Irmo vs. Westwood plus other can’t miss SC matchups, picks, stats and schedule
Here are the top games to watch and predictions for this week of high school football in the Midlands:
Camden (4-0) at Byrnes (2-1)
Both teams are ranked and have qualified for the playoffs in their classifications with Camden in Class 3A and Byrnes in Class 5A. Camden RB Willis Lane is a Mr. Football finalist and has rushed for 555 yards, eight TDs this year and has 3,567 yards, 41 TDs for his career. Byrnes is coached by former AC Flora coach Reggie Shaw. Byrnes sophomore running backs Mack Long has rushed for 522 yards and eight TDs in just three games.
Heathwood Hall (6-4) at Laurence Manning (7-3)
First-round matchup in the SCISA playoffs. Winner of the game faces Ben Lippen-First Baptist winner in the semifinals. Heathwood and Manning met in the season opener on Aug. 28 with Heathwood winning 21-14. Highlanders’ Ronnie Porter leads the Midlands in rushing with 1,638 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Newberry (2-1) at Batesburg-Leesville (3-1)
The winner of the game heads to the Class 2A playoffs as No. 2 seed from Region 3-2A. The loser still might be able to get an at-large spot. Newberry leads the series 33-32-1 since 1929. The Bulldogs won last year, 21-20, and look for the second in a row against B-L for the first time since 2011-12. Marvin Gantt leads B-L with 535 yards rushing, has 18 catches for 171 yards with eight total touchdowns.
River Bluff (2-1) at Lexington (0-4)
Ahead of the matchup of Lexington County rivals, River Bluff has clinched a playoff spot and will play Fort Dorchester in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs next week. The Gators have won two in a row against their rivals, including 37-20, last year. Running back Riley Myers leads River Bluff with 394 yards and five touchdowns. Blake Smith leads Lexington with three interceptions.
Westwood (2-1) at Irmo (4-2)
Winner of the game heads to Class 4A playoffs as the No. 2 seed from Region 4-4A. Irmo is coming off a 55-38 loss to Chapin last week, while Westwood’s game with Dreher was canceled because of COVID-19. Running back Jayon Chambers has three straight 100-yard games and leads the Yellow Jackets with 721 yards and seven TDs. Westwood’s defense is giving up just 55 yards passing a game and has picked off eight passes.
This week’s Midlands SCHSL game schedule
Thursday
Orangeburg-Wilkinson at Airport (Bezjak-OW; Dearing-OW)
Wade Hampton at Pelion (Bezjak-Pelion; Dearing-WH)
Friday
AC Flora at Lugoff-Elgin (Bezjak-AC Flora; Dearing-AC Flora)
Blythewood at Gaffney (Bezjak-Gaffney; Dearing-Gaffney)
Camden at Byrnes (Bezjak-Camden; Dearing-Byrnes)
Chapin at York (Bezjak-Chapin; Dearing-Chapin)
Columbia at Bethune Bowman (Bezjak-Columbia; Dearing-Columbia)
Fox Creek at Swansea (Bezjak-Swansea; Dearing-Fox Creek)
Great Falls at North Central (Bezjak-North Central; Dearing-North Central)
Lewisville vs Eau Claire at Keenan HS (Bezjak-Lewisville; Dearing-Lewisville)
Newberry at Batesburg-Leesville (Bezjak-Newberry; Dearing-Batesburg-Leesville)
Richland Northeast at Spring Valley (Bezjak-Spring Valley; Dearing-Spring Valley)
River Bluff at Lexington (Bezjak-River Bluff; Dearing-River Bluff)
Saluda at Ninety Six (Bezjak-Saluda; Dearing-Saluda)
Scott’s Branch vs CA Johnson at Bolden Stadium (Bezjak-CAJ; Dearing-CAJ)
Westwood at Irmo (Bezjak-Irmo; Dearing-Westwood)
Saturday
Fairfield Central at Mid-Carolina, 11 a.m. (Bezjak-Fairfield Central; Dearing-Fairfield Central)
