Weekly Preivew: Undefeated Marlboro County goes on the road to take on 6-1 Dillon with region title on the line

There are two weeks left in the high school football regular season, so that means Friday’s games and next week’s games will be determining region champions, who’s in and who’s out of the playoffs, and who is seeded where.

There are several games this week that are not only big because of region connotations but because they are just matchups that folks have been pointing to since the start of the season.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest games.

Marlboro County (8-0) at Dillon (6-1)

This is one of those games that has been circled since the South Carolina High School League announced its reclassification and Marlboro County and Dillon were placed in Region 6-AA.

The teams moved down from AAA where MC went 8-4 last season in its first winning season in several years and reached the second round of the playoffs. The Wildcats, perennially strong no matter the classification, were 9-4 and made the third round.

Neither has disappointed this season, DHS is 6-1 and 3-0 in region play, while the Bulldogs are 8-0 and 3-0 as well. Marlboro County is No. 3 in the High School Sports Report AAA rankings while Dillon is fourth.

If Dillon wins, it wraps up the region title, no questions asked regardless of what happens next week. If Marlboro wins, it would still have to defeat 2-1 Manning next week, assuming the Monarchs take down Waccamaw. If Manning were to defeat the Bulldogs, that would force a 3-way tie where a tiebreaker would be needed to decide the region champion.

However, if the Bulldogs win and Manning loses Friday, they will win the region,

MC is potent both running and throwing the football. It is averaging 287.3 rushing yards per game and 212.7 through the air,

Junior quarterback Tre Blakeney has completed 87 of 163 passes for 1,680 yards and 12 touchdowns while running for 486 yards and 10 scores on 51 carries. He is third on the team in rushing. Senior Tehvin Easterling leads the way with 661 yards and 13 TDs on 86 rushes, while Khrishawn Smith has 66 totes for 619 yards and five touchdowns.

Junior Royal Williams has 232 yards and three scores.

Freshman Carson Roberts is having a big season catching the football. He has 24 receptions for 554 yards and nine touchdowns. Junior Mikyl Littles has the most catches with 27 for 418 yards and one score. Senior Laquincy Leach has 19 grabs for 499 yards and three TDs.

Dillon depends on its running game with an average of 277.9. It utilizes a short passing game that gives it 95.1 a contest.

Noah Singletary is averaging 117.9 yards a game with 825 yards and eight touchdowns on 89 carries. Geno Lester has 477 yards and 13 scores on 56 carries, and quarterback Nibras Harrison has 293 yards and seven TDs on 51 totes.

Harrison has completed 56 of 98 passes for 666 yards and seven touchdowns. Thirty of the receptions have been made by Jamarion Campbell for 340 yards and four touchdowns. Malachi Graham has nine catches for 102 yards.

Strom Thurmond (8-0) at Saluda (6-2)

Saluda will be taking on an undefeated team for the second straight week in defending AA state champion and current HSSR AA No. 1 Strom Thurmond. The Tigers are hoping for results similar to their 56-41 triumph over Orangeburg-Wilkinson.

With the win over O-W, Saluda can secure the Region 4 title with a win. If the Rebels win, they would have to beat O-W next week, assuming the Bruins beat American Leadership Academy. O-W could force a 3-way tie for first with a win, meaning a tiebreaker would be needed.

There’s a distinct possibility there could be a combined 100 points scored in this contest. The Rebels, who are 8-0 overall and 3-0 in Region 4, are averaging 40.5 points.  SHS, which is 6-2 and 3-0 and is ranked sixth, is scoring at a 49.1 clip.

ST rushes for 234 yards a contest and is led by the junior combination of Zy Rouse and Kaden Wigfall. Rouse has picked up 715 yards and scored 13 touchdowns on 77 carries, while Wigfall has 83 carries for 623 yards and 11 scores. Another junior, Preston Holmes, has 363 yards and three TDs on 25 carries.

Thurmond throws the football an average of 12 times a contest. Senior AJ Hillary has completed 52 of 94 passes for 751 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior Jakari Gordon is the leading receiver with 17 catches for 376 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Dayton Griffith has 11 receptiosn for 127 yards and two scores.

