HS football playoffs: Who’s in, who’s out and which Midlands teams have work to do
A look at who’s in, who’s out and who has work to do among Midlands high school football teams headed into next week’s final week of the regular season:
They’re In
AC Flora: Has clinched No. 2 spot in Region 4-4A and a home playoff game.
Airport: Wins Region 5-4A with victory over Brookland-Cayce. Loser of game finishes second.
Ben Lippen: Will be in SCISA 3A playoffs; waiting on seeding.
Batesburg-Leesville: Finishes second in Region 2-2A with win over Saluda. Loser is third seed.
Brookland-Cayce: Wins Region 5-4A with victory over Airport. Loser is second.
CA Johnson: Can tie for Region 3-2A title with win over Gray Collegiate. A loss and Hornets will be No. 3 seed.
Cardinal Newman: Will be in SCISA 3A playoffs and find out seed next week.
Camden: Earns No. 1 spot from Region 4-3A with win over Keenan.
Dutch Fork: Has clinched Region 5-5A title.
Fairfield Central: Needs to beat Indian Land to finish third in Region 4-3A. A loss and Griffins are No. 4.
Gilbert: Has clinched Region 5-3A championship.
Gray Collegiate: Needs to beat CA Johnson to win Region 3-2A title. Even with a loss, War Eagles should win region tiebreaker.
Hammond: Will be No. 1 seed in SCISA 3A playoffs.
Heathwood Hall: Will be in SCISA 3A playoffs and can improve seed with win over Hammond.
Lexington: Will be No. 2 seed from Region 5-5A with win over River Bluff. A loss drops the Wildcats to third seed.
Lower Richland: Has clinched Region 4-4A title and home-field advantage in Lower State playoffs.
Lugoff-Elgin: Regular season complete. Will be No. 2 seed from Region 4-5A with Blythewood win over Spring Valley. If Spring Valley wins, the Demons are No. 3 seed.
Newberry: Earns No. 3 seed with win over Mid-Carolina. A loss and Bulldogs are fourth seed.
Richard Winn: Will be anywhere from No. 1-3 seed in SCISA 8-man playoffs.
Ridge View: Clinched the No. 2 seed from Region 3-4A and a home playoff game.
Saluda: Earns No. 2 seed from Region 2-2A with win over Batesburg-Leesville. Loser is third seed.
Swansea: Earns No. 3 seed from Region 5-3A with win over Edisto. The loser is the fourth seed.
Westwood: Has clinched the No. 3 seed from Region 3-4A and will be on the road for the first round of playoffs.
They Have Work to Do
Blythewood: Bengals earn No. 3 seed from Region 4-5A with win over Spring Valley. A loss and Blythewood hopes to earn at-large spot.
Chapin: Needs to beat Nation Ford and then hope for at-large berth.
Eau Claire: Earns No. 4 seed from Region 3-2A with win over Columbia.
Columbia: Earns No. 4 seed from Region 3-2A with win over Eau Claire.
Irmo: Needs to beat Sumter and get a lot of help for at-large spot.
North Central: Needs to beat Buford to earn No. 4 spot from Region 4-2A.
River Bluff: Clinches No. 2 seed in Region 5-5A with win over Lexington. If Gators lose and WK loses, two teams and Chapin will be in a three-way tie for final playoff spot in region. The tiebreaker is point differential in game against Dutch Fork. Chapin lost to Silver Foxes by 45, RB by 44 and White Knoll plays Dutch Fork on Friday.
Spring Valley: Clinches No. 2 seed in Region 4-5A with win over Blythewood. A loss drops Vikings to fifth and out of playoffs.
White Knoll: Earns No. 3 seed from Region 5-5A with win over Dutch Fork and River Bluff loss to Lexington. If Wolves lose to Dutch Fork and River Bluff loses to Lexington, there will be a three-way tie for first. The tiebreaker is point differential in game against Dutch Fork.
They’re Out
Dreher: Finishes regular season against AC Flora.
Keenan: Finishes regular season against Camden.
Mid-Carolina: Finishes regular season against Newberry.
Pelion: Closes regular season against Gilbert.
Richland Northeast: Finishes regular season against Westwood.
Game Balls
Christian Horn, WR, Westwood: Been out all season with foot injury but came back Friday night and caught a TD pass in win over Lancaster.
Lower Richland: Started out 1-3 but has won four straight to win Region 4-4A title. Second region championship in three years for Diamond Hornets after winning just seven games combined from 2013-2016.
Lugoff-Elgin football team: After going winless last year in first year 5A football, Demons clinched playoff spot with 23-20 over Blythewood.
Roger Pedroni, QB, Chapin: Became the school’s all-time leader in passing during Friday’s loss to Lexington.
White Knoll defense: Held River Bluff to 193 yards of offense in win over No. 7 Gators.
Next Week’s Schedule
AC Flora at Dreher (Memorial Stadium)
Batesburg-Leesville at Saluda
Ben Lippen at Cardinal Newman
Buford at North Central
Brookland-Cayce at Airport
Chapin at Nation Ford
Clarendon Hall at WW King
Dutch Fork at White Knoll
Eau Claire at Columbia
Edisto at Swansea
CA Johnson at Gray Collegiate (At Midlands Sports Complex)
Heathwood Hall at Hammond
Indian Land at Fairfield Central
Irmo at Sumter
Keenan at Camden
Laurens Academy at Newberry Academy
Lexington at River Bluff
Mid-Carolina at Newberry
Orangeburg-Wilkinson at Lower Richland
Palmetto Christian at Northside Christian
Pelion at Gilbert
Richard Winn at Wardlaw
Ridge View at Lancaster
Spring Valley at Blythewood
Westwood at Richland Northeast at Harry Parone Stadium
This story was originally published October 26, 2019 at 12:03 PM.
