State championship football games this weekend at South Carolina State in Orangeburg
AAA, Class A, AAAAA DII games Friday, AAAA, AA, AAAAA DI games Saturday
Sumter – The pairings are set for the six South Carolina High School League state championship football games to be played on Friday, December 5, and Saturday, December 6, at South Carolina State’s Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.
The action will start at 12:06 p.m. on Friday with the AAA title game pitting Belton-Honea Path versus Oceanside Collegiate Academy followed by the Class A title game between Lamar and Bamberg-Ehrhardt set for a 4:06 p.m. start. The final game on Friday will be the AAAAA Division II game between Northwestern and Irmo set for a 7:36 p.m. start.
The AAAA game between South Pointe and South Florence will kick off action on Saturday starting at 12:06 p.m. The AA game between Strom Thurmond and Hampton County will follow beginning at 4:06 p.m. The final game will have Dutch Fork taking on Summerville for the AAAAA Division I crown starting at 7:36 p.m.
Three of the games will feature rematches while four teams will be trying to defend state titles. The rematches are Dutch Fork and Summerville, Northwestern and Irmo and BHP and OCA.
Dutch Fork will be playing in its 10th consecutive state championship contest. The Silver Foxes, who are 11-1 on the season, are after their fourth straight title and seventh in the last eight years. They defeated the 12-2 Green Wave 35-21 last season.
Northwestern and Irmo both come into their rematch with 12-1 records. The Trojans will be trying to defend the crown they won in a scintillating 34-31 victory last year. The game was tied 17-17 entering the fourth quarter.
The other rematch will have Oceanside trying to defend its title against undefeated Belton-Honea Path. The 11-2 Landsharks, who are after their third state title in four years, defeated the Bears 35-13. Belton-Honea Path is 14-0.
Like OCA, South Florence will be trying to win its third state title in four years and is playing in its fourths straight title game. The Bruins, who beat Westside for the title last year, come into the contest with a 13-1 record, the same as South Pointe.
The teams have a common opponent in Northwestern. South Florence lost to the Trojans 55-35 on September 5, while the Stallions beat Northwestern 27-23 the following week.
There will be new champions in AA and Class A. Bamberg-Ehrhardt will be trying to cap off a perfect season against 12-2 Lamar. The Red Raiders bring a 14-0 record into the contest.
The AA contest will feature two teams coming in with 9-game winning streaks in 12-2 Strom Thurmond and 11-3 Hampton County.
Tickets are $20 a day and can be purchased at gofan.co or through each of the schools before game day. Tickets are good for the entire day.
Parking lots will open at 10 a.m. each day with the gates opening at 11 a.m. The upper state teams will be the home teams. Home fans will enter through Gate 1 while the visiting fans will enter through gates 1 and 2 and walk across behind the end zone to the visiting stands.
There will be a clear bag policy for all spectators. No outside food or drink, or coolers will be allowed into the stadium.
Parking is $10 per car and parking passes can be purchased through Gofan.co. Vehicles with trailers, pull-behind grills and RVs will cost $50.
SCHSL STATE PLAYOFFS
Semifinal Scores
Friday
5A Division I
Upper State
(1) Dutch Fork 30, (2) Dorman 10
Lower State
(5) Summerville 45, (6) James Island 16
5A Division II
Upper State
(1) Northwestern 51, (3) Indian Land 19
Lower State
(1) Irmo 44, (2) Berkeley 6
4A
pper State
(1) South Pointe 40, (3) Westside 0
Lower State
(1) South Florence 55, (3) Gray Collegiate 14
3A
Upper State
(3) Belton-Honea Path 35, (1) Powdersville 7
Lower State
(1) Oceanside Collegiate 38, (3) Loris 7
2A
Upper State
Strom Thurmond 15, Fairfield Central 13
Lower State
Hampton County 43, Central 22
1A
Upper State
Lamar 48, Lewisville 27
Lower State
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 29, Cross 26
State Championships
At Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
In Orangeburg
Friday, December 5
3A
Belton-Honea Path (14-0) vs. Oceanside Collegiate (12-2), 12:06 p.m.
1A
Lamar (12-2) vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt (14-0), 4:06 p.m.
5A Division II
Northwestern (12-1) vs. Irmo (12-1), 7:36 p.m.
Saturday
4A
South Pointe (13-1) vs. South Florence (13-1), 12:06 p.m.
2A
Strom Thurmond (12-2) vs. Hampton County (11-3), 4:06 p.m.
5A Division I
Dutch Fork (11-1) vs. Summerville (12-2), 7:36 p.m.
