PLAYOFFS WEEK 2 ROUNDUP

Staff reports • November 16, 2025

         Dillon – Dillon High School led 35-0 at halftime on the way to a 42-7 victory over Silver Bluff in the second round of the AAA state playoffs on Friday at the DHS stadium.

 

   The Wildcats, who improved to 9-3 on the season, will go on the road to face defending state champion Oceanside Collegiate Academy in the quarterfinals on November 21.

 

   Silver Bluff finished 7-5.

 

   Khayel Sam Fong-Talia completed 11 of 16 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Wildcats. He also ran for 55 yards on six carries.

 

   Wide receiver Zamaurious Robertson had the two TD receptions among his eight catches for 108 yards.

 

   Daniel Capehart rushed for three touchdowns and 44 yards on six carries.

 

   Dillon’s other touchdown came on a 45-yard interception return by D’Vontae McClam. He also had three tackles, including two tackles for a loss.

 

   Keryien Brown had eight tackles, two TFLs and one quarterback sack. Malachi Nelson had 11 tackles.

 

   Manning 46

   Timberland 24

 

   Manning – Jontavious Canty ran for 233 yards and three touchdowns as Manning reached the quarterfinals of the AA state playoffs with a 46-24 victory over Timberland at Ramsey Stadium.

 

   The Monarchs, who improved to 9-3, will play host to Hampton County on November 21. THS finished the year at 9-3.

 

   Quarterback Lovell Stevenson completed 7 of 10 passes for 67 yards and a score while rushing for 29 yards on six carries. CJ Robinson had three catches for 38 yards and a TD. Lovon Stevenson ran for a score and had two catches for 28 yards.

 

   Defensively, Robinson returned an interception 76 yards for a touchdown. Ethan Lowder was the leading tackler with 15. Lovon Stevenson had nine tackles, Jontavious Canty had eight tackles, and Dontavious Canty had seven.

 

Antaun Faison had 31 carries for 195 yards and two TDs to lead Timberland. Montez Addison had five carries for 55 yards, and Malyk Goodman threw a 20-yard TD pass to Carter Hawkins.

 

Addison led the defense with an interception. Hawkins led in tackles with nine, while Eric Roberts, Caylen Jones and Javion Jenkins had eight tackles apiece.

 

Dutch Fork 42

Boiling Springs 7

 

Irmo – Dutch Fork scored 21 points in the first quarter and rolled to a 42-7 victory over Boiling Springs at Dutch Fork Stadium in the second round of the AAAAA Division I state playoffs.

 

The Silver Foxes, the defending state champions, improved to 9-1 and will play host to Byrnes in the quarterfinals on November 21.

 

Boiling Springs finished 5-7.

 

Quarterback Jaxon Knotts completed 22 of 29 passes for 311 yards and three scores and also ran for a score. Kye Fulton had five catches for 119 yards and a score, Chase Betts had five catches for 57 yards and a score, and Brayden Johnson had six catches for 58 yards. Wyatt Warner had a 27-yard TD catch.

 

Charlie Howell rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown on nine carries an had two catches for 20 yards. Kyle Henry ran for a score.

 

Julian Walker led the Dutch Fork defense with 3 ½ TFLs, 2 ½ sacks and six tackles. Mario Anderson and TJ Gibson each had an interception.

 

Boiling Springs’ only touchdown was a 38-yard pass from Imri Logan to Jaylen Kelley.

 

Ta’mi’jay Brown led the BS defense with seven tackles and a TFL. TJ Collins had four tackles, a sack and a TFL.

 

Clinton 35

Saluda 25

 

Clinton – Clinton trailed 25-21 entering the fourth quarter but scored 14 points to come away with a 35-25 victory over Saluda in the second round of the AA state playoffs at Wilder Stadium.

 

The Red Devils, the defending state champions, improved to 9-3. They will play host to Fairfield Central in a quarterfinal game on November 21.

 

The Tigers finished 6-6.

 

Javen Cook led CHS by rushing for 236 yards and four TDs on 20 carries. Rhett Gilliam scored the other touchdown and had 39 yards on nine carries.

 

Brayden Williams led SHS by completing 13 of 24 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns. He ran for the other score and 98 yards on 14 carries.

 

CJ Springs caught all three TD passes, finishing with five catches for 137 yards. Lane Ashley had 36 yards on four catches, and Ceddion Springs had four catches  for 27 yards,

 

Tristan Daniels ran for 74 yards on 14 carries an caught two passes for 24 yards.

