Class AA playoff notebook (Nov. 9)

It wasn't supposed to end this early for Indian Land or Batesburg-Leesville. However, both squads with aspirations of a state title saw those dreams fall short in the first round of the state playoffs.
Batesburg-Leesville, coming off of a 31-0 drubbing at the hands of region foe Strom Thurmond, was unable to recover that winning feeling last Friday night in a 21-7 loss to Cheraw.
The teams' first meeting since their 2005 meeting in the Class AA state championship game, the Panthers were their worst enemy, turning the ball over seven times.
Though it has a record below .500 for the year, Cheraw (4-7) advances to the second round to take on Woodruff, winners of six straight and eight of their last nine games.
Indian Land, a team whose only loss during the 2010 regular season was to undefeated Central, seemed poised to make a run in the Upper State portion of the bracket. Apparently Columbia did not get the memo, leaving York County with a 28-21 victory.
The Capitals' Deerik Bradley rushed for 183 yards on 34 carries while quarterback Ty Tyler completed each of his seven passes to Casey Gladney — including a 56-yard touchdown strike just prior to intermission. Columbia moves on to face Palmetto in the second round.
Most of the second round's top match-ups take place in the Lower State, highlighted with Manning taking quite the trip to Aiken to face off against Silver Bluff, and Shon Carson and his Lake City teammates try to take down Region VI-AA champion Hanahan.
Here is a rundown of the first round of the Class AA playoffs and match-ups for the second round of action:
Upper State
Palmetto 21, Emerald 14
Columbia 28, Indian Land 21
Woodruff 44, Carolina 10
Cheraw 21, Batesburg-Leesville 7
Strom Thurmond 55, Lee Central 8
Mid-Carolina 14, Pendleton 7
Central 47, Gilbert 0
Chesnee 27, Newberry 20

Upper State quarterfinals
Columbia at Palmetto
Cheraw at Woodruff
Mid-Carolina at Woodruff
Chesnee at Central

Lower State
Silver Bluff 38, Stall 13
Manning 55, Mullins 24
Hanahan 48, Barnwell 6
Lake City 28, Loris 17
Timberland 35, Marion 6
Woodland 49, Swansea 21
Dillon 31, Bishop England 17
Wade Hampton 38, Garrett 15

Lower State quarterfinals
Manning at Silver Bluff
Lake City at Hanahan
Woodland at Timberland
Wade Hampton (H) at Dillon