Photo by Larry B. Littlejohn/ The Gaffney LedgerIf there is one thing for sure, kids in the Upstate know how to play some football.
Particularly in South Carolina’s top classification, Class 4A, in which the likes of Byrnes, Dorman, Gaffney, Greenwood, and Rock Hill each won multiple championships last decade.
In fact, only two teams from outside the region left Columbia or Clemson with a hold of the state’s top prize in that time, Marlboro County in 2001 and Berkeley last season.
No two schools achieved more success during the first decade of the new century like Byrnes and Gaffney, the Upstate rivals combining for nine state titles -- sharing Class 4A supremacy twice during the span.
In 2006, the South Carolina High School League amended new rules changing the former playoff format allowing the state’s largest 16 schools -- the “Big 16” -- into the postseason, regardless of record. The revision finally allowed the schools the opportunity to settle their debate as to who was best on the field with everything on the line.
Gaffney prevailed in both meetings that season, the first in front of a national television audience and the second in the state quarterfinals, ending the Rebels pursuit of setting a new state record with its fifth consecutive championship.
The Indians would earn their 16th state crown, it in itself a S.C. record. However, since trouncing Irmo at Columbia's Williams-Brice Stadium in Dec. 2006, Gaffney has not defeated its rivals from Lyman.
Nor have too many other schools around the Palmetto State in the three years since, as the likes of Marcus Lattimore and Chas Dodd helped Byrnes run roughshod through competition en route to a 42-3 record and two state titles. Meanwhile, the Indians have gone 28-13 over that stretch, making no appearances in the Class 4A championship game and losing three straight games to the Rebels, including a 60-7 spanking last season at Nixon Field.
Without a doubt, Gaffney fans are hungry to end the streak. Already having lost two games this season, albeit to two of the state’s traditional powers Dorman and Greenwood, the Indians can ill afford another defeat.
Byrnes also has a blemish to its record, a 14-0 loss to nationally ranked Hoover (Ala.). Since then, it seems the Rebels have regained some of the swagger which they earned in winning six championships last decade, claiming a last second victory over Class 3A power Myrtle Beach and drubbing Forestview (N.C.) 52-6.
The game will mark the second time Byrnes has traveled to “The New Reservation,” the Indians on-campus facility which replaced venerable W.K. Brumbach Stadium in 2008. Gaffney hopes to call up some of the spirits which enabled it to down the Rebels’ in their final two appearances at “The Old Reservation,” the contest sure to provide a good litmus test as to how things will go in South Carolina’s top classification this season.
They’ll have a chance to decide all of that and more at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
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