And I have some news for you…the remedy for a struggling offense ain’t a trip to Greeleyville, brother. Scott’s Branch (5-3) at Cross (4-3) This is one of the most intriguing games of the week. Scott’s Branch has been a little up-and-down this year (if by up-and-down you mean shut out a top-five AA team in Bamberg-Ehrhardt, then get 50 stuck in them sideways by Timmonsville), but they are playing very well now, having beaten a good St John’s team to seven points last week. Defense is this team’s calling card. Cross, meanwhile, is back on track, y’all. Nathan Davis did crazy Nathan Davis stuff last week (which is to say ran for more than 250 yards and led the team in tackles), which is kind of a weekly deal. Their losses have all been close to good teams, but they are healthy and playing well on both sides now. This might end up 3-0 in overtime. Because of time constraint, Region VI gets the “in other action” treatment, but seriously, all three should go exactly the way you think they will… Lake View (7-1) at Creek Bridge (0-8) East Clarendon (1-7) at Hannah-Pamplico (4-4) Hemingway (8-0) at Green Sea-Floyds (4-4)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
TravisI am Travis, the king 0f SC 1A Football Archives
November 2021
Categories |