NOVEMBER 1 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP
Batesburg-Leesville beats Saluda 28-7 in battle of unbeatens
Saluda – The Batesburg-Leesville High School football team went on the road to beat Saluda 28-7 on Friday in a battle of unbeatens.
Saluda, ranked No. 1 in the High School Sports Report AA poll, dropped to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in Region 2. Third-ranked B-L improved to 9-0 and 4-0 in region play.
Amadre Wooden ran for 175 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries to lead the Panthers, who improved to 9-0 for the first time since 2000. Tanner Watkins completed 13 of 18 passes for 181 yards and two scores with KD Whitt catching five passes for 55 yards and the two TDs. Jamerius Clark had six catches for 86 yards. Wooden also had a 31-yard catch.
Drew Arant led Saluda, which fell to 8-1, by completing 9 of 16 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown. The TD pass went to Victavis Gaines, who had three catches for 44 yards.
Tristan Daniels ran for 49 yards on 10 carries while Jah Foulks had two catches for 52 yards.
The Panthers can wrap up the region title when it plays at Strom Thurmond on Friday. Saluda will be taking on American Leadership Academy. A Strom Thurmond win and a Saluda victory would leave a 3-way tie for first place.
Hartsville 54
South Florence 35
Kelleytown – Hartsville won the Region 5-AAAA title with a 54-35 victory over South Florence on Friday at Kelleytown Stadium.
The Red Foxes, ranked seventh in AAAA, led 34-28 entering the fourth quarter before outscoring SFHS 20-7 to secure their first region title since 2018. HHS improved to 8-1-1 overall and finished 6-0 in the region. Eighth-ranked South Florence fell to 7-3 overall and finished 5-1 in the region.
Da’Marion Coe took a kickoff back 75 yards for a touchdown after having the ball pitched to him by Hakeem Watters to lead Hartsville. Coe later returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown.
Zion Gilbert led the Bruins by rushing for 124 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. Tre’ Leonard had 19 carries for 115 yards and a TD.
Lennix Valarie had six catches for 86 yards, while Jayden Sellers had two catches for 40 yards and a score.
Gerkiem Hall led the South Florence defense with 12 tackles. Avan Rosado and Warnell Prew both had 10 tackles.
Both teams next play again on November 15 in the first round of the state playoffs.
Dillon 56
Georgetown 0
Dillon -- Dillon scored 36 points in the first quarter on the way to a 56-0 victory over Georgetown on Friday at Dillon Memorial Stadium.
The Wildcats, ranked fourth in AAA, finished the regular season at 8-2 and a 4-1 mark in Region 5. Georgetown finished 2-7 and 0-5.
Rahmond Hamilton completed 5 of 6 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns while running for a touchdown. Zamaurious Robertson had two catches for 80 yards and a TD, and EJan Green had two catches for 60 yards and a score.
Trayvon Brown, Nigel Gillespie Bruce and Jalen McGill each ran for a touchdown.
Jotavious McAllister led the defense with two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Manning 24
Lake City 18
Lake City – Manning finished the regular season with a 9-1 record by beating Lake City 24-18 on Friday at the LCHS field.
The Monarchs, ranked eighth in AA, finished 6-0 in winning Region 7. Lake City is 4-6 and finished 3-3 in region play.
Jeffery Ceasar led the Monarchs with six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown and a 79-yard kickoff return for a score.
Jaylnn Coard scored two touchdowns while rushing for 23 yards on seven carries. Ja’Rae Mitchell completed 9 of 14 passes for 118 yards and a TD while rushing for 38 yards on eight carries.
Lamar Hilton had 13 tackles to lead the defense. Coard had seven tackles, two TFLs and forced a fumble, and Jordan Thompson had an interception.
Sumter 65
Westwood 28
Sumter – Sumter improved to 9-0 on the season with a 65-28 victory over Westwood on Friday at Memorial Stadium.
The Gamecocks, ranked third in the AAAAA Division I poll, are 5-0 in Region 5-AAAAA. They will travel to Columbia to take on Ridge View for the region title on Friday.
Westwood fell to 5-5 and finished region play at 3-3.