SCISA playoff games for Midlands teams
Friday
Ben Lippen at First Baptist, canceled (Ben Lippen wins by forfeit because First Baptist in quarantine for COVID-19)
Heathwood Hall at Laurence Manning (Bezjak-Heathwood Hall; Dearing-Laurence Manning)
Porter-Gaud at Hammond (Bezjak-Hammond; Dearing-Hammond)
Clarendon Hall at Richard Winn (Bezjak-Richard Winn; Dearing-Richard Winn)
W.W. King at Holly Hill Academy (Bezjak-Holly Hill; Dearing-Holly Hill)
Last Week: Lou Bezjak 19-4; Chris Dearing 19-4
Overall: Lou Bezjak 104-29; Chris Dearing 105-28
Midlands stat leaders
A look at Midlands stat leaders through Week 10 of SCISA games and Week 6 of SCHSL:
Rushing
SCHSL: KZ Adams, Gray Collegiate, 142 car., 1,312 yards, 15 TDs; Colton Mason, Gilbert, 154-1,168-14; Jayon Chambers, Irmo, 108-727-7; Jeremy Barney, Lower Richland, 101-704-9; Bennett Galloway, Chapin, 109-647-9; Immanuel Bovain, Airport, 105-609-6; Will Way, Brookland-Cayce, 82-600-9; Stephon Gadsden, Fairfield Central, 59-577-6; Kalab Haven, North Central, 66-560-4; Willis Lane, Camden, 53-555-8; Marvin Gantt, Batesburg-Leesville, 60-535-6; KJ Robinson, Newberry, 52-434-5; Matt Pack, AC Flora, 43-421-4; Dhani Dixon, Blythewood, 60-415-3; Riley Myers, 57-394-5; Jarvis Green, Dutch Fork, 63-384-8; Jacob Osmanski, Pelion, 74-376-2; CeCe Bailey, CA Johnson, 49-368-8; Leroy Bracey, Camden, 27-353-5; Azwan James, Pelion, 94-340-6; TJ Peebles, White Knoll, 87-336-1; Terrell Coleman, Anthony Wicker, Mid-Carolina, 42-329-5; AC Flora, 30-303-5; Justin Hedgepath, Mid-Carolina, 56-297-2; Andre Washington, Ridge View, 85-293-5; Tre Robinson, Gray Collegiate, 44-282-6; Montrevious Baker, Saluda, 63-279-4; Will Barber, Fairfield Central, 40-277-3; Dylan Williams, Irmo, 37-270-6; Carlton Finney, Lexington, 67-264-3
SCISA: Ronnie Porter, Heathwood Hall, 178-1,638-15; CJ Stokes, Hammond, 87-907-17; Will Owens, Ben Lippen, 95-718-9; Aidan Cannaster, Hammond, 64-373-1; Jack Weston, Hammond, 61-347-3; Evan Werner, Ben Lippen, 53-309-1; Jali Garvin-Mingo, Cardinal Newman, 56- 288-2; Shanyae Monsato, Cardinal Newman, 47-247-2
Passing
SCHSL: Isom Harris, CA Johnson, 93 completions, 154 attempts, 1,599 yards 15 TDs; Will Taylor, Dutch Fork, 93-140-1,540-17; Izayah Whiteside, Gilbert, 59-105-1,034-15; Andre Washington, Ridge View, 73-126-973-11; Dylan Williams, Irmo, 56-100-911-8; Tre Robinson, Gray Collegiate, 50-80-907-11; Robert Adams, Lower Richland, 48-88-904-7; Ethan Beamish, AC Flora, 29-41-12 803; Hunter Sheppard, Chapin, 73-110-793-8; DQ Smith, Spring Valley, 78-133-793-5; Jonah McCary, Saluda, 72-102-729-6; Jenavas Williams, Batesburg-Leesville, 51-87-671-10; Jesse Bowers, ;North Central, 37-67-636-6; Angelo Donato, Blythewood, 41-70-632-5; Tyler Dasher, Airport, 53-121-613-5; Jaffari Person, Camden, 32-54-596-7; Peyton Whitten, Brookland-Cayce, 27-45-570-5; Jayden Bradford, Chapin, 47-73-558-5; Tanner Staton, Brookland-Cayce, 44-88-510-3; Kennedy Ramsey, White Knoll, 49-83-451-5; Reese Marcum, Lexington, 32-62-422-4; Josh Drayton, Dreher, 44-89-311
SCISA: Alex Lewis, Heathwood Hall, 82-143-1,148-10; Jack Weston, Hammond, 59-87-803-7; Stryker Gandy, Ben Lippen, 39-84-802-6; Whit Muschamp, Hammond, 35-62-659-7; Luke Robinson, Cardinal Newman, 24-54-235-0
Receiving
