Class A -- Championship Edition

A new champion to emerge
It seems like forever since a team besides Chesterfield would wear the Class A - Division I crown.
Abbeville and Bamberg-Ehrhardt will aim to do just that Friday afternoon, the two teams vying for the Class A- Division I title at Benedict College Stadium in Columbia.
The Red Raiders found their way to the championship game with a last second field goal off the leg of Randon Sandifer to defeat previously undefeated Hemingway in the Lower State title game. Meanwhile, the Panthers wound up as the last standing in a slugfest with Lamar in the Upper State title tilt, getting by their foes from the Pee Dee 20-12.
Both schools are trying to earn its first taste of gridiron glory in quite some time. Abbeville has not won a title since 1996, while B-E has not played for a state championship in 20 years.
The Panthers are about as smash mouth as it gets, featuring a power running game and a hard -hitting defense.
Leading the way for Abbeville is the two-headed rushing tandem of Ashton Heard and Quay Watt, which both have run for more than 1,000 yards this season and combined for 31 trips to the end zone.
Since a season opening 35-21 loss to Chester, the Panthers have not allowed more than 21 points in a game. His team being one of its victims, Blacksburg head coach Mickey Moss said that Abbeville is one of the hardest hitting teams he’s seen in quite a while.
B-E has had its share of close calls this season, beginning with an upset victory over Class AAAA rival Orangeburg-Wilkinson. Led by Demetrious Williams and Okeefe Jones -- the anchors of an attack averaging more than 356 yards on the ground and 33 points per contest-- a team has yet to defeat the Red Raiders on their way to Columbia.
Similar to Abbeville, B-E is also a well-rounded team, giving up just above 150 yards per game on defense. Three Red Raiders starters have over 100 tackles this season, including defensive lineman Randall Ransom, who has 120 tackles and 16 sacks.

Williston-Elko, Scott’s Branch meet in grudge match
Eight points were what delivered Scott’s Branch a Class A- Division II title in 2008, a 14-6 win over Williston-Elko.
The next year, that same deficit is what sunk the Eagles in their rematch with the Blue Devils, losing 34-26 in the state championship game at Benedict College.
It is becoming a quite common occurrence for these two programs to meet the day after Thanksgiving, each vying to add another trophy to its collection.
Few expected these squads not to get here; W-E one of the more dominant squads in any of the state’s four classifications, while Scott’s Branch was one of the Palmetto State’s most consistent.
The Eagles have thrown the ball all of 46 times this season, while scoring 67 touchdowns on the ground. Amassing many of the rushing scores is Traven Parker, who has run for 1,803 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Parker and his teammates better not fall too far behind the Blue Devils however, which have scored 682 points this season, most in the state.
W-E likes to air things out quite a bit more than the squad lining up across from them Friday afternoon, its aerial attack led by quarterback Tamyn Garrick. He has thrown for 2,502 yards and 31 scores this year while throwing only eight interceptions.
Equally dangerous is the Blue Devils’ supply of home run threats, which include 2,000-yard rusher Kendrick Salley and Dexter Staley, who has 962 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
In fact, last week Christ Church held W-E to its lowest points total since its season opening loss to Strom Thurmond, 7-0. During that 11-game stretch, the Blue Devils did not score less than 41 points in a contest.

Class A-Division I championship
Abbeville vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt, noon

Class A-Division II championship
Williston-Elko vs. Scott's Branch, 3:30 p.m.

S.C. Prep Football Week 14 Schedule

Photo by Joe L. Hughes II

Northwestern's Justin Worley and Robert Joseph have been doing a lot of celebrating this season, season, but will the Trojans be rejoicing following their Class AAAA Division II semifinal tilt with undefeated Goose Creek?

