Northwestern football faces a familiar foe in SCHSL 5A Division II title game
The Northwestern Trojans find themselves in a familiar spot — the SCHSL 5A Division II title game.
The Trojans (12-1) will face Irmo (12-1) in a 2024 state championship game rematch where Northwestern topped the Yellow Jackets, 34-31. While it is exciting to have the opportunity to win back-to-back state championships, Trojans coach Page Wofford hopes his team maintains focused and takes things one week at a time.
“It is the biggest game of the year because it is our next game,” Wofford said. “We have been saying that to the guys all year and we talk about it every week. The guys are excited, the community is excited and the school district is excited. I’ve been getting calls from folks all over the state and country with our NFL guys wishing us luck. So, it’s a pretty big week for us, but we aren’t letting that get in the way of winning the week.”
In contrast to a season ago, this year the Trojans will play for a state championship with a blemish on their record. In September, Northwestern fell to rival South Pointe, but ever since the Trojans seemed to be on cruise control with the lone expectation of a one-score victory over Gaffney in the third round of the playoffs.
A big catalyst to the Trojans’ success is the play of quarterback Xavier Means who had four rushing touchdowns against Indian Land in the upper-state regional final last week. Means, a first-year starter, came in after Trojans graduated quarterback Finley Polk, who was a three-year starter.
“A lot has changed,” Means said. “Obviously last year being on the sidelines and learning from Finley to now where I am the one having to make the decisions. I am the one contributing to the team’s goal of winning another championship.”
Means leads the Trojans in rushing yards per game at 90.7 and has 22 total touchdowns, also a team high. Wofford said having a three-year starter in Polk spoiled him to an extent, but Means has come in and done exactly what has been asked of him.
“He has been such a solid player for us,” Wofford said. “He hasn’t had a super up or super down game all year. He is just consistent. What you see with Xavier is what you are going to get. So, that’s been good, but he has also found different ways to improve. We talk about things in our Sunday team meetings, and he goes out there and works to improve it.”
Wofford added that from a leadership standpoint, Means has also excelled.
“It has really been a pleasure and joy to coach him,” Wofford said. “I told everyone last year it spoiled me to have a three-year starter in Finley. But, Xavier really stepped in and truthfully we haven’t missed a beat. He has become a team leader. All of the guys really tend to look to him and see what he is doing and how he responds in various situations. He is just sitting back being cool, calm and the same Xavier. So, it has been a pleasure and I am excited to see the opportunities that will come his way.”
Means now gets his shot to etch his name alongside several other great quarterbacks in Northwestern history, but much like Wofford alluded to, Means is staying calm and just being himself and letting the chips fall where they may.
“This is the biggest stage right now,” Means said. “If anything goes wrong, last year watching from the sidelines, I understand I have to keep my composure and not get rattled. I have to keep trust in my guys and the coaches and just go back out there and execute.”
Wofford said it would be nice to win back-to-back titles, but his team won’t be hearing anything all week about that. The focus is strictly Irmo and nothing that surrounds the game and the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it.
“All we are focused on is the next game,” he said. “Irmo is next on the schedule and that is who we are focused on. I told the kids yesterday they aren’t hearing anything about history or back-to-back from me. Irmo is next up, that is all that matters right now is trying to go out there and get one more victory.”
Northwestern’s game against Irmo is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.
This story was originally published December 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM.