Another week of high school football is upon us, and unfortunately, another rash of cancellations. Seven of the 11 games originally on the Week 1 slate around the Lowco were still on as of Friday morning, but we could still lose more before kickoff.
Whale Branch had to cancel its road game due to COVID-19 protocols at Bethune-Bowman, and John Paul II called off its trip to Orangeburg Prep, where the virus has temporarily shut down athletics. Add them to Colleton County and Ridgeland-Hardeeville, who remain sidelined by quarantines for another Friday.
We still have a solid slate of games on tap (for now), including a couple of Lowco-on-Lowco matchups and a Saturday night showdown at May River, so let’s get ready for Week 1 with the LowcoSports primer.
Thomas Heyward (0-0) at Battery Creek (0-0)
In a rare Lowco-on-Lowco matchup of public and private schools, the three-time defending SCISA 1A champion Rebels make the trip to Burton to challenge Class 3A Battery Creek in a fascinating matchup.
Not many small SCISA programs can match up with larger public schools, but Thomas Heyward is in rare company. The Rebels are big and physical on the line of scrimmage, and they have dynamic skill position players who are capable of absorbing big hits all night.
Battery Creek hasn’t had a lot of success in recent years, but the Dolphins were competitive in most games in Terrance Ashe’s first season as head coach, and the first-time head coach seems to have inspired a new level of commitment at Creek, leading to better fitness at this juncture of the season and improved depth.
Freshman Dietrich Shuford takes over at quarterback for the Rebels this season and will be a big part of a run-heavy attack led by Anthony Fripp. The offensive line won’t be quite as dominant with tackle Therion Cannon now playing at UAB, but THA has enough size and experience up front to hold its own against a solid Creek defensive front. The Dolphins’ veteran linebacker crew will have to display sound tackling and remain disciplined to bottle up a strong ground game.
THA also has holes to fill on defense, and the Rebels don’t know what to expect from the Dolphins on offense because Battery Creek’s preseason scrimmages were wiped out by two COVID-19 quarantines. Senior transfer Will White is expected to start at quarterback with bruising back Jeremiah Dilbert and the dynamic Dreshaun Brown carrying the load on the ground. Creek also has a veteran offensive line that will be tasked with opening holes against a strong defense.
Turnovers and field position are likely to play a big role in who opens their season with a win, and the Dolphins have an extra weapon in senior kicker Ivan Huerta, who could be called upon for a field goal in crunch time. — Justin Jarrett
PREDICTION
JJ: Battery Creek 24, Thomas Heyward 21
WK: Thomas Heyward 38, Battery Creek 28
Bluffton (0-1) at Bamberg-Ehrhardt (1-0)
This one was still up in the air Friday morning when we spoke with Bluffton coach John Houpt, whose team has double-digit players quarantined and planned to travel with 34 players. If contact tracing puts anyone else on the sidelines before kickoff, this non-region game could be scrapped.
If the show goes on, the Bobcats figure to have their hands full with the No. 4 team in Class 1A, especially with a number of key players unable to suit up. This figured to be a tough matchup for Bluffton, regardless, but it will be even more difficult with numerous players forced into new roles. No matter where he lines up, though, Jaylin Linder will be among the best athletes on the field, and the Bobcats will find ways to get him involved.
The Bobcats’ offense didn’t get much going in last week’s 49-7 loss at South Florence, as Bluffton’s only score came on an 80-yard kickoff return by Camauri Simmons, while Bamberg-Ehrhardt did not allow an offensive touchdown in a 22-7 win over Edisto (though the Red Raiders did give up a 96-yard kickoff return score).
Bluffton’s defense hung in early against the Bruins and Virginia commit LaNorris Sellers last week before South Florence put up three touchdowns in the final six minutes of the half. The Bobcats have the pieces on defense to contain teams, but it’s hard saying how many of them will be in place at kickoff. — Justin Jarrett
PREDICTION
JJ: Bamberg-Ehrhardt 27, Bluffton 14
WK: Bamberg-Ehrhardt 30, Bluffton 14
Beaufort High (1-0) at Effingham County (0-0)
The border war is moving south this week, as Beaufort High travels to Effingham County a week after taking down Richmond Hill at home. Nobody can accuse Beaufort of taking the easy route with the non-region schedule, and while the Georgia Class 6A Rebels have been down the past couple of seasons, Effingham County is a traditional power.
