Football Friday Rewind: Flora falls to No. 1 South Pointe; Dutch Fork win streak ends
After playing a tough early schedule, South Pointe passed its first region test on Friday.
South Carolina commitment J’Zavien Currence accounted for three touchdowns as the Stallions bounced back from a slow start and defeated A.C. Flora, 35-12, at Memorial Stadium in a matchup of top teams in Class 4A.
South Pointe went into the game ranked No. 1 in 4A, while A.C. Flora was No. 4. The two teams entered the game as the favorites in Region 3-4A, with the winner taking the early control in the region race.
“We always tell them a timid man will surrender, but a resolute man will prevail,” South Pointe coach Bobby Collins said. “We got down 12-0 and (AC Flora coach Ken Floyd) does a great job on offense and his kids came out and played well. But our defense settled down and played well. Our goal on offense was to get five touchdowns and we got that done. We are excited for the group.”
With a playoff-type feel and excitement, the game was A.C. Flora’s biggest since playing in the 2022 4A Upper State championship against South Florence. The Falcons breezed through its non-region schedule, averaging 42 points a game but hadn’t faced the likes of South Pointe.
At times they didn’t resemble top-ranked teams. They combined for almost 40 penalties (more than 20 by South Pointe) and five turnovers, including three in a four-play span, during the game.
But the top-ranked Stallions flexed their muscles as Currence delivered the big plays when the Stallions needed them the most. He had a 59-yard pass on the first play of the second half to set up Zymir Gordon-Miles’ 1-yard touchdown run to put the Stallions up 21-12.
Currence added a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Vasil later in the quarter and scored on a 40-yard run to put the Stallions up 35-12 with 9:50 left.
Currence finished with 222 yards passing and 86 rushing.
“We knew they threw all they had at us in the first quarter,” Currence said. “So we knew we had to calm down and not let our emotions get too high. The result was us coming back and beating them big.
“... And yeah we sent a message. Them guys acted like they had chips on their shoulders. And all teams do that. But when it is time to play football, we talk with these (pointing to his shoulder pads). Those are the real chips on our shoulders.”
A.C. Flora jumped on top early. Quarterback Roper Wentzky hit Charlie Scott on a 61-yard touchdown to make it 6-0 with 3:33 in the first quarter. Wentzy was 17-of-37 for 222 yards.
The Falcons made it 12-0 on Blake Betette’s 1-yard run with 10:40 left in the second. The score was set up by Scott’s reverse pass to Jalen Simmons down to the 1-yard line.
South Pointe answered and dominated much of the second quarter. RJ Brown scored on a 34-yard run up the middle to cut the lead to 12-7 with 7:56 left in the half. The Stallions took the lead as Currence scrambled for 43 yards to go ahead 14-12 in the second quarter.
In the second half, the Falcons never recovered their momentum and rhythm they had early in the game.
“The wheels fell off,” AC Flora coach Ken Floyd said. “But we are 4-1 and for two quarters we showed we could play with the best in the state. But now we’ve got to finish and somehow create some depth. That is our biggest issue right now.”
The Falcons lost one of their top lineman when Ashton Thompson went down in the leg injury in the first half and didn’t return.
Dutch Fork’s winning streak ends
Defending Class 3A champ Oceanside Collegiate ended Dutch Fork’s 24-game winning streak with a 24-20 victory in a game played at Charleston Southern University.
It is Dutch Fork’s first loss since falling to White Knoll, 14-6, on Oct. 6, 2023. The Silver Foxes, the top-ranked team in 5A and defending state champions, defeated Oceanside, 51-0, last season.
Aiden Manavian threw the go-ahead, 32-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Williams with 7:34 left to put the Landsharks up 24-20.
Oceanside recovered the onside kick and was able to take several minutes off the clock. Dutch Fork got the ball back and went deep into OC territory before Cole Gaspar picked off Jaxon Knotts in the end zone with nine seconds left.
Manavian finished 17-of-26 passing for 276 yards with three touchdown passes for the Landsharks, who trailed 14-3.
Braydon Johnson had a scoring run for Dutch Fork and also caught a TD from Knotts.
Gray Collegiate dominates Midland Valley
Trevon Williamson rushed for 234 yards and two touchdowns as Gray Collegiate knocked off No. 9 Midland Valley, 38-6.
Playing for an injured Tyler Waller, freshman backup quarterback Xavier Wright added 132 yards passing and a TD pass to Corey Gleaton. Nate Dixon also had two TD runs for Gray, which hosts No. 3 North Augusta next week.
Irmo stays unbeaten
Quarterback Drevon Dopson threw four touchdown passes as Irmo moved to 5-0 with a 59-21 win over Myrtle Beach.
Irmo had 705 yards of total offense.
Jay Eady had a pair of TD catches for Irmo. Maleek Miller, Corey Miller and Ethan Singletary also had TD grabs.
Newberry wins again
Quarterback Kenton Caldwell ran for three touchdowns and threw for one as Newberry moved to 5-0 with a 45-34 win over Fairfield Central.
Caldwell finished with 349 all-purpose yards in the game. Ty Abrams added two TD runs for the Bulldogs.
Westwood wins rivalry game
Angelo Rios caught a touchdown pass Carrington Carter and ran for a score as the Redhawks won the Battle of the Axe for the second-straight year with a 20-17 victory over Blythewood.
Jovan Howard also had a TD run for Westwood, which turned it over four times in the first half but still led 7-3.
