Another title shot for Hammond, plus Midlands teams take next step in SC playoffs
The season didn’t start out normal for the Hammond football team. It is ending, however, in a familiar spot.
The Skyhawks will go for their sixth-straight state championship on Friday when they play Laurence Manning (9-3) for the SCISA 4A title at Charleston Southern University’s football field.
Hammond started the year with a 1-2 record while playing against the likes of Prince Avenue Christian from Georgia (now 10-0) and S.C. Class 5A power Gaffney — both of those teams are still in their respective postseasons. Hammond played Gaffney close, losing 14-7.
Since those two losses, Hammond (10-2) has won nine in a row, all by 30 points or more. One of those victories was against Laurence Manning, 37-6, on Sept. 9.
“We challenged them and gave them the opportunity. They wanted to play Prince Avenue and they wanted to play Gaffney and challenge themselves,” Hammond coach Jon Wheeler said. “They came out of the (Gaffney) game with confidence and catapulted us to get better. I was proud of them throughout the season of not taking anything for granted.”
Quarterback Dylan Richardson has thrown for 1,454 yards and 33 total touchdowns. Running back Aidan Canzater needs 123 yards for 1,000 on the season and leads the team with 19 TDs.
Hammond’s defense has given up 14 or fewer points in all but one game this season.
Prediction: Hammond
Rematches on tap this week
Hammond and Laurence Manning’s matchup won’t be the only rematch involving Midlands teams.
Spartanburg (8-4) at Dutch Fork (11-1): The two teams met on Aug 26 in Spartanburg, with Dutch Fork’s Justin Welch hitting a 29-yard, game-winning field goal as time expired. Dutch Fork running back Jarvis Green had a monster game with 306 yards and two touchdowns. Green had 64 yards of offense on the final drive. He and Landon Danley played a lot of Wildcat quarterback that game after starter Aliam Appler went down with an injury. Appler is healthy now and has six total TDs in the first two playoff games. The Silver Foxes’ defense will look to slow down Spartanburg QB and East Carolina commit Raheim Jeter, who threw for 242 yards and had four touchdowns in the first meeting. Prediction: Dutch Fork
Dillon (12-0) at Camden (9-3): This is the second-straight year the two powerhouses will meet in the Class 3A playoffs. Camden defeated Dillon 13-7 in the 2021 Lower State championship game. The Bulldogs squeaked out a 29-27 win last week over Lower Richland on Grayson White’s touchdown with 13 seconds left. Camden’s defensive line, which features Shymeik Jones and South Carolina commit Xzavier McLeod, will look to slow down Dillon’s offense, which is led by talented freshman quarterback Joseph Oxedine, running back Ty Martin and five-star offensive lineman Josiah Thompson. Martin has rushed for 2,323 yards and 26 TDs. The Wildcats are one of three unbeaten teams left in Class 3A and are averaging 43.9 points per game. Prediction: Dillon
Saluda (10-2) at Strom Thurmond (10-2): The Region 3-2A foes played on Oct. 7, with Strom Thurmond winning 6-3 on a 27-yard field goal as time expired. That was the first of two-straight losses by Sauda. But the Tigers rebounded, made a change at quarterback and are coming off a win over defending state champion Gray Collegiate last week. First-year Strom Thurmond coach Andrew Webb was an assistant for three seasons at Saluda before taking over the Rebels program. Prediction: Saluda
Unbeaten AC Flora faces Region 6-4A foes
A.C. Flora (12-0) defeated one Region 6-4A team in Hartsville last week and gets another one this week with West Florence (11-1). If the Falcons win this week, it’s likely they get another 6-4A opponent next week — if unbeaten South Florence defeats James Island on Friday.
A.C. Flora running back Markel Townsend had his seventh 200-yard rushing game of the year last week against Hartsville and is the top area rusher with 2,299 yards and 33 touchdowns. Both teams are averaging more than 40 points a game.
West Florence quarterback Deuce Hudson, son of former Major League All-Star Orlando Hudson, has more than 1,000 yards rushing and passing yards this season. West Florence running back Darren Lloyd also has gone over the 2,000-yard mark and has 2,135 yards. Prediction: A.C. Flora
Running game battle
The Gilbert at Beaufort playoff matchup in Class 3A features two prolific running games.
Gilbert (10-2) has a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Alias Graham-Woodberry (1,701 yards, 21 TDs) and Jaden Allen Hendrix (1,521, 25 TDs). The Indians are averaging 332 yards per game on the ground.
Kacy Fields has been a force on offense for Beaufort (11-1) after moving over from receiver to running back in mid-September. Fields has 1,711 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Prediction: Gilbert
Other matchups
Fairfield Central (9-3) at Abbeville (10-2): Fairfield Central is in the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 2017. The Griffins won at Silver Bluff 22-8 last week. Fairfield Central freshman quarterback Cam McMillon went over 3,000 yards in passing last week and has 3,056 yards and 32 TDs this season. TyDarian Grier leads FC with 69 catches for 1,059 yards and 13 total TDs. Abbeville is averaging 54 points per game in its two playoff wins. Prediction: Abbeville
WW King (11-1) vs. Holly Hill (11-0): The SCISA 8-man championship game will be held at Charleston Southern University. It’s WW King’s first state title appearance since 2016. Holly Hill is the defending champion, has won 37 games in a row and defeated King 62-18 on Oct. 7. Prediction: Holly Hill
Bezjak Last Week: 11-3
Bezjak Season Record: 249-60
This week’s SC playoff schedule
SCHSL
Friday
All games at 7:30 p.m.
Class 5A
Upper State
Spartanburg at Dutch Fork
Byrnes at Gaffney
Lower State
Summerville at Sumter
Carolina Forest at Fort Dorchester
Class 4A
Upper State
Catawba Ridge at Greenville
Westside at Northwestern
Lower State
West Florence at AC Flora
James Island at South Florence
Class 3A
Upper State
Daniel at Powdersville
Chapman at Clinton
Lower State
Dillon at Camden
Gilbert at Beaufort
Class 2A
Upper State
Fairfield Central at Abbeville
Saluda at Strom Thurmond
Lower State
Barnwell at Andrew Jackson
Woodland at Oceanside Collegiate
Class A
Upper State
Lewisville at Christ Church
St. Joseph’s at Wagener-Salley
Lower State
Lamar at Johnsonville
Cross at Estill
SCISA Championships
Friday
Games at Charleston Southern
8-man
WW King vs. Holly Hill, 4 p.m.
Class 4A
Hammond vs. Laurence Manning, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Class A
Lee Academy vs. Thomas Heyward, 1 p.m.
Class 2A
Colleton Prep vs. Williamsburg Academy, 4:30 p.m.
At West Florence High School
Class 3A
Florence Christian vs. Pee Dee Academy, 1 p.m.
This story was originally published November 17, 2022 at 10:21 AM.