SHS led 37-14 at halftime and 58-14 after three quarters. Sumter rolled up 552 yards of total offense.
John Peeples rushed for 120 yards and two TDs on 12 carries, while Kam Fortune had seven carries for 111 yards and three TDs. Franklin Richardson had four carries for 66 yards and a touchdown while completing all five of his pass attempts for 55 yards and two scores.
Chris Bentley had two catches for 56 yards and a score, and Cory Bailey had a 20-yard TD catch.
Jeremiah Burson led the defense with 17 tackles and two TFLs. Tymaries Durant had 12 tackles, one TFL and a fumble recovery, while Anthony Addison had 11 tackles, 2 ½ sacks and 2 ½ TFLs.
Northside Christian 48
Camden Military 14
Lexington – Northside Christian Academy concluded the regular season with a 9-1 record after beating Camden Military 48-14 on Friday at the NCA field.
Sam Burks led the Crusaders, ranked third in the SCISA AAA poll, by rushing for 193 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. JR Kinard had 104 yards on eight carries. Jared Jeffrey had two catches for 27 yards and a TD.
Logan Taylor forced a fumble and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown. He also had seven tackles. Hudson Shick had eight tackles, three sacks and three TFLs, while Mani Lee had five tackles, two sacks and two TFLs. Kinard, Burks, Trevor Hoffman, Jack Knight, Kai Finkheimer and Zachary Gebhard all had two TFLs.
Northside Christian will play host to First Baptist in the first round of the state playoffs on Friday.
Bethesda Academy 40
St. John’s Christian 15
Savannah, Ga. – Bethesda Academy finished the regular season with a 7-3 record by beating St. John’s Christian Academy 40-15 on Friday at the BA field.

Jordan Turner
completed 5 of 8 passes for 109 yards and ran for 46 yards and a TD to lead the Blazers.
Assir Best had seven carries for 92 yards and three touchdowns.
Jordan Cheever had eight carries for 47 yards and a TD. Raleigh Wesley had three catches for 76 yards and two carries for 40 yards.
Jeffrey Armstrong had six tackles to lead the defense, while Isaiah Reynolds had two TFLs.
Kingstree 44
Atlantic Collegiate 0
Myrtle Beach -- Tyleek Dukes ran for over 200 yards and scored 22 points to lead Kingstree to a 44-0 victory over Atlantic Collegiate Academy on Friday at the ACA field.
Dukes had 204 yards and scored three touchdowns on 16 carries. He also ran for a pair of 2-point conversions. He also had a 21-yard reception,
Javian McCrea had 1 carries for 86 yards, quarterback Makhi Shaw had 11 carries for 73 yards and a score, and Chiquan Giles had eight carries for 63 yards.
Xavier Dukes led the defense, returning an interception 53 yards for a touchdown. He also had four tackles. McCrea returned an interception 65 yards for a score, and Maleek Dukes had seven tackles.
The Blazers will play at Whale Branch in the first round of the state playoffs.
Williamsburg 45
Dorchester 22
Kingstree -- Williamsburg Academy won the SCISA Region 1-Class A title with a 45-22 victory over Dorchester on Friday at the WA field.
The Stallions, ranked first in the Class A poll, improved to 8-1 overall and finished 3-0 in region play. Fourth-ranked DA fell to 7-2 overall and finished 2-1 in the region.
Grant Small scored five touchdowns for the Stallions. Small had 13 carries for 79 yards and three touchdowns while catching two passes for 93 yards and two scores.
Micah Balder completed 10 of 14 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 39 yards on 10 carries.
John Whetsell ran for 107 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. John Quattlebaum completed 17 of 26 passes for 216 yards and two scores. Abe Shuler had six catches for 123 yards and two scores, while Wynn Kuskey had six catches for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Chantz Judy had nine tackles to lead the defense. Warren Judy had seven and Reed Almers six.
Williamsburg will play host to defending Class A state champion Patrick Henry on Friday in the first round of the state playoffs. Dorchester will be at home against Colleton Prep.