 

   Stratford 40

   River Bluff 33

 

   Goose Creek – Stratford survived a wild fourth quarter to come away with a 40-33 triumph over River Bluff in a second-round game in the AAAAA Division I state playoffs at the SHS field.

 

   The Knights, who improved to 10-1, will play host to James Island in a quarterfinal game on November 21.

 

   River Bluff finished 6-6

 

   Stratford led 26-20 entering the final stanza. The Gators took the lead at 27=26 before Meliq McGowan scored on a 4-yard run then added the 2-point conversion to put SHS up 34-27.

 

   RBHS matched the touchdown to pull within a point. It went for two but didn’t get it. J’Qwan Crosby caught a 50-yard TD pass from Jachin Davis to make it 40-33.

 

   McGowan rushed for 258 yards and three TDs on 21 carries, while Davis rushed for 112 yards and another score on 13 carries. Davis completed 9 of 15 passes for 132 yards and a score.

 

   Crosby had two catches for 74 yards.

 

   Northwestern 42

   Catawba Ridge 7

 

   Rock Hill – Northwestern led just 6-0 at halftime but scored 29 points in the third quarter to go on to a 42-7 victory over Catawba Ridge at District 3 Stadium in the second round of the AAAAA Division II state playoffs.

 

   The Trojans, the defending state champions, improved to 10-1. They will play host to Gaffney in a quarterfinal game on November 21.

 

   NHS’ Kameron Vance returned the second half kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, and Amarian Coleman ran for the 2-point conversion to make it 14-0.

 

   Xavier Means completed 18 of 27 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Trojans. He ran for 28 yards and a TD.

 

   Nigel Smith rushed for 96 yards on 17 carries. Vance had five catches for 55 yards while running for a touchdown. Payton Vining had four catches for 52 yards and a score, and David Flood had two catches for 41 yards and a TD.

 

   Alex Bendt had field goals of 32 and 21 yards for all of Northwestern’s first-half points.

 

   Coleman had 5 ½ tackles and an interception to lead the defense. Kameri McFadden had 5 ½ tackles and two TFLs, and Jayden Baxter had four tackles and a pick.

 

   Mark Blakeney rushed for 96 yards on six carries to lead CR. Will Gambrill completed 12 of 31 passes for 121 yards and a score. Isaiah Thomas caught two passes for 48 yards and the TD, while Colten McCauley had four catches for 56 yards.

 

   Loris 56

   Orangeburg-Wilkinson 20

 

   Loris – Loris remained undefeated with a 56-20 victory over Orangeburg-Wilkinson in the second round of the AAA state playoffs at the LHS field.

 

   The Lions, who improved to 12-0, will go on the road to face Newberry, which is also 12-0, in the quarterfinals on November 21.

 

   O-W finished 10-2.

 

   Deuce Stephens ran for 252 yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries. Quarterback Moon Gerald completed 10 of 20 passes for 97 yards and two TDs while rushing for 56 yards on eight carries.

 

   Mykhai Bell had two catches for 28 yards and a score, Roberick Purcha had three catches for 17 yards and a score and two carries for 30 yards. Khalid Sherman had three catches for 23 yards and four carries for 20 yards.

 

   Loris also scored two defensive touchdowns, Bell recovering a fumble in the end zone and Sherman returning an interception for 46 yards.

 

   Brendan Peoples ran for two of the Bruins’ touchdowns and passed for the other. He completed 15 of 29 passes for 161 yards. Daylin Haltiwanger had five catches for 45 yards and a TD, while Lamarques Hodges had four catches for 61 yards.

SCHSL Release 2026-2028 Realignment Final

By Staff Reports • December 22, 2025
SCHSL Release 2026-2028 Realignment Final Columbia, SC (12-19-25) -- The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) has finalized the classification placement of all schools beginning with the 2026-27 school year. This classification placement will be in effect for two years. The guidelines established by the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee served as the blueprint for schools’ placements. Schools were assigned based on their enrollment count, to include district additions and the 3.0 multiplier. Flexibility, as approved by the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee, was also used with consideration given to geographics and travel. “Appreciation is expressed to those who served on the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee,” said Dr. Jerome Singleton, Commissioner of the SCHSL. “Classification placement of schools is the initial phase of the process. The next step for the League staff is to place the schools into regions in their respective classifications.” The SCHSL’s Executive Committee will meet January 13-14, 2026, to hear appeals regarding the classification placements. The final reclassifications are attached.

