Looking at this week’s top high school football games in the Midlands, picking winners for the second week of the 2024 regular season and this week’s area power rankings:

AC Flora (1-0) at Chapin (1-0)

Players to Watch: ACF: QB Roper Wentzky; WR Kendall Byrd; C: QB Brady Albro, LB Tanner Short

Streaming: Chapin Sports Network and Definite Fiction YouTube page

Notes: AC Flora leads all-time series, 7-6, but Chapin won last year, 22-7. Azel Banag had a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown in AC Flora’s win over Westwood last week. Brady Albro threw for 301 yards, four TDs and Stone Furrey and Khalen Bostick each had more than 100 yards receiving last week for Chapin in a win over Catawba Ridge.

Prediction: AC Flora

Brookland-Cayce (0-0) at River Bluff (1-0)

Players to Watch: BC: RB/DB Javon Edwards, WR Amarii King; RB: WR/S Stephen Collier, WR Aaron Griffin

Streaming:Palmetto Sports Network YouTube channel

Notes: First meeting between the two schools. BC will be without starting QB Dre Dobson, who had a medical procedure in the summer and is expected to miss the first four games. QB Parker Murray threw for 235 yards, a TD and Trace Nettles rushed for 136 yards last week in River Bluff’s win over Rock Hill. Stephen Collier had a defensive TD and Aaron Griffin returned a kick for a score last week for RB.

Prediction: River Bluff

Byrnes (0-1) at Irmo (1-0)

Players to Watch: RB: Tre Segarra, DL Sharrod Wilkins; I: QB AJ Brand, WR Donovan Murph

Notes: Second meeting between the two schools with the other coming in the 2004 state championship game won by Byrnes, 35-7. Byrnes is playing all of its games this season on the road because of construction at Nixon Field. Irmo scored 35 points in its opener last week and has scored 34 points or more in 14 of its last 15 games. Yellow Jackets QB AJ Brand had 295 yards of offense and four TDs in the win over Oceanside Collegiate last week.

Prediction: Irmo

Dutch Fork (0-0) at Spartanburg (1-0)

Players to Watch:DF: RB Maurice Anderson, LB Josh Smith; S: K Will Love, WR Calvin Choice.

Notes: Dutch Fork leads series, 4-1, but Spartanburg defeated the Silver Foxes, 16-7, last year. Silver Foxes are ranked No. 1 in latest Class 5A. Ethan Offing is back at QB for Dutch Fork after missing end of season with an injury last year. Spartanburg won its opener last week over South Pointe on a 20-yard FG by Will Love with six seconds left. Love had four field goals in the game, including a 51-yarder.

Prediction: Dutch Fork

Gray Collegiate (1-0) at Baylor (Tenn.) (1-0)

Players to Watch: GC: RB BJ Montgomery, LB Michael Boulware; B: ATH Cam Sparks, RB Shekai Mills-Knight

Notes: First meeting between the two schools. Tennessee is the fourth different state Gray Collegiate has played a game in over the last two seasons. RB Montgomery had two touchdowns in Gray’s win over James Island last week. Baylor is coached by former South Carolina QB Erik Kimrey, who led Hammond to 12 SCISA championships in 17 seasons. Kimrey led Baylor to the state title in 2022 and was runner-up last year. Baylor defeated Rabun Gap (Ga.), 21-14, on Sunday in nationally televised game on ESPN. Baylor’s roster includes four-star Class of 2025 athlete Cam Sparks, Mississippi RB commit Shekai Mills-Knight and Tennessee WR commit Joakim Dodson.

Prediction: Baylor

Northwestern (1-0) at Ridge View (1-0)

Players to Watch: N: QB Finley Polk LB Tamarrion Watkins; RV: WR Jordan Gidron, WR Hayden Morris

Radio: Interstate 107 FM

Notes: First meeting since 2021 between two schools. Northwestern leads the all-time series, 10-2. Northwestern rallied from 20 points down to defeat Hough (NC), 45-44, in its season opener last week. Northwestern QB Finley Polk, a Gardner-Webb commit was 27-of-37 for 253 yards and five total TDs last week. Receivers Kameron Vance and Jayden Nichols each had more than 100 yards receiving last week for the Trojans. Class of 2026 receiver Jordon Gidron had 200 all-purpose yards and two TDs in Ridge View’s win over Fairfield Central last week. Ridge View has one of the toughest non-region schedules in the area, playing No. 3 Northwestern this week, No. 1 Dutch Fork next week and a matchup at 4A Camden the following week.

