Like the presidential campaign, the prep football season has now reached the home stretch.
After nine weeks, only Calhoun County, Blackville-Hilda and Williston-Elko stand as not only the lone undefeated teams in The T&D Region, but Class A as well. By Saturday morning, at least one of the teams will have a winning record as the Hawks and Blue Devils will clash in Williston, where bragging rights in Barnwell County are not the only thing at stake.
The winner will claim the Region 4-A title, as well as top seed in their respective Class A Division II brackets. A loss would mean falling as low as a third seed and a possible road trip in the Upper or Lower State final.
As for Calhoun County, a win Friday over Cross would only continue the good fortune it has enjoyed this football team. Not only did the Saints wrap up the Region 5-A title on Monday, they may not have to travel as far as 20 miles in their march for a state championship.
Much like in boys’ basketball, the road to Oliver C. Dawson Stadium and the state title could potentially go through St. Matthews. The points system used to determine post-season seedings has Calhoun County edging out defending Class A Division I champion Chesterfield by .5 points for the top seed in the Upper State Division I playoffs should it defeat Cross on Friday.
Even with a loss, the Saints would still beat out the Rams by .5 based on a third tiebreaker.
Things are less complicated for Woodland, which can earn its first-ever region title with a victory over Ashley Ridge. In SCISA, all Calhoun Academy has to do is defeat Thomas Sumter Academy this Friday to claim the Region 1-AA title, while Orangeburg Prep can claim the Region 2-AAA title if Wilson Hall loses at Pinewood Prep.
Meanwhile, it’s “win to get in” for both Pelion and Lake Marion this Friday in their respective regular-season finales. As for Swansea and Branchville, each looks to avoid the dubious distinction of finishing winless. For the Tigers, it would be the first time in the proud program’s 38-year history.
Before the playoff begin, here’s a reflection of Week 9 in this week’s Thursday Morning Quarterback.
Teams of the week
S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE -- Allendale-Fairfax
With the graduation of Lennell Elmore, the Tigers were expected to take a couple of steps back in Region 5-A. Instead, three straight wins over Denmark-Olar, Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Hardeeville have A-F flirting with a seven-win season and a victory over Estill this Friday would clinch second place in the region.
SCISA -- Bowman Academy
A week after Long Cane Academy upended previously top-ranked 8-man Andrew Jackson Academy, they were upset in turn by the Bulldogs. Down 6-0, Bowman Academy ran off 16 unanswered points to earn the 16-6 victory.
Players of the week
S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE -- Kamrie Connell (Edisto)
A week after earning Orangeburg Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Week honors, the “Elite 11” quarterback broke out offensively with 83 rushing yards and a touchdown and 242 passing yards and three scores in a 34-13 rout of Wade Hampton.
SCISA -- Thacker Salley (Orangeburg Prep)
In a “must-win” game for the Indians in order to keep alive their Region 2-AAA hopes, the sophomore linebacker had a team-high 14 tackles in a 12-0 shutout of Porter-Gaud.
Week Nine gridiron giants
Ryan Fender (Andrew Jackson Academy) -- 172 yards, two TDs
Tajh Cheeseboro and James Williams (both of Calhoun County) -- 10 tackles each
Anthony Holman (Denmark-Olar) -- 162 yards, four TDs
Darin Washington (Denmark-Olar) -- 129 rushing yards, three TDs
Derrick Jenkins (Edisto) -- 117 rushing yards
Nic Martin (Holly Hill Academy) -- 144 yards, two TDs
Kwame Gleaton (Hunter-Kinard-Tyler) -- 225 rushing yards, four TDs
Nic Jamison (Jefferson Davis Academy) -- 261 yards, three TDs; 16 tackles, INT
Brant Bonnette (Jefferson Davis Academy) -- 16 tackles
Nicholas Williams (Lake Marion) -- 225 rushing yards, two TDs
Sean Davis (Pelion) -- 117 yards, one TD
Nick Gerity (Pelion) -- 13 tackles
Ryan Rogers (Pelion) -- 12 tackles
Robert Smith (Woodland) -- 109 rushing yards, three TDs; interception on defense
By the numbers
With 13 straight wins dating back to their 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 22 straight games. The Yellow Jackets’ last victory came Oct. 25, 1991, against Waccamaw ... At 0-9, Swansea is off to its worst start in school history and has matched its school record for most losses set during the 1968 season when it finished 1-9 ... Williston-Elko is averaging 56.25 points in its last eight games and only Strom Thurmond (37) has allowed less points all season with 52 ... Orangeburg-Wilkinson’s Jayson Leverett leads The T&D Region in passing with 1,644 yards ... B-H’s Joe Thomas leads in rushing with 1,383 yards and 24 TDs and is one of five players with 1,000 or more yards. North’s Tremaine McMillan needs 11 yards and Calhoun County’s David Sims needs 38 to join the club ... Denmark-Olar’s Treaver Workman leads in receiving yards with 693 yards and receptions (47) ... OPS’s Michael Williamson and A.J. Andrews and Calhoun County’s Alshon Jeffery lead the area with eight touchdown receptions ... Brandon Golson of Calhoun County has 18 sacks through eight games, while teammate Tajh Cheeseboro has 148 tackles.
T&D rankings
S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE FAB 5
1. Blackville-Hilda
Calhoun County
Williston-Elko
4. Woodland
5. Allendale-Fairfax
SCISA TOP 3
1. Orangeburg Prep
2. Calhoun Academy
3. Clarendon Hall
8-MAN
1. Andrew Jackson Academy
2. Bowman Academy
3. Jefferson Davis Academy
Quotables
“It’s pretty much the same week in and week out. We don’t do a whole lot of different things from one week to the next. It all starts up front and those backs will tell you the same thing. If those people up front aren’t doing their job, then they wouldn’t be able to do what they do.” -- Blackville-Hilda head football coach David Berry about his team’s consistency.
n T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547.