Blockbuster matchups, SCISA championships highlight Week 3 of football playoffs
It’s week three of the playoffs for high school football in South Carolina.
Here is a look at the top matchups, players to watch and predictions for S.C. High School League third round and S.C. Independent School Association championship games for area teams.
Class 5A Division I
Byrnes (8-3) at Dutch Fork (9-1)
Players to watch — Byrnes: RB Tre Segarra, DL Justice Hopkins; Dutch Fork: DE Julian Walker, DE Jaden Wuerth
Notes: Winner advances to 5A Division I Upper State championship. It’s the first meeting since 2021 between the programs. Dutch Fork leads series, 3-1. Byrnes is coached by Reggie Shaw, who coached in the Midlands at AC Flora, Blythewood and Ben Lippen. Byrnes running back Tre Segarra has rushed for 1,376 yards and 17 touchdowns. Dutch Fork QB Jaxon Knotts needs 47 passing yards for 2,000 on the season. Silver Foxes’ defense has given up just six rushing TDs this season and has allowed seven points or fewer in four of the last six games. Dutch Fork is a win away from its 15th 10-win season in the last 16 years.
Ridge View (8-3) at Dorman (9-2)
Players to watch — Dorman: DL Christian Waring, DB Kentavion Anderson; Ridge View: DB Jordyn Best, RB Spencer Bobian
Notes: Winner advances to 5A Division I Upper State championship. RV hasn’t been to a state semifinal since 2019. It’s the second meeting between the teams. Dorman won, 42-20, in 2021. Dorman DB Kentavion Anderson, a Clemson commit, returned an interception for a touchdown last week against Blythewood. Ridge View RB Spencer Bobian has rushed for more than 1,200 yards and has scored at least one touchdown in 10 straight games. Ridge View’s defense is giving up just 14 points per game this season.
White Knoll (8-3) at Irmo (10-1)
Players to watch — White Knoll: WR/DB Caleb Geronomi, RB Tiyon Fanning; Irmo: DE Jaiden Bryant, WR Maleek Miller
Notes: Winner advances to 5A Division II Lower State championship. This game is a rematch of last year’s lower state championship; the teams played on Oct. 17, with Irmo winning 14-3. The Yellow Jackets held White Knoll to 131 yards of offense in the meeting earlier this season. Irmo leads the all-time series, 14-2. Irmo has three straight 10-win seasons for the first time since 2002-04.
Class 4A
AC Flora (11-1) at South Pointe (11-1)
Players to watch — AC Flora: QB Roper Wentzky, DB Azel Banag; South Pointe: QB J’Zavien Currence, DE Seth Tillman
Notes: Winner advances to 4A Upper State championship game. It’s the second meeting of the year between the teams. South Pointe won, 35-12, on Sept. 19. AC Flora led 12-0 early in that game and is 1-3 against the Stallions. AC Flora RB Jaylin Simmons had 336 yards rushing last week and has 762 yards over his last four games and 1,237 on the season. AC Flora QB Roper Wentzky has thrown 29 touchdowns and needs 188 yards for his first 3,000-yard passing season of his career. AC Flora has four players — Charlie Scott, Joshua Davis, Kendall Byrd and Blake Betette — with at least 500 yards receiving. Peyton Bishop leads AC Flora with 13.5 sacks and Nasir Walker leads the team with 94 tackles. The Falcons have 42 sacks on defense. South Pointe QB/DB J’Zavien Currence and OL Anthony Baxter are South Carolina commits. Currence threw for 265 yards, rushed for 105 and accounted for three touchdowns in the first game against AC Flora. For the season, Currence has thrown for 2,326 yards, rushed for 1,295 and accounted for 33 TDs. He also has 72 tackles and three INTs on defense. The Stallions’ defense has 54 sacks.
Camden (9-3) at Westside (8-4)
Players to watch — Camden: WR/DB Tylin Drakeford, QB Greyson Rimpf; Westside: QB Bear Woods, RB Keylan Powell
Notes: Winner advances to 4A Upper State championship game. It’s the second meeting between the teams. Westside won, 49-7, in the third round of last year’s playoffs. Camden WR/DB Tylin Drakeford needs 118 yards for 1,000 receiving yards on the season and leads the team with three interceptions. Lavay Penny leads Camden with 122 tackles. Westside has won eight straight after an 0-4 start. Westside QB Bear Woods is the younger brother of South Carolina backup QB Cutter Woods. Woods has thrown for 2,214 yards and 22 TDs. Westside RB Keylan Powell has rushed for 1,610 yards and 22 TDs. Westside is averaging 400 yards per game; Camden, 380.
Gray Collegiate (10-2) at Hilton Head Island (11-1)
Players to watch — Gray Collegiate: QB Xavier Wright, WR/DB Royce Williamson; Hilton Head Island: RB/LB Thaddeus Czarnecki; QB Derek Raniszewski
Notes: Winner advances to 4A Lower State championship game. It’s the first meeting between the teams. Gray freshman QB Xavier Wright needs 109 yards for 2,000 passing yards on the season. Wright took over the starting job in the fourth game of the season. Gray Collegiate running back Trevon Williamson has rushed for 1,372 yards and has 23 TDs. WR Corey Gleaton went over 1,000 yards last week for Gray and has 40 catches for 1,032 yards and 11 TDs. Hilton Head Island has won 11 games in a season for the first time since 1990. Hilton Head Island RB/LB Thaddeus Czarnecki has 1,051 yards rushing, 18 TDs and 76 tackles. Josh Bigger leads Hilton Head Island with 13 sacks.