Week 14
All games kickoff at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted

Class AAAA Division I semifinals
(4) Irmo at (1) Dorman
(7) Lexington at (6) Byrnes

Class AAAA Division II semifinals
(4) Greenwood at (1) Goose Creek
(3) North Augusta at (2) Greenwood

Class AAA
Upper State Final
Fairfield Central at South Pointe

Lower State Final
Bluffton at Myrtle Beach

Class AA
Upper State Final
Central at Woodruff

Lower State Final
Manning at Dillon

Class A Division I Final
Abbeville vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt - Friday, noon

Class A Division II Final
Williston-Elko vs. Scott’s Branch - Friday, 3 p.m.

A Week 13 whip around the Palmetto State

Photo by Joe L. Hughes II

Rushing for more than 200 yards in his team's Class AAAA Division I second round match-up with Fort Dorchester, junior running back Raymond Smith was a big reason Dorman's offense was able to kick things into high gear last Friday night.

It’s all depends on who you ask.
According to Gaffney fans, it was bad officiating and missed opportunities. In the eyes of those backing Irmo, it was the product of a good defensive effort.
No matter the combination of those ingredients, the Yellow Jackets were happy it fell in their favor, escaping W.C. Hawkins Stadium Friday night with a 12-7 victory.
Irmo’s Kevin Baxter returned an interception in the end zone off of Indians’quarterback DeEdward Burris 70 yards the first play of the fourth quarter, setting up the game’s deciding score, a 2-yard run by Dawan Scott.
The Yellow Jacket running back would wind up with 167 yards and two touchdowns on the night. With the win, his team advances to the Class AAAA Division I semifinals against defending state champion Dorman.
“Our kids made plays when they had to,” said Irmo head coach Bob Hanna to The State (S.C.). “We gave up some yards, but when it came time to play, we found a way to get it done.”
The Indians seemingly moved the ball at will against their Midlands contemporaries, spending much of the night inside Yellow Jackets territory. However, with the exception of a DeEdward Burris connection with wide receiver Quinshad Davis in the first quarter, that is where Gaffney drives would die, the result of mental errors in the form of three turnovers, several penalties and a number of dropped passes.
“When you come on somebody else’s home field and they are 10-2, you have to play better than them. We just didn’t make the big plays when we needed them,” said Gaffney head coach Dan Jones.
“We made some mistakes, dropped some passes, made some bad decisions. We just didn’t execute,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dorman put on arguably its most impressive performance of the season, disposing of Fort Dorchester 49-28. Raymond Smith ran for 241 yards and three touchdowns, including a 94-yard romp in the game’s final stanza.
Not to be outdone, Clemson commitment Charone Peake also had a big night, hit pay dirt three times in the contest, twice on throws from Cavaliers quarterback Nelson Hughes and another by way of a punt return.

A Sleeping Giant Awakens
Class AAAA powerhouse Byrnes may be down a bit this year … but they are definitely not out.
Junior running back Shakeem Wharton was quite the dual threat for the Rebels, racking up 170 total yards and three touchdowns in the team’s 31-14 Class AAAA Division I playoff win at Dutch Fork.
The performance was quite the statement for Byrnes, perceived as a bit vulnerable after a squad laden with stars was decimated by graduation. Yet it stands 48 minutes from another appearance in the state title game.
In the Lowcountry however, a thorough beating was being given to one of the state’s most recognizable figures in high school football. Summerville’s John McKissick, the nation’s all-time leader in coaching wins at the high school level, could only describe it as the worst beating any team has given his Green Wave on the field named after him.
Lexington delivered a whipping Summerville fans are sure to remember for some time, dismantling the traditional power from the Lowcountry 45-14.
Wildcats’ running back K.J. Miller toted the pigskin 31 times for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while his teammates on defense held Summerville star to a total of 152 yards and a meaningless touchdown late in a contest seemingly never in doubt.
In the “Lower 32” tournament better known to most as Class AAAA Division II, things went as expected with each of the top four seeds advanced, setting up a (4) Northwestern - (1) Goose Creek and (3) North Augusta- (2) Greenwood state semifinal round.
North Augusta was the only one of the four to struggle on the night, erasing an early deficit and surviving a late flurry from T.L. Hanna , 28-21.

