Photo by GoFlashWin.com
By Thomas Grant, Jr.
The regular season in high school football starts with Rivalry Thursday.
A matchup involving district rivals is scheduled the day before Halloween in Lexington County.
Over in The Swamp, River Bluff (4-5, 1-3) and Lexington (3-6, 1-3) will face off for the 12th time. The Wildcats hold a 7-4 edge in the series, but lost the last meeting 24-10 at home.
The Lexington School District One foes look to secure fourth place in Region 4-5A and are coming off double-digit defeats. The Gators were shut out 37-0 by Dutch Fork to drop to 0-11 all-time in the series.
Lexington was defeated 37-6 by White Knoll. Touchstone Energy Cooperative Bowl selection Caleb Geronomi had a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown and rushed for a touchdown.
Quarterback Jhais McKiever also had two touchdowns and running back Tiyan Fanning had a rushing score. The win snapped a 2-game losing streak for the Timberwolves (6-3, 2-2), who also clinched third place in Region 4-5A.
White Knoll closes out the regular season the same night at home against winless Chapin.
In Class 4A, Gilbert (5-4, 4-2) closes out the regular season against Gray Collegiate Academy. The War Eagles clinched the Region 4-4A title last week as former Indian running back Trevon Williamson rushed for 231 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Aiken.
Gilbert routed Airport 55-3 last week as quarterback Kitt McLauchlin threw for 140 yards and three touchdowns. Chandler Guthrie had two touchdown catches and Jiraiya Staley rushed for 132 yards and two scores.
The Indians need a win or a Midland Valley loss to North Augusta to clinch third place in Region 4-4A.
Region title on the line
On Halloween night, the Dutch Fork/Irmo showdown is not the only contest around Lake Murray with region title implications.
Undefeated Newberry (9-0, 3-0) plays host to Swansea (8-1, 2-1) for the Region 4-3A title. The Bulldogs can secure a perfect regular season, while the Tigers can force a 3-way tiebreaker should they win and Silver Bluff defeats Fox Creek.
Newberry is coming off a 37-6 win over W.J. Keenan. With starting quarterback Kenton Caldwell out with an injury, freshman Sincere Glymph filled in and produced three touchdowns.
Swansea returned from a bye week following the loss to Silver Bluff with a 24-13 win over Fox Creek. Dante Caldwell rushed for three touchdowns in the win.
New rushing King
Running back Amadre Wooden made more history for Batesburg-Leesville last week.
The senior became the program’s all-time leading rusher in the 60-14 win over Pelion.
Playing in front of a statewide audience watching the WACH 57 Sonic Friday Night Rivals Game of the Week, Wooden rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns. The total helped him break the career record of 4,692 yards set by his uncle Terrance Wilson.
This was the sixth straight game in which Wooden has rushed for 200 or more yards. He currently sits at 1,638 yards and 21 touchdowns on the season.
Fellow senior K.D. Whitt accounted for four touchdowns. This included his second kickoff return for a score this season and 17th career touchdown of 50 or more yards.
Whitt needs 125 receiving yards to become Batesburg-Leesville’s career leader.
Batesburg-Leesville (6-3, 3-1) can secure second place in Region 2-2A with a home win Friday over Saluda. The Tigers (5-4, 2-2) are coming off a 20-14 loss to region front-runner Strom Thurmond.
RPI RATINGS
CLASS 5A DIVISION I
(Lower State)
Carolina Forest, 8-1, 0.70650, James Island, 8-1, 0.68427, Stratford, 8-1, 0.68369, Sumter, 8-1, 0.67157, Summerville, 7-2, 0.63234. Ashley Ridge, 5-3, 0.58677, River Bluff, 5-4, 0.51004, Fort Dorchester, 4-5, 0.49345, Lexington, 3-6, 0.48490, Wando, 4-5, 0.47583, Cane Bay, 3-6, 0.46038, West Ashley, 2-6, 0.40900, Stall, 1-8, 0.34323
CLASS 5A DIVISION II
(Lower State)
Irmo, 9-0, 0.76985, Berkeley, 7-2, 0.63452, White Knoll, 6-3, 0.62046, Myrtle Beach, 6-3, 0.59975, Lucy Beckham, 5-3, 0.58727, Westwood, 6-3, 0.52585, Lugoff-Elgin, 5-5, 0.50601, West Florence, 4-5, 0.50459, St. James, 4-5, 0.50137, North Myrtle Beach, 3-6, 0.42879, Socastee, 2-7, 0.40988, Conway, 2-7, 0.38504, Chapin, 0-9, 0.34357, Goose Creek, 0-9, 0.30190
CLASS 4A
(Lower State)
South Florence, 8-1, 0.68808, Hilton Head Island, 8-1, 0.67120, North Augusta, 8-1, 0.66691, Gray Collegiate, 7-2, 0.64540, Bluffton, 7-2, 0.64384, Hartsville, 6-3, 0.60510, Midland Valley, 7-2, 0.57746, May River, 7-2, 0.57806, Bishop England, 6-3, 0.57331, Crestwood, 5-4, 0.54517, Wilson, 5-4, 0.53931, Lower Richland, 6-4, 0.53768, Gilbert, 4-4, 0.49730, South Aiken, 4-5, 0.47271, Darlington, 3-6, 0.44539, Beaufort, 3-6, 0.43129, Brookland-Cayce, 2-7, 0.41232, Aiken, 2-7, 0.39424, Colleton County, 1-8, 0.36786, Airport, 0-9, 0.31939 and Lakewood, 0-9, 0.31862
S.C. PREP FOOTBALL MEDIA POLL
Class 5A
1. Irmo (18) (9-0), 2. Northwestern (1) (8-1), 3. Dutch Fork (7-1), 4. Greenwood (8-1), 5. Summerville (7-2), 6. James Island (8-1), 7. Indian Land (9-0), 8. TL Hanna (8-1), 9. Sumter (8-1), 10. Dorman (7-2)
Others receiving votes: Ridge View, Stratford, Gaffney, Carolina Forest, White Knoll, Byrnes
Class 4A
1. South Pointe (18) (7-1), 2. South Florence (1) (7-1), 3. AC Flora (8-1), 4. Gray Collegiate (6-2), 5. Daniel (7-1), 6. North Augusta (7-1), 7. Hilton Head Island (7-1), 8. Seneca (8-1), 9. Camden (6-2), 10. Wren (6-2)