Saluda has major weapons all over the field. Quarterback Avery Coyle has thrown for 1,749 yards and 25 touchdowns, hitting on 82 of 126 passes. Darryl Hill has 31 catches for 726 yards and seven scores, Ceddion Springs has 22 receptions for 441 yards and eight touchdowns, and Mehki Linton has 10 grabs for 122 yards and four scores.

Running back Tristan Daniels has 1,055 yards and 20 touchdowns on 114 carries and has also caught eight passes for 212 yards and four scores. Springs has 259 yards and two TDs on 14 carries.

Lamar (7-1) at Central (8-0)

When the region assignments were released, this matchup was the one that was highlighted as a likely showdown for the Region 5-Class A title. Lamar played for the Class A state championship title last year, while Central played for the AA lower state title.

The Eagles come into this game undefeated at 8-0 overall and 4-0 in region play, while LHS is 7-1 overall and also 4-0 in the region. Both are No. 2 in the HSSR rankings, CHS in Class A Division I and the Silver Foxes in Class A DII.

Lamar can absolutely win the region title with a victory. Central takes on 3-1 Cheraw next week and assuming the Braves beat North Central on Friday. the Eagles would have to win next week as well. Lamar would be hoping for Cheraw to beat Central and bring about a 3-way tie for first that would be determined by a tiebreaker.

Central is led by senior 4-year starting quarterback Dwayne Louallen Jr. He has completed 69 of 109 passes for 1,112 yards and 15 touchdowns against no interceptions, He has also run for 576 yards and 10 scores on 75 carries. Senior Marzavious Allen is averaging 149.1 rushing yards a game,2i5h a total of 1,044 yards and 12 TDs on 89 carries. He also has six catches for 180 yards and two scores.

Senior Blake Sowell is the top receiver with 20 catches for 313 yards and five scores. Senior Aidan Welch has 14 receptions for 306 yards and three TDs, and senior Darin Gaines has 13 grabs for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

Lamar is more conservative offensively, rushing for 233.6 yards and throwing for 105.7. Senior Jaquez Dargan is the leading rusher with 596 yards and five touchdowns on 84 carries. Junior TJ Samuel has 264 yards and two scores, junior quarterback Jaylen Morris has 253 yards and four TDs, and senior DQ Green has 188 yards and four touchdowns.

Morris has connected on 43 of 97 passes for 732 yards and 12 touchdowns. Junior Mont Williams has 19 catches for 476 yards and six scores, and junior e36er  has 12 catches for 104 yards and four TDs.

Bamberg-Ehrhardt (7-1) at Scott’s Branch (6-2)

This is another matchup of two teams that are playing for a Class A region title and are highly ranked in the two divisions.

    Bamberg-Ehrhardt, the defending Class A state champion, is 7-1 overall and 3-0 in Region 6. Scott’s Branch is also 3-0 in region play and is 6-2 overall. B-E is third in the Division I rankings, while the Eagles are fourth in DII.

SB can win the region title with a victory since it owns a win over Denmark-Olar, which is 3-1 in region play and takes on Branchville this week. Should the Red Raiders win, they will still have to beat beat D-O next week, assuming it tops Branchville. Scott’s Branch would be hoping for Denmark to beat Bamberg and bring about a 3-way tie for first that would be determined by a tiebreaker.

B-E is explosive offensively, passing for 284.8 yards and running for 189.6. Senior quarterback Brian McMillan has completed 95 of 127 passes for 2,003 yards and 19 touchdowns to go with a team high 498 yardsand 10 touchdowns on 48 carries.

Senior Shrine Bowl wide receiver Jordan Bovain is having a monster season. Bovain has 28 catches for 919 yards and 12 touchdowns. Senior Jason Youmans has 21 receptions for 449 yards and two scores, senior Charles Anthony Williams has 19 catches for 197 yards, and senior Rocky Walker has 11 grabs for 192 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Jordan Williams has 433 yards on 48 carries, and freshman Jayden Williams has 217 yards on 23 carries.

Scott’s Branch, which has won six straight games, doesn’t have the yardage numbers like the Raiders. The Eagles are still averaging 36.6 points a contest.

Senior Quintin Jackson is just shy of 1,000 rushing yards with 928 and 11 touchdowns on 94 carries. He also has 17 catches for 151 yards and three more scores.