Landyn Strong had a TD run for Blythewood and James Veasey had a TD pass to Ben Hendrix to get the Bengals within 20-17 late in the fourth quarter.
But the Redhawks picked off a pass to seal the win.
Around the Midlands
Camden 61, Richland Northeast 15: Quarterback Greyson Rimpf tied a school-record with seven touchdown passes in the win over the Cavs.
Rimpf finished 18 of 20 passing for 371 yards. Will Haunert and Tylin Drakeford each had three touchdown catches for Camden.
Heathwood Hall 41, Cardinal Newman 0: Jackson Noble and Keon McKinley each had punt returns for touchdowns in the Highlanders’ win.
Patrick Belk threw two touchdown passes, one to Noble, and Julian Hughes had a TD run.
Eau Claire 12, Ridge Spring-Monetta 7: Jahcory Sumpter threw TD passes to Adin Davis-Young and LaQuarius Summers as the Shamrocks moved to 4-1. Eau Claire’s four wins are the most for the program since 2018.
Hammond 56, Hilton Head Christian 0: The Skyhawks rolled up 527 yards of offense in the win over the Eagles.
Levi Myers had two touchdown runs and quarterbacks Ben Kiser and Cade Amell each threw TD passes. Leyton LeMotte had a defensive TD.
Brookland-Cayce 35, South Aiken 14: Andrew Frick threw three touchdown passes as the Bearcats picked up their first win of the season. Tyree Johnson had a touchdown catch and also returned an interception back for a TD.
Lower Richland 36, Darlington 12: Solomon Kelson ran for three scores and Gerald Gipson threw a TD pass and ran for one in the Diamond Hornets’ win.
River Bluff 67, Cheraw 19: Brayden Moore threw three touchdown passes, two to Darius Carter in the win for the Gators.
Moore finished with 213 yards passing. Carter had nine catches for 125 yards.
Hayden Myers rushed for 219 yards and a score for River Bluff. Noah Robinson added 88 yards and two TDs.
North Augusta 56, Gilbert 14: AJ Hillary threw four touchdown passes in the Yellow Jackets’ win over the Indians.
Clear Dot Charter 28, Calhoun Falls 26: Collin Pinckney had a touchdown run and returned a kickoff for a score in the win for Clear Dot.
Swansea 30, Barnwell 8: Dante Caldwell had a TD run and returned a kickoff for a score in the Tigers’ victory.
White Knoll 34, Cane Bay 10: Jhais McKiever threw three touchdown passes, two to Caleb Geronomi, in the Timberwolves’ win. Tiyon Fanning also had two TD runs for WK.
Southside Christian 28, Saluda 0: DJ Lee rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns in Southside’s win.
Northside Christian 32, Spartanburg Christian 14: Quarterback BJ Suits threw two touchdowns to Henry Peeler and ran for a TD in the Crusaders’ win.
Mid-Carolina 35, Pelion 14: Wyatt Mazza had touchdown runs as the Rebels defeated the Panthers.
Columbia 27, Wagener-Salley 12: LeRay Thomas threw TD passes to Matthew Wilson and Nycari Kinard as the Caps defeated W-S.
Thomas also had a TD run and Rondrecus Peterson had one.
West Florence 28, Lugoff-Elgin 13: Tristian Collins and Jeremiah Bryant each scored two touchdowns in the Knights’ win over L-E.
Richard Winn 35, Wardlaw 34: Bennett Nicholson had three touchdowns in the Eagles’ victory.
Sumter 54, Spring Valley 0: Cayon Gordon and Cleveland Pinckey each rushed for more than 100 yards and a TD in the Gamecocks’ win over Vikings.
CA Johnson 20, Allendale Fairfax 0: Terrell Golson and King Smith-Bryant each had TD runs in the Green Hornets’ victory.
York 35, Dreher 28 (Thursday): Tayshon Freeman threw three touchdowns, including the go-ahead one with 44 seconds left in the third quarter, as the Cougars won their region opener.
Freeman also ran for two TDs for York, which led 28-6 early in the third quarter.
But behind Brandon Mack, Dreher mounted a comeback. Mack had two of his three touchdowns in the third quarter and finished with more than 200 yards rushing. Joseph Pohlman also returned an interception for the Blue Devils, who tied it at 28-28 with 1:38 left in third.
But York answered as Freeman hit Zee Isom on a 55-yard touchdown pass to make it 35-28.
Ky Ky Davis sealed the win with an interception at the 4-yard line with 2:28 left.
Next Week’s Schedule
Sept. 26
AC Flora at York
Aiken at Gilbert
American Leadership at Thomas Sumter
Andrew Jackson at Fairfield Central
Augusta Christian at Cardinal Newman
Batesburg-Leesville at Mid-Carolina
Ben Lippen at Laurence Manning
Blythewood at Spring Valley
Buford at North Central
Chester at Keenan
Clear Dot Charter at Ware Shoals
Columbia at Swansea
Crestwood at Lower Richland
Dreher at Camden
Eau Claire at Pelion
Laurens at Lexington
Laurens Academy at Newberry Academy
Midland Valley at Brookland-Cayce
Newberry at Saluda
North Augusta at Gray Collegiate
Northside Christian at Trinity Collegiate
Northwood at Hammond
Porter-Gaud at Heathwood Hall
Richard Winn at Christian Academy
Richland Northeast at Lancaster
Ridge View at Westwood
South Aiken at Airport
Sumter at Lugoff-Elgin
White Knoll at Fort Dorchester
WW King at Wardlaw
This story was originally published September 20, 2025 at 12:09 AM.
