Summer is now officially over.

But on the South Carolina prep football calendar, things are starting to heat up. The start of region play means the active jockeying for playoff positioning for teams as they look on the momentum built from the non-region.

Few teams are playing any hotter than Williston-Elko, which knocked North from the ranks of the unbeaten last week. In their last three games, the Blue Devils have averaged 56 points and held their opponents to eight points per game.

Blackville-Hilda, Orangeburg-Wilkinson, Bamberg-Ehrhardt and the Calhoun schools (Calhoun County and Calhoun Academy) also continue to roll along. While a season-ending showdown with W-E is weeks down the line for the Hawks, the Bruins, Red Raiders, Saints and Cavaliers face major tests the next two weeks. Meanwhile, Andrew Jackson Academy and Orangeburg Prep show signs of being contenders for region titles.

As the competition gets more intense, the top players will step to the forefront and will earn a high profile spot in Thursday Morning Quarterback.

TEAMS OF THE WEEK

S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE - Williston-Elko

Since handing Barnwell County archrival Blackville-Hilda its last loss, the Blue Devils, under head coach Dwayne Garrick, have gone 6-1 and are perfect on the season following a 61-6 rout of previous unbeaten North.

SCISA - Orangeburg Prep

Having earned just one victory during a “Murderer’s Row” non-region schedule, the Indians opened region play on the right foot with a dramatic 31-28 victory over Pinewood Prep. Down eight points in the second half, the Indians rallied with 18 points to get the win.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE - Tajh Cheeseboro (Calhoun County)

“Say Cheese” might become the early warning password for opposing coaches who face Calhoun County. The 5-10, 185-pound middle linebacker tallied 18 tackles in last week’s 42-6 win over Estill and has 63 on the season.

SCISA - Thomas Plumb (Orangeburg Prep)

Indians’ head coach Adam Holmes has never wavered in his support of his senior snap-taker. Plumb completed 10-16 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 130 yards and the game-winning score from a yard out with 24.8 seconds left.

WEEK FOUR GRIDIRON GIANTS

Jerrell Priester (Allendale-Fairfax) - 242 rushing yards, three TDs

Edward Givens (Andrew Jackson Academy) - 12-16 passing, 166 yards, TD

Mac Mathias (Andrew Jackson Academy) - 13 carries, 116 yards, TD

Danny Berry (Bethune-Bowman) - 192 rushing yards, two TDs

Craig Jones (Bethune-Bowman) -175 rushing yards, two TDs

Dennis Perry (Bethune-Bowman) - 12 tackles, sack

Rondre Ritter (Bethune-Bowman) 11 tackles, sack

Ashton Robinson (Bethune-Bowman) - 10 tackles, fumble recovery, sack

Joe Thomas (Blackville-Hilda) - 255 yards, three TDs

David Sims (Calhoun County) - 16 carries, 201 yards; 10-20 passing, 169 yards, four TDs

Andrew Robinson (Calhoun Academy) - 11-21 passing, 142 yards, TD; interception on defense

Bryan Love (Calhoun Academy) - 23 carries, 115 yards

Jared Fredrick (Calhoun County) - 10 tackles, interception return TD

Graison Matthews (Clarendon Hall) - four sacks

Anthony Holman (Denmark-Olar) - 13-30 passing, 187 yards; 16 carries, 87 yards

Nick Martin (Holly Hill Academy) - 14 carries, 212 yards, two TDs

Montaurus Gleaton (Hunter-Kinard-Tyler) - 16-20 passing, 192 yards, three TDs

Schwan Jamison (Hunter-Kinard-Tyler) - five catches, 111 yards, two TDs

Kwame Gleaton (Hunter-Kinard-Tyler) - 11 carries, 123 yards, two TDs

Nic Jamison (Jefferson Davis Academy) - 28 carries, 362 yards, five TDs; 12 tackles

Alex Still (Jefferson Davis Academy) - 12 tackles

Jayson Leverett (Orangeburg-Wilkinson) - 5-10 passing, 147 yards, three TDs passes, one rushing

Josh Epps (Williston-Elko) - 13 carries, 143 yards, four TDs

Marcus Bates (Williston-Elko) - 24 tackles, two sacks

Mike Wallace (Williston-Elko) - 11 tackles

BY THE NUMBERS

With seven straight wins dating back to its state title run, the Hawks of Blackville-Hilda currently own the T&D Region’s longest winning streak...With the revival of its football program, Branchville owns the T&D Region’s longest active losing streak at 17 straight games. The Yellow Jackets’ last victory came Oct. 25, 1991 against Waccamaw....Orangeburg-Wilkinson is 4-0 for the first time in five years...three straight years, only to win one game the rest of the way the previous two years...The last time Swansea lost its first four games was 1968 when it finished 1-9...Entering its matchup Friday, the series between Orangeburg-Wilkinson and Irmo is tied at 15-15. Also tied at 6-6 is the series between Denmark-Olar and Bethune-Bowman...Blackville-Hilda’s Joe Thomas has surged into the lead for T&D Region rushers with 719 yards...Hunter-Kinard-Tyler quarterback Montaurus Gleaton is tops in passing with 943 yards and eight TDs. Denmark-Olar’s Treaver Workman leads in reception with 28, Orangeburg Prep’s Michael Williamson has an area-high 424 receiving yards and Calhoun County’s Alshon Jeffery is tops with six touchdown receptions...Brandon Golston of Calhoun County has 13 sacks through four games.

T&D REGION RANKINGS

S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE TOP FIVE

1. Blackville-Hilda

Calhoun County

Williston-Elko

Orangeburg-Wilkinson

2. Bamberg-Ehrhardt

SCISA TOP 3

1. Calhoun Academy

2. Orangeburg Prep

3. Dorchester Academy

8-MAN

1. Andrew Jackson Academy

2. Clarendon Hall

3. Bowman Academy

QUOTABLES

“We know we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re going to play against a bigger, stronger Irmo team and we’ve got to focus on what we’ve got to do. Our main thing is to improve on ourselves. We’re not going to think about our opponents. We’ve got to get better at all phases of the game. If we continue to improve, then we have a chance to be successful.” - O-W head coach Tommy Brown.

You must be logged in to comment.