Feel free to knock on wood as you read this next sentence: The Legion Collegiate and York football teams, beset by COVID-19 protocols that kept them out from under Friday night lights in the first two weeks of 2021, are finally set for their respective season debuts.
(On second thought, knock on wood again for good measure, will ya?)
Legion and York — the only remaining teams from The Herald’s coverage area that have not yet played a game this season — have plenty to play for this week.
As far as Legion is concerned? The young Lancers, led by a slew of returning receivers and defensive backs with big-play potential, will officially usher in the program’s post-South Carolina High School League era when it welcomes Gray Collegiate to Fuse Park in Gastonia, North Carolina on Thursday night. The Rock Hill public charter, after two years of feeling unwelcomed by the SCHSL’s membership, broke away from the league and joined the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association at the end of last year.
And as for York? The sophomore-laden Cougars are playing catch-up. A lot of the questions posed in their impressive showing in the preseason jamboree in Rock Hill on Aug. 13 haven’t been answered yet. (And that’s because … well … they haven’t played in front of fans since.) Among those questions, which York will have to answer Friday night at home against Cox Mill: Can the Cougars cut down on turnovers? And can they play older than they are?
Other high school football games this week have interesting storylines, too. From an update on the COVID-caused chaos that is high school football scheduling this year, to game predictions, to game-by-game storylines and more — here’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to get ready for Friday night football.
TK:Legion football practice2_2021.jpgLegion Collegiate football players practice at the school in July. The Lancers have their 2021 season debut on Thursday night.
Who’s playing this week? Plus Zietlow picks
Northwestern (1-1, 0-0) at Clover (1-1, 0-0). This matchup between two top-10 S.C. 5A teams will the compel the attention of high school football fans across the state. Northwestern rebounded from its opening-week loss to South Pointe with an admirable, explosive effort against Rock Hill. Clover, conversely, fell to Charlotte’s Myers Park after a surprising win over Dorman in “Week 0.” Both teams can score. Both teams play fast. Should be exciting. The last time these two squared up, Clover squeaked out an emotional, 27-24 win — the first Clover win over Northwestern in 13 years at the time.
Listen: FM 107.1
Sports editor Alex Zietlow’s prediction: Northwestern wins.
River Bluff (1-1, 0-0) at Nation Ford (0-2, 0-0). This is a big game for the Nation Ford football team, a group that has shown flashes of offensive brilliance in its two losses in 2021. What’s kept Nation Ford out of the win column? The Falcons just haven’t yet put two halves together: Against Indian Land, they fell behind two scores in the first half before clawing their way back, and against Catawba Ridge, they were outscored in the second half 28-7. A win over River Bluff, already with a lopsided win over Lugoff-Elgin to its name in 2021, could mark a powerful reset for Nation Ford.
Listen: Comporium Channel 103
Zietlow’s prediction: Nation Ford wins.
_E0I5521_1.JPGCatawba Ridge’s (6) Jairus Frank scores a touchdown late in the second half as Nation Ford hosts Catawba Ridge in a Friday night cross town football rivalry, 8-27-2021.
Greenwood (2-0, 0-0) at Catawba Ridge (2-0, 0-0). Catawba Ridge looks to keep its impressive season going on Friday when it hosts Greenwood, another 4A S.C. top-10 team that also has two wins. The Copperheads — who have size and talent everywhere you look and who feature a top national prospect of a quarterback in Jadyn Davis — haven’t yet been in a close game. That, of course, may change this week against Greenwood, a typical 4A power that has appeared to reload in 2021 after losing 30 seniors from last year’s team.
Listen: Comporium Channel 103
Zietlow’s prediction: Catawba Ridge wins.
Chester (1-1, 0-0) at Airport (0-0,0-0). Chester, after its planned matchup against Lancaster was canceled on Monday, is playing up one classification this week when they go against 4A Airport, which has not played a game yet in 2021. Chester’s experience in their first two games — one a loss to the larger Providence, and one a redemptive win over 5A Fort Mill — should be an advantage. (It’s worth noting that the Cyclones had several breakout performances last week, including one from running back Darius Head, who ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.)
Liste: FM 90.3
Zietlow’s prediction: Chester wins.
Andrew Jackson (0-1, 0-0) at Mullins (1-0, 0-0). Andrew Jackson lost its opener last week to 4A Richland Northeast, but the 2A school in southern Lancaster County played better than the score indicated: The Volunteers marched inside RNE’s 25 four times and only came away with nine points. That experience, though, should go a long way against a Mullins team that defeated Green Sea Floyds in Week 1.
Zietlow’s prediction: Andrew Jackson wins.
_C5I8670_1.JPGEthan Watts notched an interception in the Founders Federal Credit Union Jamboree in Lancaster in 2021.
