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By David Shelton Senior Writer Moncks Corner – At long last, the regular season came to an end and the Class AA state playoffs are upon us. The brackets are set and the fans of the favorites are hoping to make plans in mid-December for Orangeburg and the state finals scene. Who are the favorites in AA? Is there a sleeper or two that may surprise everyone and get to the title game. Most of the time, the teams that survive the grind and reach the fifth week of the playoffs, the title game, are teams that everyone who follows the sport predicts will be there. Let’s have a little fun and handicap the AA field. My process is to list my top four teams in the Upper State bracket and top four in the Lower State, as I see it. Any team not in my top four would be considered a sleeper to make it through the bracket. But, it can be done. In the Upper State, my No. 1 team is Batesburg-Leesville . I know, shocker. The 10-0 Panthers have answered every challenge and have proven to be quite formidable. They allow seven points per game with a defense that has speed and physicality. Nearly half of the total points they have allowed in 10 games came in one game, to Abbeville, in a two-point win. Abbeville is the top-ranked team in Class A and their coach , Jamie Nickles , is a believer. “They are certainly capable of winning the state championship,” he said. Running back Amadre Wooden and quarterback Tanner Watkins are a solid one-two punch offensively. Wooden has rushed for more than 1,500 yards and Watkins has passed for more than 1200 yards. My No. 2 pick to win the Upper State is Clinton. The 7-2 Red Devils have lost only to Woodruff and Daniel. Each of those teams has just one loss this season. The tough non-region schedule makes me feel the Red Devils are battle-tested for close, big games. Quarterback Tashawan Richardson makes it all go for the offense with James Cook adding a major threat in the run game. My No. 3 pick in the Upper State is Fairfield Central . The Griffins lost their season opener to Ridge View and have won nine straight games since. The scouting report needs just one word – speed. The Griffins can run and are explosive. Running back Tydarion Grier has gained more than 1.400 yards and averages 9.3 yards per carry. And, my No. 4 is Saluda . The Tigers’ only loss came to Batesburg-Leesville and they would love another shot at their region rivals. Saluda is another of the top defensive teams in AA and defense wins championships. Tahe your pick as the favorite in the Lower State cause several teams have a shot. My No. 1 going in is Barnwell . While not flashy or dominant, the Warhorses are solid and athletic. Senior Cameron Austin is a great leader at quarterback and if they have success on the ground, game over. No. 2 is Barnwell rival Hampton County . Again, the Hurricanes run the football and have good solid play at quarterback. They made a good run a year ago and I think their confidence level is high. The last two favorite picks are difficult and I ended up with three teams for two spots. At No. 3 I am going with Cheraw . The 8-2 Braves are not great at anything but very solid at most. Running back Cam McClendon is a threat to score from anywhere and the defense gets after it pretty good. For No. 4, I am sharing the spot between Manning and Philip Simmons . Manning has just one loss, the season opener to Crestwood, but their schedule and region was not overly difficult. Philip Simmons went undefeated in a tougher region and seems to be peaking at the right time. The Iron Horses have a veteran quarterback and they really play hard on defense. Class AA state playoff first-round pairings Upper State Pelion at Clinton Strom Thurmond at Chester Columbia at Batesburg-Leesville Andrew Jackson at Liberty Chesterfield at Fairfield-Central Ninety Six at Chesnee Landrum at Central Mid-Carolina at Saluda Lower State Academic Magnet at Barnwell Lake City at Timberland Edisto at Cheraw Andrews at East Clarendon North Central at Manning Woodland at Hampton Co. Mullins at Philip Simmons Kingstree at Whale Branch
