SCHSL football playoffs reach midpoint with quarterfinal matchups tonight
Pair of 12-0 showdowns between Carvers Bay and Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Loris and Newberry highlight schedule
Sumter -- The South Carolina High School League football state playoffs are at its midpoint with the quarterfinal matchups tonight in each of the six classifications As one might expect, there are plenty of major showdowns, but AAA and Class A both have matchups featuring a pair of 12-0 teams.
The Class A showdown will come in the lower state with Region 5 champion Carvers Bay traveling to take on Region 4 winner Bamberg-Ehrhardt. B-E, the No. 1 team in the High School Sports Report Class A poll, has dominated its opponents, outscoring them 646-55. The Bears have outscored their foes 421-121.
The AAA clash will also be a lower state meeting with Region 5 champion Loris on the road against Region 4 winner Newberry. The Lions have scored 587 points while giving up just 144. NHS has allowed 163 and scored 511.
The only other team trying to keep a perfect season alive is defending AAA state runner-up Belton-Honea Path. The 12-0 Bears, the Region 1 champions will be on the road against Region 2 winner Woodruff, which is 11-1, in an upper state matchup.
The only class that doesn’t have its defending state champion still in the hunt is Class A. Abbeville fell to Lewisville 29-28 in the second round. The 8-4 Lions will play host to 7-5 C.A. Johnson in an upper state quarterfinal.
Defending AAAAA Division I state champion Dutch Fork, which is 9-1, will play host to 8-3 Byrnes in an upper state quarterfinal. The defending AAAAA DII champion and 10-1 Northwestern will play host to the team it beat for the upper state title last year, Gaffney. The Indians are 9-3.
South Florence, 11-1 and the defending AAAA champ, will play host to the team it went on the road and beat for the lower state title last year in North Augusta. NA is also 11-1.
Defending AAA champion Oceanside Collegiate Academy, 10-2 and the owner of the only win over Dutch Fork, will welcome in perennial power Dillon, which is 9-3, in a lower state quarterfinal. Clinton will try to keep its hopes of repeating as AA state champ alive as Fairfield Central comes to Wilder Stadium for an upper state quarterfinal. Both teams are 9-3.’
Along with the South Florence-North Augusta clash, there are three other games featuring a pair of 1-loss teams.
In a AAAA upper state quarterfinal, Region 3 champion and 11-1 South Pointe will be at home against Region 3 runner-up A.C. Flora, which is also 11-1. In a AAAAAA DI lower state showdown, 11-1 James Island will make the short drive to 10-1 Stratford, and Indian Land will be on the road against T.L. Hanna in a AAAAA DII upper state tilt between 10-1 teams.
5A Division I
Quarterfinals
Friday
Upper State
(4) Byrnes (8-3) at (1) Dutch Fork (9-1)
(3) Ridge View (8-3) at (2) Dorman (9-2)
Lower State
(5) Summerville (10-2) at (1) Carolina Forest (10-1)
(6) James Island (11-1) at (2) Stratford (10-1)
5A Division II
Quarterfinals
Friday
Upper State
(5) Gaffney (9-3) at (1) Northwestern (10-1)
(3) Indian Land (10-1) at (2) T.L, Hanna (10-1)
Lower State
(4) White Knoll (8-3) at (1) Irmo (10-1)
(3) Myrtle Beach (8-3) at (2) Berkeley (9-2)
4A
Quarterfinals
Friday
Upper State
(5) A.C. Flora (11-1) at (1) South Pointe (11-1)
(7) Camden (9-3) at (3) Westside (8-4)
Lower State
(4) North Augusta (11-1) at (1) South Florence (11-1)]
(10) Wilson (8-4) at (2) Gray Collegiate (10-2)
3A
Quarterfinals
Friday
Upper State
(5) Mountain View Prep (10-1) at (1) Powdersville (10-2)
(3) Belton-Honea Path (12-0) at (2) Woodruff (11-1)
Lower State
(4) Dillon (9-3) at (1) Oceanside Collegiate ((10-2)
(3) Loris (12-0) at (2) Newberry (12-0)
2A
Quarterfinals
Friday
Upper State
Fairfield Central (9-3) at Clinton (9-3)
Chester (8-4) at Strom Thurmond (10-2)
Lower State
Hampton County (9-3) at Manning (9-3)
Central (10-1) at Philip Simmons (10-2)
1A
Quarterfinals
Friday
Upper State
C.A. Johnson (7-5) at Lewisville (8-4)
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (10-2) at Lamar (10-2)
Lower State
Johnsonville (9-2) at Cross (10-1)
Carvers Bay (12-0) at Bamberg-Ehrhardt (12-0)