"Thriller"
When they say enjoy every moment, do so; you never know when it will be taken from you.
Belton-Honea Path could not have believed the end was near after pulling ahead 28-27 with 1:18 left to go against Fairfield Central, thinking it had delivered the final salvo in the wild Class AAA Upper State semifinal contest.
The Griffins had other ideas, turning out the lights on the Bears and their undefeated 2010 campaign with a 35-28 heart-stopping win in the state’s upcountry.
Shaquille Young hauled in a pass from Fairfield Central quarterback Danny Miller with 25 seconds left to snare victory from defeat. The miraculous 34-yard grab, caught between two Belton-Honea Path defenders and also tipped twice, earned the Griffins a rematch with region rival South Pointe in the Upper State title game, the Stallions humbling Greenville 50-7.
South Pointe dealt Fairfield Central its lone defeat in 2010, winning 17-7 in Winnsboro last month.
Lower State juggernaut Myrtle Beach put an end to Berkeley’s playoff winning streak, taking care of the Stags 42-28. Seahawks quarterback Everett Golson passed for 381 yards and four touchdowns in the game, eliminating Berkeley, last year’s winners of the Class AAAA-Division II crown.
Myrtle Beach wants a Class AAA crown of its own, however, and will earn at least the right to do so with a win in the Lower State title game Friday against Bluffton, a 40-35 winner at Hartsville.

Thrice as Nice
Things seem to come in threes.
For Strom Thurmond and Timberland, the third time did not wind up being the charm, both falling to familiar opponents for the third consecutive year.
Meanwhile, Central (Pageland) and Dillon remained on a collision course to meet in the Class AA title game, the Eagles advancing past Strom Thurmond 35-30; while the Wildcats moved on with an impressive 31-14 win over previously undefeated Timberland.
Dillon again advances to the Lower State title game where it will host Manning, a 30-20 winner over region rival Lake City.
The Monarchs again did a good job in limiting Panthers’ star running back Shon Carson, who though gaining 137 yards and scored the 100th touchdown of his prep football career, Manning won the rushing battle as it was able to churn out 205 yards of its own on the ground -- 120 of which were contributed by Marcos Pearson -- wearing out an active Lake City defense.
Central faces a familiar foe for a second straight week, this time in the form of Woodruff, which earned a hard fought 37-30 victory over Columbia.
In Class A on the other hand, Scott’s Branch and Williston-Elko again earned the right to meet each other with a state title hanging in the balance.
Christ Church gave the Blue Devils all they could handle in the Class A Division I Upper State final, drawing to within six points after being down three touchdowns early on in the contest. However, Williston-Elko’s wishbone attack chewed valuable clock time and the Cavaliers’ final heave fell into the arms of an opposing defender, giving W-E the 27-21 win.
Scott’s Branch fell behind early, but it was only a minor setback between it and the program’s third consecutive date with the Blue Devils, defeating Hardeeville 36-20.
Might as well call it a grudge match, the teams splitting the last two Class A Division II championship games. The game is Friday at 3 p.m. at Benedict University Stadium in Columbia.
In Class A Division I play, a Randon Sandifer 22-yard field goal as time expired gave Bamberg-Ehrhardt a Lower State title, defeating Hemingway 17-14. It will face Abbeville for a championship Friday at noon in Columbia, the Panthers getting past Lamar 20-12 in a highly contested Upper State final.

