Yet another Friday night of high school football was disrupted by severe weather, as Week 5 was marred by cancellations, postponements, delays, abrupt endings — and one three-week intermission.
Hilton Head Prep and Cross Schools had their region matchups postponed, while John Paul II’s road contest at St. John’s Christian Academy was cancelled due to poor field conditions and will not be rescheduled.
The de facto SCISA 1A region championship game in Walterboro is still in progress — and didn’t even hit halftime before the officials called it a night after lengthy lightning delays.
But we did come away with six finals — five of which were played to their conclusion — and crowned annual champs in three major Lowco rivalries. Here’s everything you need to know from Week 5 in Lowco First Down.
Hilton Head 38, Bluffton 28
Thaddeus Czarnecki gave a monster effort on both sides of the ball and Derrick Raniszewski rushed for two touchdowns and dropped a dime on Jeremiah Walters for a clinching touchdown to cap off the Seahawks’ shootout victory, as the teams combined for more than 700 yards of total offense. Aedan McCarthy rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown and caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Lucas Gates, but the Seahawks stifled his impact through the air, holding him to 14-of-26 passing for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Next week: HHIHS (5-1) vs. Bishop England; Bluffton (4-2) vs. Beaufort
May River 38, Georgetown 0
Sean Mitchell racked up 206 rushing yards and three touchdowns and hauled in a 22-yard touchdown pass from Luc Tran along with an interception on defense to power the Sharks to a lopsided homecoming win. May River’s defense was dominant in its first shutout since blanking Ridgeland-Hardeeville in 2022.
Next week: May River (4-1) vs. Colleton Co.
Battery Creek 28, Whale Branch 14
Eddie Heyward scored a pair of touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions, and La’Jaivion Samuel and Tyjuan Simmons broke long touchdown runs to help the Dolphins build an early lead that held up when the game was cut short by multiple lengthy lightning delays. Jermon Bowers threw a touchdown pass to Takim Person and added a rushing score that brought Whale Branch within 20-14 before Heyward’s clinching score. The game was halted with 1:58 remaining in the third quarter, giving the Dolphins their second win in the last three meetings.
Next week: Battery Creek (2-4) at North Charleston; WB (2-4) is idle
Christ Church 40, Hampton Co. 35
Jaylen Singletary rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries, and Tarell Grant added 158 yards and two scores on nine attempts, but the Hurricanes’ late rally on the road came up short. Michael Martin II rushed for 236 yards and two touchdowns, and Jude Hall and Anthony Atkins each caught two TD passes for the Cavaliers. Hampton County has lost three straight following a 3-0 start.
Next week: Hampton Co. (3-3) vs. Edisto
Ridgeland 16, Hardeeville 0
Jayden Nunes and Javar Henderson each scooped up fumbles and took them to the end zone, and the Jaguars’ defense also produced a safety to provide all the scoring as Ridgeland blanked Hardeeville in the rivals’ first meeting since the schools were reconsolidated following the 2011-12 school year. Bam Crawford rushed for 113 yards for the Jaguars, who have won two straight following an 0-4 start.
Next week: Ridgeland (2-4) at Denmark-Olar; Hardeeville (1-5) vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt
Pinewood Prep 69, HHCA 28
Silas Brawner went 15-of-19 for 268 yards and five touchdowns and Grayson Salego rushed for 125 yards and four TDs on 14 carries to lead the Panthers to a convincing win. Reid McCollum went 14-of-27 for 249 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, including a 63-yard pick-six from Mikey Williams, and the Panthers took him out of the running game. Thomas Gehm, Joey Houpt, and Sam Strum all snagged touchdown passes and Hudson Baker added a touchdown run for the Eagles.
Next week: HHCA (2-4) at Bulloch Academy
Colleton Prep 14, Beaufort Academy 0 (susp. 2Q)
Cale Owens scored a pair of rushing touchdowns to stake the War Hawks to an early lead before play was halted due to thunderstorms. Play will resume on Oct. 17 in Walterboro with the SCISA Region 2-1A title on the line.
Next week: BA (5-1) vs. Bethesda Academy; CPA (5-1) is idle