Stratford’s Davis Leads South Carolina to 17-7 Win in 89th Shrine Bowl

By David Shelton • December 21, 2025
By David Shelton Senior Writer Spartanburg – Stratford quarterback Jachin Davis threw a pair of touchdown passes and South Carolina defeated North Carolina, 17-7, in the 89 th Shrine Bowl all-star game in Spartanburg on December 20. Davis , named the offensive most valuable player for the Sandlappers, completed 10 of 15 passes for 184 yards in the game. He is headed to Liberty University as an early enrollee. “Great experience and great to get a win,” Davis said. “Playing with all of these great players was something I will never forget.” South Carolina dominated the game defensively, allowing only 136 total yards. The Tarheels completed just five of 19 passes. Stratford running back Maliq McGowan , a late addition to the roster, finished as the leading rusher for South Carolina with 42 yards on nine carries. West Ashley’s Bristol Biegenzahn played on the defensive front for the Sandlappers while Berkeley’s Zion Britt started on the offensive line. Cross safety, and South Carolina signee Caden Ramsey , Berkeley linebacker Gehad Sneed , and Timberland offensive lineman Desmond Green, who is headed to Florida, also played for the Sandlappers. “You win all-star games with defense and our defense was outstanding,” said SC head coach Paul Sutherland , who retired as the head coach at Liberty High after the season. “Glad to get the win for South Carolina. The kids were great. I am very blessed to have had this opportunity.” It took less than 10 seconds for the Sandlappers to score the game’s first touchdown as Davis combined with Dillon receiver Zay Robertson , heading to North Carolina , on an 80-yard bomb on the first play of the game for a quick 7-0 lead. Robertson finished the game with four catches for 131 yards. “He’s a great player,” said Davis of Robertson. “Getting that first touchdown was a tone setter.” South Carolina lost fumbles on their next two possessions, the second miscue leading to North Carolina’s game-tying touchdown after a 23-yard drive. Spartanburg’s Will Love , heading to Virginia Tech , kicked a 35-yard field goal late in the second quarter for a 10-7 halftime lead for the Sandlappers. South Carolina’s last play offensive snap in the game was Davis’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Jude Hall of Christ Church with :59 seconds left on the game clock. Chester linebacker Terry Rayford , who had 11 tackles, was the defensive most valuable player for the Sandlappers. Dorman's Kentavion Anderson and Ridge View's Jordan Best recorded interceptions The win gives South Carolina a 48-34 lead in the series. There have been seven ties.

SCHSL releases proposed reclassification for 2026-27, '27-28 school years

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • December 20, 2025
Proposal has AAAAA going from 54 schools to 40 and not being split into divisions

Hilton Head Christian Overcomes Adversity

By Dennis Brunson • December 19, 2025
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Bluffton – The 2025 football season was an unusual one for the Hilton Head Christian Academy football team. The Eagles, who had won three SCISA state titles in the five previous seasons, got off to a 2-5 start. On top of that, starting quarterback Reid McCollum left the school in the middle of the season. With the reshuffling, Hilton Head Christian lost its first game. However, the Eagles responded with four consecutive wins, including a 42-20 win over Trinity Collegiate in the first round of the AAA state playoffs. The season came to an end the next week with a 50-29 semifinal loss to Wilson Hall . Eagles head coach Ron Peduzzi is happy with the way his players rebounded to finish with a 6-6 record. “I was really proud of our guys, the way they rallied around the team and each other,” Peduzzi said. “They literally battled the second half of the year every play. “It was a very tough season. A lot of guys stood up and elevated their games. They had to stand up and become leaders also, so I was really happy with that.” HHCA had four players selected to the All-Region 1-AAA offensive first team in junior wide receivers Joey Houpt and Jackson Richardson , sophomore wide receiver Sam Strom and senior kick returner Tommy Gehm . Those on the first-team defense were sophomore defensive lineman Hayne Burden , junior linebacker Kres Langhals , sophomore linebacker Chase White and senior linebacker Finn Ussery . Houpt, who was named HHCA’s outstanding offensive contributor, was the leading pass catcher with 69 receptions for 1,313 yards and 13 touchdowns. Richardson had 45 catches for 645 yards and five scores, while Strum had 31 catches for 415 yards and five scores. Gehm returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged 21.1 yards per return on 24 attempts. He returned six punts for 46 yards. Burden, who was named Hilton Head Christian’s outstanding defensive contributor, led the team in tackles with 105, tackles for loss with 13, quarterback sacks with four and quarterback hurries with 21. Langhals, who was the quarterback in the second half of the season, had 39 tackles, five TFLs, 2 ½ sacks, two interceptions, two caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries. White, who received HHCA’s Sledgehammer Award, had 82 tackles, five TFLs, one sack and one interception. Ussery, who received the team’s Captains Award, had 87 tackles, five TFLs, one sack and one interception.. Ussery and Gehm played in the SCISA North-South Seniors All-Star Game, while Houpt, Richardson, Strom, Burden and Langhals played in the Futures contest. Senior running back Hudson Baker , sophomore offensive linemen Caleb Altizer and Josh Koepke and sophomore cornerback Keyvon Aiken were selected second-team All-Region. Baker received the team’s Coaches Award and Burleson Award, and freshman Max Zwilsky earned the Lunchpail Award. Peduzzi believes good things await the Eagles in 2026. “We have a very large sophomore class that will be juniors next year, so I look forward for to next season,” he said. “We do need to elevate the number of players in our program playing, so that’s something we’ll be working on.”

