And then there were three.

After four weeks of prep football action, only the Calhouns (Calhoun Academy and Calhoun County) and Bamberg-Ehrhardt remain undefeated in The T&D Region. Each team has accomplished the feat with varying degrees of balanced attacks, from the explosiveness of the Saints’ special teams and offense, to the grinding ground game of the Red Raiders, to the balanced effort on both sides by the Cavaliers.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are Lake Marion and Branchville, which still seek their first win of the season. Last weekend saw Orangeburg-Wilkinson and Bethune-Bowman join the ranks of the victorious with home wins.

The Gators will try for win number one at home against the Bruins, while the Mohawks challenge undefeated Allendale-Fairfax.

Region play has already started for some schools in SCISA, which means starting the first 2009 Thursday Morning Quarterback T&D Region prep football polls. For the 8-man teams, it’s all about playoff positioning while Calhoun Academy, Orangeburg Prep, Dorchester Academy and Holly Hill Academy must play their way into the postseason.

And now, a look back on the football feats accomplished in Week Three:

Team of the Week

Orangeburg-Wilkinson — The Bruins entered the locker room at halftime for the second straight week facing a deficit. Once again, they had a productive second half. Unlike the previous week. However, the comeback effort was rewarded with a 28-25 win over Lower Richland to snap the program’s seven-game losing streak dating back to last year.

Players of the Week

S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE — Tyrone Fairey (Bethune-Bowman) and A.J. Cann (Bamberg-Ehrhardt)

It was a career night for the sophomore Mohawk running back. He rushed for 161 yards and five touchdowns in a 32-12 win over Class A Orangeburg Consolidated District Five rival North. A University of South Carolina-bound offensive lineman, Cann did his damage Friday on the defensive line, coming up with 16 tackles in lifting the Red Raiders to a 17-6 win over Barnwell to propel them to 3-0 on the season.

SCISA — Nic Jamison (Jefferson Davis Academy)

The Raiders are off to a 2-1 start thanks to the play of their junior tailback. Against The King’s Academy, Jamison rushed for 229 yards on 25 carries and three touchdowns.

Week Three

Gridiron Giants

Jordan Rucker (Calhoun Academy) — 8-19 passing, 111 yards, TD

Jamie Sanders (Calhoun Academy) — 120 all-purpose yards, TD

Dante Stewart (Calhoun County) — 96-yard kickoff return TD

William Bryant (Clarendon Hall) — 114 rushing yards, 3 TDs

Trevor Davis (Dorchester Academy) — 17 carries, 113 yards, 3 TDs

Braxton Fanning (Jefferson Davis Academy) — 18 carries, 104 yards

Edward Givens (Jefferson Davis Academy) — 9-19 passing, 186 yards, TD; seven tackles, one fumble recovery, interception return TD

Matthew Webster (Jefferson Davis Academy) — nine tackles, two interceptions

Walker Smith (Orangeburg Prep) — 20 carries, 108 yards, 2 TDs

K’Sone Williams (Orangeburg-Wilkinson) — 19-24 passing, 208 yards, two TDs; 29 carries, 177 yards, two TDs

Kentrell Disher (Orangeburg-Wilkinson) — nine catches, 107 yards

Robert Smith (Woodland) — 14-23 passing, 231 yards, 3 TDs; 78 rushing yards, 2 TDs

Lashaun Stapleton (Woodland) — Seven receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown.

By the Numbers

Branchville owns the T&D Region’s longest losing streak at 30, dating back to the 1991 season ... Calhoun County owns the T&D Region’s longest regular-season winning streak at 21 games ... Dorchester Academy head coach Stanley Gruber owns the most victories by a T&D Region head football coach with 290 ... Bamberg-Ehrhardt running back Demetrius Williams leads the T&D Region and Midlands area in rushing with 597 yards and six TDs ... Calhoun County’s Brandon Golston had 10 sacks in three games ... Edisto has won the last seven meetings against Branchville, outscoring it 216-6 dating back to 1967 ... Blackville-Hilda has won its last 10 meetings against Friday’s opponent Wagener-Salley ... North is 8-20 lifetime against Williston-Elko.

Quotable

“In my mind, I knew I had to be a playmaker. I had to execute, help my team win the game and have some fun.” — O-W quarterback K’sone Williams after amassing 385 yards and four TDs in the 28-25 victory over Lower Richland.

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. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

 

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