High school football is back! 5 top Midlands story lines plus Week 1 predictions
Here five things to keep an eye on this week in Midlands high school football action as the 2018 season gets underway.
Dutch Fork-Mallard Creek showdown
The nightcap in the Charlotte Kickoff Classic on Saturday matches two of the best programs in the Carolinas.
There has been a buzz surrounding the game since it was announced in February. The programs have combined to win 129 games and six state titles since 2013. Both are ranked in the MaxPreps Top 100 poll to start the season and MaxPreps’ top 10 games of the week.
It will be the second straight year Dutch Fork has played a game in Charlotte, where Knotts coached at Independence, West Charlotte and Harding. He hasn’t coached a game at Memorial Stadium in 15 years.
Decision day for Cam Smith
Westwood’s Cam Smith will announce his college choice following Friday’s game against Lugoff-Elgin.
Smith is choosing between Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. He made up his mind last month but hasn’t publicly announced it. The senior cornerback will wear a T-Shirt of his choice underneath his uniform and will reveal his choice when he takes off his shoulder pads.
According to 247Sports’ crystal ball predictions, there is 91 percent chance Smith picks the Gamecocks.
New coaches make debuts
Six new coaches in the Midlands are making their debuts this week, starting Thursday night, when James Reynolds (Ben Lippen), Danny Lewis (Heathwood Hall) and Michael Kelly (Eau Claire) are in action.
Other new coaches in the Midlands this year are Jason Seidel (Blythewood), Eric Pack (Swansea) and Chris Arnoult (Mid-Carolina).
Rivalries highlight first week
Seidel won’t ease into things at Blythewood with the Bengals facing rival Ridge View in the opener. The Blazers have won the past two games after snapping a 12-game losing streak in the series.
Another rivalry matchup is set for opening week with the Battle of the Dam between Lexington and Irmo. The series dates to 1970. Lexington has won four of last five in the series, with the Yellow Jackets’ last win coming in 2014.
AC Flora coach goes home in search of first win
After a winless first season at A.C. Flora, coach Collin Drafts hopes to get the first victory out of the way Friday in familiar surroundings.
The Falcons travel to Beaufort, Drafts’ hometown, for their opener. Drafts was a high school standout at nearby Battery Creek before going on to a college career at Charleston Southern.
The game will mark the debut of Beaufort coach and former South Carolina standout DeVonte Holloman. The former Gamecock was an assistant at Beaufort before getting the job in November.
Holloman played two seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys before his career was cut short by injuries.
Midlands preseason Top 10
1. Dutch Fork
2. Hammond
3. Spring Valley
4. Gilbert
5. Ridge View
6. Fairfield Central
7. Westwood
8. Brookland-Cayce
9. Newberry
10. Lexington
Others receiving votes: Blythewood, Chapin, Lower Richland, Irmo
Week 1 picks
TheState’s Lou Bezjak and Chris Dearing give their picks for this week’s high school football games
All games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted
Thursday
Ben Lippen at Trinity-Byrnes
Bezjak: Trinity-Byrnes; Dearing: Trinity-Byrnes
Eau Claire at Lewisville
Bezjak: Lewisville; Dearing: Lewisville
Heathwood Hall at Robert E. Lee
Bezjak: Robert E. Lee; Dearing: Robert E. Lee
Friday
AC Flora at Beaufort, 8 p.m.
Bezjak: Beaufort; Dearing: Beaufort
Blythewood at Ridge View
Bezjak: Blythewood; Dearing: Ridge View
CA Johnson at Great Falls
Bezjak: C.A. Johnson; Dearing: C.A. Johnson
Cardinal Newman at John Paul II
Bezjak: Cardinal Newman; Dearing: John Paul II
Charlotte Country Day (NC) at Hammond
Bezjak: Hammond; Dearing: Hammond
Columbia vs. Keenan at Benedict College
Bezjak: Keenan; Dearing: Columbia
Dreher at Airport
Bezjak: Dreher; Dearing: Airport
Fairfield Central at Johns Creek (GA)
Bezjak: Fairfield Central; Dearing: Fairfield Central
Fort Mill at River Bluff
Bezjak: River Bluff; Dearing: Fort Mill
Gray Collegiate at Gilbert
Bezjak: Gilbert; Dearing: Gilbert
Northside Christian at Hilton Head Prep
Bezjak: Northside Christian; Dearing: Northside Christian
Ridge Spring-Monetta at Batesburg-Leesville
Bezjak: Batesburg-Leesville; Dearing: Batesburg-Leesville
Irmo at Lexington
Bezjak: Irmo; Dearing: Irmo
Lower Richland at Swansea
Bezjak: Lower Richland; Dearing: Swansea
Lugoff-Elgin at Westwood
Bezjak: Westwood; Dearing: Westwood
Mid-Carolina at Whitmire
Bezjak: Mid-Carolina; Dearing: Mid-Carolina
North Central at Camden
Bezjak: Camden; Dearing: Camden
Strom Thurmond at Saluda
Bezjak: Strom Thurmond; Dearing: Strom Thurmond
Wagener-Salley at Pelion
Bezjak: Pelion; Dearing: Pelion
White Knoll at Brookland-Cayce
Bezjak: Brookland-Cayce; Dearing: Brookland-Cayce
Saturday
Dutch Fork vs. Mallard Creek at Charlotte Memorial Stadium
Bezjak: Dutch Fork; Dearing: Dutch Fork
This story was originally published August 16, 2018 at 4:41 PM.