AAAAAA No. 4 Cavaliers hoping for another big game from running back Nick Means

Hanahan junior Tripp Gallus (6-5, 230) the SCHSL Class AAA Player of the Week. (Photo courtesy Cyril Samonte)

Emerald team leaders with Head Coach Dubose(L-R) Desiray Christian, Colesson Mairino, Messiah Simpkins, Beau Hite, Tyrell Cloud, and Johnsiah Javiner.

Matchups listed by classifications as well as out-of-state matchups

Stratford senior Jayden Lee scores on a 24 yard TD catch in the 2nd Quarter against Goose Creek.

Last week 82-31 for a 72.6% correct!

Updated as of 9/13/26.

Latest polling updated 9/13/26.

Berkeley senior QB Henry Rivers continues to put up impressive stats.

Northwood Academy senior QB Kevin Johnson after the 2025 state title game.

Dillon shuts out Marion 45-0; Barnwell's Pickens shines on offense, defense in Warhorses' victory

Dorman visiting Gaffney, South Pointe traveling to Rock Hill other big matchups

Ousmane Dirra blocks for quarterback Mesiah Rivers during the Patriots’ game against Berkeley.

Senior Eli Pressley is one of the anchors for the Green Wave defense.

AAA Player of the Week: Loris junior QB Ayden Scott (6-2, 190) passed 344 yards and 4 TDs last week. Photo courtesy of Marissa DaPonte.

Matchups listed by classifications as well as out-of-state matchups

Doodle's Doodle was 89-40 last week, how did your team do?

Irmo senior Nate Carson, committed to South Carolina, an elite prospect on the O-Line.

Dutch Fork senior QB Jaxon Knotts returns after passing the 2,000-yard mark last season.

Charles (Chaz) Breland of Class A Bamberg-Ehrhardt is the only kicker/punter on the publication’s 2027 Top 100 Football Prospects list.

Irmo senior DE Jaiden Bryant (6-4, 246), a 5-star recruit, originally committed to LSU in January but flipped to the Miami Hurricanes.

Defensive Backs like Irmo senior Jamar Grissett In SC getting looks from colleges all across the nation.

Hammond senior Jackson Ross. (6-4, 215)

Gray Collegiate’s Jack Armstrong (6-2, 265), a Citadel commit, plays on the offensive line as well, and had 37 tackles, eight for loss, two sacks and three hurries for the War Eagles in 2025.

The HSSR congratulates the team on their return to high school football and their first SCISA varsity football win since 1979.

Hanahan junior QB Tripp Gallus (6-5, 230) having strong early season results this year.

Denmark-Olar Viking football program looking to make great strides this season.

Northwood Academy senior Drew Wolfe (6-1, 165) returns its top receiver from last season, this photo from the 2025 SCISA state title game.

WA's senior RB Grant Small (5-11, 185) carries the ball. Photo by Mara Feagin.

Ethan Moody is a dedicated senior student-athlete challenging himself academically, and as a football and baseball player for the Dillon Christian School.

Lily King is a senior four-sport athlete at Dillon Christian School, where she plays Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, and cheers.

