Once again, we arrive at what could very well be the final night of high school football in the Lowco for 2021. With that said, we certainly hope it’s not, and as our predictions will attest, we expect it to be a very successful night for local squads.
But nothing is guaranteed this time of year. If you’re still playing in mid-November, you can play, and if you want to keep playing, you better bring it.
Three Lowco squads will look to punch their tickets to the SCISA state finals tonight, while a pair of public schools from Northern Beaufort County hope to move another step toward a state title. Let’s get ready for kickoff with the Round 2 playoff primer.
SCHSL 4A 2ND ROUND
Beaufort (9-2) at North Augusta (6-5)
The last team standing from Region 7-4A looks to extend its season another week — and potentially earn a rematch with top-ranked Myrtle Beach — when Beaufort High travels to North Augusta for a second-round matchup Friday.
The Eagles have been in top form since letting a third straight region title slip away in a 24-21 loss to May River, outscoring their last three opponents 119-32, and they made fairly easy work of eighth-ranked South Florence last week. Beaufort’s ground game benefited from the return of Amariee Morris, who missed three of the final four regular-season games to rehab an ankle injury for the playoff run, and the defense shut down a talented Bruins team in a 30-14 win.
North Augusta is 3-0 since a midseason coaching change, and the Yellowjackets’ defense has played well in the second half of the season, allowing 15 or fewer points in five straight games. The Eagles should have considerably more success moving the ball than Bluffton did in a 31-12 loss to North Augusta last week, but they will need Morris to get the ground game going to open up the passing game for Tyler Haley, who can stretch the field with Zyrin Odom and Kacy Fields and use reliable outlets Michael Dennison and McLeod Reichel to move the chains. Turnovers have been the only thing that has derailed Beaufort’s offense this season, so if the Eagles hang onto the ball, they should be able to put up enough points to win.
It helps that Beaufort’s defense has been exceptionally stingy, allowing just 12.9 points per game. It starts with an outstanding defensive line led by Touchstone Energy Bowl pick Alvin Wilson and junior phenom Eamon Smalls, and the secondary has been terrific of late, with corners Daryl DePass and Jalin Porter shutting down opposing passing games.
The Eagles will have to contend with a powerful back in DJ Curry, who gashed Bluffton a week ago, as well as dual-threat quarterback Austin Harrell, who is the Yellowjackets’ No. 2 rusher and likes to spread the ball around through the air. Beaufort’s linebackers will have to help out in coverage a good bit, and limiting yards after the catch will be key to forcing Harrell and the Jackets off the field and putting the ball back in Haley’s hands.
Both teams have excellent kickers, so if it’s close late, Beaufort’s Joe Caprarola or North Augusta’s Drew Stevens may be called upon for a clutch field goal attempt to decide the outcome.
If Beaufort can duplicate its effort from a week ago, controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and limiting big plays in the passing game, the Eagles should have the advantage, even on the road. — Justin Jarrett
PREDICTION:
JJ: Beaufort 27, North Augusta 20
WK: Beaufort 28, North Augusta 17
SCHSL 1A 2ND ROUND
Whale Branch (7-1) at Lake View (9-2)
When the Whale Branch Warriors get off the bus at Lake View for a huge second-round matchup in the Class 1A playoffs, they’ll see a similar reflection staring across the field for a battle of teams that love to grind it out on the ground and play shutdown defense.
The fifth-ranked Warriors and seventh-ranked Wild Gators have both been rolling since unexpected slip-ups in region play. Lake View has reeled off four straight wins since a stunning home loss to Hannah-Pamplico, while Whale Branch has won three straight in dominant fashion since letting a big halftime lead slip away at home against Baptist Hill.
Whale Branch struggled to get its offense going in blustery conditions against East Clarendon last week, but Joseph Hicks got untracked in the second half and broke a pair of powerful touchdown runs in the fourth quarter, and the defense came up with numerous key stops to preserve a 19-0 win, including a pick-6 on Keith Chisholm’s third interception of the night.
The Warriors will be tested by a more versatile offense this week, as Lake View can do damage on the ground and through the air. The Gators’ first option is to hand it off to star running back Treyvon Bellmon, who has piled up 1,130 rushing yards and 14 TDs, but Marvin Gordon (811 yards, 7 TDs) is another effective runner. Whale Branch can’t sell out to stop the run, though, because DJ Bethea chucks it about 15 times per game and has thrown for 1,762 yards with 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Shaheed Dawkins and Trey Page are both dangerous receivers who will test a Whale Branch secondary that has had to retool somewhat after losing standout Kamron Holman to a midseason move to Charlotte.
