Multimedia: Get smart on this week’s high school football playoff matchups

Four teams from The Herald’s 12-school coverage area are left in the South Carolina high school football state playoffs, which contest the second round this Friday. South Pointe and York are still trucking in 4A, Chester is going strong in 3A and Lewisville is still alive in 1A. Find out everything you need to know about their matchups, then pick the teams you think will win in this interactive poll:

4A

Airport at South Pointe

Last week: Airport beat Eastside 47-42; South Pointe beat Greenville 48-30

Last meeting: never played

Winner plays: the winner of Belton-Honea Path-North Augusta

Key players: AHS - Sr. DB Kerryon Richardson (Shrine Bowl pick, 3 kickoff return TDs, 1,200 yards of total offense); Sr. QB Brett Burnett (North-South all-star, 1,911 passing yards, 26 TDs, 13 INTs); Jr. RB Jamir Robinson (943 rushing yards, 9 TDs); Sr. OL Nic Beach. SPHS - Sr. LB Cort Neely (North-South all-star, 152 tackles, 6 pass breakups); Sr. DB Ken’darius Fredrick (Shrine Bowl pick, 91 tackles, 6 INTs); Sr. LB Deedric Cousar (128 tackles, 8 TFLs); Jr. OL Jaydon Collins.

Need to know: Airport is allowing 39 points per game and has held just one opponent under 28 points this season. That’s not a good recipe against a South Pointe squad that’s beginning to click offensively as 2016 rolls on. The Stallions have surrendered 233 fewer points than their Friday night counterparts and it all starts with one of the best groups of linebackers in 4A football, at least. Deedric Cousar, Bryson Cooper, Cort Neely and B.J. Davis are everywhere on the field for South Pointe and ensure that spread offense teams, like Airport, never get the clear running lanes on the perimeter they need.

AUDIO The State’s Lou Bezjak talks about Airport Eagles football:

York at South Aiken

Last week: York beat Daniel 35-10; South Aiken beat Blue Ridge 63-6

Last meeting: never played

Winner plays: the winner of Union County-Ridge View

Key players: YCHS - Sr. ATH Jae’vion Matthews (1,200-plus total yards, 821 receiving yards); Sr. RB Paul Moore (812 rushing yards, 11 TDs, 7.1 yards per carry); Sr. LB J.T. Sanders (102 tackles, 6 sacks); Sr. ATH Shandon Cobb (676 all-purpose yards, 1 INT). SAHS - Sr. DB Tancey Richardson (Shrine Bowl pick, 3 INTs, FBS recruit); Jr. RB Chris Roberts (1,273 rushing yards, 13 TDs); Sr. WR/DB Harold Hilton (604 receiving yards, 6 TDs; 3 INTs); Sr. LB Colby Campbell (159 tackles).

Need to know: South Aiken’s last winning season was 11 years ago but Chris Hamilton’s team is making up for lost time. The T-breds lost to Westside on Sept. 9, but none of their other 10 games have been decided by less than 10 points. York’s second round opponent is very quick and athletic, which could cause problems for the Cougars’ screen game. It’s quite an accomplishment unto itself that Bobby Carroll’s team is still alive, given the hurdles thrown in its way throughout the season. If the 2016 campaign is to continue, York will need to stay in the game so that it can run the ball as much as it wants, block as well as it can on the perimeter to try and spring screen passes for some big gains, and take care of the football.

AUDIO The Aiken Standard’s Eric Russell gives a primer on South Aiken football:

3A

Chester at Powdersville

Last week: Chester beat Clinton 24-16; Powdersville beat Walhalla 34-12

Last meeting: never played

Winner plays: the winner of Seneca-Chapman

Key players: CHS - Sr. DE Ethan McGriff (80 tackles, 10 sacks); Jr. DB Quay Hardin (9 INTs, 10 pass breakups); Fr. OL Daniel Elkins; Sr. QB Malik Williams (North-South all-star, Appalachian State commit, 1,424 rushing yards, 22 TDs). PHS - Sr. QB Emery Williams; Jr. RB E.J. Humphrey; Sr. LB Pierro Sheppard.

Need to know: Powdersville, located just south of Greenville, played its first varsity football in 2012, and won its first playoff game last week. The Patriots have little tradition but they do have 22 seniors and a 10-game winning streak after a season-opening loss to Belton-Honea Path. Playing at home could be a big help for the more experienced Patriots, especially with Chester regularly playing 15 or so underclassmen. Will Powdersville be able to handle the Cyclones’ athleticism, though? That’s the big question staring at the upstarts, starting with Chester QB Malik Williams.

AUDIO The Greenville News’ Bob Castello talks about Powdersville Patriots football:

1A

Lewisville at McCormick

Last week: Lewisville beat Wagener-Salley 64-0; McCormick had a first round bye

Last meeting: McCormick won 20-8 (1973)

Winner plays: the winner of McBee-Blackville-Hilda

Key players: LHS - Soph. RB Quentin Sanders (1,058 rushing yards, 13 TDs); Jr. DB Mikail Fourney (68 tackles); Sr. DE/LB Jene Thompson (64 tackles, 11 sacks); Sr. WR Mike Hill (North-South all-star, 586 rushing yards, 848 receiving yards, 19 total TDs). MHS - Jr. RB/LB Mataeo Durant (SEC recruit with over 1,000 rushing yards in five games); Jr. LB Kadarius Garrett; Sr. OL/DL Royssi Norman.

Need to know: McCormick lost its first five games before winning its last five, all in region play. That probably says something about Russ Schneider’s Chiefs, especially considering Lewisville posted wins over 2A playoff teams Andrew Jackson and Blacksburg and only lost to a pair of top-3 teams in 1A football (Lamar, McBee). But the Chiefs were missing all-everything running back Mataeo Durant, the kind of once-in-a-generation talent that 1A schools sometimes land on, in those first five games. Will Durant and McCormick be ready for Lewisville’s speed and athleticism after a one-month layoff because of the Hurricane Matthew extension and a first round bye? If not, Lewisville should be able to wrap up its first road playoff win since 2002.

AUDIO The Greenwood Index-Journal’s Michael Christopher talks about McCormick Chiefs football:

This story was originally published November 24, 2016 at 11:40 AM with the headline "Multimedia: Get smart on this week’s high school football playoff matchups."