Prediction: Northwestern

Sumter (1-0) at White Knoll (1-0)

Players to Watch: Sumter: DL Anthony Addison, RB John Peeples; WK: QB Landon Sharpe, WR/DB Caleb Geronomi

Notes: Third meeting in last four years between two teams but the other two games came in the playoffs. Sumter leads the all-time series, 5-1, but White Knoll won last year, 35-7, in the 5A Lower State quarterfinals. Both teams are ranked in the Class 5A poll with White Knoll ranked No. 7 and Sumter No. 9. Sumter’s defense features South Carolina DL commit Anthony Addison. White Knoll rallied in the second half last week to beat Camden, 21-14. QB Landon Sharpe had 179 yards of offense against Camden with two touchdowns. White Knoll’s defense has allowed 14 points or less in 14 straight games dating back to last season.

Prediction: White Knoll

Game schedule, predictions

(Winning team picks denoted in bold face caps)

American Leadership at CALHOUN FALLS

BATESBURG-LEESVILLE at Wagener-Salley

BEN LIPPEN at Trinity Collegiate

Bethune Bowman at EAU CLAIRE

Branchville at CA JOHNSON

CAMDEN at Lugoff-Elgin

CAMDEN MILITARY at Providence Athletic Club (Bray Park)

Cardinal Newman at DREHER

COLUMBIA at Pelion

Denmark-Olar at SWANSEA

FAIRFIELD CENTRAL at Union County

GILBERT at Wilson

HAMMOND at Pinewood Prep

Heathwood Hall at LAURENCE MANNING

Keenan vs. PENDLETON at Newberry College

Lakewood at WESTWOOD

LEXINGTON at North Augusta

LOWER RICHLAND at Spring Valley

Midland Valley at BLYTHEWOOD

NEWBERRY at Mid-Carolina

Newberry Academy at RICHARD WINN

Northside Christian at WILSON HALL

NORTH CENTRAL at McBee

RICHLAND NORTHEAST at Crestwood

Ridge Spring Monetta at SALUDA

WW King at OAKBROOK PREP

Last Week: 23-4

This Season: 23-4

Midlands Power Rankings

This week is the debut of weekly area power rankings by The State newspaper’s staff. Here are a look at the top 10 teams in the area and those just on the outside.

1. Dutch Fork (0-0)

Last Week: Off. This Week: at Spartanburg

2. Irmo (1-0)

Last Week: Defeated Oceanside Collegiate, 35-7. This Week: vs. Byrnes

3. White Knoll (1-0)

Last Week: Defeated Camden, 21-14. This Week: vs. Sumter

3. Ridge View (1-0)

Last Week: Defeated Fairfield Central, 42-18. This Week: vs. Northwestern

5. Gray Collegiate (1-0)

Last Week: Defeated James Island, 17-14. This Week: at Baylor (Tenn.)

6. Brookland-Cayce (0-0)

Last Week: Off. This Week: at River Bluff

7. A.C. Flora (1-0)

Last Week: Defeated Westwood, 42-6. This Week: at Chapin

8. Hammond (1-0)

Last Week: Defeated Christ Church, 56-28. This Week: at Pinewood Prep

9. Camden (0-1)

Last Week: Lost to White Knoll, 21-14. This Week: at Lugoff-Elgin

10. Lexington (1-0)

Last Week: Defeated Gilbert, 24-0. This Week: at North Augusta

Others considered: Blythewood, Chapin, River Bluff, Richland Northeast, Keenan, Newberry

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

Caption:

Jeff Blake Jeff Blake Photo

White Knoll Timberwolves quarterback Landon Sharpe (0) passes during the 5A State Championship Game on Dec. 1, 2023, at South Carolina State’s Oliver Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.

Sam Wolfe Special To The State

Aaron Brand (1) of Irmo breaks the tackle of Demar Cross (14) of Myrtle Beach for a touchdown during the Yellow Jackets’ game against the visiting Seahawks in Irmo on Nov. 10, 2023.

August 30, 2024 | State, The (Columbia, SC)
Author/Byline: Lou Bezjak; Staff Writer | Page: 1B | Section: Sports