White Knoll is closing in on a perfect regular season.

Led by a stingy and tenacious defense, the Timberwolves earned their third shutout of the season and second in region play to defeat Lexington, 16-0, on Friday night.

With the win, the Timberwolves (8-0, 3-0) clinched at least a share of the Region 4-5A championship and No. 1 seed from the region by holding tiebreakers over Dutch Fork and Lexington.. White Knoll would win the title outright and clinch its first unbeaten regular season next week with a victory over Chapin.

It’s just the second region title in school history, with the other coming in 2014.

“It has been a really hard four weeks,” White Knoll coach Nick Pelham said. “But I am really excited that we’ve got a chance to go be undefeated in the regular season.”

Some of the Timberwolves’ players appeared disappointed by not looking as sharp as they have been at times this year. But Pelham encouraged his team in their postgame huddle to appreciate how far the program has come in his three years.

“Our kids are disappointed when it is not perfect because that is how you become great – when you chase perfection,” Pelham said. “But I want our kids to understand how far we have come and how much we have accomplished, and how lucky they are to enjoy the benefits of all this as opposed to just the hard work.”

Friday’s Timberwolves win snapped a five-game losing streak to Lexington and was just their sixth victory in 23 games against their county opponent.

White Knoll’s defense held Lexington to 70 yards of offense and forced three turnovers in the game. The Wolves had six sacks, three by Lincoln Ilunga. The Timberwolves have allowed one offensive touchdown in three region games.

Lexington (6-2, 2-1) held White Knoll from the big play and got a goal line stand on the Wolves’ first possession, which lasted almost nine minutes.

But White Knoll scored twice in the second quarter. After a long CJ Earl punt return, quarterback Landon Sharpe hit Austin Cunningham on a 20-yard touchdown to make it 6-0.

Sharpe scored on a 1-yard run to make it 13-0 with 3:05 left in the second quarter. The junior threw for 131 yards. Freshman Tiyon Fanning rushed for 94 and Cunningham had six catches for 76.

Jordy Aguilera’s 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter was the only scoring in the second half.

White Knoll held Lexington minus-15 yards of offense in the second half. The Timberwolves are giving up just 6.2 points a game this year.

Irmo keeps rolling

Unbeaten Irmo (8-0, 3-0) is closing in on the Region 5-4A championship.

Quarterback AJ Brand threw two touchdowns and ran for two more Friday as the Yellow Jackets defeated A.C. Flora, 49-3. Irmo can clinch a share of the region title and No. 1 seed from region with a win over Westwood next week.

Brand was 12-of-20 passing for 170 yards and also carried eight times for 131.

Running back Jaden Allen-Hendrix rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Jylil Favor returned an interception for a score.

The Yellow Jackets have outscored their opponents 387-53.

Gilbert stays perfect

Gilbert improved to 8-0 on the season with a 48-14 win over Orangeburg-Wilkinson.

Subbing in for an injured Jaylen Jay, Trevon Williamson rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Drake Braddock threw three TD passes.

Braddock was 9-of-16 passing for 215 yards. Krew Morris had six catches for 143 yards and two TDs.

B-C wins thriller

Brookland-Cayce’s Will Young scored in overtime to help the Bearcats to a 41-35 win over Dreher at Memorial Stadium.

With the win, B-C (6-3, 3-0) stays in a tie for first place with Gilbert in Region 5-3A.

Young finished the game with four rushing touchdowns. Brogan Sox also had a TD pass.

Dreher, which trailed by 21 points in the second half, forced overtime when Colby Fuller hit Kaleb Berry on a 4-yard pass with 0.7 seconds left to tie the game at 35.

Fuller had two TD passes.

The Blue Devils (4-4, 2-1) got the ball first in OT, but Isaiah Oree intercepted Fuller. Oree had two interceptions in the game, returning the other for a touchdown that put B-C up 28-7 in the third quarter.

