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.

Florence Christiqn footballt team lost a few players to more than just graduation

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • July 1, 2026
Eagles do return Region Defensive Player of the Year in Hayden Schwab

Lodge Begins Fourth Season As Berkeley Coach

By David Shelton • June 30, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Moncks Corner – After a pair of six-win seasons in his first two years , Berkeley head football coach Eric Lodge guided the Stags to a 10-3 record last fall. Lodge is hoping and expecting to see continued growth and development in 2026 and recently put his prospective team through spring drills. The purpose of the spring is to identify roles and hopefully find rising talent that can assist either as backups or starters this fall. “Our spring is about evaluating kids, all of them, to see where they fit in,” Lodge said, “Those practices are very important to the growth of the program. We get everyone involved amd work to get them up to speed. Once we get into the summer, we are working hard to get stronger in the weight room along with seven-on-seven stuff.” Lodge says most of the returning experience is on the offensive side and the Stags should be explosive. Henry Rivers , a senior, will be a fourth-year starter and rates as one of the best in the state. Hethres for more than 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, adding 803 rushing yards and 16 more scores. Returning at receiver are John Cleveland, Eli Mitchell and Johnathan Mitchell, who combined for more than 60 receptions last season. Anchoring the running game are returners Lawrence Washington, Bryson McGee and Jesse Brown . That trio will work behind a revamped offensive line but Lodge sees potential in the developing unit up front. “I like our depth at running back and receiver, and of course we have a veteran leader at quarterback,” said Lodge. There are significantly more holes to fill on defense. The Stags lost an all-state tackle and three starting linebackers that were three-year starters. There also are three holes to fill on the back endd. “We have identified some young men who we feel will step in and be solid players for us,” Lodge said. “Replacing the experience is tough but we have some guys who will learn and grow over time. We’re not new to having young guys on the field. The talent is there and there are opportunities for guys to get on the field.”

Pinewood Preparing To Move Up A Class

By Roger Lee • June 29, 2026
Expectations are high for Pinewood Prep quarterback Silas Brawner.

Cane Bay Football Looking To Get Back On Track

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Summerville – The last two football seasons have been sub-par for the Cane Bay Cobras but veteran head coach Russell Zehr believes the pieces are in place for a potential resurgence. The Cobras finished the last two seasons with three wins each but did win a region championship in 2024. Zehr and his staff have worked hard in the offseason to develop some up and coming talent. They did so through the weight room and spring practice. “We had a good spring overall,” Zehr said. “We were missing a handful of guys due to track but we had good numbers. We spent a lot of time getting everyone up to speed. It was an opportunity for us to see younger kids that are coming up and find out who can help us this season. We had about 80 kids during the sprng and about 75 of those have been consistent in their workouts over the summer.” The Cobras will have a new quarterback this fall. Zehr says senior Coran Houp e is moving from running back to run the option offense this season. Returning in the backfield are Mayson Samuel and Sam Rolston , with some talented backs coming from the lower levels. The offensive line returns two starters, Isaac Siefken and Eli Taylor . Junior JJ Rose is back as the leader along the defensive front, with ends Devin Cobbs and B rennen Shokes also returning. The linebackers will be new starters with only Jackson Williamson returning with experience. The secondary could be a strength with returners Tyrell Bess, Zion Bryant and Caeden Wilson . The kicking game is a solid strength with senior Aiden Thorne returning. Thorne is a deep threat on kickoffs and field goals. “He’s got a leg and can be a real weapon for us,” Zehr said. Cane Bay participated in weekly 7-on-7 passing league scrimmages during June and will play at The Citadel event in July.

Mckoy Continues To Build A Winner At James Island

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
Head football coach at James Island, Jamar McKoy has worked to build his program into one of the more consistent programs in the state.

Red Fox Football Putting In The Work For 2026 Season

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Hartsville – As he embarks on his 22 nd season as the head football coach at Hartsville High, Jeff Calabrese is anxiously anticipating the upcoming 2026 season. Calabrese, with more than 200 career coaching wins, sys his team has put in good work in the offseason and appears focused on bettering last year’s 7-5 record. “We had a good spring practice, a good offseason all together really,” the coach said. “The numbers were maybe a little down but not far off. We spent a lot of time evaluating every position. If we needed to make a change we did. The focus in the spring and summer is making sure we have the right guys in the right spots. We basically are trying to get everyone on the same page.” Like all the schools in the state, the Red Foxes put in training four days a week from 8:30 to 11 am. Calabrese says this summer has been especially important as four new coaches have joined the program, including new defensive coordinator Neil Smith . “Really excited to have coach Smith. He brings a ton of energy and experience and he has really adapted well here,” Calabrese said. In terms of personnel, the Red Foxes have experience returning in several areas, starting with quarterback. Junior Ford Wallace is back as the starter and continues to develop in his role as a leader on the offense.. Returning at running back is Trace Hillian with CJ Hickmon moving from receiver to the backfield. Anchoring the offensive line is two-time all-region performer Fred Turner . Other returning linemen, who could end up on either side of the ball, include Creighton McKnight, Jake Williams, Jaquan Samuel and Pat Rhode. Rod Cranford returns in the back seven as a third-year starter. Zi’Yon Mason is moving from the secondary to linebacker, as is Jamario Scipio-Bishop. Devaris James and Deon McCall are players to watch in the secondary. “At a school our size, sometimes you have to move some kids around to make it all fit,” Calabrese said. “That’s why the summer is so important, to get those kids a lot of reps, good group to work with. We just need to build some depth.”

