Each week throughout the high school football season, we’ll chase down the stats, check out the highlights, and round up our Players of the Week from around the Lowco, as well as an area Team of the Week and a preview of the upcoming Game of the Week in the Lowco Football Spotlight.
We picked the top Players of the Week, handed out a few Helmet Stickers for strong performances, and picked a Team of the Week for Week 8 and a Game of the Week we’re looking forward to in Week 9. It’s everything you need to know to get ready for another week of high school football in the Lowco.
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WEEK 8 RESULTS
Hilton Head Prep 62, Northwood Academy 6
Hilton Head Christian 53, John Paul II 12
Hilton Head High 16, Bluffton 7
May River 24, Beaufort High 21
James Island 28, Colleton County 3
Burke 34, Ridgeland-Hardeeville 26
Beaufort Academy 43, Orangeburg Prep 6
Thomas Heyward 34, St. John’s Christian 7
Calhoun Academy 21, Colleton Prep 8
Whale Branch 56, Estill 6
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
• Jace Blackshear, HHCA: The Blackshear Show went on the road Thursday, as the Eagles’ senior star lit up John Paul II for 108 yards and 3 TDs on 10 carries and went 11-for-14 passing for 252 yards and 4 TDs. Blackshear has accounted for 34 TDs (21 passing, 13 rushing) with just one interception in 83 attempts.
• Loncelle Daley, HHP: The Dolphins’ workhorse back had a relatively light load in Friday’s blowout of Northwood Academy, carrying the ball just 13 times. But he made the most of the opportunities, racking up 186 yards to go over 1,000 for the season and scoring five TDs.
• Garvin Douglas, MRHS: Douglas continues to do his best Auburn-era Cam Newton impression, running over the opposition even when they know he’s coming. He rolled up 213 yards and 2 TDs on 27 carries — his third straight 200-yard rushing game — and threw a TD pass in a 24-21 win over Beaufort High to take control of Region 7-4A.
• Jakhi Pusha, WB: Pusha was pressed into the quarterback role Friday at Estill with Kai’Shawn Jenkins resting a sore arm, and he put on quite a show. The junior has been making big plays on offense all season, and he did the same as the QB, going 7-for-8 passing for 131 yards and 2 TDs and adding 88 yards and 3 TDs on nine carries.
• Carter Saleeby, HHIHS: A solid contributor at linebacker, Saleeby had been slumping in his secondary role as the Seahawks’ placekicker, missing his first five field goal tries to start the season, but he came up big in the Bridge Bowl. The junior connected on three of four field goal attempts and his only PAT, and he contributed four tackles and a pass breakup on defense before coming up with an interception to seal the win.
HELMET STICKERS
• DJ Aiken, BLHS: 12 tackles, TFL
• AJ Barger, HHP: 4-27, TD rushing; 3-54, TD receiving; 2 tackles
• Tristan Bonomo, HHP: 4-5 passing, 57 yards, 2 TDs; 2-30 rushing; 1 tackle, 1 sack
• Tyquan Calloway, MRHS: 6 tackles, 1.5 sacks
• Kade Carpenter, MRHS: 8 tackles, 0.5 sack, forced fumble
• Keith Chisholm, WB: 51-yard TD reception; 1 tackle, INT
• Jeremiah Curry, BLHS: 11 tackles, TFL
• Cody Dalrymple, BA: 9-131, 2 TDs rushing; 10 tackles
• James Dennison, BHS: 8 tackles, TFL, PBU, INT
• Braydon Dineen, BA: 6-6 passing, 103 yards, TD; 9 tackles, TFL, INT-TD
• Anthony Fripp, THA: 20-168 rushing
• Preston Hamilton, THA: 8 tackles, 3 TFL, sack, 3 QB pressures
• KJ Holland, HHIHS: 8 tackles, fumble recovery
• Kamron Holman, WB: 2 tackles, 41-yard INT-TD; 1-23 receiving
• Brandon Howard, THA: 8 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 QB pressures, PBU, INT; 2-10, TD rushing
• Max Kimmel, MRHS: 2-23, TD receiving
• Jackson Lanier, HHCA: 3-106, TD receiving; 10 tackles
• Matthew Larkby, HHIHS: 6 tackles, 2 TFL, QB pressure, PBU, forced fumble, fumble recovery
• Chase McCracken, HHIHS: 26-124 rushing
• Amariee Morris, BHS: 18-141, 2 TDs rushing
• Cody Parker, THA: 6 tackles, TFL, INT; 1-10, TD receiving
• Darrion Perry, MRHS: 5 tackles, PBU, blocked punt
• Jaxen Porter, BA: 9-68, TD rushing; 1-65, TD receiving; 2 tackles, INT-TD
• Joseph Robinson, HHCA: 4-64, TD rushing; 2-61, TD receiving; 7 tackles
• Sebastian Slusne, JPII: 5 tackles, fumble recovery
• Jaylen Sneed, HHIHS: 6-7 passing, 48 yards; 26-155, TD rushing; 4 tackles, TFL, sack, 2 QB pressures
• Christian Tilton, JPII: 5-7 passing, 58 yards, 2 TDs; 17-122, 2 TDs rushing; 4 tackles, forced fumble, blocked PAT
• JaQuinn Williams, BLHS: 19 tackles, TFL
TEAM OF THE WEEK
May River Sharks (6-2, 3-0)
The Sharks showed some serious mettle Friday night, staring down a 14-0 deficit in a hostile environment against the two-time defending region champions and somehow coming away with one of the biggest wins in the program’s short history. The offensive line that entered the season as a concern handled its business against a dominant Beaufort defensive front, and Garvin Douglas continued his incredible debut campaign as QB1 with his third straight 200-yard rushing game. A once-inexperienced defense has grown up and executed defensive coordinator Alan Schmidt’s brilliant gameplan to perfection, frustrating a dynamic Beaufort offense following a quick start. May River has morphed into a perennial threat to make a deep run in the postseason, and if the Sharks keep playing the way they have the past four weeks, they’ll be tough to beat in November.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Beaufort Academy (4-2, 3-0) at Hilton Head Christian Academy (7-0, 3-0)
A region title could be on the line this Friday in Bluffton, as Hilton Head Christian Academy’s high-powered spread offense clashes with a Beaufort Academy team looking to make a major statement on the road. It will be a tall task to stop electric HHCA quarterback Jace Blackshear, who accounted for seven touchdowns last week against John Paul II. Beaufort Academy should have its full complement of running backs for this key matchup and will need to control the ball as much as possible to keep it away from Blackshear and company. But the job will not be easy against Jackson Lanier and a dialed-in HHCA defensive front. It should be a great matchup in The Cage, and our own Wes Kerr will be providing color commentary on WSAV’s High School Blitz Game of the Week broadcast.
WEEK 9 SLATE
Hilton Head Prep at John Paul II, 7 p.m.
Beaufort Academy at Hilton Head Christian, 7 p.m.
Beaufort High at Bluffton, 7:30 p.m.
Hilton Head High at James Island, 7:30 p.m.
Colleton County at May River, 7:30 p.m.
Lake Marion at Ridgeland-Hardeeville, 7:30 p.m.
Whale Branch at Allendale-Fairfax, 7:30 p.m.
Thomas Heyward at Bethesda Academy, 7:30 p.m.
Greenwood Christian at Colleton Prep, 7:30 p.m.
