The Greenwood Eagles (4-4, 2-1) will host the Greenville Red Raiders (5-3, 2-1) in an extremely consequential Region 1-4A contest in the Mitchell Enterprises Game of the Week! Greenwood is coming off a heartbreaking road loss to Westside, a game which they controlled for 45 minutes. Greenville is coming off two blowout victories over region opponents, scoring 50+ points in each contest.
Ultimately this game is a quest for second place in the region and a home playoff game in round one. Making the path easier in November starts with a win this Friday for both teams. The Eagles and Raiders could both easily play spoiler versus powerhouse teams as we inch into the postseason.
Greenwood running back Tank Gary is coming off one of his best performances of the season in the loss versus Westside. He carried the ball 20 times, rushing for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Gary is a powerful yet elusive back with breakaway speed. Getting him involved early will be a big key for the Eagles offense.
Triston Lewis has quickly become a household name in Lakelands area football. The sophomore quarterback has been consistently solid for Greenwood week after week. In just his last four games, Lewis has totaled 441 yards through the air, six passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, and no interceptions. Lewis has to be ready to game manage in a contest of this magnitude. The underclassman has had great ball security in his first year of varsity football up to this point. Winning the turnover battle will be a huge factor in the game for both squads.
The Greenwood offense can kill you with speed. Alon Wade is a prime example. He burst onto the scene three weeks ago when he racked up nearly 200 yards against Berea. Jayden Adams is also a speedster and a favorite target of Triston Lewis. Adams is a home-run threat any time he gets the ball. Zion Hawkins has quietly had a good season as a wideout for the Eagles and has become a solid threat opposite of Adams in the passing game. The Greenwood offense is at their best when playmakers have the ball in space and they will need to make that happen Friday night if they want to pull out a victory.
The Eagles have seen a lot of top-shelf talent this season, but perhaps none as talented as Mazeo Bennett. The four-star Gamecock commit is ranked as the second best wide receiver in the South Carolina class of 2024 rankings. Surprisingly, Bennett has had a quiet season for his standard. He leads the team with four touchdowns, but has accumulated 373 yards this season on just 18 receptions. Bennett is second on the Raiders in receiving yards behind K.D. Mosley, who leads the team with 386 yards.
Tackling has been an issue for the Eagle defense this season on multiple occasions, especially in the secondary. Bennett is shifty and extremely quick in space. Containing him will be the biggest challenge of the night defensively for Greenwood.
Greenwood’s defensive line has been impressive all season. Shuvioues Williams, Brendarious Ervin, and Dea’vion Griffin have all played huge roles in the trenches this year. They will be faced with taking on Blake Franks, has one of the best offensive tackles in AAAA football, Blake Franks. Franks, who is 320 pounds and stands at 6-foot-5, will give Greenwood’s defensive front all they can handle.
Linebacker wise, the Eagles have been sound. Kam Langford, Khmari Griffin, Michel Holloway, Damarion Roman, and Dyson Davis have all made a stamp on games this season. The hard-hitting linebacker corps can not lose their edge at the tail end of the season for Greenwood.
For the Eagles to walk away with a win, they need their star players to show up. For Greenville, it’s the same. Both teams are 2-1 in region play and have a loss to Westside. Greenwood is the home team, which they hope will play a big factor. The last time Greenville came to play at J.W. Babb Stadium it was for a region title in 2021. The Eagles came away with a 30-29 victory thanks to a huge defensive stand with time ticking away.
Greenville will throw the kitchen sink at Greenwood. They will come out aggressive and ready to get a knockout punch early. The Eagles need to manage their way through the game. The offense can score at any time, they just need to have the momentum swing in their favor at the right time.
Prediction: Greenwood overcomes a halftime deficit to defeat the Red Raiders 34-30 and secures the second seed in Region 1-4A.