What to watch for as five Midlands football teams play in SC state semifinal games
Here is a look at the state semifinal matchups and predictions for involving Midlands high school football teams:
Sumter (8-0) at Dutch Fork (8-0)
Winner advances to Class 5A championship against TL Hanna-Northwestern winner. Dutch Fork is looking for its fifth straight championship appearance. Sumter is in its first state semifinal game since 2013. The Gamecocks made it to the championship game that year before losing to Dutch Fork in 2013 Class 4A Division I championship game. Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts and Sumter’s Mark Barnes coached against each other in North Carolina when Knotts was at Independence High and Barnes was at Scotland County. Dutch Fork has a 48-game unbeaten streak. Silver Foxes are averaging 46.4 points a game and scored 63 in last week’s win over Carolina Forest. Dutch Fork QB Will Taylor needs 123 yards for 2,000 passing on the season. Elijah Spencer and Antonio Williams are tied for the Silver Foxes lead in receptions with 41. Travis Batts and Chris Wicker lead Dutch Fork in sacks with four.
Sumter running back Nathan Waynick-Harris needs seven yards to go over 1,000 rushing yards on the season. Sumter defense is giving up 10.4 points and 177.6 yards per game. Sumter defensive end Justus Boone is a Florida commit and the No. 2 ranked prospect in the state. Boone leads the team with six sacks. Davin Jackson leads Sumter with 22 tackles for loss and Anton China has a team-high five interceptions.
DF’s Tom Knotts on Sumter: “Sumter has the best defensive line I have seen in a long time. The defensive front is incredible and they play hard. Our offensive line has been our weak point but there is a lot of potential and they have progressed every week. We hope to hit our peak with o-line this week to open up running lanes for Will and Jarvis (Green).”
Pick: Lou Bezak-Dutch Fork; Chris Dearing-Dutch Fork
Catawba Ridge (7-1) at AC Flora (7-0)
Winner advances to Class 4A championship game against North Myrtle Beach-Myrtle Beach winner. A.C. Flora is looking for its first state title appearance in school history and trying to become the first Richland 1 school to make it to a final since Keenan in 2014. No Richland 1 school has won a football state championship since Lower Richland in 1970. The Falcons have rushed for 930 yards in their first two playoff games and are averaging 320 yards on the ground this season. Matt Pack needs 108 yards for 1,000 yards rushing on the season. A.C. Flora has only turned the ball over three times this season. The Falcons’ defense has 23 sacks in seven games. Georgia State commit Omarion Hammond leads ACF in sacks with eight. Catawba Ridge has won seven straight since an opening loss to South Pointe.
Flora coach Dustin Curtis on making it this far: “We know our district has a reputation of being a basketball district. ... We have played a lot of good football over the last decade and so has Keenan and Lower Richland. … We really feel we are up for the challenge. “
Pick: Bezjak-AC Flora; Dearing-AC Flora
Gilbert (8-0) at Camden (7-0)
Winner goes to the Class 3A championship game to face the Daniel-Wren winner. Gilbert has never played for a state championship and is in its first state semifinal since 1992. This is the first meeting between the two teams. Gilbert’s Colton Mason has 458 rushing yards in two playoff games and has rushed for 200 or more yards in a game this season five times. The Indians are averaging 472 yards of offense per game. Harley Boatwright needs five tackles for 100 on the season.
Camden is in the state semifinals for the second straight year. The Bulldogs lost to Chapman in the Upper State final last season. Camden is 11-7 all-time in state semifinal games. Camden got by Oceanside last week after Oceanside had to forfeit because of COVID-19. Camden is averaging 49.5 points a game and 469 yards on offense. Mr. Football finalist Willis Lane needs 10 yards for 1,000 rushing yards on the season. Jaxon Hembree leads the team with eight sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.
Gilbert coach Chad Leaphart on making it this far: “We lost so many people from last year and a lot of talented guys. … Maybe we aren’t as flashy but our kids are tough, they are fighters and believe in what they are doing. Nobody gave us a shot and they play with a chip on their shoulder and here we are.”
Camden coach Brian Rimpf on the two teams’ rushing attack: “It could be a really fast game. It is going to be up to which defense could create turnovers and stop the running game. At some point, somebody is going to have to make a play in the passing game. So whoever is able to do that has a good chance, and we hope it is us.”
Pick: Bezjak-Camden; Dearing-Camden
Gray Collegiate (8-0) at Abbeville (9-0)
Winner goes to the Class 2A championship game against the Andrews-Marion winner. Gray Collegiate is in its first state semifinal game in school history. It is the second straight year the two teams met in the postseason. Abbeville won 38-35 in the Upper State semifinals at the 2019 game played at Newberry College. Gray running back KZ Adams has rushed for 1,702 yards and 19 touchdowns this year. Quarterback Tre Robinson has 1,623 yards of offense and 23 TDs.
Abbeville is making its 19th appearance in the Upper State championship and is looking to make it to its 14th championship game in school history. Four different Abbeville players have at east 500 yards rushing, led by Tyrell Haddon’s 579 yards. Abbeville’s defense is giving up just 3.1 points and 140.8 yards per contest.
Gray coach Adam Holmes first semifinal appearance: “This is what you want to do, to be practicing high school football on Thanksgiving. Last year’s game was a barn-burner and a back-and-forth game. I’m sure they are dialed in after losing last year (in Upper State final). We feel good about what we are doing here at Gray. We are excited about this Friday night. It is one of the best matchups in the state.“
Pick: Bezjak-Gray; Dearing-Abbeville
Last Week: Lou Bezjak 6-4; Chris Dearing 7-3
Overall: Lou Bezjak 142-44; Chris Dearing 143-43
SC football playoff schedule
All games at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Winners advance to next week’s state championship games in Columbia.
——Class 5A: Upper State——
TL Hanna at Northwestern
——Class 5A: Lower State——
Sumter at Dutch Fork
——Class 4A: Upper State——
Catawba Ridge at AC Flora (Memorial Stadium)
——Class 4A: Lower State——
Myrtle Beach at North Myrtle Beach
——Class 3A: Upper State——
Wren at Daniel
——Class 3A: Lower State——
Gilbert at Camden
——Class 2A: Upper State——
Gray Collegiate at Abbeville
——Class 2A: Lower State——
Andrews at Marion
——Class A: Upper State——
Lamar at Southside Christian
——Class A: Lower State——
Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Lake View
This story was originally published November 26, 2020 at 6:45 AM.