Palmetto State Roundup
Class AAAA Division 2 Second Round
Goose Creek 49, Easley 0
Greenwood 35, South Florence 7
North Augusta 28, T.L. Hanna 21
Northwestern 49, Ashley Ridge 35

Class AAAA Division 1
Second Round
Irmo 12, Gaffney 7
James F. Byrnes 31, Dutch Fork 14
Lexington 35, Summerville 14
Dorman 49, Fort Dorchester 28

Upper State Class AAA
Third Round
Fairfield Central 35, Belton-Honea Path 28
South Pointe 50, Greenville 7

Lower State Class AAA
Third Round
Bluffton 40, Hartsville 35
Myrtle Beach 42, Berkeley 28

Upper State Class AA
Third Round
Central 35, Strom Thurmond 30
Woodruff 37, Columbia 30

Lower State Class AA
Third Round
Dillon 31, Timberland 14
Manning 30, Lake City 20
Upper State Class A Division I Semifinal
Abbeville 20, Lamar 12

Lower State Class A Division I
Semifinal
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 17, Hemingway 14

Upper State Class A Division II
Semifinal
Williston-Elko 27, Christ Church Episcopal 21

Lower State Class A Division II
Semifinal
Scott's Branch 36, Hardeeville 20

Hughes' Views — Week 13 outlook

Hughes' View Week 13 predictions

Class AAAA Division I
(1) Dorman over (9) Fort Dorchester, 35-10
(5) Gaffney over (4) Irmo, 38-24
(2) Summerville over (7) Lexington, 41-38
(6) Byrnes over (3) Dutch Fork, 35-31

Class AAAA Division II
(1) Goose Creek over (9) Easley, 42-21
(4) Northwestern over (12) Ashley Ridge, 49-14
(2) Greenwood over (7) South Florence, 28-10
(3) North Augusta over (6) T.L. Hanna, 34-20

Class AAA
Upper State
South Pointe over Greenville, 21-18
Belton-Honea Path over Fairfield Central, 31-21

Lower State
Hartsville over Bluffton, 31-24
Myrtle Beach over Berkeley, 41-27

Class AA
Upper State
Woodruff over Columbia, 38-17
Central over Strom Thurmond, 17-14

Lower State
Lake City over Manning, 20-13
Dillon over Timberland, 27-23

Class A Division I
Upper State final
Abbeville over Lamar, 24-13

Lower State final
Bamberg-Ehrhardt over Hemingway, 19-14

Class A Division II
Upper State final
Williston-Elko over Christ Church, 37-21

Lower State final
Scott's Branch over Hardeeville, 41-14

Class A Playoff Notebook

Photo by Scott Powell/ The Gaffney Ledger

Abbeville's defense corrals Shrine Bowler Chase Hames of Blacksburg during the teams' first round contest won by the Panthers, 56-7. The defensive unit hopes it has one more brilliant performance left in it as it faces Lamar for the Class A Division I Upper State championship.

I guess revenge is a dish better served cold.
Ironically, for the first time since 2006 it was Chesterfield left out in the cold, the Golden Rams' three-year reign atop Class A's top division brought to an end by Lamar, 28-13.
Last November, the shoe was on the other foot, with the Silver Foxes having to swallow the bitter pill of defeat in the Class A Division I title game. Lamar head coach J.R. Boyd ensured last week's match-up would not be the same, setting a physical tone from the game's outset.
The Silver Foxes ran the ball 32 times for 150 yards on the night, while the team's stifling defense never allowed Chesterfield's aerial attack to take flight.
Lamar will meet the Upper State's top seed Abbeville, which dismantled a talented Calhoun County team, 24-0.
As if there was any doubt Ridgeland had Bamberg-Ehrhardt's attention. In the teams' earlier meeting, the Red Raiders used a frantic fourth quarter rally to escape with a 35-33 win.
None of that was needed last week, as B-E pounded its Region V-A rival to submission, defeating the Jaguars 49-6 to remain undefeated and advance to the Lower State title game. Meeting them in that game will be Hemingway, which used its swarming defense to shut out Burke, 20-0.
The script went pretty much according to plan in Class A's smaller division, with each of the brackets top four seeds — Christ Church, Scott's Branch, Williston-Elko and Hardeeville — advancing to the state semifinal round.

