Week 9’s top local high school football games, predictions and playoff scenarios
Here are the top games to watch, playoff scenarios and predictions for Week 9 of high school football in the Midlands:
Can’t-miss games, playoff scenarios
Aiken (0-8, 0-3) at Brookland-Cayce (5-3, 3-0) and South Aiken (1-7, 1-2) at Airport (6-2, 3-0): Win or lose this week, Brookland-Cayce and Airport meet next week for the Region 5-4A. Winner of the region is home for the first two weeks of playoffs.
Blythewood (5-3, 1-1) at Lugoff-Elgin (3-6, 1-2) and Sumter (7-0, 2-0) at Spring Valley (4-4, 1-1): Key games in Region 4-5A. Sumter clinches Region 4-5A title with a victory. Spring Valley can win the region by beating the Gamecocks this week and Blythewood next week. Blythewood can wrap up second in Region 4-5A with a win against L-E and next week against Spring Valley. Lugoff-Elgin clinches a playoff spot with a win. It is the final regular season game for the Demons. Irmo is off this week and in running for a playoff spot but would have to beat Sumter next week. If there is a three-way tie for any spot, point differential in the games between the three teams is the tiebreaker.
Chapin (4-4, 1-2) at Lexington (6-1, 1-1) and White Knoll (5-3, 0-2) at River Bluff (7-1, 1-1): Crucial games in Region 5-5A standings. Dutch Fork already has clinched the region title. Lexington and River Bluff both need to win to set up showdown for second place next week. A Chapin loss and River Bluff win over White Knoll knocks Eagles out of the top three guaranteed spots for playoffs and they would need to get in the postseason with an at-large berth. White Knoll needs to defeat River Bluff and then Dutch Fork next week to a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.
Fairfield Central (5-3, 2-0) at Chester (7-2, 2-1): Fairfield Central wraps up Region 4-3A championship with a win. If Chester wins, Cyclones move into a three-way tie for first with FC and Camden (assuming Bulldogs beat Indian Land). If three teams finish tied for region title, defensive points allowed between three teams would determine seeds. Camden will finish second in region if it wins this week and Fairfield beats Chester.
Gilbert (7-1, 2-0) at Edisto (6-2, 1-1): Gilbert clinches Region 5-3A title with a win. An Edisto win and there will be a three-way tie for first in region along with Strom Thurmond.
Lower Richland (4-4, 3-0) at AC Flora (8-0, 3-0): Winner takes over first in Region 4-4A. If the Falcons win, they clinch the region title. Lower Richland would have to win and then beat Orangeburg-Wilkinson next week to win outright region title. The winner of Region 4-4A has homefield advantage throughout the 4A Lower State playoffs.
Newberry (5-3, 2-1) at Union County (5-3, 3-0): First place up for grabs in Region 3-3A. A Union County win gives them the region title. If Newberry wins, there could be a three-way tie for first if Woodruff defeats Mid-Carolina. If there is a three-way tie, the tiebreaker is points given up in the games between the three teams.
Saluda (7-1, 3-0) at Abbeville (8-0, 3-0): If Abbeville wins, it wins the region. Saluda must win and beat Batesburg-Leesville next week to win the region. Batesburg-Leesville is in the mix for the region. Panthers must win this week, have Saluda beat Abbeville and then beat Saluda next week.
South Pointe (8-0, 3-0) at Ridge View (5-3, 3-0): Winner wins Region 3-4A championship and loser is runner-up.
Week 5 Midlands game schedule, predictions
Predictions from The State’s Lou Bezjak and Chris Dearing. (All games at 7:30 p.m.)
