Top games, predictions for Midlands teams in Round 3 of high school football playoffs
Here are five games to watch for Midlands teams in the third round of the SCHSL football playoffs.
Games to watch
Dutch Fork (11-0-1) at Fort Dorchester (11-0): Winner hosts the 5A Lower State championship next week. Dutch Fork leads the all-time series, 5-1, including 4-0 in the postseason. Silver Foxes have a 37-game unbeaten streak. Dutch Fork defense is giving up just nine points a game. DF quarterback Ty Olenchuk needs 115 yards for 3,000 on the season. De’Andrae Sabb and Dwayne Wright lead Fort D with 12 rushing touchdowns each.
Hartsville (9-3) at Brookland-Cayce (8-3): Hartsville leads the all-time series, 3-2, including last year’s 68-35 win in the second round of the 4A playoffs. Junior Will Way leads B-C with 1,585 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. Dariyan Pendergrass, a South Carolina baseball commit, leads Hartsville with 572 yards receiving and is second in rushing with 625 yards. B-C’s defense is allowing just 198 yards of offense per game.
Camden (11-1) at Union County (9-3): Two teams met in 2001-02 Class 3A title games with Camden winning in 2001 and Union 2002. Camden running back Willis Lane needs 62 yards rushing for 2,000 on the season. He became the school’s single-season rushing leader last week. Camden offense is averaging 42.6 points per game. Union is coached by former River Bluff and Dutch Fork assistant Brian Thompson. Union has won nine straight after an 0-3 start.
Dillon (10-1) at Gilbert (11-1): Second meeting between the two schools. Dillon won, 34-7, in the 2017 playoffs. Gilbert quarterback Jy Tolen needs 251 yards passing for 4,000 on season and is five TD passes shy of 50 on season. Gilbert WR Deandre Harris needs 20 yards for 1,000 receiving on the season. Matt Reed passed the 1,000-yard mark last week. Drew Howell leads Gilbert with 142 tackles.
Abbeville (12-0) at Gray Collegiate (10-2): First meeting between two schools. The game will be played at Newberry College. Gray is making first appearance in the third round of playoffs. Gray quarterback Hunter Helms needs 68 yards for 4,000 yards passing on season and five passing TDs for 50 on season. Gray WR Omarion Dollison has caught at least two TD passes in five of the last six games. Gray RB KZ Adams has 2,155 all-purpose yards this season. Abbeville has won 34 straight games. Abbeville’s JD Moore (1,187 yards) and Martico Jackson (1,001 yards) each have rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season.
Midlands game schedule, predictions
Predictions from The State’s Lou Bezjak and Chris Dearing. (All games are Friday at 7:30 p.m. unless noted)
SCHSL
Dutch Fork at Fort Dorchester (Lou-Dutch Fork; Chris-Dutch Fork)
Ridge View at Daniel, Thursday, 7 p.m. (Lou-Ridge View; Chris-Daniel)
Airport at Myrtle Beach (Lou-Myrtle Beach; Chris-Myrtle Beach)
Hartsville at Brookland-Cayce (Lou-Brookland-Cayce; Chris-Brookland-Cayce)
Camden at Union County (Lou-Camden; Chris-Union County)
Dillon at Gilbert (Lou-Gilbert; Chris-Gilbert)
Saluda at Southside Christian (Lou-Southside; Chris-Southside)
Abbeville at Gray Collegiate at Newberry College (Lou-Abbeville; Chris Abbeville)
SCISA
Hammond vs. Laurence Manning, At Benedict, 7 p.m. (Lou-Hammond; Chris-Hammond)
Season totals for predictions
Lou Bezjak: 257-70-1
Chris Dearing: 268-59-1
This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 12:45 PM.