Top Athletic Performers Honored At Thomas Heyward Academy

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Ridgeland – Building a consistently competitive athletic program is tough to do at a small private school, but the coaches and athletes at Thomas Heyward Academy make the most of their opportunities. The 2025-26 school year recently came to an end but before classes ended, the school’s athletic department took some time to honor some of the top performers in athletics from the past year. Track and field is one of the newer and developing sports at Thomas Heyward. The numbers, though limited, are seeing an increase. The most valuable performer award from this spring went to Baylor Bryan and Josh Gibson . Most Improved honors went to Noah Theurer and Alondra Vera. Fisher Thomas received the Golden Club award in golf while Mason Reed received the Rising Star award. Cole Bowen was Most Improved. In softball, Elena Fay was the offensive most valuable player and EK Bowen was the defensive most valuable player. Ollivia Meador as the overall MVP and Brenley Owens earned the Rookie Award. Meador also was the top defensive player in volleyball while Cayleigh Smith was the top offensive player. Presley Ballagh was the team MVP and Lily Gantt was the Rookie of the Year. In baseball, Mackie Bowers was the MVP and Miles Stanley received the Coaches award. Luke Simcox was the top defensive player and Dodge Peeples was the top offensive player. Abigail Kidwell received the Rebel Award in cheerleading and Cadence Graham was tabbed most valuable cheerleader. In football, Tony O’Banner was named the Most Valuable Player for offense and Owen Palazzo earned the award for defense. Peeples was the lineman of the year an Tyler Hyman received the coaches award. Josh Gibson received the Golden Helmet award. Gibson also received the team Leadership award in boys basketball while O’Banner was tabbed as the MVP. Winston Twenge was most improved and Ben Gibson received the defensive award. For Clay Target shooting, Miles Stanley was the Shooter of the Year and Nolan Smith received the Coaches award.

Holly Hill Academy Wraps Up Year With Athletic Awards

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Holly Hill – With state championships in softball and baseball, and a near miss in football, the 2025-26 school year was a productive one for Holly Hill Academy athletics. The school recently honored the top performers from the past athletic season and here are the athletes that earned special awards for their success/ In cheerleading, Madison McIntyre earned the Raider award and Sissy Miles was most improved. Lucy Oliver received the spirit award and Audrey Murray was tabbed as most valuable. In football, Parker Kizer was the team’s most valuable player and was honored as the region player of the year. Tyler Green was the defensive MVP and Ryan Brown received the Raider award. For volleyball, Lucy Oliver was most improved and Kaley Bell was the top offensive player. Tinsley Kern earned top defensive player honors. For track, the fastest runner award went to Jeremiah McCune and Olier received the Leadership award. Annie Oliver received the Positive Attitude award. In boys basketball, Tyler Green and Jordan Wren received Captain’s awards, and Chase Holder was most improved. Aarav Patel received the Raider award. The MVP in girls basketball was Milly Kate Prescott , who also was recognized as the region player of the year. Taylor Wright was most improved and Peyton Strickland received the Raider award. Jaxon Jones was the MVP for the still developing wrestling program. Jayson Krier received the Raider award. Steven Murray and Shade Snyder represent the school on the bass fishing team and is one of the top duos in the state. They won the SC high school challenge and earned the right to compete in the national tournament in late July. For softball, Kaylee Cuttino was the most valuable player. Prescott was the offensive MVP and Abbygail Burleson was the defensive MVP. Tinsley Kern was most improved and Taylor Wrigh t earned the Coaches award. In baseball, Tyler Green was named MVP and Murray received the Raider award. Mason Gree n was most improved and Jase Tirado received the Coaches award.

