By Thomas Grant Jr.
After a second ‘bye’, Lexington prepares for the home stretch of its season with back-to-back rivalry games.
The Wildcats (5-3, 1-2) travel to White Knoll (4-4, 0-3) this Friday before finishing the season at home against River Bluff.
“I just think it’s fun and I want the players to feel that too,” Lexington head coach Dustin Curtis said. “It’s not added pressure but added fun…a chance to go out and win our district and town!
Lexington looks to rebound from its last outing, a 42-0 loss to top-ranked Dutch Fork. White Knoll was also shut out by the Silver Foxes in its meeting and, after winning last year’s region title, has yet to post a win this season.
In the Timberwolves’ last outing, they were defeated 35-21 by Irmo. Curtis expects a “hungry” team waiting for the Wildcats in Red Bank.
“They might be 4-4 but could very easily be 6-2 and were in the game with Irmo into the 4th quarter as well,” he said. “Dutch Fork is the only game they haven’t really been in, but we weren’t either. It’s going to be a heck of a battle and Coach Pelham has done a great job after losing so many starters from last year’s (state) runner-up team. He’s going to have them ready.”
Both teams have players who were selected to post-season All-Star Games. Defensive back Devin Geronomi will play in the Dec. 21 Shrine Bowl at Spartanburg High School, while teammate offensive lineman Donovan Sims and Lexington linebacker Matt McAulay will play in the Touchstone Energy Bowl at Doug Shaw Stadium in Myrtle Beach on the same date.
For now, the focus is the remaining two games and the post-season.
“I think we are well-rested for sure, but also had a really good week of practice and are itching to get back out there,” Lexington head coach Nick Pelham said. “Huge game against a very talented White Knoll team, who win or lose, will definitely help prepare us for playoff teams.”
Another region matchup as River Bluff playing host to Dutch Fork. The Gators are 0-8 all-time against the Silver Foxes and have lost by an average of 42.25 points.
They are coming off a 30-8 win over Chapin two weeks ago. Junior running back Hayden Myers is 63 yards shy of 1,000 yards on the season. A win would put the Gators in position to clinch the region title next week at archrival Lexington.
Indians complete
a busy stretch
The Gilbert football team completed a 4-game schedule in 15 days with this past Saturday’s 31-18 win at Airport.
Running back Jaylen Jay rushed for three touchdowns and quarterback Connor James threw a 34-yard touchdown pass by Tsazi James. The Indians went 3-1 during that stretch, the lone loss coming four days earlier when South Aiken rallied from a 7-point deficit to win 35-28.
The Indians (4-4, 3-2) can still finish in third place in Region 4-4A with a win in their final two games. This Friday they play host to Gray Collegiate who have won five straight games and close at winless Aiken.
“We’re going to have a chance to play in the playoffs and having Gray come here, a really good football team, a very well-coached team to come here and play and have an opportunity to compete,” Gilbert head coach Ozzie Exume said. “We haven’t played our best ball yet and that’s something we’re kind of looking forward to with us playing a game where both our offense and defense are settled in and playing. So, I’m hoping that’s on Friday and we’re going to have a good week of practice and take care of it. But I’m really excited for a chance to play again.”
Region titles on the line
A couple of high-profile region matchups will take place this Friday.
There’s a matchup at Doug Bennett Stadium between host team Newberry (5-3, 3-0) and Swansea (7-2, 2-1). The Bulldogs clinch the region title outright with a victory, while the Tigers can share it with a win while earning the top seed for the playoffs.
Newberry is riding a 3-game winning streak following last Friday’s 45-20 win over Keenan. Quarterback Kenton Caldwell threw three touchdowns to three different receivers and rushed for two scores.
After falling to previously winless Silver Bluff a week earlier, Swansea got 215 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Teysean Charley in a 21-7 win over Fox Creek. This matches the program’s most wins since 2014.
Over at Bettis Herlong Stadium at Matthew Field, it’s “One Versus Two” in Class 2A with first place in Region 2-2A on the line between two unbeatens.
Saluda (7-0, 3-0) and Batesburg-Leesville (8-0, 3-0) resume its longstanding rivalry on Friday. Last Friday, the Tigers held off Strom Thurmond 35-25 to avenge last year’s 48-3 loss and winning in the series at home for the first time since 2003.
