Week 10’s Midlands high school matchups
AC Flora (4-4, 1-2) at Dreher (5-3, 2-1)
LAST MEETING: 2014, A.C. Flora 35-21
LAST GAME: A.C. Flora def. Lower Richland 72-46; Dreher lost to Chapin, 47-28
PLAYERS TO WATCH – ACF: WR Thomas Hollingsworth, RB Donald Gist; D: QB Avery Armstrong, RB Jay Washington
NOTES: This is the 51st meeting between the two teams. … A.C. Flora has won eight straight against Blue Devils. … Dreher could finish second in Region 4-3A with a win this week and next week. … Cory Riley leads ACF with four interceptions. … ACF is averaging 375 yards a game. … Dreher’s Jay Washington went over 1,000 yards rushing last week and has 1,001 on the season.
Airport (8-1, 3-1) at Brookland-Cayce (4-5, 2-2)
LAST MEETING: 2015, Airport 42-37
LAST GAME: Airport lost to Midland Valley, 33-28; Brookland-Cayce def. Swansea, 35-21
PLAYERS TO WATCH – A: QB Josh Tucker, WR Kerryon Richardson; BC: RB A.J. Brown, WR Justice Mills
NOTES: Second meeting of season between two teams. Airport won 42-37 on Aug. 28. … B-C has won three of last five in the series. … Zach Feaster leads Airport with 84 tackles. … Airport QB Josh Tucker needs nine yards to go over 1,000 yards passing for the season. … B-C’s Charles Balkom had four TDs last week against Swansea.
Richland Northeast (3-5, 2-1) at Lower Richland (2-6, 0-3)
LAST MEETING: 2014, Richland Northeast 14-2
LAST GAME: Richland Northeast def. Camden 39-28; Lower Richland lost to A.C. Flora 72-46
PLAYERS TO WATCH – RNE: LB T.J. Brunson, QB Aloyisus Jackson; LR: QB Tevaughn Higgins, RB/WR Fred Cunningham
NOTES: Richland Northeast can finish second in the region with a win this week and next week. … Cavaliers have scored 39 points in each of the last two games. … LR quarterback Tevaughn Higgins threw for 491 yards and six touchdowns last week against A.C. Flora. He leads the team in passing and rushing. … LR receiver Larry Collins has missed past two games and is doubtful for this week.
Ridge View (5-4, 2-1) at Spring Valley (4-4, 1-1)
LAST MEETING: 2014, Spring Valley 31-7
LAST GAME: Ridge View def. Lugoff-Elgin 56-21; Spring Valley lost to Dutch Fork 41-14
PLAYERS TO WATCH – RV: DE Damani Staley, QB Tre’ High; SV: RB Ty’juan Fulton, WR/K R.J. Bacon
NOTES: Ridge View clinches playoff spot with victory. … Damani Staley leads the Midlands with 18 sacks. … SV has only attempted 47 passes this season. … Vikings are averaging 331 yards per game on offense. … Ridge View had 622 yards of total offense against L-E last week.
Westwood (8-1, 3-0) at Dutch Fork (6-3, 2-1)
LAST MEETING: 2014, Dutch Fork 33-3
LAST GAME: Westwood def. Blythewood 35-31; Dutch Fork def. Spring Valley 41-14
PLAYERS TO WATCH – W: RB Rudy Mitchell, QB Jalen Smith; DF: QB Cole Douglas, WR Austin Connor
NOTES: Westwood wins region title with a victory. … Redhawks RB Rudy Mitchell rushed for a school-record 467 yards in win last week against Blythewood and leads the Midlands with 1,421 yards. … Dutch Fork WR Austin Connor needs 65 yards for 1,000 all-purpose yards this season. … DF defensive end Rory Gallman has 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss this season.
White Knoll (6-3, 1-2) at River Bluff (7-2, 2-1)
LAST MEETING: 2014, White Knoll 24-21
LAST GAME: White Knoll lost to South Aiken 49-35, River Bluff def. North Augusta, 24-21
PLAYERS TO WATCH – WK: QB Calev Grubbs, RB Gary Shell; RB: QB/LB Brandon Tillmon, WR/DB Davon Johnson
NOTES: White Knoll RB Maurice Jones needs 35 yards for 1,000 on the season. … Cory Meggett leads WK with five interceptions. … White Knoll is minus-10 in turnover margin. RB’s Davon Johnson leads the Gators in receiving with 379 yards and three interceptions. …River Bluff QB Brandon Tillmon needs 188 yards to reach 2,000 all-purpose yards for the season. … Gators are averaging 33.4 points a game this season.
Lou Bezjak
This story was originally published October 29, 2015 at 8:24 PM.