OCA Wins Third Consecutive State Title with 28-7 Win Over BHP

By David Shelton • December 19, 2025
Oceanside senior WR, Terence Johnson, a Shrine Bowl all-star game selection, had 57 catches for 1,153 yards and 17 touchdowns plus 9 rushing touchdowns this season.

Panthers aim to remain a contender

By Roger Lee • December 19, 2025
Running back Grayson Salego is one of several starters who should return to the Panthers’ football team next season. Photo by Roger Lee. 

Timberland girls basketball team off to torrid start

By Rob Gantt • December 19, 2025
Timberland's Zion Prioleau, named on of Class AA's top seniors by the SC Basketball Coaches Association, averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.8 steals per game in 2024-20225.

Wilson Hall senior class 32-7 last 3 years

By Dennis Brunson • December 19, 2025
 By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Sumter – The Wilson Hall football team played in its third straight SCISA AAA state championship game in November. And for the third straight year, the Barons came out on the short end of the stick. WH lost to Pinewood Prep for the second consecutive year, falling by a score of 55-13. That being said, Wilson Hall head coach Adam Jarecki could only praise his team, especially the 17-man senior class. “This group of seniors graduates with three trips to the state championship and not many people can say that,” Jarecki said of the Class of 2026, which went 32-7 over that 3-year stretch. “I’m extremely proud of them. They’re our leaders at the school. They’re the influential people at our school. We’d love to see them go out with success in the end, but what they accomplished is pretty special, and they’ve got to take pride in that. “They had a great year (finishing with an 11-2 record for the second straight year) and they’ve had a great career. It’s tough not to come out on top, but they know what it takes to get here and they bought into it.” Six of those seniors were among the eight Barons named to the All-Region 2-AAA team. Leading the way was quarterback Ford Wilder , who was selected as the Region Offensive Player of the Year. Wilder completed 41 of 79 passes for 565 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 483 yards and 12 TDs on 87 carries. Senior running backs Ben McLaurin and Milling Galloway were selected. McLaurin rushed for 1,234 yars and 16 scores on 121 carries. Galloway rushed for 585 yards and 11 touchdowns 62 carries despite missing three games and the majority of a fourth due to injury. The other senior All-Region picks were free safety Harris Naylor and defensive linemen Walker Wilson and Andrew Howle . Naylor had 35 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and three pass deflections. Wilson had 39 tackles, seven TFLs, two quarterback sacks and one PD. Howle had 28 tackles, a team high nine TFLs and two sacks. The other two All-Region selections were junior defensive lineman Reese Wilson and junior linebacker Peyton Gilley . Reese Wilson shared the team lead in sacks with four to go with 21 tackles, eight TFLs, one PD and one fumble recovery. Gilley had a team high 61 tackles and shared the team lead in interceptions with three, returning one for a touchdown, to go with three sacks and six TFLs. Along with being All-Region picks, each of the eight were All-State selections and were chosen to play in the SCISA North-South All-Star Games.

