North Augusta (2-1) at Strom Thurmond (2-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last time they played
North Augusta defeated Strom Thurmond 23-11 on Sept. 22, 2023.
Keys to the game
North Augusta dialed up some quick-scoring offense and disruptive defense to beat South Aiken in last week’s Region 4-AAAA opener, and the Jackets certainly wouldn’t mind duplicating that against Class AA No. 2 Strom Thurmond. North Augusta’s offense is one that has a variety of playmakers – sometimes it’s just a matter of whose night it’s going to be. The Strom Thurmond defense is built to prevent it from being anyone’s night, as long as the Rebels can avoid some of the lapses that led to some big gains by Silver Bluff two weeks ago. The Rebels have had a bye week since then to correct that, and also to prepare for North Augusta’s dynamic backfield of quarterback Corey Tillman and running back Michael Doe. Stopping them over the course of 48 minutes is a tall task for anybody, but the Rebels would love to avoid the 50-plus-yard touchdown runs Tillman and Doe recorded during the scoring surge to go ahead of South Aiken for good. North Augusta’s defensive line had a big night against a tough, veteran South Aiken offensive front, and up next is another seasoned unit at Strom Thurmond. The Rebels have a full stable of backs ready to pound the rock, and they’ll need to find positive yardage on first and second downs to stay away from too many desperation passing situations.
South Aiken (1-2) at Barnwell (3-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last time they played
South Aiken defeated Barnwell 23-6 on Sept. 25, 2009.
Keys to the game
South Aiken was disappointed to lose last week at North Augusta, especially because of what went wrong – an improved defense gave up too many big plays, and the offense made too many miscues that put the T-Breds in tough positions. They know they can’t do that again and expect to leave Barnwell with a win over the undefeated Warhorses. South Aiken still has belief that it can make some noise in Region 4-AAAA, and this is a chance outside of region play to get on the right track. The Warhorses know they’ve got to make Jevon Edwards work for his yardage. They can live with him putting up numbers, because he’s one of the best running backs in the state, but they can’t give up the 60- and 70-yard he’s capable of producing on any touch. Barnwell’s defense will have to be ready to face a variety of formations, and they’ll need to create some havoc up front against a veteran offensive line. The Warhorses brough the appropriate level of physicality to beat Bamberg-Ehrhardt last week, and they responded well to some adversity when quarterback Cameron Austin had to miss some snaps due to injury.
Silver Bluff (0-3) at Blackville-Hilda (2-1), 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Last time they played
This is the first meeting between the two programs.
Keys to the game
Silver Bluff is still looking for the first win of the Matt Hayes era, and to do so this week the Bulldogs will have to beat a Blackville-Hilda team that’s flying high after a road win over Ninety Six. The Fighting Hawks rode 407 yards of total offense, with 326 of those coming on the ground, to that victory and now will face a Silver Bluff defense that only allowed 14 points to Class AA No. 1 Hampton County last week. Mistakes by the offense – namely four turnovers – again placed a burden upon the defense, so the Bulldogs are looking to limit those and play a clean game when they have the ball. Silver Bluff has so much speed at the skill positions and can break a big gain at any time, but those opportunities haven’t been created consistently to this point. Blackville-Hilda has speed of its own on defense despite being undersized, which could be a test for a Silver Bluff offensive line that’s still finding its footing. The Bulldogs recorded 15 tackles for loss last week and will try to make plays in the backfield against savvy quarterback Samari Williams, who accounted for 285 yards of offense and four touchdowns last week, and Gamecock commit Jaquel Holman, who’s averaging 8.1 yards per carry and 138 yards per game to start the season.
Aiken (0-2) at Lugoff-Elgin (2-1), 7 p.m. Thursday
Last time they played
Aiken defeated Lugoff-Elgin 28-0 on Sept. 28, 1979.
Keys to the game
Aiken High’s defense will have to be ready to stop the Demons’ Jar’kese Grant, who last week torched Darlington for 210 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries in a 35-18 victory. He’s not Lugoff-Elgin‘s only home-run threat, though – Shamil Saadiq caught four passes for 138 yards and a touchdown, and two of Eric Richardson’s four catches went for scores. The Hornets have to be able to avoid giving up those big gainers, especially for a team in need of a confidence boost after a 45-0 loss to Hilton Head Island during which the Seahawks were efficient in both the passing and rushing games. An improved defensive performance is a must, and the offense can help out in a big way by staying on the field for longer to give those guys a rest. The Hornets were hit in the backfield for a loss seven times last week, with three of those being sacks, fumbled twice and had a punt blocked. That makes a long night for the defense even longer.