By Neill Kirkpatrick Special to the HSSR Charleston – After suffering their first loss of the season to Hanahan (29-28) 10 days ago the Andrews Yellowjacket came to District 4 CCSD stadium ready to put that loss behind them as they scored on their first six possessions in route to a 42-6 win over Academic Magnet. “We wanted to come out and jump on them early. We tell our kids to play to a standard not an opponent. I thought we did a good job of that and came out with a win,” said Andrews head coach Scott Durham . The win in their region opener improved the Yellowjackets record to 5-1/1-0. They will host Woodland 4-2/0-1. The Wolverines dropped their region opener to Phillip Simmons 22-16. The Raptors (3-3,0-1) will look get back on the winning track as they travel to Timberland 4-2/1-0, a 53-6 winner over Burke in their region opener Friday night. Andrews offensive line led by junior Da’Viyon McNair and senior Jacolby Sanders opened up big holes from the start as the Yellowjackets went 80-yards in six plays to go up 8-0. Sophomore Dutch Stafford had four carries for 50 yards including a four-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Brandon Cumbee added the two-point conversion. The Raptors came out strong on their first possession as sophomore quarterback Owen G. hit junior Tyler Perez for a 29-yard gain. On their next play disaster struck for the Raptors when G was hurt after gaining 12 yards to the Yellowjackets 26. From there, the Raptors went backwards and were forced to punt. “Any time you lose your starting quarterback on the second play it is going to throw a wrinkle into your game plan. I felt like our back up came in and tried to settle things down, we just played a very good football team tonight,” said Raptors head coach Mitch White . Andrews needed just five plays to increase their lead to 20-0. Junior AJ Lee scored on runs of 77 and 75 yards on back-to-back drives. Lee one of the top junior running backs in the state would finish the night with 230 yards and the two scores. Stafford would score his second touchdown of the night on the Yellowjackets next possession while Cumbee would wrap up the first half scoring by hitting sophomore Kale Cannon with a 56-yard strike. The teams headed to the break with Andrews up 34-0. Senior All State defensive end Khalil Dorsey spearheaded a defense that gave up only 79 yards of offense. Forty-one of the yards came on the Raptors first two plays. Junior Chris Stewart and senior Aden Cooper also spent a lot of time in the Raptors backfield. “Our defense played well all night. We gave up a couple of plays but overall, I am happy with the effort,” said coach Durham. The Yellowjackets scored their final touchdown on their opening possession of the second half when Cumbee scored from the run. On the drive Stafford had two carries for 51 yards and that put him over the century mark as finished the night with 87 yards. Cumbee was a perfect 4 for 4 through the air for a 137 yards to go with 20 yards on the ground. Down 42-0 the Raptors did not quit. They forced a turnover on the Yellowjackets next drive when senior Donovan Hamilton picked off a tipped pass falling to the ground and then they got on the scoreboard on the final play of the game when freshman Sam Peters ripped the ball from the Andrews ball carrier and returned it 65-yards for a touchdown. “I am proud of the effort we gave night. The guys did not quit and we can build on that going into next week,” said Raptor head coach White.
By Billy G. Baker Publisher Hopkins — The Fairfield Central AA boy’s track team dominated the competition on May, 18 at the SCHSL AA track meet hosted on the track at Lower Richland High School. The Griffins dominated the 42-team field with a 25-point win over second place Greer Middle College by the score of 83-58. The next teams in order with 20 or more points include: Academic Magnet (55), Gray Collegiate (54), Hampton County (47), Silver Bluff (47), Keenan (39.5), Abbeville (32.5), Mid-Carolina (32), Bishop England (32), Liberty (31), Landrum (29), Marion (21) and Saluda (20). The Fairfield Central Griffins are head coached by six-year veteran Raymond Harrison and his boys’ team qualified 16 athletes for the state meet. “Track is a true team sport and it is a group of individuals performing at a high level for the good of the team,” said Coach Harrison. “I studies the heat sheet carefully and I felt like as long our kids maintained their consistency, we had a shot at winning a state title and that is what happened. “I will tell you the sky is the limit for Mr. Boyd ( Jaden Boyd won three individual gold medals) and I can see him having an opportunity to run track and play college football at the next level,” said Coach Harrison. “Of our 16 qualifiers today only one is a senior ( Kristen Golden -long jumper) so we feel really good about next season also. It was a real team effort today and we had four personal bests today which you are hoping happens.” Sophomore Jaden Boyd led the Griffins with three gold medals and he ran a leg on a second- place relay team to produce 32 of his team’s gold medal points. Boyd won the 100- meters (10.51), the 200-meters (21.34) and the long jump (6.95m). Boyd was amongst the top wide receivers in the state who played on his junior varsity (not varsity) football this past season. Boyd talked with the HSSR from the state track meet. “I ran a personal best in the 100 today and I have been working hard getting prepared for the state meet,” said Boyd. “In my first 30 meters I want to get a