Updated SC high school football playoff schedule ... and five postseason observations
The second round of the high school football playoffs is in the books. Here are five things that are standing out.
Dutch Fork duo rewriting school’s history book
A week after Ty Olenchuk became Dutch Fork’s all-time passing leader, Tennessee Jalin Hyatt set the mark for the school’s all-time receiving yards leader.
The two seniors are going to leave Dutch Fork as two of the most decorated athletes to play for the program. Olenchuk and Hyatt currently hold seven career records and numerous single-game and season marks.
Dutch Fork travels to Fort Dorchester in the third round. It is the second consecutive year DF has hit the road in the third round. The Silver Foxes defeated West Florence and Summerville last year on the road on their way to their third 5A title in a row.
The Silver Foxes and Fort D are meeting for the fifth time in the last four years. Dutch Fork won the last meeting, 24-14, in the 2017 Class 5A Lower State championship.
Big chance at home awaits Midlands trio
Abbeville, Dillon and Hartsville have been three of the most consistent programs in the state for the past decade or more. But three Midlands schools will have a chance to end that trio’s playoff run all at home next week.
Gray Collegiate hosts Abbeville in the 2A playoffs, while Gilbert takes on Dillon in 3A and Brookland-Cayce gets Hartsville in 4A.
Abbeville is going for its fifth consecutive title and hasn’t lost a game since 2017. This is uncharted territory for Gray Collegiate, which is in the third round for the first time in school history and has its first 10-win season.
For the second time in three years, Gilbert gets Dillon at home in the playoffs. Dillon defeated Gilbert, 34-7 in 2017. The Wildcats have won five state titles in the past seven years, while the Indians are looking to get to their first title game. Gilbert hasn’t made it to the state semifinals since 1992.
Brookland-Cayce and Hartsville meet for the second straight year in the playoffs. Hartsville won 68-35 last season, but the Bearcats will be at home this season and have a seven-game winning streak, giving up just 13 points in their last four games.
Doty’s status a question mark for Airport defense
Airport travels to Myrtle Beach for its third round Class 4A playoff game, but will South Carolina commit Luke Doty suit up at quarterback for MB?
Doty suffered a wrist injury in the Seahawks first-round playoff game against Lakewood and didn’t play in Thursday’s second-round game. Myrtle Beach coach Mickey Wilson hasn’t given an update on his quarterback’s status.
Airport is in the third round for the first time under Kirk Burnett and first since the 1990s.
Ridge View’s third-round hurdle
For the third time in the last four years, Ridge View is in the third round of the postseason. But the Blazers have yet to move past the third round during that time. RVs last state semifinal appearance came in 2007.
This year, Ridge View gets No. 2 ranked Daniel in the third round and faces the Lions for the third time in the past two years. Daniel defeated RV 45-26 earlier this season.
Since that loss, Ridge View defense has given up just a little 10 points a game over its past eight contests.
Ground and pound
Camden’s running game continues to put up massive numbers this season.
The Bulldogs rushed for 461 yards on Friday in the second-round win over Broome. For the season, Camden is averaging 311 yards on the ground and has rushed for more than 400 yards in a game four times this season.
Willis Lane and Mikah Davis have been the two leading ground gainers for the Bulldogs. Lane became the school’s all-time leading rusher in the 126-year history of football at Camden. He has 1,938 yards, breaking Marcus Brown’s record of 1,740 in 2001.
SCHSL Playoff Schedule
Class 5A
Upper State
Gaffney at Byrnes
Dorman at Clover
Lower State
Dutch Fork at Fort Dorchester
Goose Creek at Carolina Forest
Class 4A
Upper State
Wren at Greenville
Ridge View at Daniel (Thursday)
Lower State
Airport at Myrtle Beach
Hartsville at Brookland-Cayce
Class 3A
Upper State
Woodruff at Chapman
Camden at Union County
Lower State
Strom Thurmond at May River
Dillon at Gilbert
Class 2A
Upper State
Saluda at Southside Christian
Abbeville at Gray Collegiate at Newberry College
Lower State
Timberland at Barnwell
Oceanside Collegiate at Woodland
Class A
Upper State
Ridge Spring Monetta at Blackville-Hilda
Lamar at Wagener-Salley
Lower State
Cross at Lake View
CE Murray at Green Sea Floyds
SCISA
State Championships
8-man
At Calhoun Academy Football Stadium
Friday
Andrew Jackson vs. St. John’s Christian
At Benedict College
Saturday
Class A
Thomas Heyward vs. Bethesda Academy, Noon
Class 3A
Hammond vs. Laurence Manning, 3:30 p.m.
Class 2A
Hilton Head Christian vs. Trinity-Byrnes, 7:30 p.m.
This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 1:21 AM.