Whale Branch did not complete a pass last week in the rain, but look for the Warriors to try to get the passing game going with short passes and quick screens to open up more space for Hicks, Darrell Cummings, and Clifton Major, who is expected to return after missing last week’s game. The Warriors have a major weapon in massive tackle Xavier Chaplin, and they will try to run behind him as often as possible.
It’s never easy to get off to a good start and sustain it for 48 minutes after a long road trip to take on a quality opponent, but the Warriors have a veteran team and coaching staff that is accustomed to playing in big games. If Whale Branch executes the game plan, the Warriors will have an excellent chance to advance to the Lower State semifinals. — Justin Jarrett
PREDICTION
JJ: Whale Branch 26, Lake View 20
WK: Whale Branch 28, Lake View 24
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SCISA 2A SEMIFINALS
Pee Dee Academy (9-1) at Hilton Head Christian (11-0)
They meet again. Two perennial SCISA powerhouses will face off in the 2A semifinals for the second straight year on Friday. It was all HHCA last year, as the Blackshear-Peduzzi express trampled Hudson Spivey and Pee Dee Academy, but the junior quarterback will eye his revenge as he makes the trip to his rivals’ new Bluffton campus.
Looking to repeat as state champions in 2021, HHCA has soared into the semifinals, winning 23 straight games dating back to a loss in the 2019 SCISA 2A title game. The phenomenal defense has been the story down the stretch, allowing no points to opposing offenses in the past three games, but Spivey and a Pee Dee team with a chip on its shoulder will have something to say about that on Friday night.
The visiting Golden Eagles are firing on all cylinders coming into the semifinal rematch, scoring 40 points in four straight contests. Spivey can light it up through the air and rarely turns the ball over, racking up 1,817 passing yards with a remarkable 27:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Coleby Sinclair is a monster on the ground with 1,000 rushing yards to his name, while Drew Singletary and Allen Moore provide some stellar speed on the outside at wide receiver.
Spivey loves to make plays down the field with his arm, but he hasn’t seen a secondary as powerful as the Junkyard Dogs. Senior Riley Shinn has led the way down the stretch, returning three interceptions for touchdowns in just the past three weeks. Jace Blackshear has Spivey’s number on the defensive side with a 96-yard pick-six in last year’s meeting, and freshman Peter Nodelman Jr. has emerged as a talented component in a dangerous unit.
He’s flown solo this time around at quarterback, but Blackshear has continued to star under center on a scorching-hot Eagle offense. Newcomer Speedy Robinson has been the catalyst in 2021. The Ridgeland-Hardeeville transfer can burst down the field with his elite quickness, and has become an integral part in Blackshear’s passing attack.
He made his name as a beast on the defensive front, but Jackson Lanier is doing it on both sides this year, using his phenomenal power and explosiveness as a receiver out of the backfield and even out wide.
Blackshear has improved his accuracy on the deep ball and is an electric runner on the ground, but he struggled early against a terrific Beaufort Academy defense three weeks ago. If he can take care of the football, make the right reads, and work his magic on the ground, his team should find ways to put points on the board with a quick-strike offense that can score from anywhere on the field.
There’s certainly a path to a Pee Dee victory on the road, but last year’s 63-14 HHCA rout proved how difficult that proposition could be. It will take a special effort from Spivey and an unforced error or two from HHCA to unseat the defending SCISA 2A champions who have steamrolled their way to this point on both sides. The Cage should be rocking in Bluffton on Friday night in the home finale as Ron Peduzzi and the Eagles eye a return to Charleston Southern and a shot at back-to-back state titles. — Wes Kerr
PREDICTION
JJ: Hilton Head Christian 40, Pee Dee Academy 23
WK: Hilton Head Christian 41, Pee Dee Academy 26
Beaufort Academy (6-3) at Williamsburg Academy (9-0)
Beaufort Academy has already made school history with the program’s first 11-man playoff win since transitioning from the 8-man game last season, and now the Eagles have a chance to punch their ticket to the state championship game, but they’ll have to beat undefeated Williamsburg Academy on the road to make it happen.
