5 top Midlands high school football storylines — and our Week 9 predictions
Here are five things to keep an eye on this week in Midlands high school football:
Winning streaks, region title hopes on line for AC Flora, Lower Richland
A.C. Flora and Lower Richland have been two of the hotter teams in the Midlands and square off with Region 4-4A title hopes in the balance.
Lower Richland, which has won three consecutive games, clinches the top seed with a win tonight. It would be the Diamond Hornets second consecutive region title.
The Falcons have been one of the best stories of the year, going from 0-10 last season in Collin Drafts’ first year to 5-2 this season. A.C. Flora has won five games in a row, its longest streak since 2014.
Lower Richland snapped AC Flora’s eight-game winning streak in the series with a 40-14 win last year.
Key Region 5-5A matchups
The Region 5-5A playoff picture will be a little clearer after tonight. Dutch Fork already has clinched the region but second and third are still up for grabs when Lexington travels to Chapin and White Knoll hosts River Bluff.
If Lexington and River Bluff both win, they will clinch playoff spots and their game next week will decide who finishes No. 2 and No. 3 in region. If Chapin wins, it finishes 2-2 in region and will have to wait until next week’s games to see where it will finish.
White Knoll needs to win this week and next week against Dutch Fork to get one of the top three spots in region. The top three spots are guaranteed to be in postseason while fourth-place team can receive an at-large berth.
Blazers look to knock off South Pointe
Coming off a big win over rival Westwood, Ridge View can help its postseason positioning with a win over South Pointe.
A Ridge View win clinches it at least third spot in the region but would still be in running for region title.
The Stallions haven’t lost a region game since 2013 and lead the all-time series with the Blazers, 4-0. South Pointe has outscored the Blazers, 102-40, the past two years.
Cardinal Newman’s big test
Cardinal Newman is in midst of one of its best years in a while.
The Cardinals are 6-1, their highest win total since winning six games in 2013, and carry a five-game winning streak into matchup SCISA rival Hammond.
Hammond has been the standard in SCISA football over the last decade. The Skyhawks enter the game with a 20-game winning streak and is averaging 37.6 points a game.
Spring Valley’s controls own playoff destiny
With matchups against the top two teams in Region 4-5A the next two weeks, Spring Valley is in control of his playoff positioning.
The Vikings travel to region-leading Sumter on Friday before their final region game against Blythewood next week. Spring Valley is 1-1 in region, tied with Blythewood and half-game back of second-place Irmo.
Midlands Top 10 Poll
1. Dutch Fork (7-0)
2. Hammond (8-0)
3. River Bluff (6-1)
4. Camden (6-2)
5. Blythewood (5-2)
6. Ridge View (5-2)
7. A.C. Flora (5-2)
8. Spring Valley (5-2)
9. Irmo (5-3)
10. Brookland-Cayce (5-3)
Week 9 Picks
Thursday
Eau Claire vs. Gray Collegiate (At Keenan HS)
Bezjak: Gray Collegiate
Dearing: Gray Collegiate
Friday
Abbeville at Saluda
Bezjak: Abbeville
Dearing: Abbeville
Batesburg-Leesville at Fox Creek
Bezjak: Batesburg-Leesville
Dearing: Batesburg-Leesville
Ben Lippen at Porter-Gaud
Bezjak: Porter-Gaud
Dearing: Porter-Gaud
Brookland-Cayce at Aiken
Bezjak: Brookland-Cayce
Dearing: Brookland-Cayce
Calhoun County at Columbia (At Keenan)
Bezjak: Calhoun County
Dearing: Calhoun County
Cardinal Newman at Hammond
Bezjak: Hammond
Dearing: Hammond
Chester at Fairfield Central
Bezjak: Chester
Dearing: Chester
Edisto at Gilbert
Bezjak: Gilbert
Dearing:Gilbert
Indian Land at Camden
Bezjak: Camden
Dearing: Camden
Lakewood at Dreher (Memorial Stadium)
Bezjak: Dreher
Dearing: Dreher
Lexington at Chapin
Bezjak: Lexington
Dearing: Lexington
AC Flora at Lower Richland
Bezjak: AC Flora
Dearing: AC Flora
Lugoff-Elgin at Blythewood
Bezjak: Blythewood
Dearing: Blythewood
Mid-Carolina at Woodruff
Bezjak: Woodruff
Dearing: Woodruff
North Central at Lewisville
Bezjak: North Central
Dearing: North Central
Northside Christian at Colleton Prep
Bezjak: Colleton Prep
Dearing: Colleton Prep
Richard Winn at WW King
Bezjak: Richard Winn
Dearing: Richard Winn
Ridge View at South Pointe
Bezjak: South Pointe
Dearing: South Pointe
River Bluff at White Knoll
Bezjak: River Bluff
Dearing: River Bluff
South Aiken at Airport
Bezjak: Airport
Dearing: South Aiken
Spring Valley at Sumter
Bezjak: Sumter
Dearing: Sumter
Union County at Newberry
Bezjak: Union County
Dearing: Newberry
Westwood at Lancaster
Bezjak: Lancaster
Dearing: Westwood
York at Richland Northeast
Bezjak: York
Dearing: York
This Season’s Records
Bezjak: 155-47
Dearing: 151-51