Buford (1-1, 1-0) at Lewisville (2-0, 0-0): Class 1A Lewisville has seen an eyebrow-raising amount of success to start 2021, and it’ll try to sustain that trend against Lancaster County’s 2A Buford at home. A big reason for said success? The Lions have notched over 650 rushing yards in their first two contests — a feat made possible by a young but big offensive line and a dynamic quarterback. Buford defeated Central of Pageland 14-12 in Week 0 before getting blown out by St. Joseph’s in Week 1.
Zietlow’s prediction: Lewisville wins.
Latta (0-1, 0-0) at Great Falls (2-0, 0-0): Great Falls, like its Lewisville football rival, is rolling. The 1A Red Devils haven’t started a season with two consecutive wins since 2014, when they went 7-4 on the year. Great Falls is powered by its playmakers Zae Brown and Foxx Moore, who combined for 347 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the team’s win over Eau Claire last week. Latta (2A) has only played one game, which was a shutout loss to Marlboro County.
Zietlow’s prediction: Great Falls wins.
Cox Mill (2-0, 0-0) at York (0-0, 0-0).
Listen: FM 94.3
Zietlow’s prediction: York wins.
Gray Collegiate (2-0, 0-0) at Legion Collegiate (0-0, 0-0).
Zietlow’s prediction: Gray Collegiate wins.
_E0I4391_1.JPGJaden Peoples (left) and Dumkele Idehen (right) walk out of the locker room after learning Indian Land’s scrimmage at the Founders Federal Credit Union Jamboree in Lancaster was canceled because of inclement weather.
Who isn’t playing?
As of this article’s online publication Thursday morning, Fort Mill and Rock Hill are the only two teams in The Herald’s coverage area that played last week and will not play this week.
The Yellow Jackets were originally scheduled to face York — a game that might’ve reminded longtime town of York and town of Fort Mill residents of a rivalry-by-proximity long ago, back before Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge high schools were built into York County’s history. And the Bearcats were set to welcome Gaffney to District Three Stadium.
Fort Mill and Rock Hill aren’t the only teams sidelined this week, of course: Indian Land and South Pointe are still navigating out of last week’s COVID-protocol carnage. And Lancaster, a team that missed the first two weeks of the 2021 season because of a full-team COVID shutdown but played its season-opener on Monday against Fairfield Central, will be out of the action again.
Other COVID scheduling headaches? Great Falls was supposed to play Timmonsville; now it’s facing Latta. Chester was supposed to play Lancaster; now it’s playing Airport. And York, originally scheduled to play Fort Mill, is now playing at home against Charlotte’s Cox Mill.
_C5I5994_1.JPGNation Ford hosts Catawba Ridge in a Friday night cross town football rivalry, 8-27-2021.
Tri-County Player of the Week awards: Week 1
5A awards
Offensive Player: Will Mattison, Northwestern QB, 13-23 for 261 yards and 4 touchdowns passing and 3 carries for 56 yards and 2 TDs rushing; Offensive Lineman: Jordan Knox, Northwestern, 93% grade, 3 knockdown blocks, 0 sacks given up; Defensive Player: Zi’Anthony Whitlock, Northwestern, 10 tackles, 1 pass breakup; Defensive Lineman: Miler Shouse, Fort Mill, 12 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 hurry; Special Teams Player: Kanoah Vinesett, Northwestern, 6 touchbacks, 6-6 PAT attempts.
4A awards
Offensive Player: Jadyn Davis, Catawba Ridge QB, 18-29 for 308 yards and 5 TDs; Offensive Lineman: JD McClain, Catawba Ridge, 91%, 3 pancakes, 1 knockdown; Defensive Player: Asa Johnson, Catawba Ridge, 8 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 tackle for loss, 1 QB pressure; Defensive Lineman: CJ Brown, Catawba Ridge, 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 QB pressure; Special Teams Player: Matthew Carylon, Catawba Ridge, 5-5 on PATs.
3A, 2A, 1A awards
Offensive Player: Christien Yoder, Lewisville QB, 6-10 for 193 yards and 3 TDs passing; Offensive Lineman: Hayden Williams, Andrew Jackson, 94% grade, 2 pancake blocks; Defensive Player: Antonio Hopkins, Chester, 10 tackles, 1 pass breakup, 1 sack, 2 QB pressures, 1 forced fumble; Defensive Lineman: Denari Garcia, Lewisville, 12 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss; Special Teams Player: Henry Glenn, Chester, 5-6 on PATs.
Sam Copeland contributed reporting.
September 2, 2021 | Herald, The: Web Edition Articles (Rock Hill, SC)
Author/Byline: Alex Zietlow, The Herald | Section: prep_football