Friday Recap: Keenan shines in rare playoff home game. Hammond in another SCISA final
Home playoff games don’t come around often for the Keenan football program.
The Raiders made the most of their first home playoff game in a decade with a dominating performance in a 58-8 victory over North Charleston on Friday in the first round of the Class 3A Lower State playoffs.
Keenan will get another home game next week when it plays host to Orangeburg-Wilkinson in the second round. The Raiders defeated the Bruins, 26-20, on Sept. 20.
Keenan hasn’t made it to the third round of the playoffs since 2014, the year the Raiders played for a state championship. That was the last time Keenan hosted a playoff game.
“The week we had at practice this week was outstanding,” Keenan interim coach Jarrett Neely said. “The guys came out and were ready to go. I told them this is how it is going to be. They did a really good job tonight, but it is going to get tougher but they have to be ready to go.”
The win is the Raiders’ seventh of the season and helps Neely’s bid to become the Raiders’ full-time coach. Neely was named the interim coach after coach Ray McLeod was put on administrative leave this summer and won’t coach the team this season.
Neely has kept the veteran Raiders squad intact, and they finished second in region to earn a first-round playoff game.
“I just take it day by day and do the best job I could possibly do,” Neely said. “Not just with coaching these kids but teaching these kids to do the right things on and off the field. …. That is the main thing and whatever happens, happens. I’m happy to be here, I love this place and I just want to do good at this place.”
Sophomore running back Hunter O’Neal ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Quarterback Desmond Washington threw two TD passes to Nykeim McNeil and also ran for a score. Washington was 8-of-11 passing for 145 yards.
Jaemon Benson also returned a punt for a touchdown.
The Raiders’ defense also forced three turnovers in the first half. Keenan was up 44-0 at halftime. Keenan’s 58 points were the most scored by the team since scoring 62 in the first round of the playoffs against Landrum.
Hammond 55, Augusta Christian 7
The Skyhawks moved on to another SCISA championship appearance with a win over the Lions.
Hammond will go for its eighth straight championship next Friday at Charleston Southern against Porter-Gaud. If they win, it will be Skyhawks’ 16th title since 2006.
Ben Muela Kiser returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and quarterback Andrew Turner had a pair of touchdown runs for the Skyhawks. Manny Johnson, Jack Croft and Kinson Holland also had TD runs. Preston Springs returned an interception for a touchdown.
Turner was 13-of-17 for 129 yards passing and also carried it six times for 57 yards.
Richland Northeast 22, Seneca 20
N.C. State commit Will Wilson accounted for more than 400 yards of offense, rushed for two touchdowns and also threw a TD pass as the Cavs knocked off 10th-ranked Seneca in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
RNE will face second-ranked Daniel in the second round next week.
Wilson, the RNE quarterback, was 18-of-26 passing for 223 yards and rushed for 198 yards. Receiver Blake Betette caught eight passes for 122 yards. Isaiah Small had seven catches for 82 yards and a TD that put the Cavs up 15-7 in the second quarter.
Seneca cut the lead to 22-20 and missed a 28-yard field goal with 5:22 left in the game.
Chapin 17, Goose Creek 16
The Eagles blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter and stopped the Gators on the final drive in holding on for a win in the first round of the Class 5A Division II playoffs.
Chapin will travel to top-seeded Irmo next week.
Brady Albro had a TD pass to Khalen Bostick and Tanner Short had a TD run for Chapin, which led 17-0 at halftime.
River Bluff 36, Mauldin 6
Brayden Moore threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns as the Gators advanced in the Class 5A Division I playoffs.
River Bluff will travel to Rock Hill next week.
Stephen Collier caught six passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns to lead RB receivers. Hayden Myers and Caleb Pinkney also had TD runs for the Gators, who won nine games in a season for the third time in school history.
Ridge View 55, Spring Valley 14
The Blazers outscored the Vikings 34-7 in the second half to move on in the Class 5A Division I playoffs.’
Ridge View travels to Cane Bay next week.
Bradley Thomas had two TD runs for Ridge View. Tre Howard threw a TD pass in the first half. Markeith Thomas returned an interception for a RV score in the third quarter.
Nevan Gaither had a TD pass and run for the Blazers in the second half.
AC Flora 40, Emerald 20
The Falcons broke open a close game in the second half to advance in the Class 4A playoffs.
AC Flora will travel to defending state champion Westside next week.
With the score tied 20-20 at halftime, the Falcons dominated the second half.
Flora took a 27-20 lead in the third quarter on Roper Wentzky’s 11-yard TD pass to Javaire Dubois. After the TD, the Falcons recovered the onside kick and Solomon Kelson took it in two plays later to make it 34-20.
Wentzky hit Kendall Byrd on a 54-yard TD in the fourth quarter to make it 40-20. The junior quarterback finished with three TD passes.
