This is the final week of the regular season games for 3A, 2A and 1A teams. Across the state, there are eight regions in each class and 15 schools have already clinched their region’s championship.
In 1A,
Abbeville (Region I),
Williston-Elko (IV),
Bamberg-Ehrhardt (V) and
Scott's Branch (Summerton) (VII) have been crowned champions.
In 2A,
Woodruff (II),
Silver Bluff (Aiken) (V),
Timberland (St. Stephen) (VII) and
Dillon (VIII) have already won, while
Belton-Honea Path (I),
Greenville (II),
Union County (Union) (III),
South Pointe (Rock Hill) (IV),
Hartsville (VI),
Berkeley (Moncks Corner) (VII) and
Myrtle Beach (VIII) have won titles already in 3A.
Here are some more tidbits concerning South Carolina football:
2. Northwestern (Rock Hill) quarterback
Justin Worley became the first quarterback in state history to throw for more than 11,000 yards in his career and he also became the state's touchdown passing leader on Friday night.
He was 33 of 45 on the night for 429 yards and he threw four touchdowns. He now has 131 passing touchdowns.
3. Blacksburg running back
Chase Hames is on the verge of breaking his school's record for rushing yards in a season. The senior is averaging 211.2 yards per game and has 1,901 yards on the season. He needs just 98 yards in this week's game against Southside Christian to tie the school record. The Wildcats played Southside Christian earlier in the season, winning 35-14. That night, Hames ran for 228 yards on 34 carries with one score.
4. Woodruff wide receiver B.J. Johnson set a school record on Friday when he caught 12 passes for 270 yards. Both numbers were records. He posted the numbers in a 42-7 win over previously unbeaten Mid-Carolina. Johnson scored three times in the game.
5. Maybe 99-yard touchdown runs aren’t so uncommon in South Carolina, because there were two on Friday night, making it four for the season.
D'Vonta Cohen of
Beaufort and
Quae'Shawn Brockington of
Carvers Bay (Hemingway) each ran for 99-yard scores in their games. Cohen finished with 168 yards on 11 rushes with two touchdowns in the 45-10 win over Colleton County. Brockington ran for four touchdowns in the 34-0 triumph over Creek Bridge and had touchdown runs of 9, 99, 5 and 7 yards as he rushed for 206 yards on 17 carries.
STARS FROM LAST WEEKLexington's Shaq Rowland ran for 125 yards and four touchdowns, had 108 receiving yards and intercepted a pass in the 42-27 win over Aiken ... Union County’s Keiston Smith threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 96 yards and two scores in the 37-14 win over Clinton ... Myrtle Beach’s Daiquone Ford scored three ways in the 65-14 win over Georgetown. He scored on a run (14 yards), catch (20 yards) and by returning a punt (52 yards).
RECRUITING NEWSClemson picked up another in-state recruit over the weekend, as
Riverside (Greer) defensive end
Kevin Dodd (6-5, 277) committed to the Tigers, according to PalmettoSports.com. He has nine sacks so far this season.
ON DECK THIS WEEKByrnes (Duncan) (7-2) at Dorman (Roebuck) (9-0): ESPNU will be in town to televise this rematch of last year's Class 4A Div. I state championship game. These powerhouses have played in the regular season and playoffs in the last two years. Two years ago Dorman won the regular season game but lost in the playoffs and last year it was switched, with Byrnes winning the regular season and Dorman winning the title.
Gaffney (7-2) at Northwestern (9-0): The Indians have rattled off six straight wins and allowed just three points in their last two games. The Trojans have won three consecutive conference championships and six of the last eight meetings with the Indians.
Woodland (Dorchester) (8-1) at Hanahan (6-3): This game is winner-take-all in Region VI-2A, as both teams are 4-0 in conference play. Woodland has never won a region championship. Hanahan, on the other hand, won region titles from 1997 to 2006, but is trying to get back to those championship days. During that time, the Hawks didn’t lose a region contest.
Jason Gilmer is an award-winning writer who has covered football in South Carolina for more than a decade. He does a statewide high school football blog on GoUpstate.com. You can reach him at palmettofootballtalkblog@gmail.com.