Playoffs? Playoffs. Everything you need to know for the first round of SCHSL football postseason

Mauldin (6-4) at Rock Hill (4-6)

Last week: Mauldin lost to Hillcrest 14-0; Rock Hill lost to Northwestern 34-24

Last meeting: Rock Hill won 49-13 (2007)

First round playoff record (since 1972): MHS - 3-17. RHHS - 18-15

Winner faces: the winner of Dorman-Woodmont in the second round

Key players: MHS - Sr. OL Jackson Nash, Soph. RB Raekwon Fenderson, Sr. DE Thomas Tillotson. RHHS - Sr. DB Jordan Morris, Sr. DL Molique Mitchell, Soph. LB Alex English.

Need to know: Rock Hill last won a first round playoff game in 2008 when the Bearcats reached the Big 16 semifinals. Friday’s game against Mauldin could be one of the most evenly matched first round games in the 5A bracket. The Mavericks’ run-based offense is piloted by a solid little QB named Mitch Norman. He’s only 5-foot-8 but runs very well (14 TDs); he and the Mavericks have far less success throwing the ball (5 TDs to 13 interceptions), which should catch the attention of a ball-hawking Bearcat secondary that’s forced a bunch of turnovers. Rock Hill’s leading rusher Des Buchanan is a little banged up but will be ready to go Friday night.

Nation Ford (5-5) at Greenwood (8-2)

Last week: Nation Ford beat Fort Mill 20-13; Greenwood beat Laurens 34-11

Last meeting: never played

First round playoff record: NFHS - 2-3. GHS - 26-12

Winner faces: the winner of T.L. Hanna-Byrnes in the second round

Key players: NFHS - Sr. OL Jack Snowberger, Soph. RB Nathan Mahaffey, Jr. ATH Dewuan McCullum. GHS - Sr. WR Sam Pinckney, Sr. DL Dre Kinard, Sr. DL/LB Kobe Alexander.

Need to know: Greenwood is a big team with a tiny little QB, Dre Yarborough, who is impossible to tackle. The senior has set all kinds of rushing records for the Eagles this year, breaking many of the offensive standards previously held by former Carolina Panther Armanti Edwards. This will be a tough game for Nation Ford, which will find out if all the ups and downs it’s endured this season were helpful on the field. Michael Allen’s team could use a typically big performance from its all-star punter, Skyler DeLong, and needs its defensive front to be at its best against Yarborough. Forcing some turnovers, something Nation Ford’s been pretty good at this fall, would definitely help the upset cause.

Fort Mill (4-6) at Hillcrest (8-2)

Last week: Fort Mill lost to Nation Ford 20-13; Hillcrest beat Mauldin 14-0

Last meeting: never played

First round playoff record: FMHS - 7-13. HHS - 4-20

Winner faces: the winner of Spartanburg-Westside in the second round

Key players: FMHS - Sr. DE Josh Cairns, Sr. Jackson Randall, Sr. ATH Ryan Heriot. HHS - Jr. QB Will Watts, Jr. ATH Quen Jefferson, Sr. LB Garrett Sayegh.

Need to know: Fort Mill, which last won a playoff game in 1999, encounters a Hillcrest team that is playing some killer defense. Outside of a shootout win over Greenwood, Hillcrest held five of its last six opponents under 10 points. Only one of those teams had a winning record, but it still represents a tough challenge for the Yellow Jackets. Greg Porter’s team has four different receivers with at least 36 catches and the Rams’ athleticism will give Fort Mill a tough time. Ed Susi’s bunch needs to control the ball and cut back on turnovers that have hurt them in the second half of the season.

Midland Valley (2-8) at South Pointe (10-0)

Last week: Midland Valley lost to South Aiken 62-21; South Pointe beat York 41-27

Last meeting: South Pointe won 35-0 (2015)

First round playoff record: MVHS - 10-11. SPHS - 10-0.

Winner faces: the winner of Belton-Honea Path and Union County in the second round

Key players: MVHS - Sr. WR Jacobi Sapp, Soph. RB Deandre Pearson, Sr. LB Tyrese Washington. SPHS - Sr. DB Jamari Currence, Sr. WR Scott Robinson Jr., Sr. DL Jalen Pickett-Hicks.

Need to know: South Pointe will have fond memories of its last meeting with the Mustangs, the 2015 state championship game comfortably dominated by the Stallions. Midland Valley has only won four of its 20 games since that game almost two years ago, while South Pointe has gotten stronger. A quick start by Strait Herron’s team would settle a game in which the Stallions will be heavily favored. Barring an Earth-shaking shock, this first round game should give South Pointe a chance to rest its top players and get its backups on the field.