First Baptist Taps Top Athletes From 2026 Spring Sports Season

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Charleston – Highlighted by state championship efforts in girls basketball and boys soccer, the athletic year at First Baptist was overall successful. Most of the Hurricane teams were highly competitive in conference play and took on tough schedules across the board. The school’s athletic department recently released superlative honors in spring sports, recognizing the top performers and leaders in each sport. In boys track, Brady Jackson was the most valuable performer in running events. Bates Walpole was the MVP in field events. Miles Jackson received the Hurricane award and Emory Be ntley received the Rookie award. Most improved performers were George Doyle in running events and Demarcus Vinson in field events. Ellie Blitch was MVP in running events in girls track while Hadley Burr was MVP in field events. Clara Grace Blitch received the Hurricane award and Elise Crumpton was most improved in running events. Amelia Blitch received the Rookie award and Addison Townsend was most improved in field events. Avin Harrison was tabbed as the MVP in varsity baseball while Thomas Martin and Garrett Huffman shared most improved honors. Bennett Bollinger earned the Cy Young award for pitching, and Henry Cline shared the Hurricane award with Landon Nutter. The MVP in boys golf was Tucker Mappus . Walker Jack Weaver was the most improved player and Abraham Edwards received the Hurricane award. Watts Tisdale was the MVP in boys soccer and Cal Oliver was most improved. Josh Laney earned the Hurricane award. Wells Griffin was named MVP of the girls soccer team with Ellison Cummings named most improved player. Caroline Morris earned the Hurricane award. Tate Kaplanis was the MVP in junior varsity boys soccer. Tucker Thomas was most improved and Wyatt Brown received the Hurricane award. In softball, Addison Townsend and Lula Mayo shared team MVP honors. Taber Stelling and Bailey Milleman shared the Hurricane award. Olivia Jessey and LG Cooper shared most improved honors.

Colleton County Athletes Take In Awards

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Walterboro – As the new executive director of the Colleton County athletic department, Chris Myers believes heavily in recognizing the athletic achievements of the athletes in the school. Colleton County recently honored the top athletic performers from the 2025-26 school year at the year-end athletic banquet. In cross country, Michael Witkin was the MVP of the boys team while Kira Ralmer was the MVP of the girls team. Gabriel Idol was most improved runner and Samuel Witkin received the Cougar award. Trenton Bunch received the Sportsmanship award and Easton Grovenstein received the Perseverance award. Earning Academic awards from the girls program were Allyson Scott and Grady Nettles . In girls tennis, Mady Myers was the MVP and Kaylee Canady was most improved. Constance Keefer received the Sportsmanship award and Cassidy German received the Academic award. In volleyball, the best defender award went to Inaya Green while Trinity Drayton was best outside hitter. Zyon Salley was the best middle hitter and Brooklyn Holmes received the Cougar award. In Wrestling, Jordan LaPresta was named Most Outstanding and Charlie Hogan received the Rookie award. Most Improved was Bryce Wilson and Jonathan Warren received the Cougar award. On the girls team, Ero Randolph received the Cougar award and Kaylen Campbell was Most Outstanding. Alicia Guerra was Most Improved and Jaleesha Jenkins received the Cougar award. Justus Jamison received the offensive MVP in football while Jakell Jenkins received the defensive MVP honor. Galil Frazier received the Wide Receiver award and Chace Jones was the top offensive lineman. Ziair Holmes was the top defensive lineman and Okeefe Martin earned the top linebacker award. Rodney Wilder was the top defensive back and Xavion Bright received the Academic Award. For girls basketball, Keyarah Koger received the Cougar award and Trinity Drayton earned the Academic award. Xiomara Oxner was the team MVP while Drayton and Tierra Wilkins were co-MVP on defense. Galil Frazier was the top defender in boys basketball while Akai Martin was most improved. Michael Witkin and Jaqueas Martin were MVP’s. In baseball, Brenton Jirel earned the Silver Slugger award and Michael Witkin earned the Cy Young award for pitching and also the scholar award. Sam Witkin was the Rookie of the Year. Emerson Melgar earned the offensive leadership award in boys soccer while Aaden Castellanos earned the defensive leadership award. John Gallagher received the Team Leadership award. Julia Prentiss and Ellie Gallagher were co-MVP in girls soccer. Nikki Gabriel received the Academic award and Avery Gallagher was the Newcomer of the Year. In boys golf, Dalton Litchfield received the Academic award and Jacob Singleton received the Integrity award. In boys track, Khamren Wiggins was the MVP. Shawn Bouges received the award for field events while Hayvion Huggins was Most Outstanding. Lorenzo Breland was Most Improved and Gabriel Idol received the Academic award. Malachi Kirkman received the Cougar award. For girls track, Jakira Magwood was team MVP. Sharing the award foe field events MVP were Xaria Holmes and Kamalene Goodwine. Khylie Doctor was Most Improved and Zariana Gethers received the Academic award.
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