Brayden Williams rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns to lead Saluda. He also had a Herculean run on third and inches late in the contest in which he ran up the middle, broke out of a pack of tacklers and sprinted downfield for a 39-yard gain.
“We needed a yard, but I wanted more,” he said.
This set up a 40-yard touchdown run by Tristan Daniels with less than two minutes left to clinch the win.
Meanwhile, Batesburg-Leesville shut out Pelion 48-0 to continue its best start since 2000. Quarterback Tanner Watkins had 217 total yards and three touchdowns and Amadre Wooden rushed for 156 yards and two scores to lead the Panthers.
The defense held Pelion to 124 fotal yards, 21 rushing, and forced two turnovers. It was the Panthers’ second straight shutout and fifth on the season.
Saluda clinches the region with a win, while Batesburg-Leesville needs a victory this week and next week against Strom Thurmond to claim it outright. A win over the Tigers, but a loss to Rebels creates a 3-way tie for first place to be decided by a region tiebreaker.
In other scores, Mid-Carolina was shut out 42-0 by Chester and American Leadership was blanked 56-0 by Ninety-Six.
S.C. PREP FOOTBALL MEDIA POLL
Class 5A
1. Dutch Fork (17) (7-0)
2. Northwestern (1) (9-0)
3. Summerville (9-0)
4. Irmo (8-0)
5. Sumter (8-0)
6. Spartanburg (6-1)
7. Gaffney (6-1)
8. Hillcrest (7-1)
9. JL Mann (6-2)
10. River Bluff (7-1)
Others receiving votes: TL Hanna, Dorman, Boiling Springs, Catawba Ridge, Greenwood, Clover
Class 4A
1. Westside (18) (7-0)
2. Daniel (7-1)
3. South Pointe (7-2)
4. South Florence (7-2)
5. Hartsville (7-1)
6. May River (7-1)
7. North Augusta (7-1)
8. Wren (6-1)
9. Seneca (8-1)
10. AC Flora (7-2)
Others receiving votes: Gray Collegiate, Greer; Bishop England; Richland Northeast
Class 3A
1. Belton-Honea Path (12) (8-1)
2. Mountain View Prep (6) (8-0)
3. Loris (8-1)
4. Dillon (7-2)
5. Woodruff (6-1)
6. Oceanside Collegiate (6-3)
7. Marlboro County (7-2)
8. Orangeburg-Wilkinson (7-2)
9. Swansea (7-2)
10. Powdersville (5-3)
Others receiving votes: Newberry; St. Joseph’s; Keenan
Class 2A
1. Batesburg-Leesville (11) (8-0)
2. Saluda (6) (7-0)
3. Barnwell (1) (8-1)
4. Fairfield Central (7-1)
5. Clinton (6-2)
6. Manning (8-1)
7. Hampton County (7-2)
8. Philip Simmons (7-2)
9. Strom Thurmond (5-2)
10. Woodland (7-2)
Dropped out: None
Others receiving votes: Central, Andrews
RPI RATINGS
Division I
(Upper State)
1.Dutch Fork, 7-0, 0.86230, 2. Spartanburg, 6-1, 0.76799, 3. River Bluff, 7-1, 0.71766, 4. JL Mann, 6-2, 0.69060, 5. Lexington, 5-3, 0.64505, 6. Boiling Springs, 5-2, 0.61839, 7. Clover, 6-3, 0.60427, 8. Dorman, 5-3, 0.60012, 9. Blythewood, 6-3, 0.56370, 10. Rock Hill, 5-5, 0.55063, 11. J.F. Byrnes, 3-5, 0.50899 Mauldin, 2-6, 0.36005, 12. Wade Hampton, 0-7, 0.18146
(Lower State)
