Idle: Greenwood Christian
Anderson Cavaliers (2-4, 2-2) at Thornwell Saints (1-5)
The Saints host the Anderson Cavaliers coming off their bye week. Things have been tough in just their first season of varsity football in nearly two decades, but there is a bright spot and his name is Kaevon Washington. Washington has rolled up almost 750 all-purpose yards this season, not counting the 98 yards passing he has. This is a great chance for the Saints to pick up their second win of the year, but Washington will have to lead the way.
Prediction: Look for Washington to have (another) big game and the Saints pick up the dub, 35-31.
Calhoun Falls (2-5, 0-3) at Ware Shoals (1-6, 0-4)
The Flashes make the short trip to Ware Shoals Friday night with a trip to the 2023 postseason on the line. Both teams need this region win to get into the playoffs and getting into the playoffs would go a long way to building both of these programs up. Both teams have electric playmakers who can score, but the Blue Flashes have a secret weapon in Marri Norman. Ken Cade has been a tackling machine and has been as solid at linebacker as one can be.
Prediction: Norman is not really a secret, but he is definitely a weapon. Look for a big game from Norman and the Flashes edge the Hornets 34-32
Christ Church (2-5, 3-0) at Dixie (2-5, 2-2)
The Hornets have played well this season considering their slaughterhouse schedule that included a couple of 3A opponents and three Greenville-based private schools. Fortunately, this game is the last of the three private schools for Dixie.
Prediction: Dixie hangs for the first half, but the Cavaliers are just too much and take this one 56-13.
McCormick (2-5, 1-2) at Southside Christian (4-2, 3-0)
The Chiefs travel to Simpsonville for Leg 2 of the three-legged private school tour. Cam Durant and Co. have their work cut out against the fifth-ranked Sabres. SSC, despite losing their first two games to Commerce (Ga.) and Abbeville, have reeled off four straight wins by an average margin of 26.5 points. One of those victories came by a score of 35-14 over seventh-ranked St. Joseph’s.
Prediction: Chiefs head coach Leroy Collier is doing great things in McCormick and they are a program on the rise, but the Sabres are put together a little bit differently – literally. Chiefs drop this one, 56-12. FINAL 40-14, SSC on top.
Abbeville (6-1, 2-0) at Landrum (4-3, 0-2)
The Panthers head up to Landrum as they continue to march their way through Region 1-2A. The Cardinals are a one-trick pony in 2023. Their offense relies almost entirely on running back Colton Link, who has rushed for nearly 1,300 yards on the season. Link even posted 19-143-2 last week in a 42-14 blowout loss to Ninety Six. The Panthers, on the other hand, can give the ball to anyone on the roster and maybe even a few folks in the stands. The A-Bone runs regardless of who is in there and, this season, it runs pretty well.
Prediction: The Panthers should have no trouble with Landrum. Moving Damarcus Leach to quarterback paid huge dividends last week and that should continue this week. Abbeville wins big, 49-14.
Ninety Six (6-1, 2-0) at Liberty (5-2, 1-1)
The Wildcats got a juicy midseason injection from the return of star quarterback Braden Mitchell. All Mitchell did was lead his team to a huge region win over Landrum, earning himself Player of the Week honors in the process. Mitchell’s ability to throw an accurate deep ball allows head coach Mathew Bennett to cut loose weapons like Ladarion Waldrop and Evan Adams. Their ability to take the top off the defense will leave lots of room for Zay King to wreak havoc on the ground.
Prediction: There is not a lot of love lost between these two schools and, with both teams jockeying for a home playoff game, the intensity is sure to be high all night long. In spite of playing on the road in what can, at times, be a very hostile environment, the Wildcats top the Red Devils 42-21.
Silver Bluff at Saluda (5-2, 1-1)
This game is the Mitchell Enterprises Game of the Week! Check out our in-depth preview!
Strom Thurmond (5-2, 2-0) at Pelion (3-4, 1-1)
Coach Andrew Webb’s offense showed why it can be so dangerous last week against Saluda. Defensive scheme takes away Braylon Staley and Demarius Tolen? Enter Jay Sewell who took full advantage of 10 targets to turn in 6 catches for 88 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown catch that showed exactly how good his ball skills are. Defensively, the Blue Steel defense played their best game of the season and should have no trouble shutting down a Pelion offense that hasn’t shown the ability to move the football with any consistency in 2023.
Prediction: This one will be over pretty quickly. Expect to see Bri’Shaun Lee tossing dots in the second half. Rebels big, 49-6. FINAL 43-7, Rebels down Panthers.
Clinton (5-2, 1-0) at Woodruff (3-5, 1-1)
The Red Devils have had to navigate a number of significant injuries through the early part of the season. Kason Copeland and Jayden Robinson were lost for the season very early on. Standout linebackers Brett Young and Zane McLendon both missed time, as well as offensive lineman Tre Aiken. But head coach Corey Fountain has found some new backs in Javen Cook, Tray Cook, and D.J. Clark and quarterback Tushawan Richardson mixes into the run game as well. But the real weapon the last couple of weeks has been standout tight end Kadon Crawford. Crawford set a new record for receiving yards in a game against Union County and has developed an electrifying connection with Richardson.
Prediction: Woodruff is coming off a big emotional win over Emerald where they scored as time expired and converted a two-point conversion to steal a 36-35. The combination of the emotional let down and Clinton’s talent all over the field is a perfect storm for huge Red Devil win on the road, 56-21.
Emerald (0-7, 0-1) at Chester (7-1, 2-0)
The Vikings continue to be snakebit this season, losing in the most heartbreaking ways. Last week’s loss to Woodruff was an especially tough pill to swallow. The chaser for it, unfortunately, is a trip to visit the seventh-ranked Chester Cyclones. Cyclones running back Elijah Coleman, who is getting looks from schools such as S.C. State, Charlotte, and Mercer, has gone wild this season, rushing for 1,100 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 6.7 yards-per-carry. The Vikings have lots of talent, especially on defense, but stopping this Chester running game will be a tall task. The Vikings DonTravis Jackson, who was up at the Limestone–Lenoir-Rhyne game this past Saturday, will need to have a monster game and so will the linebacker corps.
Prediction: Everyone would love to see the Vikings get in the win column. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the week. Cyclones big over the Vikings, 55-13.
Wade Hampton (2-5, ) at Laurens (1-7, 1-1)
The Raiders finally got into the win column last week by knocking off Riverside. This week they get a Wade Hampton team that has given up 60 points twice and been shut out two other games where they also gave up 43 and 49 points. The good news for Laurens is that midseason transfer Nick Danciu is starting to settle in at quarterback and had his best game last week against Riverside.
Prediction: Danciu continues to look more comfortable and play better each game. That trend continues Friday night and the Raiders go on a winning streak. They knock off Wade Hampton 28-20.
Greenwood (4-3, 2-0) at Westside (6-1, 2-0)
This game is as big as it gets and will go a long way to determining the champ of Region 1-4A. The fifth-ranked Rams are stacked with talent and, apart from a head-scratching loss to BHP to open the season, have rolled over competition. The Eagles have played one heck of a schedule this season and they have a couple of big wins over A.C. Flora and Dorman. They also have a head-scratching loss to North Augusta, but have refocused the past couple of weeks as they began region play.Triston Lewis has blossomed into a legitimate star at quarterback and Tank Gary continues to tote the rock on a mission. Nevemind Alon Wade who just scores on every touch.
Prediction: There are scenarios in the range of outcomes where the Eagles pull off the upset on the road. Frankly, we are just hoping everyone survives the pregame music at Westside. Rams over Eagles, 49-24.