Games to watch:
— Hemingway (12-0) at Bamberg-Ehrhardt (12-0): Offense wins games, defense wins championships. Arguably no team has been better on the defensive side of the ball this season than Hemingway, the Tigers yielding a total of 54 points this year. That is quite the task for Bamberg-Ehrhardt, yet one not too tall for the Red Raiders, who have handed out their share of blowouts as well as endured long enough to claim close, hard fought victories over the likes of Class AAAA's Orangeburg-Wilkinson and region rival Ridgeland.
Look for B-E to attempt to put points on the board early, putting Hemingway somewhere it has not been much this season — behind.
—Williston-Elko (11-1) at Christ Church (12-0): Points seem to come relatively easy for Williston-Elko, which has scored as many as points in a game this season. Slowing the Blue Devils down is the assignment for Christ Church, which earned the Upstate's top seed by sweeping through its schedule by way of its power running game. However, the Cavaliers must do their best to keep this one from becoming a track meet; if so, it is a contest they are sure to lose.
Getting off the field on third down will be key for both teams in this one.
— UPSET ALERT— Lamar (11-1) at Abbeville (11-1): No doubt, Lamar has to be riding high after eliminating three-time Class A Division I champion Chesterfield. Yet with another week comes another challenge, this time in the form of Abbeville. The Panthers have been dominant thus far in the playoffs, smothering the likes of 2,000-yard rusher Chase Hames and the Blacksburg offense in addition to totally shutting down a talented Calhoun County team.
For the Silver Foxes, the question will be whether they can match Abbeville's intensity and toughness at the line of scrimmage. If Lamar cannot somehow get ahold of the Panthers' tough, shifty defensive line, it could be a long drive home to the Pee Dee for the team and its fans.

Class AA Playoff Notebook

Contributed photo

Lake City may need another great performance by University of South Carolina commitment Shon Carson if the Panthers have any intentions of getting past region rival Manning in Friday's Class AA semifinal contest.

No doubt, Lake City will go as far as Shon Carson's legs will take them.
The University of South Carolina commitment toted the rock 29 times for 290 yards and five touchdowns in a wild affair at Hanahan which ended with a 62-41 win for the Panthers.
Carson's performance pushed him past the 2,000-yard mark for the second consecutive season, and more importantly helped his team advance to the Lower State semifinals.
Also there are Lake City's region foes Manning and Timberland, each of which notched impressive second round victories. Two-time defending Class AA champion Dillon rounds things out in the Lower State, advancing with a 56-7 drubbing of Wade Hampton (Hampton); also the Wildcats 22nd consecutive win.
Aching to get the opportunity to walk into Williams-Brice Stadium again this year, Central took another step in that direction last week with a 40-27 win over Chesnee. Strom Thurmond, a team which has its own history on the Gamecocks' home turf, may prove to be quite the obstacle for the Eagles in their quest to again represent the Upstate, the Rebels taking out a talented Mid-Carolina squad, 38-14.
Columbia needed every second to get by Palmetto in the teams' second round match-up. Quarterback Ky Tyler hit wide receiver Casey Gladney in the back of the end zone with a 45-yard scoring pass with 59 seconds left in the game to propel the Capitals past the Mustangs, 38-34. Woodruff found things a bit easier, making quick work of Cheraw 48-21.