Class 3A
Loris (12-0) at Newberry (12-0)
Players to watch — Loris: QB Zamire Gerald, WR/DB Khalil Sherman; Newberry: QB Kenton Caldwell, WR Jamere Crooks
Notes: Winner advances to 3A Lower State championship game. It’s the first meeting between the teams. Newberry is looking for its first Upper/Lower championship game since 2021; Loris is looking for a second straight appearance. Before last year, the Lions hadn’t made it that far since 2014. Newberry has trailed at halftime in both of its playoff games. Newberry QB Kenton Caldwell has passed for 1,890 yards, rushed for 1,116 yards and accounted for 41 touchdowns. LB Julian Senn leads Newberry with 124 tackles. Loris has won 12 games for the first time since 1991. Loris QB Zamire Gerald has thrown for 2,251 yards and 41 TDs this year. Loris WR/DB Khalil Sherman has caught seven TDs and leads the team with six interceptions.
Class 2A
Fairfield Central (9-3) at Clinton (9-3)
Players to watch — Fairfield Central: WR/S Dre Walker, RB/S Keylin Culp; Clinton: RB Javen Cook, LB Az Simmons
Notes: Winner advances to 2A Upper State championship game. This is a rematch of last year’s 2A Upper State championship, won by Clinton (32-21). Clinton leads the all-time series, 8-1. Clinton RB Javen Cook has rushed for 1,777 yards and 31 touchdowns. Fairfield Central is a win away from back-to-back 10-win seasons, the first time that has happened since four straight 10-win seasons from 2012-15.
Class A
CA Johnson (7-5) at Lewisville (8-4)
Players to watch — CA Johnson: RB Terrell Golson, DE/LB Johnathon Jenkins; Lewisville: WR/CB Jacorreun Howze, DE Jay’sean Culp
Notes: Winner advances to Class A Upper State championship. Second meeting of the season between two teams. Lewisville won, 67-16, on Oct. 3 and leads the all-time series, 13-5. CA Johnson has won two playoff games in the same postseason for the first time in the modern postseason era. The Green Hornets are looking for their eighth win of the season for the first time since 1969. CA Johnson running back Terrell Golson needs 35 yards for 1,000 rushing yards on the season. CA Johnson’s Johnathon Jenkins is second on the team with 76 tackles and leads the team with seven sacks. Lewisville’s Jacorreun Howze has 1,347 all-purpose yards and 22 total touchdowns. The Lions’ Jay’sean Culp has 110 tackles and 12 sacks.
SCISA 4A Championship
Heathwood Hall (9-3) vs. Northwood Academy (10-1)
Players to watch — Heathwood Hall: QB Patrick Belk, RB/LB Julian Hughes; Northwood: QB Kevin Johnson, RB Kevan Ford
Notes: Heathwood Hall is in its first state championship game since 2009. The Highlanders’ last state title came in 2004. Northwood Academy is in its first state title game since winning the SCISA 2A title in 2014. It’s the teams’ second meeting of the season. Northwood Academy won, 39-20, on Oct. 31, and leads the all-time series, 2-0. Northwood Academy QB Kevin Johnson has thrown for 2,149 yards, 19 touchdowns and RB Kevan Ford has rushed for 1,115 yards and 21 TDs. Heathwood Hall QB Patrick Belk has thrown for 2,206 yards and accounted for 26 TDs. Sophomore Heyward Belsar leads Heathwood Hall with 116 tackles.
SCISA 8-Man Championship
WW King (11-0) vs. Laurens Academy (9-2)
Players to watch — WW King: RB Joseph Morse, S Tucker McGinty; Laurens Academy: RB/LB Caleb Hardy, LB Eli Garrett
Notes: WW King is making its eighth championship appearance and first since 2022. The Knights’ last state championship came in 2013. Laurens Academy is making its fourth championship appearance and second straight. It’s the third meeting of the season between the teams. WW King won, 60-34 (Sept. 19) and 44-22 (Oct. 31). Laurens Academy’s Caleb Hardy has rushed for 1,366 yards, caught 64 passes for 920 yards with 26 total touchdowns and leads the team with 135 tackles. WW King’s Joseph Morse has rushed for 1,721 yards and 29 touchdowns. Tucker McGinty leads WW King with six interceptions and Jacob Bussey has 127 tackles.
Game schedule, predictions
(Winner picks in boldface. All games start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted)
Class 5A Division I
Upper State
(4) Byrnes at (1) DUTCH FORK
(3) RIDGE VIEW at (2) Dorman
Class 5A Division II
Lower State
(4) White Knoll at (1) IRMO
Class 4A
Upper State
(5) AC Flora at (1) SOUTH POINTE
(7) CAMDEN at (3) Westside
(3) GRAY COLLEGIATE at (2) Hilton Head Island
Class 3A
Lower State
(3) Loris at (2) NEWBERRY
Class 2A
Upper State
Fairfield Central at CLINTON
Class A
Upper State
CA Johnson at LEWISVILLE
SCISA 4A
Heathwood Hall vs. NORTHWOOD at SC State, 7 p.m.
SCISA 8-Man
WW KING vs. Laurens Academy at Greenwood Christian, 7 p.m.
Last Week’s Record: 15-3
Season Total: 301-59
This story was originally published November 20, 2025 at 7:30 AM.
