The schedule doesn’t grant Thomas Heyward Academy any favors in its quest for a third straight state title, and the Rebels began their iron-sharpening-iron gauntlet with a 47-26 loss to visiting First Baptist on Friday.
Will Daniel passed for 320 yards and four touchdowns and Davian Brown rushed for 127 yards and three scores to lead the SCISA Class 3A Hurricanes past the back-to-back SCISA 1A champion Rebels.
Peyton Bennett and Bruzza Pusha connected for two touchdown passes, and Anthony Fripp added a long TD run for the Rebels.
After the teams traded scores early, the Hurricanes scored 27 consecutive points to take a commanding 33-6 halftime lead.
The Rebels’ defense buckled down in the second half to allow them to claw back within two scores with the help of two Cody Parker interceptions — one a pick-six — but they couldn’t close the gap any farther.
THA (0-1) travels to Dorchester Academy at 7:30 p.m. Friday to open region play.