Games to watch:
—Dillon (12-0) at Timberland (12-0): It's almost as if these two squads knew they would be here. After all, each of the past three seasons have wound up with them meeting in the playoffs.
Unfortunately for Timberland, each of those contests ended in defeat. Dillon would hand the Wolves their only loss in each of the past two seasons, both of which ended with the Wildcats celebrating at Williams-Brice Stadium following wins in the Class AA title game.
The scene has again been set for the squads to fight it out for Lower State supremacy, the winner of this match-up playing host to Manning or Lake City with a ticket to Columbia on the line. Points should be at a premium in this one, with Dillon giving up seven points a game, while Timberland yields just 10 per contest.
— Manning (9-3) at Lake City (10-2): It's hard to imagine a team would be able to shut Lake City's star running back Shon Carson down twice in a year. For Manning, this is the goal when the Monarch's face the hated Panthers with a berth in the Lower State title game on the line.
In the teams' first match-up Oct. 29, Manning held Carson to 104 yards yet was unable to do much on offense themselves, losing 13-6. However, the Monarchs are riding high after two impressive playoff road wins, giving them a lot of confidence heading into the rematch.
Lake City, particularly Carson, is also coming off quite the performance, shredding the Hanahan defense en route to a 290 yard performance and 62-41 win. It's simple for both teams — if the star running back cannot move the chains with his legs, Manning gets its revenge; if Carson runs wild, the Panthers could make it a long night for the Monarchs.
— UPSET ALERT: Central (12-0) at Strom Thurmond (10-2): Little has been able to get in the way of the Central running game this season, allowing the Eagles to average nearly 40 points. Few teams have been successful going against coach Lee Sawyer and his Strom Thurmond defense, which has yielded a total of 110 points through 12 games in 2010.
One will have to give in this contest, with the winner earning a berth in the Upper State championship game. The two squads know each other quite well, meeting in the state playoffs the past two seasons, both of which were highly contested contests with Central making just enough plays to pick up the victory.
No doubt, this one has the potential to be one of the weekend's top games.

Class AAA Playoff Notebook

Photo by Joe L. Hughes II

Shrine Bowl linebacker Ralph Cooper will lead Fairfield Central to Belton-Honea Path for a Class AAA Upstate semifinal tussle Friday night, with the winner advancing one step closer to Columbia and the "Weekend of Champions."

Lightning nearly did strike twice.
Daniel, which in the first round was able to eliminate defending Class AAA state champion Clinton, pushed top ranked South Pointe to the brink last Friday night before bowing out of the playoffs, losing to the Stallions 20-14.
Greenville and Belton-Honea Path emerged as potential roadblocks to South Pointe's road to Columbia, both posting impressive second round victories in the Upstate portion of the bracket.
Lower State powerhouse Myrtle Beach held serve as well, besting a good Cane Bay squad to advance. It moves on to face Berkeley, which earned a second consecutive victory on the road at Midland Valley.
Hartsville, however still has the inside track to hosting the Lower State title game, getting a measure of revenge on Airport from a loss earlier this season.

Games to watch
Greenville (11-1) at South Pointe (11-1): Few weaknesses come to mind when talking about these two teams, both of whom are matter of points (Greenville) or a mere quarter (South Pointe) from being undefeated.
While the Stallions want to keep their power running game in motion, its counterparts like to mix it up a bit. Lining up in 5 wide receiver sets, Red Raider quarterback Glenn Baston is a threat to run or pass.
Stopping him will be the task of South Pointe star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and the rest of the Stallions defense, which has seemingly risen to the occasion each time it has been called upon this year.
Berkeley (9-3) at Myrtle Beach (11-1): One would think Myrtle Beach quarterback Everett Golson would need a little time to get back in tune with his receivers after missing most of the season with multiple leg injuries. That couldn't be further from the truth, as the North Carolina commitment has not missed a beat, leading the Seahawks to blowout wins in the first two rounds. Berkeley rides in after impressive road wins over Camden and Midland Valley to open the playoffs, extending its playoff win streak to six games dating back to last year — one which ended with the Stags hoisting a state championship.
UPSET ALERT — Fairfield Central (11-1) at Belton-Honea Path (12-0): Though I've have listed this as a possible upset, people from around the state would not be surprised if Fairfield Central somehow left Anderson County with a win Friday night.

The Bears looked mighty impressive in their second round contest against Chester, running up 434 yards of total offense in the 37-7 win. Equally impressive were the Griffins, dominating Region II-AAA champion Union County 20-7.
It will be FC's speed against a balanced BHP attack coming off arguably its best games of the year. Of course, the defense that can make key stops will be the one to advance in this contest.