SCHSL: Desmond Martin, CA Johnson, 38 receptions, 805 yards, 9 TDs; Elijah Spencer, Dutch Fork, 32-618-9; Jordan Smith, Ridge View, 42-612-8; Zavier Short, Chapin, 40-578-8; Antonio Williams, Dutch Fork, 30-572-7; Eriq Rice, AC Flora, 10-420-6; Gage Gunter, Gilbert, 14-393-3; Kam Greene 14-370-3; Chirs Rhone, Gray Collegiate, 18-350-5; Matthew Becker, Chapin, 29-323-3; Jordan Wise, Brookland-Cayce, 15-318-4; Tysean Osby, Spring Valley, 20-317-2; Damahzay Long, Bateburg-Leesville. 16-314-5; Shyheem Shropshire, North Central, 12-311-8; Joshua Burrell, Blythewood, 28-305-2; DeAree Rogers, White Knoll, 23-296-1; Chance Jennings, Gilbert, 15-291-5; CeCe Bailey, CA Johnson, 19-253-2; Devin Johnson, Gray Collegiate, 12-216-2; Anthony Lyles, Camden, Camden, 14-212-3
SCISA: Cam Scott, Hammond, 38-707-8; Josh Gary, Heathwood Hall, 41-656-7; Davis Holt, Ben Lippen, 19-388-4; Jake Austin, Ben Lippen, 22-307-3; Jack Weston, Hammond, 14-221-0; Aiden Canzater, Hammond, 15-213-2
Tackles
SCHSL: Sam Greer, Chapin, 82; Harley Boatwright, Gilbert, 74; Dedrick Starkes, Irmo, 73; Myles Cotten, Blythewood, 71; Justin Hayes, Irmo, 64; Nic Emmanwori, Irmo 63; DJ Hutcherson Blythewood 60; Zach Glenn, Gray Collegiate, 57; Tory Kelly, Gray Collegiate 56; Dawan Rice, CA Johnson, 55; Owen Plane, Brookland-Cayce, 55; Dalante Belton, CA Johnson 53; LP Snelling, Gilbert, 52; Marcellus Lewis, Irmo, 51; Jabez Taylor, Lower Richland, 50; Conner Lehmann, Chapin, 50. Jordan Robinson, Gray Collegiate, 49; Devin Bowers, Airport 49; Jarrett Cason, Gilbert, 48; Keaton Rogers, Ridge View, 46; Chris Wicker, Dutch Fork 45; Naejuan Barber, Ridge View, 44; Chandler Perry, Dutch Fork, 44; Caison Hood, Lower Richland, 43; Jailon Vanoy, CA Johnson, 43; Jaheim Williams, Camden, 42; Freedom Flemming, Airport, 42; Coby Cornelius, Spring Valley, 41; Darius Footes, Ridge View, 41; Zeke Haire, Irmo, 41; Josh Smith, Dreher 40; DeAundre Goodwin, CA Johnson, 40
SCISA: Will Owens, ;Ben Lippen, 117; Rondarius Porter, Heathwood Hall 100; Ronnie Porter, Heathwood Hall, 98; Mark Brown, Hammond, 95; Davis Holt, Ben Lippen 73; Grayden Davis, Ben Lippen, 71; Max Drag, Ben Lippen 71; Walker Draffin, Heathwood Hall 58; Jack McCall, Hammond, 55; Carter Moorer, Ben Lippen. 52; Joshua Plush, Ben Lippen 52; Brig Brannon, Hammond, 52; Hudson Jones, Ben Lippen, 51; Stryker Gandy, Ben Lippen 49; William Lamar, Heathwood Hall 48;
Sacks
SCHSL: Naejuan Barber, Ridge View 8; Trey Peterson, Spring Valley 7; Omarion Hammond, AC Flora, 6; Josias Addison, Blythewood 5; Jabez Taylor, Lower Richland, 4 1/2; Jarrett Cason, Gilbert 4; Jonathon Chavis, Camden 4; Jordan Couch, Airport, 4; Max Childress, AC Flora, 4; Jaxon Hembree, Camden, 4; Xzavier McLeod, Camden, 4; Chris Whitt, Batesburg-Leesville 4; Chris Wicker, Dutch Fork, 4; Chase Ishmael, Blythewood, 4; Sterling Goodwin, Ridge View, 4
SCISA: Ronnie Porter, Heathwood Hall, 7; Rondarius Porter, Heathwood Hall 6; William Lamar, Heathwood Hall, 5; Seth Kirby, Hammond, 4; Carter Moorer, Ben Lippen 4; Will Owens, Ben Lippen 3; Max Drag, Ben Lippen, 3; Mark Brown, Hammond, 3; James Kitchens, Hammond, 3
Interceptions
SCHSL: Jordan Spry, Airport, 3; Hy-Kein Nahn, Spring Valley 3; Russell Brunson, Gray Collegiate, 3; Blake Smith, Lexington, 3; Ian Myers, Brookland-Cayce, 3; Jordan Smith, Ridge View, 3; Tyler Dreher, Ridge View 2; Devan Chabot, Lugoff-Elgin 2; Owen Plane, Brookland-Cayce 2; Joseph Byrnes, Camden, 2; Luke McGinnis, Saluda 2; Malik Heyward, Dreher, 2; Jeremia Jennings, Westwood 2; Zi’kef Johnson, Westwood 2; Josh Calloway, Chapin, 2
SCISA: Josh Gary, Heathwood Hall 3; Chandler Crooks, Ben Lippen 3; Brig Brannon, Hammond 3; Harris Jackson, Hammond 2; Jacob Plush, Ben Lippen, 2
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
