What a (insert your own adjective) night we had Friday.
It was a memorable evening for a number of local teams who picked up huge wins that improved their chances of making the playoffs or claiming a region title, while it was a crushing night for others who suffered costly defeats.
Get yourself used to that status quo, because that’s how it’s going to be from here on out, with the stakes rising each week until everyone is facing a do-or-die situation. The chill of fall is setting in, and the comfort of another game next week won’t always be there to thaw the cold feeling of defeat. It’s crunch time.
Here are “Five Things I Think I Know” presented by Coligny after Week 8 of the high school football season.
• Anything can happen in high school football.
About three weeks ago, it looked like May River and Thomas Heyward were poised to steamroll everyone in their path, at least until the playoffs started, and Beaufort High and Battery Creek were winless and trying to salvage their seasons. Now the Sharks are staggering from their first regular-season loss since 2017 and the Rebels have lost two of their last three games, while the Eagles have won two straight after stunning May River and the Dolphins are on a three-game winning streak with the Sharks coming to town Friday. Teenage boys are emotional beings with a lot of forces competing for their energy and attention, and events on and off the field can make or break a team’s week — or season. Momentum is everything this time of year. If you don’t have it right now, you better try to get it back on your side as quickly as possible.
• The tough schedule served Beaufort High well.
I said it a couple weeks ago, and now we’re seeing the fruits of those early beatings the Eagles took. Beaufort’s six non-region opponents have a combined 34-12 record — and that includes 2-6 Effingham County. Beaufort’s defense, in particular, took its lumps against some powerhouse programs during the non-region slate, and it seems to have had a positive effect. Now the defense is playing downhill and making things happen. The Eagles did a good job against a solid Bluffton passing game, and they held May River to a season-low for total offense. The winner of next week’s game at Hilton Head High will be in the driver’s seat to claim the region title, and if the Eagles keep playing defense the way they have, it could very well be them.
• HHCA’s offense is the real deal.
I’m cheating a little, because I already knew this. Having covered high school sports in the Lowcountry for most of the past 14 years, I’ve seen some pretty outstanding quarterbacks go through Hilton Head Christian Academy, including Gabe Gilmour, Luke Sirgo, and Caleb Lewis, but Hayden Shinn is about to shatter all of their single-season records. Shinn has passed for 2,225 yards with 29 touchdowns and five interceptions — one TD shy of the school record — and he’s added 450 rushing yards and six more TDs. A lot of the credit goes to an incredible assortment of weapons led by JP Peduzzi, Daniel Harrington, and Jace Blackshear, any one of whom are capable of breaking a big play on every snap. The Eagles looked like a state championship contender last year until Shinn was injured late in the regular season, so hopefully he can stay healthy and we’ll see how far HHCA can go with its high-scoring offense.
• That loss could help May River in the long run.
Things had been a little too easy for the Sharks early in the season, and that can always lead to complacency in one form or another. I know May River’s coaching staff wouldn’t allow their team to let up physically — their success is built on a strong work ethic and quality time spent in the weight room, film room, and on the practice field — but in hindsight it appears the Sharks had eased up mentally. Like I said after Thomas Heyward’s loss to Trinity-Byrnes a couple weeks ago, a wake-up call like this can go one of two ways, so you better believe the Sharks will get after it this week in hopes of making a statement Friday at Battery Creek. The loss ultimately doesn’t have any bearing on their overall goal, so rather than crushing their magical season, the Sharks hope it becomes the catalyst for even bigger things ahead.
• You should never count anyone out … until they’re mathematically eliminated, of course.
As of today, every local team is still in contention to make the playoffs. It will not be easy for some, and the first-round assignment will be daunting for many who do make it, but the state championship dream is technically still alive for everyone. Heck, eight of the 12 teams in our coverage area could still win region titles. It’s do-or-die time, so the next two weeks and beyond are going to be a wild ride. Buckle up.