McCormick (0-3) at Fox Creek (2-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last time they played
Fox Creek defeated McCormick 21-14 on Sept. 1, 2023.
Keys to the game
Fox Creek is looking to break in its new football stadium with a win over McCormick. The Predators are coming off of their first win on the road against Glenn Hills, 44-6. Head coach Lemuel Lackey said this week is all about cleaning up the mistakes from last week in practice. It’s a big moment for Fox Creek after playing home games 18 minutes down the road for the last 20 years and Lackey is looking for the team to rise to the occasion. McCormick has not picked up a win this season, starting off 0-3. The key to coming through with a win will be how well the Predators can force, and avoid, turnovers. Defensively, Lackey also said clean tackling and blocking will be vital with an athletic Chiefs team. Sophomore wide receiver Mekhi Quiller stood out after his performance in week one against Dixie, with two touchdowns and 128 receiving yards. Fox Creek’s offense has an opportunity to win the game through the air against a McCormick team that has given up 130 points in its first three games. Fox Creek has a young group of skill players this year surrounded by veteran offensive linemen that could see some success against a struggling defense.
American Leadership Academy (0-3) at Ridge Spring-Monetta (0-2), 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Last time they played
This is the first meeting between the two programs.
Keys to the game
Coming off of a bye week, Ridge Spring-Monetta is still on the hunt for its first win at home against American Leadership Academy. The Trojans are ironing out the mistakes from their first two games of the season with an emphasis on the little things. Head coach Jay Brannon said the big things will follow if the little things can be done well. This week, they’re looking to establish a more developed run game after finding some success through the air. After not scoring any points against Saluda in week two, the Trojans are finding different ways to get into the end zone. They’ve scored only 19 points this season, all against Dixie, while the Patriots have scored 21 in their first three games. With an improved offensive line, having skill players execute better at the line of scrimmage will be the key to getting more production from the offense. Defensively, Ridge Spring-Monetta has an opportunity to step up against a struggling offense in American Leadership Academy to come out with its first win this week.
Wagener-Salley (1-2) at Allendale-Fairfax (0-3) , 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Last time they played
Wagener-Salley defeated Allendale-Fairfax 34-22 on Aug. 18, 2023.
Keys to the game
Wagener-Salley is 100% healthy for the first time this season going on the road against Allendale-Fairfax. The War Eagles are staying positive and getting back on track after two consecutive losses. Head coach Blaze Gillespie said they’re coming off of several productive practices with a focus on fundamentals and building the team up on the mental side. Since the beginning of the season, Gillespie has emphasized the importance of culture, and in week four the players are buying into the system. Allendale-Fairfax have only scored six points this season, and the War Eagles are looking to bring a strong defense to the field Friday. With a strong defensive wall, Gillespie wants to see the secondary step up to make plays against a team that likes to throw the ball. With a healthy roster for the first time this year, the War Eagles have a chance to get back on track ahead of region play in October. Offensively, they can step up against the Tigers, who have given up 85 points in its first three games.
Williston-Elko (2-1) at Eau Claire (1-2), 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Last time they played
This is the first meeting between the two programs.
Keys to the game
Williston-Elko has two wins for the first time since 2021 after its 38-0 win over Calhoun Falls last week. The Blue Devils hope to keep that momentum going against Eau Claire on Thursday. They’re putting the pieces together after a productive summer and finding their groove, said head coach Kenny Lipsey. The focal point of this week has been the offensive front and, with the Shamrocks giving up 41 points last week, the Blue Devils will have opportunities to show their improvement. While they can throw the ball, Eau Claire has recently struggled offensively, getting shut out by Greenwood Christian in week three. In its two wins, Williston-Elko’s defense has only given up six points with its only hiccup being the one loss to Barnwell, in which it gave up 41 points. Lipsey said if the defense can continue to play at that level, then the Blue Devils will have success on Thursday. It’ll be vital for their defense to put pressure on the quarterback and make plays in the backfield to limit the Shamrocks’ ability to find receivers.
Caption:
The North Augusta defense converges on South Aiken quarterback Tucker Bryan (14).
Kyle Dawson/Staff
Silver Bluff’s Drelyn Brown (2) tries to break free from Strom Thurmond’s Grayson Smith (18) and Amari McClenney (72).
Kyle Dawson/Staff
September 12, 2024 | Aiken Standard (SC)
Author/Byline: Kyle Dawson and Taylor Beltz kdawson@aikenstandard.com tbeltz@aikenstandard.com | Page: 008 | Section: A