Bearcats play Friday at home, Northwestern game shifts to Thursday

By Barry Byers - The Herald

Rock Hill will play Spartanburg on Friday night at District Three Stadium in the opening round of the Class AAAA Division I football playoffs. Northwestern’s game against South Florence will be played on Thursday night. The initial schedule released after last Friday night’s games, had Northwestern playing on Friday and Rock Hill on Thursday. The principals and athletics directors from all three Rock Hill schools met with Luanne Kokolis early Monday morning to discuss a verbal agreement that was made several years ago.

Rock Hill principal Judy Mobley said a district agreement was made, but not in writing, that the higher-seeded team between Northwestern and Rock Hill would have the choice of playing on Friday or Thursday night because they share district Three Stadium.

A compromise was reached that as long as Rock Hill and Northwestern are in the playoffs and have home games, they will alternate playing on Friday, with the other team playing Thursday.

Rock Hill, 11-0, won the Region 4-AAAA championship, and Northwestern, 6-5, won Region 3-AAAA. Rock Hill beat Northwestern in the regular season. When coaches from around the state met on Saturday at the South Carolina High School League, Northwestern got the No. 2 seed in the Division II playoffs, while Rock Hill was seeded No. 4 in Division I.

Northwestern, if it advances, is assured of playing its first two games at home and could play a third if the Trojans are the highest remaining seed in the third round.

Rock Hill would also play its first two games at home and could play a third if they are the highest remaining seed in the Division I upper bracket.