Aiken at Brookland-Cayce: (Lou-Brookland-Cayce; Chris-Brookland-Cayce)
Blythewood at Lugoff-Elgin (Lou-Blythewood; Chris-Blythewood)
Calhoun Academy at Newberry Academy (Lou-Calhoun; Chris-Calhoun)
Camden at Indian Land (Lou-Camden; Chris-Camden)
Camden Military at Heathwood Hall (Lou-Heathwood; Chris-Heathwood)
Columbia at Calhoun County (Lou-Calhoun; Chris-Calhoun)
Chapin at Lexington (Lou-Lexington; Chris-Lexington)
Dreher at Lakewood (Lou-Dreher; Chris-Lakewood)
Fairfield Central at Chester (Lou-Fairfield Central; Chris-Chester)
Fox Creek at Batesburg-Leesville (Lou-Batesburg-Leesville; Chris-Batesburg-Leesville)
Gray Collegiate at Eau Claire at Keenan Stadium (Lou-Gray Collegiate; Chris-Gray Collegiate)
Gilbert at Edisto (Lou-Gilbert; Chris-Gilbert)
Hammond at Cardinal Newman (Lou-Hammond; Chris-Hammond)
Lancaster at Westwood (Lou-Westwood; Chris-Westwood)
Lewisville at North Central (Lou-North Central; Chris-North Central)
Lower Richland at AC Flora (Lou-AC Flora; Chris-AC Flora)
Newberry at Union County (Lou-Newberry; Chris-Union)
Northside Christian at Holly Hill (Lou-Holly Hill; Chris-Holly Hill)
Porter-Gaud at Ben Lippen (Lou-Porter-Gaud; Chris-Porter-Gaud)
Richland Northeast at York (Lou-York; Chris-York)
Saluda at Abbeville (Lou-Abbeville; Chris-Abbeville)
South Aiken at Airport (Lou-Airport; Chris-Airport)
South Pointe at Ridge View (Lou-Ridge View; Chris-South Pointe)
Strom Thurmond at Pelion (Lou-Strom Thurmond; Chris-Strom Thurmond)
Sumter at Spring Valley (Lou-Sumter; Chris-Sumter)
WW King at Richard Winn (Lou-Richard Winn; Chris-Richard Winn)
White Knoll at River Bluff (Lou-River Bluff; Chris-River Bluff)
Woodruff at Mid-Carolina (Lou-Woodruff; Chris-Woodruff)
Season Totals for predictions
Lou Bezjak: 185-50-1
Chris Dearing: 192-43-1
SC Prep Media Polls
First-place votes in parentheses:
SCHSL
Class 5A: 1. Dutch Fork (11); 2. Dorman; 3. Fort Dorchester; 4. Byrnes; 5. Sumter; 6. Clover; 7. River Bluff ; 8. Carolina Forest; 9. T. L. Hanna; 10. Gaffney
Receiving votes: Laurens, Goose Creek
Class 4A: 1. Myrtle Beach (11); 2. Daniel; 3. South Pointe; 4. AC Flora; 5. Eastside; 6. Belton Honea-Path; 7. (tie) Wren; 7. (tie) Wilson; 9. Hartsville ; 10. Greenville
Others receiving votes: North Myrtle Beach, Walhalla, Travelers Rest
Class 3A: 1. Chapman (11); 2. Aynor; 3. Gilbert; 4. Camden; 5. Dillon; 6. Wade Hampton; 7. Chester; 8. May River; 9. Union County ; 10. Strom Thurmond
Others receiving votes: Marion, Newberry, Woodruff
Class 2A: 1. Abbeville (11); 2. Barnwell; 3. Southside Christian; 4. Oceanside Collegiate; 5. Saluda; 6. Timberland; 7. Andrew Jackson; 8. Bamberg-Ehrhardt; 9. Gray Collegiate; 10. Woodland
Others receiving votes- Mullins, Andrews, St. Joe’s, Whale Branch
Class A: 1. Wagener-Salley (7); 2. Green Sea Floyds (4); 3. Lamar; 4. (tie) Blackville-HIlda, C.E. Murray; 6. Lake View; 7. Branchville; 8. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler; 9. Whitmire; 10. Ridge Spring-Monetta
Others receiving votes- Baptist Hill, Cross, Denmark-Olar
SCISA
Class 3A: 1. Hammond (6): 2. Laurence Manning: 3. First Baptist; 4. Heathwood Hall; T-5. Ben Lippen; T-5. Cardinal Newman
Others receiving votes: Porter-Gaud
Class 2A: 1. Trinity-Byrnes (6); 2. Florence Christian; 3. Robert E. Lee; 4. Hilton Head Christian; 5. Orangeburg Prep
Others receiving votes: None
Class A: 1. Bethesda Academy (4); 2. Carolina Academy (2); 3. Thomas Heyward; 4. Pee Dee Academy; 5. Colleton Prep
Others receiving votes: None
8-man: 1. Andrew Jackson Academy (5); 2. Wardlaw Academy; 3. St. John’s Christian; 4. Richard Winn Academy; 5. Clarendon Hall
This story was originally published October 24, 2019 at 10:47 AM.
