The history between Clinton High School and Laurens District 55 High School is like no other. These two schools have faced off an incredible 94 times throughout the years, with the Red Devils reigning supreme over the all-time series,58-35-1.
The Raiders and Red Devils will both be looking to add another victory to the record books this Friday at K.C. Hanna Stadium in the SK Media Week 1 Game of the Week.
The Raiders are coming off a tough 55-9 loss to Hillcrest in week 0, with their only touchdown coming on a pick-six from star defensive back Travija Austin. The road only gets tougher as the scorching hot Red Devils come into town on Friday.
Senior quarterback Nick Fowler will be crucial in getting the Raider offense going. Fowler showed what he is capable of last season, passing for over 1,000 yards and rushing for 276 yards in seven starts. However, the Raider offense only gained 113 total yards against Hillcrest in week 0. Fowler has to get in his groove with his receivers if the Raiders have any plans of taking down their county rivals.
As mentioned previously, Travija Austin (ranked 3rd on the SK Media Defensive Back Rankings) is going to have to bring his A game if the Raiders want to pull out a victory against Clinton. To go along with that, star defensive lineman/linebacker Malik Jackson is also going to have to have a big game.
Moving to the other side of Laurens County, the Clinton Red Devils are currently red hot. Coming off a 13-1 season where they were defeated by Powdersville in the Upper State Championship Game, the Red Devils have hit the ground running.
The Red Devils defeated Batesburg-Leesville by a score of 50-28 in their week 0 matchup, earning them the number four spot on the Lakelands Week 1 Power Rankings.
The Red Devils are led by the running back duo of Jayden Robinson and Kason Copeland. Robinson was a 1,000-yard rusher last season in a stacked Clinton running back room. Copeland was key in the week 0 victory, leading the team with 71 rushing yards and picking up a touchdown.
Under center, junior quarterback Tushawan Richardson looked fantastic in his first start. Connecting on five of six pass attempts, Richardson racked up 136 yards and two touchdowns through the air and another touchdown on the ground.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Red Devils are loaded with talent. Senior defensive back and Cincinnati commit Zay Johnson continues to show exactly why he is committed to Cincinnati, and expect nothing less in this game. The Red Devils also have a scary linebacker group with Brett Young, Kadon Crawford, Carson Glenn, and Kason Copeland.
Overall, the Red Devils just have to play their game in order to come out with a victory on Friday.
Prediction: The Red Devils come out of the gate hot, taking a quick 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The Raiders don’t back down though, and battle with the Red Devils to keep it a close game heading into halftime. However, after an inspiring talk from head coach Corey Fountain at halftime, the Red Devils show no mercy in the second half. While the Raiders try their best to contain them, the Red Devils dynamic rushing attack and stellar defense is just too much for the Raiders to handle.
Final Score: Clinton 42, Laurens 20