The final week of the high school football regular season in South Carolina is here, and there is a lot up for grabs in Friday’s finales.

Here is a look at some of the top matchups, story lines, predictions and The State’s Power Rankings.

Region titles up for grabs

Three of Friday’s games will determine region championships and are the most-anticipated games in the Midlands.

* Dutch Fork (8-1) at Lexington (8-1): Winner claims the Region 4-5A championship and will be in the Upper State bracket of the playoffs. Loser will be in the Lower State bracket. Dutch Fork has won six straight in the series, with Lexington’s last win (56-49) coming in 2011. Game features two Mr. Football finalists in Dutch Fork running back Jarvis Green (1,065 yards, 16 TDs) and Lexington’s Jonah Norris (1,728 yards, 25 TDs). Dutch Fork has won three straight games by combined score of 159-7. Lexington’s offense is averaging 433.4 yards a game and Dutch Fork’s defense is giving up less than half of that per game. Game is WACH Fox Sonic Friday Night Rivals game and will be streamed on WACH Fox 57.2, 1250 (Spectrum) and on www.wach.com. Prediction: Dutch Fork

* Ridge View (8-1) at AC Flora (9-0): Winner captures Region 5-4A championship and will have home field advantage in the 4A Lower State playoffs. That is assuming Ridge View wins its appeal before the SC High School League on Friday regarding sanctions against the program. It is unclear what the penalties Ridge View is appealing. Ridge View is looking for its first region title since 2007. AC Flora is going for its second perfect regular season in three years. It’s only the second meeting between the two teams, with the other coming in the 2019 playoffs and won by Ridge View 28-15. AC Flora running back Markel Townsend has rushed for 1,649 yards and 22 touchdowns. Ridge View running back Marcus Kelly hit the 1,000-yard mark last week and has 1,051 yards and 11 touchdowns. RV receiver Adonis McDaniel (44 receptions, 600 yards, 5 TDs) played at AC Flora before joining the Blazers this year. East Caroline commit Zion Agnew leads Ridge View with 47 catches for 851 yards and nine touchdowns. Prediction: AC Flora

* Brookland-Cayce (6-3) at Gilbert (7-2): Winner of the game is the Region 5-3A champion, and loser will be second seed from the region. Two teams have split the last eight meetings since 2012, with B-C winning last year 35-34. The Bearcats have gone to a more run-oriented attack during their five-game winning streak. Deshaun Washington leads the team with 1,090 yard rushing, and Naz Mays has 870 yards and team-high 12 touchdowns. Gilbert has a pair of 1,000-yard running backs in Alias Graham-Woodberry (1,331 yards, 14 TDs) and Jaden Allen-Hendrix (1,159 yards, 20 TDs). Both teams averaged more than 430 yards per game. Kelvin Blackwell leads Gilbert with 30 tackles for loss and four sacks. Prediction: Gilbert

Win or season might be done

There are two “win-and-you’re-in” scenarios in the Midlands, with both coming in Region 5-4A and matchups between Irmo/Lugoff-Elgin and Richland Northeast/Westwood. The winners of those two games are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, with the losers clinging to hope of grabbing one of Class 4A’s at-large postseason berths.

Chapin also is facing a must-win scenario. The Eagles need to beat River Bluff to have a shot at one of the final two playoff spots in Region 4-5A. If Chapin wins, there will be a three-way tie in the standings with River Bluff and White Knoll, and a tiebreaker will be used. If River Bluff wins, the Gators will be the third seed from the region and be in the Lower State side of the bracket. White Knoll would be the fourth seed and be in the Upper State.

Dreher also needs to win to get in the playoffs. The Blue Devils get in with a win over Lower Richland and an Orangeburg-Wilkinson loss to Swansea. If Dreher and O-W both win, there will be a three-way tie for the final two playoff spots in Region 5-3A.

Seeding purposes

Some teams have postseason spots locked up, but a win Friday will help their seeding, including:

* Newberry at Fairfield Central: Winner of game finishes second in Region 4-2A and loser is third. Both teams will host first-round games.

* Saluda at Batesburg-Leesville: The winner of thegame will finish in third place and host a first-round playoff game, while the loser opens the playoffs on the road.

* Whitmire at CA Johnson: Winner finishes second in Region 3-A and loser is third place. Both will host first-round games next week.

This week’s schedule, picks

Game times are 7:30 p.m. unless noted with Lou Bezjak’s prediction in parenthesis

Cardinal Newman at Augusta Christian (Prediction: Cardinal Newman)

Chapin at River Bluff (River Bluff)

Dreher at Lower Richland (Lower Richland)

Eau Claire at Mid-Carolina (Mid-Carolina)

Hammond at Heathwood Hall (Hammond)

Keenan at Gray Collegiate (Gray Collegiate)

Lugoff-Elgin at Irmo (Irmo)

Marlboro County at Camden (Camden)

Newberry at Fairfield Central (Fairfield Central)

Newberry Academy at Oakbrook Prep (Oakbrook)

North Central at Central (Central)

Spartanburg Christian at Northside Christian (Northside)

Richard Winner at Laurens Academy (Richard Winn)

Saluda at Batesburg-Leesville (Saluda)

Silver Bluff at Pelion (Silver Bluff)

Spring Valley at Blythewood (Blythewood)

Swansea at Orangeburg-Wilkinson (Orangeburg-Wilkinson)

Westwood at Richland Northeast (Richland Northeast)

Whitmire at CA Johnson (CA Johnson)

Last Week: 23-3

Season Record: 194-50

The State’s Power Rankings

A look at The State’s Top 10 for Columbia-area schools after Week 10:

1. Dutch Fork

Record: 8-1

Last Week: Defeated River Bluff, 56-7

2. AC Flora

Record: 9-0

Last Week: Defeated Lugoff-Elgin, 54-7

3. Lexington

Record: 8-1

Last Week: Defeated Aiken, 50-0

4. Ridge View

Record: 8-1

Last Week: Defeated Richland Northeast, 41-34

5 Gray Collegiate

Record: 6-3

Last Week: Off

6. Gilbert

Record: 7-2

Last Week: Defeated Dreher, 56-21

7. Camden

Record: 6-3

Last Week: Defeated Crestwood, 53-20

8. Blythewood

Record: 7-2

Last Week: Rock Hill, 31-7

10. Brookland-Cayce

Record: 6-3

Last Week: Defeated Swansea, 49-0

10. River Bluff

Record: 6-3

Last Week: Lost to Dutch Fork, 56-7

Dropped out: None

Others considered: White Knoll, Hammond, Saluda, Fairfield Central

Lou Bezjak: (803) 771-8419, @LouatTheState

Caption:

Jeff Blake Jeff Blake Photo

Lexington Wildcats’ Jarrod Mewborn (11) rushes around Gilbert Indians’ Chance Jennings (11) during their game at Lexington High School on Sept. 16.

October 28, 2022 | State, The (Columbia, SC)
Author/Byline: Lou Bezjak; Staff Writer | Page: 1B | Section: Sports