Airport (3-7) at York (8-2)

Last week: Airport lost to Chapin 29-12; York lost to South Pointe 41-27

Last meeting: never played

First round playoff record: AHS - 18-9. YCHS - 20-8.

Winner faces: the winner of Greenville-Blue Ridge in the second round

Key players: AHS - Sr. RB Jamarcus Pugh, Sr. P/K Paxton Brooks, QB Brandon Caughman. YCHS - Sr. DE Shamari Williams, Sr. RB J.T. Sanders, Sr. OL Cody Thomas.

Need to know: York faces its second Power-5 committed kicker in as many games; Airport’s Paxton Brooks is committed to punt at Tennessee. The Cougars may have some bad field position Friday night, but they should be fired up after an uneven performance against South Pointe. The Cougars were left to wonder “what if” after playing a terrible first half and a great second half against the Stallions. No time for regrets, though, especially after seeing what senior J.T. Sanders is capapble of as a feature ball-carrier. Expect Bobby Carroll’s team to test out Sanders a little more this week after his 200-yard-plus, three TD game against South Pointe.

Indian Land (2-8) at Emerald (7-3)

Last week: Indian Land lost to Fairfield Central 14-13 (OT); Emerald beat Berea 42-6

Last meeting: never played

First round playoff record: ILHS - 6-12. EHS - 7-9.

Winner faces: the winner of Walhalla-Broome in the second round

Key players: ILHS - Jr. LB Robbie Csuhta, Fr. DB Miegwel Lewis, Jr. WR Caleb Wallace. EHS - Sr. OL Michael Hodge, Sr. RB Keshawn Settles.

Need to know: Emerald is a smash-mouth outfit -- 83 percent of its offensive plays are runs -- that’s won five straight games. Indian Land has fared pretty well against run-based teams; Horatio Blades’ Warriors have decent size and definite grit and have struggled more often with athletic teams. Another yearlong struggle for Indian Land: turnovers. The Warriors, who last won a playoff game in 2005, can’t have giveaways on the road Friday night.

Indian Land coach Horatio Blades talks about his team’s matchup with Emerald:

Powdersville (6-4) at Chester (8-2)

Last week: Powdersville lost to Palmetto 55-41; Chester had a bye

Last meeting: Powdersville won 57-49 in double overtime (2016)

First round playoff record: PHS - 1-3. CHS - 7-13.

Winner faces: the winner of Chapman-Crescent in the second round

Key players: PHS - Sr. RB E.J. Humphrey, Sr. QB Keith Becknell, Sr. WR Jordan Meekins. CHS - Sr. QB John Erby, Sr. DB/WR Quay Hardin, Jr. OL Wyatt Tunall.

Need to know: These two teams’ second round meeting last year was one of the best postseason games of 2016. Powdersville outlasted the Cyclones after a couple of overtimes. Powdersville returns E.J. Humphrey, the team’s leading rusher and receiver, but the Patriots aren’t as strong on defense or special teams as they were last year. Powdersville gave up 40 points or more four times this season, bad news given Chester’s ease scoring points. The Cyclones should be refreshed and ready to go after a week off.

Lewisville (7-3) at Wagener-Salley (8-2)

Last week: Lewisville beat Great Falls 54-0; Wagener-Salley beat Estill 40-13

Last meeting: Lewisville won 64-0 (2016)

First round playoff record: LHS - 19-16. WSHS - 6-13.

Winner faces: McCormick (first round bye) in the second round

Key players: LHS - Jr. OL Wesley Williamson, Sr. ATH Mikial Fourney, Sr. WR Johnny Courtney. WSHS - Soph. DT Jhuatieq Davis, Jr. DB Denzell Kitching, Sr. RB Tre Davis.

Need to know: the Lions bashed Wagener-Salley in last year’s playoffs, but this Friday’s contest should be much closer. The War Eagles don’t have a lot of size but they’re very quick and explosive on both sides of the ball. If the Lions can disrupt Wagener-Salley’s running attack the War Eagles are much less comfortable throwing the ball. They’ve completed just 39 percent of their passes this year and have only thrown for more than 50 yards twice.

Lewisville’s Will Mitchell talks about the tough road ahead of the Lions if they are to make a 2017 playoff run:

This story was originally published November 2, 2017 at 6:21 PM with the headline "Playoffs? Playoffs. Everything you need to know for the first round of SCHSL football postseason."