Sophomore quarterback Kaleb Minger has completed 94 of 157 passes for 1,292 yards and 15 touchdowns. His top target is senior Nyren Bowman, a Touchstone Bowl selection. He has 31 catches for 626 yards and eight TDs. Senior Keith Rogers has 26 receptions for 442 yards and four touchdowns.

Rogers is also a major threat on special teams, having three kickoff returns for touchdowns and one punt return for a score.

Belton-Honea Path (5-2) at Wren (8-1)

If Belton-Honea Path is to win a fourth straight region title, it will need to defeat Wren. That won’t be an easy task.

The Hurricanes are 8-1 on the season and 3-0 in Region 2 and are No. 4 in the HSSR AAA rankings. Their only loss came to current AAA No. 1 Daniel in the season opener.

BHP is 5-2 and 2-0 and ranked ninth in AAA in its first season under head coach David Crane.

This is WHS’ final regular-season game, so a win will give it the region title. However, should the Bears win, Wren will be a fan of Emerald next week when it plays Belton-Honea Path. That’s assuming Emerald, 1-1 in the region, beats Powdersville first. BHP will win region with a victory and a Vikings loss.

Wren is about as balanced offensively as one can get, rushing for 179.0 yards and passing for 173.7. Junior quarterback Jacob Owings is 96 of 149 for 1,563 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 216 yards and three scores.

Senior Muntu Brown leads the running game with 744 yards and 12 scores on 124 carries. Senior Josiah Mosley has 587 yards and 10 TDs on 50 carries.

Senior Caiden Hill is the leading receiver with 31 catches for 464 yards and six touchdowns. Junior Jack Hughes has 28 catches for 658 yards and six scores.

Points have been scarce for Belton-Honea Path. It has scored just 141 points and is averaging less than 250 yards of total offense a game.

Freshman quarterback Rylan Crooks has completed 61 of 97 passes for 746 yards and six touchdowns. Sophomore Malachi Bohler is the only Beat in double figures in catches with 31 for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Judd Lowie has eight receptions for 219 yards.

Senior Cam Robinson is the leading rusher with 422 yards and seven scores on 108 carries. Bohler has 224 yards and a TD on 37 rushes.

Northwestern (7-1) at Fort Mill (7-1)

Northwestern, the 2-time defending AAAAA Division II state champion, has had a difficult schedule on paper as a member of Region 2-AAAAA. The Trojans, who are 7-1 overall and 3-0 in region play, have another difficult contest as they travel to take on 7-1 Fort Mill.

However, what looks difficult on paper hasn’t necessarily been the case on the field as NHS is running roughshod over its opponents. It will take the Yellow Jackets proving otherwise to think it won’t happen again.

Northwestern, ranked second in AAAAA, can claim the region title outright with a victory. Should FM win, a number of scenarios could be on the table heading into the final week of the regular season.

Northwestern has outscored its opponents 412-105. It is averaging 51.5 points and is led by Shrine Bowl quarterback Xavier Means. He is 101 of 138 for 1,738 yards and 22 touchdowns while running for 517 yards and seven scores on 68 carries.

Senior Daylen Shankle is the lading rusher with 695 yards and six TDs on 96 attempts. Senior Malik Ratliff is the top pass catcher with 33 grabs for 547 yards and 10 touchdowns, while senior Payton Vining has 23 catches for 570 yards and eight scores.

Shrine Bowl linebacker KJ Burg leads the Trojan defense in tackles with 69.

FM has only allowed 100 points, but ti hasn’t faced such a potent offense. The Jackets have 15 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. Senior defensive back Deveian Southward has three picks.

Junior linebacker Aiden Welch leads the defense in tackles with 64, while junior defensive lineman Laike Tolentino leads in TFLs with seven. Senior defensive linemen Smith Stapleton is the sack leader with 3 ½.

Fort Mill has a balanced offense. Junior quarterback Harper Love has hit on 112 of 199 attempts for 1,578 yards and 16 touchdowns. His top receiver is senior Jameson Terrell with 31 catches for 442 yards and five TDs. Senior Kieran McCormack has 21 receptions for 300 yards and three scores, and junior Jerrell Douglas has 16 catches for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Braden Mitcheson is the leading rusher with 790 yards and 12 TDs on 132 carries. He also has 15 catches for 171 yards and two scores.

