Midlands HS football: Best Week 10 matchups, schedule, predictions, new power rankings
High school football season in South Carolina is winding down and teams will be jockeying for playoff positioning over the next three weeks.
Some area teams are off this week, including all of Region 4-5A, before the final two weeks of the regular season.
Here is a look at some of the top matchups, area schedule and this week’s power rankings:
Hammond (8-0) at Ben Lippen (4-3)
Players to watch — H: Mike Tyler, LB/K Jackson Ross; BL: WR/DB Jamere Crooks, DL Kellen George
Notes: Hammond leads all-time series, 24-6, and has won five straight against the Falcons. Ben Lippen’s last win came in the 2016 season. Hammond has an 18-game winning streak dating back to last season. Hammond QB Andrew Turner has completed 71% of passes for 1,719 yards with 23 touchdowns and one interception. Hammond is averaging 429 yards per game on offense. Kellen George leads BL with 22 tackles for loss and second in sacks with 8.5. Drake Porter leads the Falcons with 102 tackles.
Prediction: Hammond
Keenan (6-3, 2-1) at Newberry (3-3, 1-0)
Players to watch — K: QB Desmond Washington, WR Tyheim McNeil; N: TE Jamel Howse, LB Jared Acosta
Notes: Newberry leads the series 17-5 and has won the last six straight meetings, including a loss in 2022 forfeit. Regular-season finale for Keenan. The Bulldogs still have two more games left. Newberry LB Jared Acosta and WR Calab Levy were picked for Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl this week. Keenan already has clinched a playoff spot. Keenan has scored 40 or more points in three of its last four games. Keenan QB Desmond Washington has thrown for 2,014 yards, rushed for 209 with 27 total TDs. Tyheim McNeil leads Keenan with 42 catches for 771 yards and six TDs. Running back Hunter O’Neal needs 146 yards for 1,000 on the season.
Prediction: Keenan
Lower Richland (5-4, 3-2) at South Florence (6-2, 4-0)
Players to watch — LR: RB Christian Wilson, TE Noah Lucas SF: DL Amare Adams, WR Jayden Sellers
Notes: First meeting since 2007 between two teams. South Florence leads the series, 5-1. Regular-season finale for Lower Richland, which is a half-game ahead of Darlington for third place in Region 5-4A. Lower Richland’s Christian Wilson had three touchdowns in last week’s win over Lakewood. South Florence’s Amare Adams is committed to Clemson and WR Jayden Sellers committed to South Carolina. Sellers, the younger brother of USC QB LaNorris Sellers, has 1,064 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns. Adams has 36 tackles (seven for loss) and two sacks.
Prediction: South Florence
Strom Thurmond (5-1, 2-0) at Saluda (6-0, 2-0)
Players to watch — ST: WR Jay Sewell, DL Josh Merriweather; S: RB Brayden Williams, DL JT Lott
Notes: Strom Thurmond leads the series, 43-14, including 48-3 last season. ST coach Andrew Webb was an assistant on Saluda’s state championship team in 2020. The two teams are in a three-way tie with Batesburg-Leesville for the lead in Region 2-2A. Saluda’s JT Lott and Strom Thurmond’s Jay Sewell and Josh Merriweather were picked for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl this week. Saluda’s Brayden Williams has 1,125 all-purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns. Amir Johnson leads Saluda with six sacks.
Prediction: Saluda
West Florence (5-3, 2-2) at Westwood (5-3, 3-1)
Players to watch — WF: ATH Terry Lowery, DB Clayton Folse; W: RB Angelo Rios, QB Carter Carrington
Notes: First meeting since 2015. Westwood leads the all-time series, 2-0. Teams battling for position in Region 5-5A. The Redhawks are in third place and the Knights are in fourth place. Westwood’s five wins are most since 2021. Westwood is looking to win six games for the first time since 2019. Westwood’s Angelo Rios rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns last week against Lugoff-Elgin. WF’s Terry Lowery has 988 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns.
Prediction: Westwood
York (2-6, 1-3) at Richland Northeast (6-2, 2-2)
Players to watch — Y: QB Tayshon Freeman, LB Ryan Carter; RNE: QB Will Wilson, WR Blake Betette
Notes: First meeting between the two schools since 2019. York leads the all-time series, 4-0. Richland Northeast has lost two straight after a 6-0 start. Both of those games were without starting quarterback Will Wilson (knee). Wilson might return this week against the Cougars. Wilson has thrown for 1,475 yards, rushed for 700 and scored more than 20 touchdowns this season. The NC State commit has 9,629 total yards in his career despite missing a few games because of injury the last two years.
Prediction: Richland Northeast
Game schedule, predictions
(Winner picks in bold face caps)
Tuesday
Midland Valley 49, Airport 7
Gray Collegiate 49, Brookland-Cayce 7
South Aiken 35, Gilbert 28
Friday
American Leadership at NINETY-SIX
CA Johnson at LAMAR
CAMDEN at Lancaster
Eau Claire at COLUMBIA
HEATHWOOD HALL at Camden Military
LUGOFF-ELGIN at Spring Valley
Mid-Carolina at CHESTER
NEWBERRY ACADEMY at WW King
NORTH CENTRAL at Andrew Jackson
NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN at Florence Christian
Pelion at BATESBURG-LEESVILLE
PORTER-GAUD at Cardinal Newman
RICHARD WINN at Laurens Academy
SOUTH POINTE at Dreher
SWANSEA at Fox Creek
Saturday
Aiken at GRAY COLLEGIATE
Brookland-Cayce at NORTH AUGUSTA
GILBERT at Airport
—Last Week: 23-4
—This Season: 173-37
Midlands Power Rankings
Here are the area’s power rankings by The State staff. A look at the top 10 teams in the area and those just on the outside.
1. Dutch Fork (7-0)
- Last Week’s Ranking: 1
- Last Week: Defeated Lexington, 42-0
- This Week: Off
2. Irmo (8-0)
- Last Week’s Ranking: 2
- Last Week: Defeated White Knoll, 35-21
- This Week: Off
3. Hammond (8-0)
- Last Week’s Ranking: 3
- Last Week: Defeated Northwood, 16-0
- This Week: at Ben Lippen
4. Saluda (6-0)
- Last Week’s Ranking: 4
- Last Week: Defeated Ninety-Six
- This Week: vs. Strom Thurmond
5. Batesburg Leesville (7-0)
- Last Week’s Ranking: 5
- Last Week: Defeated American Leadership, 45-0
- This Week: vs. Pelion
6. River Bluff (7-1)
- Last Week’s Ranking: 6
- Last Week: Defeated Chapin, 30-6
- This Week: Off
7. Fairfield Central (7-1)
- Last Week’s Ranking: 9
- Last Week: Defeated Eau Claire, 62-3
- This Week: Off
8. AC Flora (7-2)
- Last Week’s Ranking: 10
- Last Week: Defeated Dreher, 70-35
- This Week: Off
9. Gray Collegiate (5-2)
- Last Week’s Ranking: NR
- Last Week: Defeated South Aiken, 63-13 (Friday); Brookland-Cayce 49-7 (Tuesday)
- This Week: vs. Aiken (Saturday)
10. Ridge View (5-3)
- Last Week’s Ranking: NR
- Last Week: Defeated West Florence, 41-16
- This Week: Off
Dropped out: Swansea, Lexington
Others considered: Swansea, Keenan, Lexington, Richland Northeast
This story was originally published October 24, 2024 at 8:00 AM.
