Week 8 Games To Watch: Pee Dee & Lowcountry
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We’re in the thick of it now. Up and down the coast, a few Class 5A and 4A regions might as well call this moving week. Games are being played for de facto region championships and the playoff positioning that…
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Continue ReadingWe’re in the thick of it now.
Up and down the coast, a few Class 5A and 4A regions might as well call this moving week. Games are being played for de facto region championships and the playoff positioning that comes along with it.
We’ll have plenty more of those games along the way, but few will separate the contenders from the next best quite like these.
Hartsville (2-4, 2-1) at South Florence (6-1, 3-0)
When South Florence quarterback LaNorris Sellers LaNorris Sellers 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB South Florence | 2023 State SC went down a few weeks back, there were questions about how much this Bruins team could still compete for a Region VI-4A title. Replacement signal caller Quincy Rhodes Quincy Rhodes 5'11" | 155 lbs | DB South Florence | 2024 State SC , running backs Trey McWhite and Malik Terry and receiver Evin Singletary have proved this offense could still be highly effective. Drew Marlowe’s team scored 76 and 38 points in its first two full games with Rhodes behind center. Now comes the more difficult part. Can the Bruins’ offense produce against a much more difficult opponent in Hartsville? The Red Foxes will offer a bigger test than the last two foes (Darlington and Wilson) and could make Sellers’ absence felt for the first time since his injury.
May River (5-2, 2-0) at Beaufort (6-1, 2-0)
We knew Beaufort was going to be loaded heading into this year. But we weren’t quite sure on May River, which was replacing a ton of its best players. What we’ve seen develop is arguably one of the more fun positional match-ups we’ll see this year. May River quarterback Garvin Douglas has been lights out, freelancing his way to nearly 1,200 rushing yards (and 12 TDs) to go along with another 400-plus passing yards. But can he be himself with top-flight Beaufort defensive linemen Eamon Smalls Eamon Smalls 6'3" | 300 lbs | DL Beaufort | 2023 TX and Alvin Wilson Alvin Wilson 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Beaufort | 2022 State SC staring him down? Whomever gets the leg up in that battle pushes themselves to the Region VII-4A drivers seat.
Sumter (5-1, 1-0) at Carolina Forest (3-3, 1-0)
Carolina Forest’s redemption tour started last week, when it was able to reverse course on two ugly non-region losses against region foes (the region elected to double up this year in an effort to preserve games). But Khalil Johnson, Luke Janack Luke Janack 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Carolina Forest | 2022 State SC , Scott Saylor Scott Saylor 6'1" | 200 lbs | QB Carolina Forest | 2023 State SC and the rest of the Panthers taking down Conway in the rematch would be peanuts compared to what a win against Sumter would do. The Gamecocks, led by quarterback Ryan McCants Ryan McCants 6'2" | 200 lbs | QB Sumter | 2022 State SC , running back Keion Brown and linebacker Jabari Tiller Jabari Tiller 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Sumter | 2022 State SC , are a massive bunch with eyes on a second straight region title. If they win this game, there’s little standing in their way.
Cane Bay (6-1, 2-0) at Goose Creek (4-3, 2-0)
The Region VII-5A crown comes down to – you guessed it – this game right here. Cane Bay is hot, having won five straight thanks in large part to sophomore running back TJ Wright. Last week, the 5-foot-10, 177-pounder notched two touchdowns against Stratford, including the go-ahead score in the closing minutes. Wright has played well, but you better believe the other running back in this game may just have himself a night, too. Goose Creek’s Demetri Simmons Demetri Simmons 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Goose Creek | 2022 State SC has already gone for 1,400 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. Last week against Fort Dorchester, he put up 400 total yards. And that was against the No. 2 team in Class 5A. Somehow, it wasn’t enough for a win. But that non-region loss will be forgotten if the Gators win the more important region one.