good drive, and then in the next 70-yard drive phase; I want to hit my top end speed with a burst at the end. It is a 100 per cent effort the whole way.” With two more years left Boyd is also focused on participating in track and football at the next level. “I like both sports and my goal are to achieve a five-star rating in football also,” he said. “”I would like to play both sports in college.” The other gold medal winner for FC was junior Hank White who won for the second straight year in the 800-meters ((1:57,59). His win was a personal best for him. “I have been struggling to break two-minutes all year and I finally accomplished that goal today,” said White. “I like to stay behind the leaders until the final 200-meters because I have a strong kick and I always finish strong. In the past year I have improved over three seconds. My senior goal is to go under 1:50.” Gray Collegiate sophomore Caleb Raysor won individual gold medals in the 110 hurdles (14.81) and the 400-meters (55.92) plus he ran a leg on the winning 4X100 relay team to account for 22.5 points for the War Eagles. “It feels great to have won two individual gold medals and a third with the relay,” said Raysor. “I ran a personal best in the 110 -hurdles. My thing is to get how hard and run like a butterfly and sting like a bee. I try not to knock down any hurdles also. I also play football; wrestle and I power lift. Football is my favorite passion and I play receiver and corner back.” Junior Quin Swanton of Academic Magnet was a double winner in the 1600-meters (4:19.60) and the 3200-meters (9:44.92). “My goal coming into the meet was to win both of individual events,” said Swanton. “My goal is keep improving and earn a four-year track scholarship to major college program. My goal by my senior season is a 4:10 mile and break my school record in the two-mile and to just keep having fun in the sport.” The shot-put gold medal (51-04.50) went to senior Ka’Von Chisolm of Hampton County. Chisolm has signed a football scholarship (defensive end) with South Carolina State . His winning toss was his personal best and also established a new school record for himself. “It feels great to win today because I have been trying to win in the shot for the past six years,” said Chisolm. “My technique is to stay low and explode on the glide.” Batesburg-Leesville sophomore JaQuan Corley won the discus (157-01.75) event. “My goal for my junior year will be to get a personal best and win again,” said Corley. “I try to stay calm and get a good push when I release the disc.” Abbeville junior Karson Norman won the 400-mters (48.11) and the Panther football player also placed third in the 100-meters (10.85) and 6 th in the 200-meters (22.54). “My strategy in running my race varies from meet-to-meet but today I ran all-out because it was do-or-die at the state meet,” said Norman. “I led wire-to-wire today. My goal is to keep training in both football and track and to keep getting better.” Silver Bluff sophomore Joshua Smith took gold in the triple jump (44-09.75). “My goal for next year is to get a personal best in the triple jump and finish first again,” said Smith. “My strategy is just to stay clam and get a good spring off the board.” Senior Lucas New of Pelion earned gold in the high jump (6-06.75). “My first step is forward, and then the curve part is where you get all of your momentum, and I watch a lot of videos and practice a lot,” said New. “I was an inch off my personal best today. I am going to Marshall to be a Decathlon athlete and I hope to top the record there of 6-7.” Senior Academic Magnet pole vaulter Jackson Miller won the event (13-11.25) at the AA meet for the second straight year improving one-foot in the process. “I improved from 14 feet to 15 feet in one year,” said Miller who is headed to Clemson in the fall on a track scholarship. “I also placed 4 th at Nationals so I have improved a lot. “My technique involves giving everything I’ve got running down the runway, and then push up as hard as you can, and once you jump your swing, try to get upside down as far as you can, and pull yourself off the top of the pole,” said Miller, all in one breath. “It takes a lot of focus and hard-work, I have been a pole vaulter for four years and I am really excited about going to Clemson.” Senior Mark Baker of Landrum improved from second to first place over the past year winning the Javelin with a heave of (168-11.50). “I think it just came down to working hard,” said Baker. “In the fall I had ankle surgery and I really worked hard to rehab and get ready for the track season. The hard work paid off and I am looking forward to attending MIT on a track scholarship the next four years. I will major in mechanical engineering with a focus in bio-medical devices.”
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