They say defense wins championships, and Beaufort plays D. Run-stoppers Eamon Smalls and Alvin Wilson are the anchors of a strong defensive line, but Carter Bowersox and John Asher Howell also heard their names called all night long Friday.
The Eagle defense swarmed to the ball for 48 minutes in the opener, getting several hats to the ball on every tackle. That was great for Richmond Hill’s power ground game, but Effingham likes to spread out four wide receivers and get the ball in space, providing a good test for the Eagles’ secondary.
On the offensive side, Tyler Haley, Amariee Morris, and Zyrin Odom showed a glimpse of how dynamic Beaufort’s offense can be. While the offense did have a few rocky moments, that is to be expected early in the season, and Haley and Co. seemed to settle down as the game went on. Odom made a couple of highlight-reel catches worthy of ESPN’s “Moss’d” segment, and Haley softened up the defense to create space for Morris.
Now the Eagles have to do it in a hostile environment on the road. It’s the season opener for the Rebels, who should have a large, pumped up crowd. Beaufort will need to get off to a good start to take the crowd out of it and avoid making mistakes that will rile up the Rebel faithful. — Mike Roark
PREDICTION
JJ: Beaufort 35, Effingham County 14
WK: Beaufort 32, Effingham County 24
MR: Beaufort 35, Effingham County 21
Colleton Prep (0-1) at Hilton Head Prep (1-0)
By far the most surprising team in the first week of action was Hilton Head Prep, which bolted past an inexperienced John Paul II squad at home. On Friday, they’ll have an opportunity to stay perfect in a matchup in Sea Pines against a shaky Colleton Prep side that was blanked by Andrew Jackson a week ago.
We saw the debut of a spectacular new Dolphin offense last week led by powerful fullback Jake Rodney-Brown and the electric Loncelle Daley, who torched the Golden Warrior defense for 237 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Expect Daley to get fed the ball early and often and Rodney-Brown to carry the rock in short-yardage and goal-line situations. But a successful run game could open up play-action passing or even some runs from athletic quarterback Tristan Bonomo. It was a solid debut under center last week for Bonomo, who completed 4 of 5 passes and will continue to be relied upon to make simple throws and manage the game.
The biggest surprise for the Dolphins may have been on the defensive side, holding a powerful Golden Warrior attack to just eight points in the first three quarters thanks to outstanding games from linebacker Rodney-Brown and defensive back AJ Barger.
Drew Murdaugh is a run-first quarterback who has a wealth of experience at the helm of the War Hawk offense, and the duo of Cole Davis and Caden Crosby will share the duties at running back for a squad that relies on the ground game. It should be a busy day for Rodney-Brown and an improving defensive line, who should continue what it started last week stuffing JPII’s versatile rushing attack.
And don’t be shocked to see some more game-changing turnovers. Led by Barger with an interception in the opener alongside a six-tackle game from Sean Graham, the secondary should excel against an inconsistent War Hawk passing offense. It’s easy to overreact after one game, but Hilton Head Prep’s talent and quality depth on a 20-man roster has been impressive and should carry the Dolphins to a 2-0 start in 2021. — Wes Kerr
PREDICTION
JJ: Hilton Head Prep 31, Colleton Prep 16
WK: Hilton Head Prep 28, Colleton Prep 18
EE: Hilton Head Prep 31, Colleton Prep 6
Hilton Head Christian (1-0) at Dorchester Academy (0-0)
It was smooth sailing for the defending SCISA 2A champs in their 2021 opener, as Hilton Head Christian dominated the King’s Academy last week on both sides of the ball. Now, they’ll look to make it 2-for-2 on Friday against a Dorchester Academy side that should provide the Eagles a little tougher task.
The star of the show last week was the offense, bolting past the Lions all night long to the tune of 54 first-half points. Jace Blackshear was magnificent in creating running lanes and hitting his receivers, but we also saw a breakout game for HHCA newcomer Joseph “Speedy” Robinson, who torched the defense for three touchdowns including a punt return score. But the question of the offensive line’s strength has yet to be answered, and it will be tested this Friday against an improved Raider defensive line led by senior Dylan Price. Dorchester Academy has some speed in the secondary that will look to match Robinson and emerging top Eagle wideout Riley Shinn.
