Midlands high school football: White Knoll-Dutch Fork plus other top games, picks
It is the eighth week of the 2025 regular season for South Carolina public high school football.
Here is a look at this week’s top games in the Midlands and predictions for winners for Week 8:
Dutch Fork (4-1, 1-0) at White Knoll (5-1, 1-0)
Players to watch — Dutch Fork: DE Julian Walker; DE Jaden Wuerth; White Knoll: WR/DB Caleb Geronomi, RB Tiyon Fanning.
Notes: Dutch Fork leads all-time series, 21-3. White Knoll’s last win in the series was 17-14 on Oct. 6, 2023. Dutch Fork is ranked No. 3 in Class 5A with White Knoll in at No. 10. Dutch Fork DE and Michigan commit Julian Walker was selected to play in the Navy All-American Bowl this week. Walker has 29 tackles (eight for loss) and four sacks this year. Jaden Wuerth leads Dutch Fork with eight sacks. Dutch Fork quarterback Jaxon Knotts needs 50 yards for 1,000 passing yards on the season. White Knoll’s defense has allowed 10 or fewer points in four of its last five games.
Fairfield Central (5-2, 1-0) at Chester (4-3, 1-0)
Players to watch — Fairfield Central: QB Kaden Diggs, LB/DB Chantz Hamphill; Chester: RB Caleb Feaster, DL Terry Radford.
Notes: Fairfield Central leads series, 24-10, but Cyclones have won five of last seven games. The game likely will decide the Region 3-2A title. Fairfield’s defense has three shutouts this season. Fairfield Central QB Kaden Diggs has 776 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns. Chester is averaging 298 yards rushing per game. Caleb Feaster leads the team with 788 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. Terry Radford leads Chester with 61 tackles and nine sacks.
Irmo (6-0, 1-0) at River Bluff (3-3, 0-1)
Players to watch — Irmo: DE Jaiden Bryant, ATH Maleek Miller; River Bluff: WR Darius Carter, RB Hayden Myers.
Notes: Irmo leads all-time series, 5-3, including last year’s 35-14 victory. Irmo is the No. 1-ranked team in Class 5A for the third straight week. Irmo is averaging 42.8 points per game on offense. Irmo QB Dre Dopson had 271 yards of total offense and four TD passes last week against Lexington. Hayden Myers leads River Bluff with 755 yards rushing and Darius Carter has 33 catches for 503 yards and five TDs.
Newberry (7-0, 1-0) at Fox Creek (5-1, 0-0)
Players to watch — Newberry: QB Kenton Caldwell, WR Jamere Crooks; Fox Creek: RB Bryson Crawford, LB Noah Gaines.
Notes: Second meeting between the teams. Newberry won, 47-0, last year. Newberry is ranked No. 3 in Class 3A. With a win, Newberry will match its best start to the season since going 8-0 in 2017. Newberry QB Kenton Caldwell has thrown for 1,294 yards, rushed for 840 with 29 total touchdowns. Jamere Crooks leads Newberry with 38 catches for 571 yards and eight touchdowns. South Carolina TE commit Jamel Howse has 26 catches for 347 yards and three touchdowns for Newberry. Julian Senn leads Newberry with 70 tackles. Mekhi Quiller leads Fox Creek with five interceptions. Bryson Crawford leads Fox Creej with 827 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.
Pelion (4-2, 1-0) at Saluda (4-2, 1-0)
Players to watch — Pelion: WR Jai Chuniesingh, RB Tre Jackson; Saluda: RB Tristan Daniels, QB Brayden Williams.
Notes: Saluda leads series, 7-2, and has won five straight against the Panthers. Pelion is looking for its fifth win, something that hasn’t happened since 2014. WR Jai Chuniesingh leads Pelion with 40 catches for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns. Pelion QB Alan Moore has thrown for 1,163 yards and 16 touchdowns. Tre Jackson leads Pelion with 715 yards rushing and six touchdowns. Saluda RB Tristan Daniels rushed for 161 yards and four touchdowns last week against American Leadership.
Ridge View (4-2, 2-0) at Lugoff-Elgin (4-3, 1-2)
Players to watch — Ridge View: RB Spencer Bobian, DB Jordyn Best; Lugoff-Elgin: ATH EJ Richardson, WR Shamil Saadiq.
Notes: Ridge View has won six straight games in the series, including last year’s 50-0 victory. After a 1-2 start, Ridge View has won three straight games and is allowing just seven points per contest during that stretch. Ridge View RB Spencer Bobian has three straight 100-yard rushing games and leads the team with 718 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. Ridge View WR Jourdin Mack leads the team with 19 catches for 337 yards and two touchdowns. Lugoff-Elgin’s EJ Richardson has 1,129 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns. Shamil Shaadiq leads the team with 48 catches and is 125 yards short of 1,000 yards receiving on the season. Lugoff-Elgin quarterback Zach Williams has thrown for 1,516 yards and 16 touchdowns. Jace Coleman leads Lugoff-Elgin with 74 tackles and nine sacks.
Game schedule, predictions
(Winner picks in boldface. Games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted)
Thursday
BROOKLAND-CAYCE at Aiken
HEATHWOOD HALL at Ben Lippen, 6:30 p.m.
WESTWOOD at Spring Valley
WILSON at Lower Richland
Friday
AC FLORA at Richland Northeast
American Leadership at STROM THURMOND
BATESBURG-LEESVILLE at Ninety-Six
CA JOHNSON at McBee
Chapin at LEXINGTON
CLEAR DOT CHARTER at Military Magnet
COLUMBIA at Mid-Carolina
DUTCH FORK at White Knoll
FAIRFIELD CENTRAL at Chester
Gilbert at MIDLAND VALLEY
GRAY COLLEGIATE at Airport
HAMMOND at Augusta Christian
IRMO at River Bluff
Keenan at SILVER BLUFF
Lancaster at DREHER
LAURENCE MANNING at Cardinal Newman
NEWBERRY at Fox Creek
Newberry Academy at WARDLAW
ORANGEBURG PREP at Northside Christian
Pelion at SALUDA
Richard Winn at WW KING
RIDGE VIEW at Lugoff-Elgin
WEST FLORENCE at Blythewood
Last Week’s Record: 27-1
Season Total: 178-39
This story was originally published October 9, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
