Notebook: Lexington wants complete game
Lexington coach Josh Stepp thinks this would be a perfect week for his team to put together a complete game.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 7 in the latest Midlands Top 10 poll, travel to top-ranked Westwood on Friday.
“It’s going to be a tough task for us,” Stepp said. “Westwood is very physical. We must start fast.”
Strong starts haven’t been something the Wildcats have done the last two weeks. Lexington needed a 93-yard drive to defeat Blythewood two weeks ago, and then overcame a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit last week in the 40-35 win over Wando.
Stepp attributes the slow starts to lack of focus at timesand inexperience at some key positions. But he said finding a way to pull out games late will help the team.
“We have won ugly. But to fight back the way we did shows character, and our kids always are going to play hard. It is a staple of Lexington football,” Stepp said. “But if we can ever put it together, someone is in trouble.”
RNE, Dreher to make appeals Thursday
Richland Northeast and Dreher will be among eight South Carolina high schools making their appeals Thursday regarding the South Carolina High School League’s 2016-18 realignment proposal.
The schools will make their appeals before the SCHSL executive committee. Any school that is appealing must receive letters of support from any program that would be affected by the shift.
RNE said it is appealing to be in a different region, while Dreher wants to move from the proposed Class 4A to 3A, its current classification. Based on the 135 enrollment figures, Dreher would be one of the smallest Class 4A schools.
Other schools set to make appeals are Chester, Allendale-Fairfax, Southside Christian, Georgetown, Wilson and Calhoun County.
High praise for Brunson
Spring Valley coach Robin Bacon had high praise for Richland Northeast linebacker T.J. Brunson’s performance Friday.
Brunson, a Louisville commit, earned The State’s Defensive Player of Week honors with 25 tackles, 12 solo, in RNE’s 15-14 loss to Spring Valley.
“One of the single best individual performances I have ever seen in 25 years of football,” Bacon said.
A.C. Flora to face Oak Hill; Chick-fil-A Classic field set
A.C. Flora’s boys basketball team will get a shot to face powerhouse Oak Hill Academy when it travels to Mouth of Wilson, Va., on Dec. 1.
Oak Hill went 47-1 last season and finished No. 2 in the final USA Today High School Boys Basketball poll. A.C. Flora won the 2014 Class 3A title and was runner-up last year to Midland Valley.
“The biggest thing is that we wanted to give our kids a chance to play against the top team in the country,” AC Flora coach Josh Staley said. “ It has so many benefits on so many levels. It will be an excellent gauge on where our kids need to be in order to compete with the top tier teams in the nation.”
The Falcons are part of Oak Hill’s 51-game schedule this season, which includes a stop at the Chick-fil-A Classic at Richland Northeast on Dec. 18-22. The rest of the Classic field was announced this week and includes St. Joseph Prep School (West Virginia), Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Florida), Bentonville High School (Bentonville, Arkansas), Pace Academy (Atlanta, Georgia), Greenforest Christian Academy (Decatur, Georgia) and Oldsmar Christian (Oldsmar, Florida).
The Midlands teams in the Classic are Richland Northeast, Keenan, Lower Richland, Blythewood, Spring Valley and Hammond. Mullins, which features North Carolina commit Jalek Felton, is the other South Carolina team in the tournament.
The Carolina Challenge Showcase will be played in conjunction with the Classic and will include Lexington, Midland Valley, Cardinal Newman, Heathwood Hall, Indian Land, University School (Nashville, Tenn.), Southwest Atlanta Christian School (Atlanta), Providence Day and Rock River (Charlotte).
River Bluff’s Adams commits to CofC
River Bluff junior Aaron Adams committed to play baseball at College of Charleston this week.
Adams hit .319 with two homers as a sophomore last season. He has been selected to play in the Border Battle next month in North Carolina.
Adams, third baseman/outfielder, is the second Gator to commit to play baseball in college. Senior Brandon Tillmon has committed to play baseball and football at Liberty.
Cross country rankings
Twenty-one Midlands teams were ranked in the state cross country rankings released this week.
4A Boys: 6. Lexington; 7. Irmo; 8. Dutch Fork; 10. Spring Valley
4A Girls: 2. Dutch Fork; 5. Spring Valley; 6. River Bluff
3A Boys: 9. A.C. Flora. 3A Girls: 5. A.C. Flora; 8. Dreher; 9. Chapin
2A Boys: 6. Pelion ; 2A Girls: 9. Pelion
SCISA Boys: 5. Ben Lippen; 7. Heathwood Hall; 8. Cardinal Newman; 9. Hammond
SCISA Girls: 3. Heathwood Hall; 4. Hammond; 6. Ben Lippen; 8. Cardinal Newman
Midlands players in college football
How some players with Midlands ties fared in college football this past weekend:
Kelvin Atkins (Westwood/Limestone) – Had two tackles against Kentucky Wesleyan.
P.J. Brown (Lower Richland/Limestone) – Led team with seven tackles against Kentucky Wesleyan.
Will Elm (Irmo/Newberry) – Had five tackles against Jacksonville.
Kendric Geathers (Keenan/S.C. State) – Had two tackles and pass break up against CCU.
Brice Green (Dutch Fork/Newberry) – Had four tackles against Jacksonville.
Jalen Hammett (Blythewood/North Greenville) – Had three tackles against Lenoir-Rhyne.
Josh Harlen (Spring Valley/North Greenville) – Had three tackles against Lenoir-Rhyne.
Devante Harris (Blythewood/Appalachian State) – Started at tackle against Clemson.
Greg Huegel (Blythewood/Clemson) – Was 2-for-3 on field goals and made two tackles on special teams against Appalachian State.
Farrington Huguenin (Dreher/Kentucky) – Had five tackles against South Carolina.
Kevin Miller (Lexington/Newberry) – Had six carries for 38 yards and two kickoff returns for 72 yards against Jacksonville.
Tyler Smith (Keenan/S.C. State) – Had four tackles against Coastal Carolina.
Vyncint Smith (Westwood/Limestone) – Had four catches for 33 yards and TD against Kentucky Wesleyan.
Taquan West (Lexington/S.C. State) – Had two catches for 68 yards against Coastal Carolina.
Brandon Wilds (Blythewood/USC) – Rushed for 107 yards against Kentucky.
Jalen Williams (Blythewood/Clemson) – Had two tackles against Appalachian State.
This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 8:55 PM.