Both of the Raiders’ primary playmakers return in running back Ben Singletary and explosive wide receiver Haden Hartzog who burned the Eagles last year for a 70-yard touchdown. It will be up to Jackson Lanier and Blackshear alongside a host of young defensive players to continue a stellar start on the defensive side against a quick and athletic offensive core.
It should be a closer contest than last week, but HHCA’s talent at the skill positions should propel the Eagles to a second win in two games. — Wes Kerr
PREDICTION
JJ: Hilton Head Christian Academy 40, Dorchester Academy 20
WK: Hilton Head Christian Academy 46, Dorchester Academy 20
EE: Hilton Head Christian Academy 42, Dorchester Academy 13
Beaufort Academy (0-0) at St. John’s Christian (0-0)
A pair of teams entering their second season playing 11-man football hook up to start the season in a rematch of an exciting opener a year ago.
The Eagles were down three in the final minute needing just one stop when they made their 11-man debut against the Cavaliers last season, but they ended up giving up a touchdown in the last minute.
Both schools lost a decent amount of talent from that game, but they were both able to find pieces that can help plug those holes. St John’s Christian picked up several transfers from Berkeley High School, most notably quarterback Trent Short, who played wide receiver last year for the Stags. The Cavaliers coaching staff really likes the way he has developed his game since arriving on campus, and he could be a challenge for the Eagles.
The Eagles lost top receiver Elijah Fess and the top two rushers in Ja’Sean Lawson and Carlos Jones to graduation, but junior quarterback Braydon Dineen is back after gaining a valuable year of experience as the starter, and the backfield tandem of Devonte Green and Jaxen Porter has made huge strides in the offseason to prepare for success in Mark Clifford’s patented split back offense.
Clifford believes that there are a lot of similarities between the teams. Both squads have around 26 players, both schools lost some talent in the skill positions and have found ways, albeit slightly different ways, to fill those gaps. Both coaching staffs have had to make changes. Beaufort Academy has a new man in charge of the defense, and St. John’s has a new offensive coordinator.
BA will be looking to start the year off right with a win, after suffering so many heartbreaking losses at the end of games last year. Look for this one to be an absolute fight. — Eric Ellison
PREDICTION
JJ: St. John’s Christian 26, Beaufort Academy 23
WK: Beaufort Academy 24, St. John’s Christian 20
EE: Beaufort Academy 27, St. John’s Christian 23
Hartsville (0-0) @ May River (1-0) (Saturday)
The Sharks showed some serious mettle to grind out a 34-33 home win over Orangeburg-Wilkinson in last week’s season opener, and they’ll have to do the same in another tough matchup with visiting Hartsville on Saturday in The Tank.
May River’s young offensive line did a solid job of creating space for quarterback Garvin Douglas, who racked up 153 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in the opener. That might not be as easy against a big, physical Red Foxes defensive line, but the Sharks have excellent depth at running back, so they should be able to keep fresh legs on the field all night.
If the run game isn’t working and the Sharks have to go to the air, they could be in trouble. Douglas completed 5 of 13 passes against the Bruins, but May River’s green receiving corps had several drops. They’ll need to be more sure-handed to keep the chains moving against a strong defense.
May River’s inexperienced defense grew up in a big way in the fourth quarter against O-W, needing to stop a two-point conversion try to preserve the lead, then buckling down to stymie the Bruins on a short field in the final minutes. Defensive lineman Caleb Tkaczyk and linebacker Thomas Raisch had standout games in the opener, and they’ll need to lead an excellent defensive outing to slow down Hartsville’s powerful rushing attack.
The Red Foxes are breaking in a new quarterback of their own in McKendrie Douglass, but they have a three-year starter back in running back J’Shawn Anderson and a solid offensive line in front of him. The Sharks have the benefit of having a game — and a win — under their belt, which could be an edge against a Hartsville team seeing its first live game action.
Buckle up for another slugfest in The Tank.
— Justin Jarrett
PREDICTION
JJ: Hartsville 34, May River 30
WK: May River 30, Hartsville 26