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Gaffney —After two impressive Gaffney wins, to start the 2026 season, over Spartanburg (24-20) and J.L. Mann (43-10) it just felt right to rank the realigned Class AAAA Indians number one until further notice. This week the Indians are hosting Lancaster (2-0) team who have wins over Chester (49-21) and York to start the season (30-23). “Lancaster is on a roll having defeated two quality teams,” said head Gaffney coach Donnie Littlejohn, starting his second season as the head coach at his alma mater. “We are anticipating a very competitive game with them. “ Coach Littlejohn is a native of Gaffney and former outstanding player for the Indians. “We know what the expectations are from our very supportive community and it is our goal to win the class room first and foremost, win in the weight room, and then go win on the football field,” said Coach Littlejohn. “It is our strong goal to keep working hard and getting our 19 th state championship trophy on display at Gaffney High School is our focus this season. We just need to stay healthy and keep believing.” Coming into the season Gaffney was looking for a new QB due to graduation losses. Coach Littlejohn has been very pleased with sophomore Corey Taylor (6-0,170) who transferred from Goose Creek to Gaffney two years ago. “He is doing a great job managing the game and while he is more of a drop back passer, he does run a 4.7, and he can use his feet when he needs to,” said Coach Littlejohn. “We have playmakers around him so we are not asking him to feel like he has to win a game by himself. We just need for him to not put us in negative plays and to not do something that will cause us to lose a game.” The transfer of former Irmo RB Amire White (5-11, 200) filled a need in the back field for the Indians. After two games White has rushed for 212 yards on 32 carries with two TD’s. Coach Littlejohn is the chairman of the Kendarius “ Peanut ” Bailiey (6-0,215) appreciation club. “I am getting ready to nominate him for the AAAA Defensive Player of the Week for his play against JL Mann last week,” said Coach Littlejohn. “He makes plays on either side of the football. When he makes up his mind to shut you down, on either side of the ball, he is going to blow up plays. I still say he is the best football player in the state of South Carolina.” Bailey is a running back on offense and a LB on defense. Against J.L. Mann, Bailey had four solo tackles, two assists, 1 pile on –got to the ball on every play, 1.5 sacks, q pass break-up, 1 QB KO, 1 Big hit, 4 QB pressures, 0.5 Big play for a total of 29 defensive points. Gaffney’s top WR’s after two games are junior with TE Hank Davidson with four catches for 89 yards and two TD’s. Senior HB-TE Trason Smith has three catches for27 yards and junior RB Dylan McKey has 9 catches for 40 yards. The Gaffney OL is anchored by senior LT CJ Brooks (6-5, 320) who is committed to UAB. The RT is senior Landon Bailey , and the RG is junior Raashad Fitzpatrick. The LG is junior Derrius Littlejohn (6-0,250) who has been a three-year starter. The center is senior and three- year starter Tre Dawkins . Sophomore Tripp Peltry also sees a lot of action in the OL. The defensive line is a three- man front. Senior Marquell Smalls (6-5, 260) is one DT, Jeronte Kimbrough is a nose guard, while Sidney Lattimore (6-0,215) is a DE. Soph Kiante Morgan is a key reserve on the DL. The linebackers are AJ Logan , TY McGill , Peanut Bailey , and senior Karein Good. The secondary is led by highly touted junior Zion Dawkins (5-11, 175) who currently holds offers from Virginia Tech , Duke , and Syracuse among others. Money Monroe, Kareem Shaw, and Ayden Montgomery round out the back end. Gerado (Gu Gu) Segura is the teams place kicker while Shaw is the punter. Coach Littlejohn also wanted to give a shout-out to two number varsity assistant coaches. They are RB coach Jason Winstead , formerly head coach at Goose Creek High along with new specialty team coach Brandon Thoms .  Gaffney also has one of the best football stats perrons in the state in veteran Kinnett Phillips.

By David Shelton Senior Writer Walterboro – Rome was not built in a day and the Colleton County football program will need time to grow into a consistently competitive entity.  The man put in charge of the rebuilding project is Bradley Adams , who was hired earlier this year. He inherits a program that has struggled to find any measure of success over the last decade, posting only 22 victories since 2016. However, the program has experienced some success before and Adams is working to instill a level of confidence, day by day. “I feel like we have made some strides but it’s a long process,” said Adams, who has previous successes at Woodruff, Union County and Georgetown. “It’s been a lot of teaching and getting them to understand what we have to do to get the program where we want it to be. I think little by little this team is understanding and they have been working hard. Our commitment level has improved and that will continue as we have some success on the scoreboard.” The Cougars opened the season with a loss to Hampton County. Adams says the team responded well in the practices that followed the loss. “We did some positive things in that game and we pointed those things out,” Adams said. “I thought we came back out and practiced well, put in some good work. We’re learning how to prepare each week and just trying to be 1-0 each week.” Offensively, Adams has handed the reins to junior Keno Nixon at quarterback. Working as a trio at running back are Christian Brown , Trevy Manigo and Ja’Kell Jenkins . At wide receiver are Justus Jamison , Keandre Allen , Kareem Kelly and Galil Frazier . Along the offensive line are Chase Jones and Jaden Jenkins at tackle, another Jaden Jenkins and Jeremy Bright at the guards, and center Christopher Corbett . “I think the line is making good progress and the better they can become as a unit, the better we are going to be offensively,” Adams said. On the defensive line, Ziair Holmes returns as an all-region performer last season. He is joined by Melvin Ancrum and Jermaine Green . O’keefe Martin returns at linebacker, joined by Andrew Yates and Shykeem Williams . Frazier and Jestin Fryar are the starting corners, with Christian Mitchell and Manigo at safety. “We are still a work in progress, moving guys around to get the best combinations on the field,” Adams said. “We have some underclassmen that are going to help us grow as a program. We are seeing positive results in the weight room and that’s going to be huge for us as we move forward in the future.” Colleton County was scheduled to play Woodland on Sept. 4.

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Dillon Wildcats sitting at 2-1 with a home game against Cheraw coming up.

Harrison tosses four touchdown passes to lead Dillon to a 32-28 win over Cheraw

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New Rankings as of 6 Sept 2026!