Sumter -- Believe it or not, the final week of the regular season of higih school football in South Carolina is here. While some region championships and seedings for the state playoffs were decided last week, there are still some massive games on the schedule this week to decide region titles.
Here’s a look at some of those games.
AAAAA
Byrnes (8-1) at Gaffney (7-2)
This is one of the most storied rivalries in the state and this matchup should just add to the lore. The Region 2-AAAAA title is on the line as both teams are 3-0 in region play. The winner will have the opportunity to host in the first three rounds of the
playoffs.
Gaffney is 7-2 and ranked second in the High School Sports Report AAAAA Sweet 16 poll. Byrnes is 8-1 and ranked third.
Fort Dorchester (6-2) at Summerville (9-0)
This could easily be a preview of the AAAAA lower state championship game. It will definitely be a showdown for the Region 7 championship as both teams are 3-0 in region play.
Summerville is the top-ranked team in AAAAA with a 9-0 record. Fort Dorchester, which beat the Green Wave for the lower state title last season, is 6-2 and ranked seventh.
The winner will be assured of at least two home games.
Clover (7-2) at Rock Hill (6-3)
The Region 3-AAAAA crown is on the line in this one. The winner is assured of two home games in the playoffs.
Clover, which is 7-2, is ranked 12th, while 6-3 Rock Hill is ranked 15th. Both teams are 4-0 in region play.
Stratford (3-6) at Goose Creek (4-5)
The Region 6-AAAAA championship can be easily determined if Goose Creek, the only undefeated team in region play at 3-0, wins over 2-1 Stratford. However, if the Knights win, that opens the door for a possibility of a 3-way tie for first if 16th-ranked and 2-1 Cane Bay beats 1-2 Berkeley.
All four teams are in the playoffs, but none of the seeds are settled.
AAAA
James Island (9-0) at Lucy Beckham (8-0)
Two undefeateds, not just in Region 7-AAAA but on the season, will be going at it in this contest. Whoever comes out of it with a perfect record will be assured of hosting at least through the first three rounds of the playoffs.
James Island is ranked fourth in AAAA, while Lucy Beckham is sixth.
Riverside (5-4) at Greer (4-5)
This matchup is for the Region 2-AAAA championship and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The Region 2 champion is the predetermined No. 1 seed in the playoffs and will be at home as long as it wins.
Greer is 3-0 in region and ranked 16th, while Riverside is 2-1, the only other region team with just one loss.
North Augusta (7-2) at Midland Valley (9-0)
Both teams are undefeated in Region 4-AAAA at 3-0. The winner will be in position to host three playoff games as the No. 2 seed in the upper state.
Midland Valley is undefeated at 9-0 and is ranked seventh. North Augusta is 7-2 and ranked 12th.
AAA
Belton-Honea Path (9-0) at Wren (5-4)
While the overall records may be far apart, the Region 2-AAA records are the same at 4-0.
Belton-Honea Path is 9-0 and ranked fourth in AAA. Wren is unranked with a 5-4 record.
The winner will be in position to host three home playoff games.
Broome (8-1) at Chapman (8-1)
Both of these teams are 3-0 in Region 3-AAA and are 8-1 overall. The loss for each team came to a Region 2-AAAAA school, Broome falling to Spartanburg and Chapman to Boiling Springs.
Chapman is ranked fifth, while Broome is ranked ninth. The winner is assured of at least two home games.
Gilbert (9-0) at Brookland-Cayce (7-2)
This will be another top 10 matchup in AAA with the Region 5 title on the line.
Both teams are 4-0 in region play. Third-ranked Gilbert is 9-0, while 10th-ranked Brookland-Cayce is 7-2. The Bearcats’ losses have come to AAAA A.C. Flora and AAAAA Chapin.
The winner will be assured to host at least three playoff games.
AA
Hampton County (8-1) at Barnwell (6-3)
This will be for the Region 6-AA championship. Both teams are 3-0 in region play.
Hampton County is ranked fourth with an 8-1 record. Barnwell is 6-3 and ranked 13th.
The winner will be in position to host three playoff games.
Ninety Six (8-1) at Abbeville (8-1)
Defending AA state champion Abbeville is used to playing for region titles. Ninety Six? Not so much.
However, both teams are 8-1 overall and 4-0 in Region 1. Abbeville is ranked third while Ninety Six is 10th. The winner will be assured of hosting at least two playoff games.
Timberland (4-5) at Oceanside Collegiate (6-2)
This game is for the Region 7-AA championship. Oceanside Collegiate, the defending lower state champion, is 6-2 and ranked second in AA. Timberland is 4-5 overall and 3-0 in region play like Oceanside Collegiate.
The region champion will be a host for at least its first two playoff games.
Class A
Bamberg-Ehrhardt (8-1) at Whale Branch (7-0)
This will be for the Region 7-Class A championship with the winner hosting at least two playoff games.
B-E, ranked second in Class A, is 8-1 overall and 3-0 in region play. Eighth-ranked Whale Branch is undefeated at 7-0 and also 3-0 in the region.
Christ Church (7-2) at Southside Christian (6-2)
The Region 1 championship is on the line between the last two Class A state championships. Christ Church is the defending state champion, while Southside Christian won the 2021 title.
Both teams are 4-0 in region play. Christ Church, ranked third in the state, is 7-2 overall while Southside Christian is ranked fourth and is 6-2.