The Eagles have had their eye on earning a potential rematch with defending SCISA 2A champion Hilton Head Christian Academy next week at Charleston Southern, and they’re one win away after holding off Florence Christian 33-25 a week ago. The Stallions survived for a 27-26 overtime win over FCS in Week 2, but they haven’t been tested since and rolled to a 49-16 win over Hilton Head Prep in the first round.
BA’s offense has been outstanding in two straight wins, racking up 97 points, and the Eagles will try to keep it rolling against a stingy Stallions defense that allows 13.7 points per game. Devonte Green is back to full strength, giving the Eagles a full house in the backfield with Jaxen Porter and Cody Dalrymple adding two powerful options to Green’s dynamic speed. Porter has also been a key figure in the passing game as quarterback Braydon Dineen continues to keep defenses honest with deadly play-action passes in key spots.
BA’s defense has proven susceptible at times, and the Eagles will have to contend with an explosive Williamsburg attack led by quarterback Conrad Balder. Balder has picked apart defenses to the tune of 1,526 passing yards with an incredible 16 touchdowns and just one interception, and he tossed TD passes to two different receivers and added a rushing score last week. The Stallions also have an excellent back in Caleb Kline (801 yards, 14 TDs), who gashed HHP for 125 yards and three scores a week ago.
The Eagles’ secondary has come up with huge plays all season, and their performance will be critical, especially with interception leader Ben Lubkin nursing an injury that could keep him out Friday night. This should be a slugfest, and it could come down to the last possession and one big play to determine who marches on to the state championship game. — Justin Jarrett
PREDICTION
JJ: Williamsburg Academy 33, Beaufort Academy 30
WK: Beaufort Academy 34, Williamsburg Academy 28
SCISA 1A SEMIFINALS
Thomas Sumter (6-5) at Thomas Heyward (10-1)
They’ve had a week off to rest, and now it’s back to business for the three-time defending SCISA 1A state champs. Thomas Heyward will host a tough customer on Friday night, as Thomas Sumter comes down to Ridgeland to face the Rebels for a spot in next Saturday’s state championship game.
It may just be the semifinals, but the winner of this bout should be the odds-on favorite to claim the trophy next week in Charleston Southern after the top two seeds from the other half of the bracket were knocked off in the opening round. Thomas Heyward enjoyed a week off after first-round opponent Dillion Christian forfeited the contest, and the Rebels will have fresh legs as they head into a difficult matchup with Thomas Sumter.
It’s been a storybook season for the Generals, who have earned their way to the semifinals after not winning a single game in 2020. In fact, they’ve won as many games this season (6) as the previous four seasons combined.
Quarterback Jamari Harris has been the squad’s revelation, rushing for 603 yards in the regular season while adding 1,025 yards and 12 scores through the air. Gatlin Kimbro is a quick and athletic wide receiver who can stretch the defense, and Matthew Hawkins is a reliable target who helped seal the first-round win last week.
The Rebel defensive line has dominated its competition all season long, and Nic Shuford’s front seven will have to be on the top of its game against a dynamic quarterback that it has yet to see the likes of this season. If the star-studded group of Brandon Howard, Cameron VanGeison, Preston Hamilton, and Zane Wilson can penetrate the backfield and keep Harris in the pocket, the terrific senior could find some trouble operating his offense.
Colleton Prep found some big-time success throwing the football against a shaky General secondary, and the Rebels should look to exploit that opportunity with a group of quick and agile receivers led by Cody Parker. It will hurt to not have Dietrich Shuford at the helm in a big-time playoff game, but both Tyshon Mansell and Howard have proven they can make some clutch throws down the field. A successful passing attack will make it even easier for the Rebels’ dynamite run game of Anthony Fripp and Tony Obanner to get moving, but expect to see the duo busy on the ground early after a standout home stretch on the ground.
Harris will give the Rebels one of their toughest tests yet on defense with his exceptional athleticism and throwing abilities, but a terrific Thomas Heyward defense allowing just seven points per game in its last seven contests should be more than prepared for the challenge ahead. If the line can contain the dangerous Harris and the offense plays a sound, mistake-free game, the Rebels should use their star power, playoff experience, and depth to their advantage as they look to take another step closer towards a fourth consecutive state championship. — Wes Kerr
PREDICTION
JJ: Thomas Heyward 38, Thomas Sumter 13
WK: Thomas Heyward 32, Thomas Sumter 12
SEASON RECORDS
WK: 8-3 last week, 88-14 overall
JJ: 9-2 last week, 83-19 overall
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