Pinewood Prep (7-1) at Laurence Manning (6-1)

Laurence Manning Academy has faced more than its fair share of adversity this season. First-year veteran head coach Davud Rankin has been hospitalized twice since the start of the season and LMA had one game canceled and another postponed due to inclement weather.

However, the Swampcats have come through it with a 6-1 record and have a chance to win the SCISA Region 2-AAAA title over the next two weeks.

It starts on Friday when LMA, 2-0 in region play, plays host to 7-1 Pinewood Prep. The Panthers are the defending AAA state champion and are 1-1 in region play. They lost to 2-0 Northwood Academy 44-43 in overtime.

Pinewood is third in the HSSR AAAA rankings while Laurence Manning is fourth.

If the Swampcats win, they will play defending AAAA state champion Northwood for the region title next week. If the Panthers win, they’ll be rooting for LMA to knock off the Chargers. That would bring about a 3-way tie for first with a tiebreaker being used to determine seeding in the state playoffs.

Laurence Manning is coming off of a 51-19 win over John Paul II. Quarterback Grainger Powell led the way, completing 12 of 20 passes for 229 yards and four touchdowns.

Connor Carter had four catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Scoop Dennis had two catches for 86 yards and a TD, and Rob Briggs had two receptions for 24 yards and a score. Asher Sanders had two catches for 38 yards.

Jordan Hicks led the rushing attack, running for 100 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. AJ Dennis had 57 yards and a TD on eight rushes, Scoop Dennis had five carries for 45 yards, and Pierson Gamble had 49 yards and a score on 10 carries.

LMA also had a strong game on special teams. Placekicker Daniel Vargas booted a 42-yard field goal, was 6 of 7 on extra point attempts and had seven touchbacks on eight kickoffs. Scoop Dennis averaged 23.3 yards on two punt returns.

Pinewood Prep is averaging 326.5 passing yards a game. Quarterback Silas Brawner has completed 140 of 208 passes for 2,529 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Senior Tre Green is the top pass catcher with 50 receptions for 926 yards and 14 touchdowns, Senior Lavoris Lucas has 35 catches for 822 yards and 14 scores, sophomore Colten Fuller has 21 grabs for 302 yards, and senior Heyward Moore has 0 catches for 345 yards and five TDs.

The Panthers average 156.4 rushing yards led by sophomore Jeremy Kendall with 523 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior Grayson Salego has 460 yards and eight scores.

Calhoun Academy (8-1) at Colleton Prep (6-1)

The meaning of this game is pretty simple. Colleton Prep Academy is the No. 1 team in the HSSR SCISA AA rankings; Calhoun Academy is No. 2. CPA is 2-0 in Region 1, while the Cavaliers are 3-0.

So what is on the line is, of course, the top spot in the HSSR rankings as well as two things – believe it or not – that are much, much more important. The winner gets to put the region championship trophy in the school trophy case and also gets to be the host in the first two rounds of the state playoffs while the loser, in all likelihood, would only get one home game.

CA, which is 6-1, is led by quarterback Colt Layton. The son of Calhoun head coach Todd Layton, Colt has completed 42 of 60 passes for 1,062 yards and 18 touchdowns against just four interceptions while rushing for a team high 802 yards and eight scores on 65 carries

Layton’s top pass catchers are Liam Redmond and Joseph Lyons. Redmond has 14 receptions for 423 yards and nine TDs, while Lyons has 13 catches for 324 yards and six touchdowns.

Lyons has also rushed for 379 yards and six scores on 25 carries. Carl Parker has 62 attempts for 641 yards and eight TDs.

The War Hawks’ offense revolves around its quarterback as well. Cale Owens has hit on 86 of 121 attempts for 26 touchdowns and 1,626 yards against just one interception. Owens is also the leading rusher with 599 yards and eight scores on 81 totes.

Thomas Corbett and Hartman Fisk both have 27 catches, Corbett for 667 yards and 10 TDs and Fisk for 341 yards and nine touchdowns. Charlie Walker has 19 grabs for 411 yards and six scores, and has 15 receptions for 276 yards and three scores.