Lee Academy basketball teams start slow

By Dennis Brunson • December 19, 2025
By Dennis Brunson Hssr.com Associate Editor Bishopville – Both the boys and girls basketball teams for Lee Academy got off to 1-3 starts, but neither of the head coaches are close to making a determination on what the season holds for their squads. “I am really excited about the team we have for this season,” said boys head coach Kemp DeWitt , who is in his second season at Lee. “We return four players that gave us crucial minutes last season. Brayden Davis , Cain June , Gavin Makela and Paxton Greene give me a solid base surrounded by the new faces we have this season. “We look to find our identity as a team before we head into Christmas break, so we can come out strong when region play starts.” Davis, a sophomore point guard, and June, a senior small forward, are the two returning starters. Davis was averaging 9.3 points per game, while June was scoring at a 9.0 clip. Makela is a junior center while Greene is a senior shooting guard. The other starter is junior power forward Aiden Fitzgerald . Greene was averaging 6.3 points, Fitzgerald 3.5 and Makela 1.6. Other members of the boys team are senior Collins Drayton , junior Cannon Hopkins , who was averaging 5.0, junior Tucker Rodgers , junior James Watson , junior Matthew Inabinet and junior Keegan Gainey . Girls head coach Kim Langston , a decades-long veteran of the SCISA wars, said she hadn’t seen enough of her team to form an opinion. The Lady Cavaliers are young with just one senior starter in Mazie Tomlinson . The other starters are junior Mallori Frye , sophomore Karagan Melton , freshman Kaisley Melton and eighth-grader Beth Whiteside . Karagan Melton was the leading scorer with a 9.5 average to go with 3.8 rebounds. Tomlinson was averaging 6.3 points, 3.3 steals, 4.3 assists and 9.5 boards, Whiteside was at 5.0 points, 1.0 blocked shots and 6.8 rebounds, Frye was averaging 2.0 points and 3.3 rebounds, and Kaisley Melton was averaging 2.3 steals, 2.3 points and 2.5 rebounds. The rest of the roster includes sophomore Emma Beasley , senior Sara Bell , senior Zana Brazell , senior Raylee Catoe and junior Addie Grace Wilkes . 4 CAVALIERS FOOTBALL ALL REGION The Lee football team had four players selected to the All-Region 1-Class A team. The selections were wide receiver/linebacker Cain June, senior quarterback/defensive back Andrew Bowers , senior offensive lineman/defensive lineman Hampton Layton and senior linebacker/running back Tucker Boyce .

Hartsville Boys Basketball Looks To Be Improved This Season

By David Shelton • December 18, 2025
By David Shelton Senior Writer Hartsville – Now in his third season, Hartsville High boys basketball coach Jason Earle feels his rebuilding project is starting to see positive results. The Red Foxes won four games in Earle’s first season and improved to six wins last season. The 2025-26 season saw Hartsville win their first three games, giving Earle a reason to be optimistic about the chances of improvement. “Most of these guys have been playing for me now for three years,” reports the coach. “We have continued to get better each year. The expectation that I have for this team is to play really hard and make the playoffs.” Most of the heavy lifting this season comes from seniors and juniors who have gained experience while taking their lumps. Junior guard Kayson Dawson and junior forward Derion Gattison are setting the early pace as scoring leaders. Dawson is averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game early on while Gattison is at 13.5 points and nearly five boards per game. Dawson averaged 11 points per game a season ago while Gattison scored 5.1 points per game. Senior Zaries Huggins is a starting guard, averaging 7.5 points early on. Senior Tristian Spann also starts as a wing and senior Dorian Mason starts at forward and contributes 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in the early going. Earle says the leadership this season comes primarily from Dawson, Gattison and Mason. Sophomore CJ Hickmon is first off the bench and can play guard or forward. Remaining players include junior Kelly Price , junior Zi’yon Mason , junior Karmelo Pooler , junior Jamyari Scipio-Bishop , junior Justin Hines and junior Eli Lynch . Hartsville competes in region 6-AAAA, a highly competitive basketball league. Earle sees Crestwood and Wilson as two of the top teams and is hopeful his team can join in the mix for the region title. “The region should be a real battle every night,” the coach said. The girls team opened the season at 1-1 and also looks to contend for a playoff berth this season. The top returning player this season is junior guard Nay Gibson , who is averaging 17.4 points per game early on. Senior Sha’Niyah Richardson contributes offensively as well, along with junior Ariel Leatch , each better than six points per game.  The only other senior on the girls roster is Kamori Williams . Juniors are Aniyah Robinson, Zariyah Spann, Makayla Chapman, Brianna Watson and Chaniyah Thompson . Rounding out this year’s team are sophomores Zanaya Blakney and Trinity Thomas , and freshman Chassidy Johnson.
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