Dreher rallied and tied it at 28 on Zion Williams-Hayes’ 6-yard run.

Around the Midlands

Hammond 41, Trinity Collegiate 13: Running back Kinson Holland had two scores and QB Andrew Turner threw two touchdowns in the Skyhawks’ win. Five different Hammond players had TDs in the game.

Cardinal Newman 38, Camden Military 14: Duncan Skehan threw three touchdowns, two to Dante Ham, in the Cards’ victory. Ham also had an interception. Jar’kese Grant had two rushing touchdowns for the Cardinals (7-1).

Richland Northeast 48, Lugoff-Elgin 21: N.C. State commit Will Wilson threw four touchdowns and ran for one in the Cavaliers’ victory. Wilson was 19-of-25 passing for 352 yards and ran 18 times for 133. Running back James Willingham had 219 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns for RNE (5-3, 2-1).

Ridge View 40, Westwood 0: Breyon Boyd threw a TD and rushed for a score and Tre Howard had two TD passes in the Blazers’ victory.

Saluda 15, Silver Bluff 14: Drew Arant threw a TD pass to KenMane Brunson and then hit Lane Ashley on a two-point conversion with 4:50 left to help the Tigers (6-2, 2-1) knock off fourth-ranked Silver Bluff.

Batesburg-Leesville 42, Fox Creek 14: Amadre Wooden rushed for 165 yards and a TD in the Panthers’ victory. QB Tanner Watkins threw for 130 yards and a score.

Fort Mill 21, Spring Valley 7: The Yellow Jackets overcame a 7-0 halftime deficit and won their first region game since 2017. TJ Cornelius had a defensive touchdown and Quinn Kelly had a TD for Fort Mill. Dayshawn Gaddist had a TD for Spring Valley (0-7, 0-3).

Clover 24, Blythewood 7: Landon Stone rushed for two touchdowns as Clover won its sixth straight game.

Lower Richland 49, Swansea 7: The Diamond Hornets snapped a five-game losing streak and picked up their first region win.

Keenan 52, Eau Claire 0: The Raiders won their second straight region game with their second shutout in a row.

Fairfield Central 55, Columbia 6: The Griffins picked up their sixth win with victory over the Capitals.

McBee 29, C.A. Johnson 12: Caleb Pearson had a TD run and pass in the Green Hornets’ loss.

Richard Winn 56, Oakbrook Prep 8: Quarterback Charlie Bonds threw five touchdown passes and ran for two for Richard Winn. Bonds finished 457 yards of total offense. Drew Spries had nine catches for 226 yards and four touchdowns. Spries also had an interception.

–Thursday–

Dutch Fork 41, Chapin 8: The Silver Foxes (3-5, 1-1) bounced back from their first region loss since 2015 with a win over the Eagles. Trent Lodge and Maurice Anderson each rushed for two touchdowns, and Bryce Nutall had a defensive touchdown for the Silver Foxes.

Strom Thurmond 43, Pelion 7: Ray Burge rushed for two touchdowns and Andrew Byrd had two interceptions for the Rebels (6-2, 3-0). Luke New had a TD for Pelion.

South Aiken 38, Airport 15: The Eagles (5-4, 1-2) dropped their second straight game and close out the regular season next week against North Augusta. Jevon Edwards rushed for 250 yards and four touchdowns to lead South Aiken.

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

Caption:

Joshua Boucher jboucher@thestate.com

White Knoll’s defense wraps up Lexington QB Taiden Mines on Friday, October 13, 2023.

Joshua Boucher jboucher@thestate.com

White Knoll’s Jaylin Pryor takes the handoff during the game against Lexington on Friday, October 13, 2023.

Joshua Boucher jboucher@thestate.com

White Knoll’s Nick Pelham talks to his team after beating Lexington on Friday, October 13, 2023.

Joshua Boucher jboucher@thestate.com

White Knoll quarterback Landon Sharpe looks to pass in Friday’s win over Lexington.