With one week left in the high school football regular season for public schools, the playoff race is starting to take shape.
Each region has a different amount of guaranteed playoff spots, ranging from at least four all the way to six for bigger regions. There are at-large spots in Class 5A and 4A because of an uneven amounts of regions.
Here are the updated playoff scenarios for Midlands teams. Region records are in parentheses:
Class 5A
——Region 3——
Locks: Blythewood (4-0) is the region champion and will host a first-round game. Clover (3-1) will finish second in the region. The battle for third is between Nation Ford (2-2) and Spring Valley (2-2). Nation Ford gets third seed with a win over Fort Mill or Spring Valley loss to Blythewood. Rock Hill (1-3) is locked into the fifth seed.
——Region 4——
Locks: Lexington (3-0) and Dutch Fork (3-0) are tied for first and will play for region title on Friday. The winner of the region and fourth-place finisher will be in the Upper State playoff bracket, with the runner-up and third-place team in the Lower State.
In the mix: River Bluff (1-2) will be the third seed with a win over Chapin (0-3). If that happens, White Knoll (1-3) is the fourth seed. If Chapin beats River Bluff, there will be a three-way tie for third and will decided by a tiebreaker. The fifth-place finisher in region can qualify for an at-large bid.
Class 4A
——Region 4——
Locks: North Augusta (3-0) wins the region by defeating Midland Valley (2-1) on Friday. If Midland Valley wins and South Aiken (2-1) defeats Aiken there will be a three-way tie for first. Aiken (1-2) will be at least the fourth seed but if it beats South Aiken can improve its playoff seeding.
——Region 5——
Locks: A.C. Flora (4-0) and Ridge View (4-0) have locked in playoff spots, and the region championship will come down to their matchup Friday.
In the mix: Westwood, Lugoff Elgin, Irmo and Richland Northeast are tied for third at 1-3. The winner of the L-E/ Irmo and RNE-Westwood games will earn the other two automatic playoff spots. The fifth-place team will be eligible for one of the four at-large spots in the Lower State.
Class 3A
——Region 5——
Locks: Brookland-Cayce (4-0) and Gilbert (4-0) have clinched playoff spots and will decide the region title when they play on Friday.
In the mix: Lower Richland (2-2) can wrap up the third spot with a win over Dreher (1-3). Orangeburg-Wilkinson (1-3) gets the fourth spot with a win over Swansea (0-4) and Dreher loss. Dreher could force a three-way tie with a win over LR and O-W win over Swansea.
——Region 6——
Locks: Camden (4-0) has clinched the region championship. The winner of the Crestwood (3-1) and Lakewood (3-1) game will be second and loser third. Marlboro County (2-2) has the final playoff spot.
Class 2A
——Region 3——
Locks: Strom Thurmond (4-0) has won the region championship and Silver Bluff (3-1) is second.
In the mix: The winner of the Saluda (2-2) and Batesburg-Leesville (2-2) game will be third place. Fox Creek (1-3) has locked up the fifth-place spot.
——Region 4——
Locks: Gray Collegiate (5-0) has won the region championship.
In the mix: Fairfield Central (4-1) and Newberry (4-1) will play for second-place in the region this week. Keenan (3-2) has the fourth-place spot locked up. Mid-Carolina (1-4) wraps up fifth spot with a win over Eau Claire (0-5). Columbia (1-5) would be the sixth seed if M-C defeats EC.
——Region 5——
Locks: Andrew Jackson (4-0) and Buford (3-1) have wrapped up spots and will decide region title when they play on Friday.
In the mix: Central (2-2) is the third seed with a win over North Central (1-3). If Central wins, the fourth playoff spot goes to the winner of Chesterfield (1-3) and Cheraw (1-3).
Class A
——Region 3——
Locks: Lewisville (3-0) has clinched the region title.
The second seed goes to the winner of this week’s Whitmire (2-1) and CA Johnson (2-1) game. McBee (1-2) will be the fourth seed.
October 17, 2022 | State, The: Web Edition Articles (Columbia, SC)
Author/Byline: Lou Bezjak, The State | Section: prep_football