1. Summerville, 9-0, 0.79045, 2. Sumter, 8-0, 0.74792, 3. Ridge View, 5-3, 0.64150, 4. James Island, 6-3, 0.61407, 5. Ashley Ridge, 6-3, 0.59774, 6. Carolina Forest, 4-3-1, 0.56675, 7. Fort Dorchester, 5-4, 0.52885, 8. West Ashley, 4-5, 0.47636, 9. Stratford, 4-5, 0.46697, 10. Wando, 4-5, 0.43045, 11. Cane Bay, 1-7, 0.30064, 12. Spring Valley, 0-9, 0.29078, 13. Stall, 0-8, 0.24091
Division II
(Upper State)
1.Northwestern, 9-0, 0.82032, 2. Gaffney, 6-1, 0.72599, 3. TL Hanna, 6-2, 0.66066, 4. Hillcrest, 7-1, 0.65533, 5. Greenwood, 6-2, 0.61888, 6. Catawba Ridge, 7-2, 0.61365, 7. Riverside, 4-3, 0.54554 8. Indian Land, 5-4, 0.48251, 9. Eastside, 4-3, 0.46149, 10. Woodmont, 2-6 ,0.41322, 11. Nation Ford, 1-8, 0.36377, 12. Greenville, 1-7, 0.34569, 13. Fort Mill, 1-7, 0.32326, 14. Easley, 1-7, 0.32369
(Lower State)
1.Irmo, 8-0, 0.81999, 2. West Florence, 6-3, 0.60689, 3. Chapin, 4-4, 0.60022, 4. White Knoll, 4-4, 0.58711, 5. Goose Creek, 5-3, 0.58686, 6. Berkeley, 5-4, 0.53913, 7. Westwood, 5-4, 0.52112 , 8. Myrtle Beach, 4-4, 0.49774, 9. Lugoff-Elgin, 4-6, 0.45234, 10. Lucy Beckham, 4-5, 0.44693, 11. Socastee, 3-5, 0.43563, 12. North Myrtle Beach, 3-4, 0.40963, 13. Conway, 1-7, 0.30356, 14. St. James, 0-8, 0.22422
CLASS 4A
(Upper State)
1.Westside, 7-0, 0.82969, 2. Daniel, 7-1, 0.68015, 3. Seneca, 7-1, 0.66951, 4. South Pointe, 7-2, 0.66785, 5. Wren, 6-1, 0.63970, 6. AC Flora. 7-2, 0.63292, 7. Greer 5-3, 0.61752, 8. Camden, 6-3, 0.61114, 9. Richland Northeast, 7-2, 0.60490, 10. Fountain Inn, 4-4, 0.54313, 11. Emerald, 4-4, 0.49819, 12. Pickens, 3-5, 0.46884, 13. Lancaster, 3-6, 0.43224, 14. Berea, 3-5, 0.42235, 14. Dreher, 3-6, 0.41426, 16. Blue Ridge, 3-5, 0.40326, 17. Laurens, 1-7, 0.39287, 18. York, 2-7, 0.36981, 19. Travelers Rest, 1-6, 0.28879, 20. Southside, 0-8, 0.20753
(Lower State)
1.Bishop England, 7-2, 0.69644, 2. South Florence, 6-2, 0.67987, 3. Hartsville, 7-1-1, 0.67469, 4. North Augusta. 7-1, 0.67052, 5. May River, 7-1, 0.65960, 6. Gray Collegiate, 6-2, 0.63513, 7. Hilton Head Island, 6-2, 0.60638, 8. Bluffton, 5-3, 0.54004, 9. Crestwood. 4-5, 0.52664, 10. Darlington. 4-5, 0.49769, 11. Gilbert, 4-4, 0.48336, 12. Lower Richland, 5-5, 0.47485, 13. South Aiken. 3-5, 0.47140, 14. Midland Valley, 4-5, 0.44881, 15. Beaufort, 2-7, 0.39461, 16. Lakewood, 2-7, 0.38327, 17. Brookland-Cayce, 2-7, 0.38143, 18. Airport, 1-7, 0.33141, 19. Wilson, 1-8, 0.30641, 20. Colleton County, 1-8, 0.30598, 21. Aiken, 0-8, 0.22463
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
(All Games Start at 7:30 p.m.)
American Leadership Academy at Pelion
Batesburg-Leesville at Saluda
Gray Collegiate at Gilbert
Eau Claire at Mid-Carolina
Swansea at Newberry
Dutch Fork at River Bluff
Lexington at White Knoll
Photos by Thomas Grant Jr.
Feature photo – Gilbert running back Trevon Williamson with the carry against Airport
