By Thomas Grant Jr.
The Cayce/West Columbia region remains home for one of the Palmetto State’s 7-0 teams.
Swansea defeated W.J. Keenan 31-22 to match its best start in 2012 under former Gilbert head coach Chad Leaphart. It was also the Region 4-3A opener for the Tigers, who are tied with another unbeaten Newberry for first place.
After trailing 8-0 in the first quarter, Swansea scored 23 unanswered points. Dante Caldwell rushed for two scores and a 2-point conversion and P.J. Larry added a rushing touchdown.
The Raiders closed the gap to 23-16, only for the Tigers’ Kendall Wright to find Larry for a 12-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Swansea now has a bye week before returning to action Oct. 17 against Silver Bluff at Doug Bennett Stadium.
“It is good to have this success, but we still have a lot to work on,” Caldwell said to the media. “… It has been better interaction from the community and a lot better than it was before. I love to play football, but with a winning team it gives us a certain type of drive.”
War Eagles roll
Gray Collegiate welcomed the return of starting quarterback Tyler Waller to the lineup.
However, the War Eagles stayed with the hot hand of freshman Xavier Wright. He rewarded the confidence with another four-touchdown game in the 63-0 rout of Brookland-Cayce.
Wright rushed for two scores and threw for two in the win. One of the touchdowns went to Corey Gleaton, who also opened the second half with an 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Waller reentered the lineup in the second half and had a 12-yard touchdown run. The War Eagles had a defensive touchdown when Michael Boulware forced a fumble after a sack and defensive lineman Jack Armstrong returned it 70-plus yards for the score.
Gray Collegiate (4-2, 3-0) maintains its hold of Region 5-4A as it travels to Airport next week. It also has moved up to fourth in the RPI Class 4A Lower State rankings.
The two four seeds get a first-round bye.
“It keeps us in the driver’s seat,” head coach Deangelo Bryant said. “It allows us to continue to control our own destiny and, more than anything, we’re just winning and that’s been the good point.
“Anytime I think you can start putting together a collection of wins, it does wonders for your program. Your spirits and everything just kinds of goes along with that. So we want to keep stacking our chances and that’s what we’re doing. We want to make sure that we finish strong, finish this region strong so that we can be put in a great position in the playoffs and have our chance. Like I tell our guys, our bigger purpose is making sure we have a date in December.
Pelion wins
Quarterback Alan Moore threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns and Tre Jackson rushed for 171 yards and a score as the Panthers held off Ninety-Six 35-28.
It was the Region 2-2A opener for Pelion (4-2, 1-0).
Wide receiver Jai Chuniesingh had nine receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown. For the season, he has 40 receptions for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Daniel Atkins had five receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown.
Andrew Northcutt had a team-high 12 tackles and Brady Cottingham finished with 10.
OTHER CWC SCORES
White Knoll 35, River Bluff 3
Northside Christian Academy 49, S.C. Spartans 0
RPI RANKINGS
CLASS 5A DIVISION I (Lower State)
James Island, 6-0, 0.72813 Carolina Forest, 5-1, 0.68722 Stratford, 5-1, 0.66597 Sumter, 6-1, 0.6609 Summerville, 5-1, 0.65528 Wando, 4-2, 0.53422 Ashley Ridge, 3-3, 0.53238 River Bluff, 3-3, 0.50960 Lexington, 2-4, 0.49171 Fort Dorchester, 2-4, 0.45444 Cane Bay, 1-5, 0.41692 Stall, 1-5, 0.39960 West Ashley, 1-4, 0.39383
CLASS 4A (Lower State) South Florence, 5-1, 0.69353 Hilton Head Island, 6-1, 0.68355 North Augusta, 6-1, 0.68015 Gray Collegiate, 4-2, 0.66607 Bishop England, 5-1, 0.64437 Midland Valley, 5-1, 0.62577 Bluffton, 5-2, 0.61894 Wilson, 5-2, 0.57490 May River, 5-1, 0.56129 Hartsville, 3-3, 0.55365 Crestwood, 4-3, 0.54765 Lower Richland, 4-3, 0.51544 South Aiken, 4-3, 0.48095 Darlington, 3-4, 0.47310 Gilbert, 2-4, 0.43071 Aiken, 2-4, 0.42960 Beaufort, 2-4, 0.41224 Brookland-Cayce, 1-5, 0.39565 Colleton County, 1-5, 0.37036 Lakewood, 0-6, 0.29833 Airport, 0-6, 0.28843
S.C PREP FOOTBALL MEDIA POLL
Class 4A
1. South Pointe (17) (5-1), 2. South Florence (1) (5-1), 3. AC Flora (6-1), 4. Gray Collegiate (4-2), 5. Daniel (5-1), 6. North Augusta (6-1), 7. Hilton Head Island (6-1), 8. Seneca (5-1), 9. Camden (5-2), 10. Bishop England (5-1)
Others receiving votes: Midland Valley, Wren, May River
Feature Photo by George Matsui – Gray Collegiate Academy quarterback Xavier Wright against Brookland-Cayce.
