Predictions, stats and can’t-miss Week 2 Midlands high school football games
Here are the top games to watch and predictions for Week 2 of high school football in the Midlands:
Chapin (1-0) at Dutch Fork (1-0)
Dutch Fork enters the contest with a 41-game unbeaten streak. The Silver Foxes scored 66 points last week, aschool record for a season opener.
Dutch Fork quarterback Will Taylor threw for 307 yards and accounted for six touchdowns against White Knoll. Taylor, who committed to play football and baseball at Clemson, will leave Saturday morning for Texas to play in the Under Armour Baseball All-Star game on Sunday.
Chapin rallied from a 27-6 deficit to defeat Lower Richland, 47-26, last week. The Eagles played two quarterbacks, Jaydin Bradford and Hunter Sheppard, against LR.
Newberry (1-0) at Saluda (1-0)
A top-10 matchup in Class 2A and first meeting between two schools since 2013. Newberry is ranked No. 3 in Class 2A and Saluda is No. 6
Newberry has won two straight in the series. Both teams won their openers last week and had running backs rush for more than 100 yards. Newberry’s KJ Robinson rushed for 132 yards in the win over Columbia while Saluda’s Montrevious Baker rushed for 112 yards against Eau Claire.
Northwestern (1-0) at Blythewood (1-0)
Northwestern is making a trip to District 2 Stadium for the second straight week. The Trojans defeated Ridge View, 37-21, last week.
It’s the region opener for Blythewood, which rallied to beat North Augusta 27-24, on Dhani Dixon’s TD with 1:21 left. In his first start for Blythewood, quarterback Angelo Donato threw for 213 yards and had two touchdowns passes.
This will be third meeting between the two schools with last coming in 2011. Northwestern leads series, 2-0.
Ridge View (0-1) at Spring Valley (1-0)
First time the two Richland 2 schools have played each other since 2015. A Spring Valley win would put the Vikings at 2-0 in Region 4-5A and in a good spot for the playoffs in the seven-game schedule.
Ridge View receiver Jordan Smith had 11 catches for 262 yards and two touchdowns last week. The Blazers will be without starting running back David Mitchell, who tore his ACL in the opener against Northwestern.
Game is WACH Fox’s Sonic Friday Night Rivals Game of the Week and will be on 57.2/1250 (Spectrum Cable) and online at www.wach.com.
Strom Thurmond (0-0) at Brookland-Cayce (1-0)
First meeting between two teams since 2017 when Strom Thurmond won, 14-13.
This is the season opener for Strom Thurmond, which didn’t play last week after members of the team were in close contact with individuals that tested positive for COVID-19. Those players quarantined through Sept. 26 and didn’t resume practice until Monday.
B-C running back Will Way had four touchdowns last week in the Bearcats’ win over Fox Creek.
Week 2 Midlands Game Schedule, Predictions
All games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted
Thursday
Orangeburg-Wilkinson at Swansea, 7 p.m. (Bezjak-O-W; Dearing-O-W)
Richland Northeast vs. AC Flora at Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m. (Bezjak-Flora; Dearing Flora)
Friday
Andrew Jackson at North Central, 8 p.m. (Bezjak-Andrew Jackson; Dearing-Andrew Jackson)
Camden at Manning (Bezjak-Camden; Dearing-Camden)
Cardinal Newman at Ben Lippen (Bezjak-Ben Lippen; Dearing-Ben Lippen)
Chapin at Dutch Fork (Bezjak-Dutch Fork; Dearing-Dutch Fork)
Chester at Keenan (Bezjak-Chester; Dearing-Chester)
Columbia vs Gray Collegiate at Midlands Sports Complex (Bezjak-Gray; Dearing-Gray)
Dreher at Irmo (Bezjak-Irmo; Dearing-Irmo)
Eau Claire at Batesburg-Leesville (Bezjak-Batesburg; Dearing-Batesburg)
Fairfield Central at Lower Richland (Bezjak-Lower Richland; Dearing-Lower Richland)
Fox Creek at Gilbert (Bezjak-Gilbert; Dearing-Gilbert)
Great Falls vs CA Johnson at Bolden Stadium (Bezjak-Great Falls; Dearing-Great Falls)
Heathwood Hall at First Baptist (Bezjak-Heathwood; Dearing-First Baptist)
Indian Land at Mid-Carolina (Bezjak-Indian Land; Dearing-Mid-Carolina)
Newberry at Saluda (Bezjak-Newberry; Dearing-Newberry)