Calhoun County (8-1) at Wagener-Salley (6-2)
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (8-1) at Ridge Spring-Monetta (1-8)
The Region 4-Class A title will be decided by the outcomes of this game. Both Calhoun County and Hunter-Kinard-Tyler are 4-1 in region play, while Blackville-Hilda has completed region play with a 5-1 record.
Should B-H and HKT finish with 5-1 records, B-H would win the region title since it beat Hunter-Kinard-Tyler. If Calhoun County and B-H finish 5-1, Calhoun County would get the No. 1 seed since it beat B-H. If each of the teams finish 5-1, a tiebreaker will be used to determine who is seeded where.
Calhoun County is ranked 10, HKT 11th and B-H 12th. Wagener-Salley is ranked 14th.
SCISA 8-MAN
Holly Hill (7-1) at Jefferson Davis (9-1)
This will actually be a rematch from earlier in the season. Jefferson Davis Academy snapped Holly Hill’s 37-game winning streak in Week 2 with a 28-22 victory.
JDA is 9-1 on the season and ranked first in the HSSR SCISA 8-man Pick 6 poll. Holly Hill, the 3-time defending state champion, is 7-1 and ranked second.
SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
All times are 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted
SCHSL
AAAAA
Friday
Ashley Ridge at Stall
Blythewood at Spring Valley
Byrnes at Gaffney
Cane Bay at Berkeley
Carolina Forest at St. James
Clover at Rock Hill
Dorman at Spartanburg
Fort Dorchester at Summerville
J.L. Mann at Hillcrest
Lexington at Dutch Fork
Nation Ford at Fort Mill
River Bluff at Chapin
Sumter at Conway
Stratford at Goose Creek
Wando at Socastee
Woodmont at Mauldin
AAAA
Thursday
Berea at Westside
Friday
A.C. Flora at Ridge View
Aiken at South Aiken
Bluffton at Colleton County
Easley at Greenville
Irmo at Lugoff-Elgin
James Island at Lucy Beckham
Lancaster at Indian Land
May River at Hilton Head Island
North Augusta at Midland Valley
North Myrtle Beach at Myrtle Beach
Northwestern at Catawba Ridge
Pickens at Greenwood
Richland Northeast at Westwood
Riverside at Greer
South Florence at West Florence
Wade Hampton at Eastside
Wilson at Hartsville
York at South Pointe
AAA
Thursday
Fountain Inn at Southside, 7 p.m.
Friday
Aynor at Loris
Beaufort at Hanahan
Belton-Honea Path at Wren
Blue Ridge at Travelers Rest
Broome at Chapman
Camden at Marlboro County
Clinton at Emerald
Crescent at Daniel
Dillon at Georgetown
Gilbert at Brookland-Cayce
Lake City at Darlington
Lakewood at Crestwood
Lower Richland at Dreher
Manning at Waccamaw
Orangeburg-Wilkinson at Swansea
Pendleton at Walhalla
Philip Simmons at Battery Creek
Powdersville at Palmetto
Seneca at West-Oak
Woodruff at Union County
AA
Friday
Batesburg-Leesville at Saluda
Bishop England at Academic Magnet
Blacksburg at Landrum
Buford at Andrew Jackson
Central at North Central
Chesterfield at Cheraw
Fairfield Central at Newberry
Hampton County at Barnwell
Kingstree at Lee Central
Liberty at Chesnee
Mid-Carolina at Eau Claire
Mullins at Marion
Ninety Six at Abbeville
Pelion at Silver Bluff
Strom Thurmond at Fox Creek
Timberland at Oceanside Collegiate
Woodland at Edisto
CLASS A
Friday
Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Whale Branch
Branchville at Bethune-Bowman
C.A. Johnson at Whitmire
Calhoun County at Wagener-Salley
Christ Church at Southside Christian
Cross at Burke
Denmark-Olar at Williston-Elko
Dixie at Calhoun Falls
Hemingway at Johnsonville
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler at Ridge Spring-Monetta
Lake View at Hannah-Pamplico
Latta at Green Sea Floyds
McBee at Lewisville
St. John’s at Baptist Hill
St. Joseph’s at McCormick
Scott’s Branch at East Clarendon
Ware Shoals at Thornwell
CLASS A VS. AA
Friday
Allendale-Fairfax at Ridgeland
SCISA
11-MAN
Friday
Augusta Christian at Cardinal Newman
Bethesda Academy at Beaufort Academy
Calhoun Academy at Dorchester
Camden Military at Ben Lippen
Colleton Prep at Palmetto Christian
First Baptist at Porter-Gaud
Heathwood Hall at Hammond
Hilton Head Christian at Hilton Head Prep
John Paul II at Wilson Hall
Northside Christian at Spartanburg Christian
Pinewood Prep at Northwood
Pee Dee at Florence Christian
St. John’s Christian at Clarendon Hall
The King’s Academy at Lee Academy
Thomas Heyward at Patrick Henry
Thomas Sumter at Dillon Christian
Trinity Collegiate at Laurence Manning
Williamsburg at Carolina Academy
8-MAN
Friday
Faith Christian at Conway Christian
Holly Hill at Jefferson Davis
Laurens Academy at Richard Winn
Oakbrook Prep at Newberry Academy
Wardlaw at W.W. King
SCISA VS. INDEPDENDENT
11-MAN
Thursday
Providence Athletic Club at Cross Schools
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