The first round of the high school football playoffs is in the books, and five Lowco teams are left standing. The opening round brought blustery weather and an unfortunate end to the season for seven Lowco squads, including top-seeded May River. Here’s your first look at the action from around the area in the Lowco First Down.
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SCHSL Class 4A
North Myrtle Beach 27, May River 7: Garvin Douglas gave the Sharks an early lead with a 40-yard touchdown run, but the Chiefs rattled off 27 unanswered points as Cam Freeman scored a pair of rushing TDs to upset the Region 7-4A champions in The Tank.
Beaufort High 30, South Florence 14: Tyler Haley and Zyrin Odom hooked up for a pair of TD passes, and Joe Caprarola booted three field goals to lead the Eagles to an impressive first-round win in a matchup of top-10 teams.
Aiken 25, Hilton Head High 8: Jaylen Sneed returned for his final game as a Seahawk and picked off a pass and rushed for a touchdown, but the Hornets used a blocked punt for a TD and a pick 6 to end Hilton Head’s season.
North Augusta 31, Bluffton 12: Camauri Simmons scored a rushing TD and Roderick Buxton hit Jaylin Linder on a sweep pass in the first half, but the Yellowjackets blanked the Bobcats in the second half to hang on at home.
SCHSL Class 3A
Crestwood 47, Battery Creek 10: Jeremiah Dilbert rushed for over 100 yards and gave the Dolphins an early lead with a TD run, but the Knights shut out Creek for the final three quarters and the Dolphins couldn’t slow down Crestwood quarterback Javion Martin on the road.
SCHSL Class 1A
Whale Branch 19, East Clarendon 0: Joseph Hicks scored a pair of rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter and Keith Chisholm added a pick 6 to seal it as the Warriors survived a defensive struggle at home in the first round.
SCISA Class 2A
Beaufort Academy 33, Florence Christian 25: Jaxen Porter rushed for 143 yards and two TDs and racked up nine tackles, and Braydon Dineen, Devonte Green, and Cody Dalrymple had big games on both sides of the ball to help the Eagles hold on at home for their first 11-man playoff win.
Pee Dee Academy 48, John Paul II 16: The Golden Warriors couldn’t slow down a powerful attack led by Coleby Sinclair, who rushed for three TDs, and Landyn Tyler, who added a pair of rushing scores and a TD catch, as the Golden Eagles rolled past an injury-depleted JPII squad in the first round.
Hilton Head Christian 47, Carolina Academy 0: Jace Blackshear threw two TD passes, Joseph Robinson caught a TD and added two rushing scores, and Riley Shinn took two interceptions back for scores as HHCA rolled up a 40-0 halftime lead and coasted to a first-round win in a rematch of last year’s state title game.
Williamsburg Academy 49, Hilton Head Prep 16: Tristan Bonomo threw a TD pass to AJ Barger, Loncelle Daley added a TD run, and Trevor Weldon booted one last field goal for the Dolphins, but HHP couldn’t stop undefeated Williamsburg’s rushing attack.
SCISA Class 1A
Thomas Heyward def. Dillon Christian: The three-time defending state champion Rebels advanced to the semifinals via forfeit and will host Thomas Sumter next Friday.
Thomas Sumter 28, Colleton Prep 21: The War Hawks battled back from a 21-0 deficit to pull within one touchdown as Drew Murdaugh ran for a score and threw TD passes to Caden Crosby and Caleb Davis, but the Generals held on for the first-round win.
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