Ridge View’s hot start has people taking notice

Here’s my first stock report of the year for the Midlands. This takes a look at who’s stock is up and who’s is going down. We’ll also take a look at five impact players for this week:

STOCK REPORT

Gilbert Indians – Stock Rising – Coach Chad Leaphart’s team got an impressive win over a top-ranked 2A opponent this past weekend and at 2-0, make their first appearance in the SCVarsity 3A Top 10. Offense has some weapons, but this team is playing good defense.

Ridge View Blazers – Hot Stock – Buy, buy, buy! This team went to Sumter last week and beat a ranked 5A opponent, and repeated that feat again this week by knocking off 5A Blythewood for just the second time in the school’s history.

A.C. Flora Falcons – Stock Dropping – I wouldn’t sell just yet, because I think it will rise again. But this team has struggled in the first two weeks, dropping close games to ranked opponents. I believe they turn it around, but there’s work to be done.

White Knoll Timberwolves – Stock Dropping – A struggling win over Aiken in Week 0, followed by a loss to South Aiken that wasn’t as close as the 28-14 indicates, this is a team starting to tailspin. They should recover this week against Keenan.

Richland Northeast Cavaliers – Stock Rising – Coach Jay Frye’s team is one to watch, and after getting a quality win over Swansea this past week, they have me thinking they can do more than just compete for fourth place in their region.

FIVE ON THE RISE

Devin Beckley, Quarterback, Camden – Beckley continues to impress, leading the Bulldogs to a 2-0 start. He threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns this past week.

Catriez Cook, Running Back, Gilbert – This kid has gone from being an obscure defensive player to one of the top running backs in the Midlands. For two consecutive weeks, he’s broken the 100-yard barrier, putting up 140 and two scores in a win over Batesburg-Leesville this past week.

Corbett Glick, Quarterback, Hammond – I told you about this kid in the spring, and he shined in Week 1. He was 14 of 14 for 302 yards and a school-record five touchdowns on Friday, and that was in one half.

Travis Loadholt, Defensive End, Brookland-Cayce – The Bearcats are loaded on the defensive front, but a name we don’t hear a lot is Loadholt. He’s overshadowed by a Division I prospect on the opposite end, but this kid has a motor and aggressiveness that is causing people to take notice. I like the way he plays.

Dai’Quan Wells, Athlete, Lexington – He was the difference-maker in the A.C. Flora game this past week for the Wildcats. When he’s not on offense, it’s glaringly noticeable. His value on defense is undeniable, but the ’Cats are going to have to play this kid both ways to win.

This story was originally published August 28, 2016 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Ridge View’s hot start has people taking notice."