North Augusta at Airport (Bezjak-North Augusta; Dearing-North Augusta)
Northside at WW King (Bezjak-Northside; Dearing-Northside)
Northwestern at Blythewood (Bezjak-Blythewood; Dearing-Northwestern)
Richard Winn at Laurens Academy (Bezjak-Richard Winn; Dearing-Richard Winn)
Ridge View at Spring Valley (Bezjak-Spring Valley; Dearing-Spring Valley)
South Aiken at White Knoll (Bezjak-White Knoll; Dearing-White Knoll)
Strom Thurmond at Brookland-Cayce (Bezjak-BC; Dearing-BC)
Trinity Collegiate at Hammond (Bezjak-Hammond; Dearing-Hammond)
Westwood at Lugoff-Elgin (Bezjak-Westwood; Dearing-Lugoff)
Last Week: Lou Bezjak 22-4; Chris Dearing 22-4
Overall: Lou Bezjak 22-4; Chris Dearing 22-4
Midlands Stats leaders
A look at Midlands stat leaders through Week 4 of SCISA games and Week 1 of SCHSL:
Rushing
SCHSL: KZ Adams, Gray Collegiate 35 car., 288 yards, 2 TDs; Jaylon Chambers, Irmo 14-214-3; Stephon Gadsen, Fairfield Central 10-184-1; Bennett Galloway, Chapin 23-170-2; Colton Mason, Gilbert 26-166-1; Matt Pack;AC Flora 15-132-0; Immanuel Bovain, Airport 18-132;1; KJ Robinson, Newberry 11-123-2; Azwan James, Pelion 23-121-1; Montrevious Baker, Saiuda 13-112-2; Kalab Haven, North Central, 14-109-2
SCISA: CJ Stokes, Hammond, 53 car. 563 yards 12 TDs; Ronnie Porter, Heathwood Hall 82-544-5; Jali Garvin-Mingo, Cardinal Newman 40-231-1; Will Owens, Ben Lippen 29-216-1; Walker Draffin, Heathwood Hall 33-184-3
Passing
SCHSL: Will Taylor, Dutch Fork, 14 comp., 21 att., 307 yards, 5 TDs; Andre Washington, Ridge View 15-18-257-2; Angelo Donato, Blythewood 14-25-213-2; Isom Harris, CA Johnson 14-29-190-1; Ethan Beamish, AC Flora, 8-11-170-2; DQ Smith, Spring Valley 16-31-164-2; Hunter Sheppard, Chapin 14-20-160-2; Jenavas Williams, Batesburg-Leesville, 18-30-153-1; Tre Robinson, Gray Collegiate, 10-17-134-0; Robert Adams, Lower Richland 9-15-130-2; Jamari Harris, Lugoff-Elgin, 16-21-1124-2; Izayah Whiteside, Gilbert, 10-19-118-2
SCISA: Alex Lewis, Heathwood Hall 32 comp. 57 att., 462 yards, 6 TDs; Jack Weston, Hammond 32-43-453-3; Stryker Gandy, Ben Lippen 12-22-229-2; Chase Martin, Ben Lippen 17-36-179-1; Nils Viehweger, Ben Lippen 22-44-145-1
Receiving
SCHSL: Jordan Smith, Ridge View, 11 rec., 262 yards. 2 TDs; Desmond Martin, CA Johnson 5-130-1; Elijah Spencer, Dutch Fork 3-116-2; Antonio Williams, Dutch Fork, 3-99-2; Marvin Gantt, Batesburg-Leesville, 10-92-1; Jeremy Owens, Eau Claire, 1-84-1; Ty’Sean Osby, Spring Valley, 5-81-1; Zavier Short, Chapin, 7-77-1; Joshua Burrell, Blythewood, 5-75-0; Eriq Rice, AC Flora, 3-73-1; Chirs Rhone, Gray Collegiate, 5-69-0
SCISA: Josh Gary, Heathwood Hall, 19 rec., 369 yards, 4 TDs; Cam Scott, Hammond, 16-267-2; Chandler Crooks, Ben Lippen 9-127-1; Jake Austin, Ben Lippen 12-115-2
Tackles
SCHSL: Myles Cotten, Blythewood, 20 tackles; Sam Greer, Chapin, 15; Jashwan Manning, Fairfield Central, 12; DJ Hutchinson, Blythewood, 12; Keaton Rogers, Ridge View, 11; Sterling Godwin, Ridge View, 11; Jabez Taylor, Lower Richland, 10; LP Snelling, Gilbert, 10; David Tucker, CA Johnson, 10; Dalante Belton, CA Johnson, 10.
SCISA: Will Owens, Ben Lippen, 68 tackles;; Davis Holt, Ben Lippen, 50; Max Drag, Ben Lippen, 48; Ronnie Porter, Heathwood Hall, 44; Stryker Gandy, Ben Lippen 42; Grayden Davis, Ben Lippen 39; Rondarius Porter, Heathwood Hall 36; Walker Draffin, Heathwood Hall 33; C. Moorer, Ben Lippen, 32; Mark Brown, Hammond 30; William Lamar, Heathwood Hall 30; Joshua Plush, Ben Lippen 30
Sacks
SCHSL: Trey Peterson, Spring Valley 3; Kyrek Tindall, Dreher 2; Omarion Hammond, AC Flora 2; Ethan Hix, Lugoff-Elgin, 1 1/2; Charls Karrington, Lugoff-Elgin 1 1/2; Several tied with 1
SCISA: Ronnie Porter, Heathwood Hall 5; Rondarius Porter, Heathwood Hall 4; William Lamar, Heathwood Hall 4; Will Owens, Ben Lippen 3; Max Drag, Ben Lippen 3
Interceptions
SCHSL: Tyler Dreher, Ridge View 2; Devan Chabot, Lugoff-Elgin 2; Several tied with 1
SCISA: Brig Brannon, Hammond 2; Several tied with 1
This story was originally published October 1, 2020 at 9:10 AM.
