The Abbeville Panthers are set to host one of the most anticipated matchups of the year as the Ninety Six Wildcats make their way down Washington Street to Hite Stadium Friday night. There is a ton of history behind this game, as this is the 73rd matchup between the two programs. With both teams coming into the game with an 8-1 record, and a 4-0 record in region play, the stage is set for the AA Region 1 championship to go down at Hite Stadium in the Mitchell Enterprises Game of the Week.
The Panthers are led by electric junior running back Karson Norman. Just a junior, Norman has flourished in the traditional A-bone offense, racking up just over 1,300 all-purpose yards so far on the season. The Panthers will need Norman to have a big game to secure a victory.
Under center for the Panthers is star-studded junior Damarcus Leach. There was a big question mark around the stability of the Panthers’ starting quarterback position when the Panthers made the change to Leach. However, Leach has proven to be an impact player as the shot-caller for Abbeville, earning SK Media Player of the Week honors for his effort against Chesnee. Not to mention his effort on the defensive end, where he is one of the most sought after defensive backs in the class of 2025.
One of the best things about this Abbeville offense is that if you are somehow able to contain Norman and Leach, the Panthers have plenty of guys ready to step up. Players such as Gavin Calhoun, Altavious Patterson, Cam Lee and Jha’Louis Hadden are more than capable of toting the rock if needed. Jay Hill has also proven to be effective in his new role at wideout.
On the defensive side, the Panthers have an intimidating front seven, perhaps the most intimidating front seven in AA, featuring defensive lineman Jae Harris and linebacker Mikhelyn Bowie, both North-South All-Star Game selections. It doesn’t stop there, as Calhoun excels even more at linebacker than he does on offense. In the secondary, interception magnet Justin Rollinson will be crucial as he is tasked with covering one of the premier wide receivers in the Lakelands in Ladarion Waldrop. Leach will also play a big role in the secondary.
Similar to the Panthers, Ninety Six is also led by a young phenom running back in Zay King. King has been instrumental in the Wildcats’ culture change, earning the SK Media Player of the Week award three different times, including a six touchdown performance against Liberty. The Wildcats need King to have a big game in order to pull off a victory.
To compliment King, the Wildcats also possess a deep running back room, including Gabe Hackett and Briant Witherspoon. Hackett, a sophomore in his first varsity season, has proven to be a true RB1 simply waiting to take his turn. Witherspoon has also been critical for the Wildcats, showing that is capable of taking a hit or throwing a block as well as reliability in the passing game.
The leader of the Wildcat air attack is senior Braden Mitchell, who recently returned from a knee injury that sidelined him for six weeks. Since his return, Mitchell has thrown for over 500 yards and five touchdowns as well as adding two more touchdowns on the ground. Mitchell should have no problem finding open targets, as the trio of Ladarion Waldrop, Evan Adams and Jaiden Hackett have flown under the radar as one of the most reliable receiving corps in the Lakelands. Waldrop has racked up nearly 300 yards receiving since Mitchell’s return.
The defense has been the knight in shining armor for the Wildcats. Just when everyone thought Ninety Six was done for, the defense came through and won some big games for the Wildcats, especially in their matchup last week against Chesnee. The Wildcats have been able to apply a steady amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks thanks to senior defensive lineman J’Nivous Oliver and linebackers King, Gabe Hackett and Jaiden Hackett. To go along with the front seven, the Wildcat secondary has shown an ability to create turnovers and lock down key players.
Prediction: The Panthers come out hot, taking an early 14-0 lead before the Wildcats can snap a finger. However, the Wildcats are able to fight back and keep the game interesting with a halftime score of 20-6. In the second half, the early deficit proves to be too much to overcome for the Wildcats and the physical defensive line and constant stream of fresh legs for Abbeville are too much to handle for the Wildcats. Abbeville wins 41-26 and are crowned region champions once again.