East Clarendon 42
Marion 22
Turbeville – East Clarendon secured the No. 2 seed from Region 7 in the AA state playoffs with a 42-22 victory over Marion on Friday at Shad Hall Field.
The Wolverines improved to 7-3 overall and finished 4-2 in region play. MHS finished 1-9 and 0-6.
Colby McKenzie led the defense with 10 tackles, two of them for a loss, while Hunter Mixon had nine tackles and two TFLs. Mike Woods had four TFLs while Jaylon Barron, Xavier Smith, Jesse Floyd and Jordan Wright all had two TFLs.
Whit Nesbitt, Dawson Beard and Picasso Brown all had an interception.
Mixon led the offense, carrying the ball 11 times fo 122 yards and a touchdown. Syrus Brown ran for 89 yards and two TDs on 15 carries.
Quarterback Takoda Cornelius came off the bench to complete 5 of 9 passes for 109 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 56 yards and two TDs on eight carries.
Beard had five catches for 61 yards, while Nesbitt had three catches for 69 yards and a score.
East Clarendon will play host to Andrews in the first round of the state playoffs on November 15.
Wilson Hall 45
First Baptist 7
Sumter -- Wilson Hall closed out its regular season with a 9-1 record by beating First Baptist 45-7 on Friday at Spencer Field.
Cameron Wilsey ran for 99 yards on eight carries for the Barons, ranked second in SCISA AAA. Ben McLaurin had 11 carries for 69 yards and two scores.
Jackson Bonser booted a 48-yard field goal, was 6-for-6 on extra points and had seven touchbacks.
Wilson Hall will play host to John Paul II in the first round of the AAA state playoffs on Friday. First Baptist will play at Northside Christian Academy.
Camden 44
A.C. Flora 21
Camden – Camden secured the No. 2 seed from Region 3-AAAA with a 44-21 win over A.C. Flora on Friday at Zemp Stadium.
The 14th-ranked Bulldogs improved to 7-3 while the 11th-ranked Falcons dropped to 7-3. Both finished 4-2 in region play.
Wyatt Thompson led the Bulldogs by rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown and completing 4 of 5 passes for 86 yards and two TDs. Treyvon Wright ran for 77 yards and two scores
Logan Freeman had six tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown. Lavonte Williams had seven tackles.
Dutch Fork 41
River Bluff 14
Lexington – Ethan Offing threw for over 400 yards with four touchdown passes to lead Dutch Fork to a 41-14 victory over River Bluff on Friday at The Swamp.
The Silver Foxes, ranked first in the AAAAA Division I poll, improved to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in Region 3-AAAAA. Fifth-ranked River Bluff fell to 7-2 and 2-2.
Offing connected on 20 of 27 passes for 417 yards. Boykin Bickley had seven catches for 187 yards and a score, Maurice Anderson had six catches for 108 yards and a TD, and KJ Smith had four catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns.
Anderson also ran for 71 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
Julian Walker led the defense with 11 tackles, two TFLs and one sack. Josh Smith had eight tackles, a sack and two TFLs, and Ethan Moze had two TFLs.
Blaine Fender had 12 tackles and two TFLs to lead the Gators. Griffin Lindler had six tackles and two TFLs.
Hayden Myers ran for 106 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries.
Dutch Fork will play host to AAAAA Division II No. 1 and undefeated Irmo for the region title on Friday. River Bluff will play at Lexington.
Northwestern 45
Indian Land 0
Lancaster – Northwestern finished the regular season undefeated with a 45-0 victory over Indian Land on Friday at Indian Land Stadium.
The Trojans, ranked second in AAAAA Division II, improved to 10-0 and won the Region 3 title with a 6-0 record. Indian Land fell to 5-5 and 2-4.
Zyier Gordon Miles ran for 101 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. Quarterback Finley Polk completed 14 of 18 passes for 196 yards and two TDs and ran for a score.
Jayden Nichols had five catches for 64 yards and a TD, and TaDarrian Knox had four catches for 38 yards and a TD.
Dmitri Putnam had five tackles and 2 ½ tackles for loss to lead the defense.
Both teams now await to find out their playoff destinations with the first round set to begin on November 15.