White Knoll 41, Lugoff-Elgin 18
Shaq Montgomery ran for two touchdowns and QB Landon Sharpe accounted for two TDs as the Timberwolves moved on in the Class 5A Division II playoffs.
WK travels to Myrtle Beach next week.
The Timberwolves rushed for 408 yards. Sharpe led the way with 160 yards and Tiyon Fanning had 143. Fanning also had a TD.
Batesburg-Leesville 42, Columbia 6
The top-ranked Panthers returned three interceptions for touchdowns to move on in the Class 2A playoffs.
B-L will host Andrew Jackson in the second round.
KD Whitt, Hansel Discua and Tyler Classen each returned interceptions for touchdowns. Amadre Wooden rushed for 176 yards and two TDs.
Camden 43, Pickens 17
Tylin Drakeford caught two TD passes and Navier Boykin ran for two in the Bulldogs’ win in the 4A playoffs.
Camden will travel to Wren next week.
Quarterback Wyatt Thompson threw a TD pass and also ran for one.
Westwood 34, Socastee 14
Cameron Bennett returned a kickoff for a touchdown and also caught a TD pass in the Redhawks’ win in the Class 5A Division II playoffs.
Westwood will go to Berkeley in the second round next week.
Jayce Rios returned a fumble for a touchdown and Quentin McGill had a rushing TD. QB Carter Carrington threw two TD passes, one to
Newberry 48, Georgetown 0
BJ Jones ran for two touchdowns and caught a TD pass from Kenton Caldwell as Newberry shut out Georgetown in the first round of the 3A playoffs.
The Bulldogs will play host Dillon in the second round next week.
Caldwell threw two touchdown passes, and Ty Abrams also ran for two TDs.
Gilbert 41, Lower Richland 20
Cooper James threw three touchdown passes as the Indians advanced in the Class 4A playoffs.
Gilbert will travel to Bishop England next week.
James was 13 of 19 for 229 yards passing. Chandler Guthrie caught five passes for 111 yards and three scores.
Running back Trevon Williamson rushed for 132 yards and a TD and Jaylen Jay had two TD runs for Gilbert, which led 28-0 at halftime.
Jerrell Myers and Christian Wilson had TD runs for Lower Richland.
Saluda 24, Mid-Carolina 0
Brayden Williams and Tristan Daniels each had TD runs in the Tigers’ victory in the first round of the 2A playoffs.
Saluda will face Landrum in the second round next week.
Drew Arant had a TD pass to Josh Uhlar for Saluda.
Fairfield Central 60, Chesterfield 6
The Griffins won their 10th straight game and moved on in the 2A playoffs.
Fairfield will host Chesnee next week.
Tydarion Grier had three touchdown runs for FC. Dre Walker returned an interception for a touchdown and also threw a TD pass.
Clover 31, Blythewood 28
The Bengals rallied in the second half but fell short in the Class 5A Division I playoffs.
Ben Hendrix scored on a TD run and also caught a TD pass from Johnny Collins. The TD pass cut the lead to 31-28 with 3:04 left, but Clover was able to run the clock out.
Byrnes 32, Lexington 11
Zay Landrum had two TD runs and a TD pass to help the Rebels past the Wildcats in the Class 5A Division I playoffs.
South Florence 56, Brookland-Cayce 20
Tre Leonard and Zion Gilbert each had three touchdowns in the Bruins’ win over the Bearcats in the 4A playoffs.
Dre Dopson threw three TD passes to three different receivers in the loss for B-C.
Richard Winn 31, Wardlaw 12
The Eagles advanced to the SCISA 8-man championship with a win over Wardlaw.
Richard Winn will place Laurens Academy in the championship at a neutral site next week.
Pinewood Prep 35, Northside Christian 21
The Crusaders’ best season in school history came to an end in the SCISA 3A semifinals.
Northside finishes the year at 10-2. Pinewood will play Wilson Hall in the championship next week.
Sam Burks had two touchdowns in the loss for Northside.
The Crusaders’ Dalton Gadson returned a fumble for a touchdown to tie the game at 21-21 with nine minutes left.
But Jeremiah Singleton had a pair of TD runs later in the quarter to help Pinewood to the state championship game.
North Augusta 56, Airport 0
Michael Doe had three touchdown runs and Corey Tillman had two TD passes to help the Yellow Jackets to a win in the 4A playoffs.
Daniel 45, Dreher 14
Grayson Clary threw three touchdowns and ran for two in the win over Dreher in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
Lee Turnipseed picked off three passes for Daniel.
Willie Smith rushed for 110 yards and a TD to lead Dreher. Tyler Teasdall added an 85-yard touchdown run for the Blue Devils.
This story was originally published November 15, 2024 at 11:53 PM.
