Football Recap: Hillcrest Wins Going Away Against Riverside + How To Watch

Rams

Margin (Wins)

09/05/25 vs Greer	39
08/22/25 vs Laurens	39
10/10/25 vs J.L. Mann	37
10/31/25 @ Woodmont	36
10/24/25 vs Greenville	31

Hillcrest had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. Everything went their way against the Riverside Warriors on Friday as they made off with a 35-14 win. The result was nothing new for the Rams, who have now won eight contests by 21 points or more so far this season.

Jackson Free continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, throwing for 250 yards and three TDs while completing 81% of his passes, and also rushing for 66 yards and one touchdown on only five carries. His passing game has become a key predictor of Hillcrest's success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 1-3 otherwise. 86 of Free's passing yards were hauled in by Logan Moore, who also brought in a receiving touchdown.

Riverside's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Keyon Knowles, who rushed for 127 yards and one score while picking up 7.5 yards per carry. Gideon Merhib was another key player, throwing for 152 yards and one TD.

Hillcrest's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-3. The home wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 14.0 points on average over those games. As for Riverside, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-7 record this season.

Hillcrest will take on Indian Land at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The Warriors' defense has only allowed 12.2 points per game this season, so the Rams' offense will have their work cut out for them. Riverside does not have any more games scheduled as of now.