Football 411: Hawgs, top plays, Stat Monsters... everything you need for Week 1
Everything you need to know ahead of Week 1 high school football in The Herald’s coverage area is right here, in one spot. Click on the links below to jump to a particular section of this week’s High School Football 411, or just scroll through:
Vote on the best play from Week 1
Who were last Friday’s Hawgs of the Week winners?
Who are the Stat Monsters in our area? Find out with the latest high school football stats
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Jimmy Wallace and Bret McCormick talk about Week 2 high school football:
Rock Hill at Chester
Last week: Rock Hill beat South Pointe 29-22; Chester beat Fort Mill 28-20
Last meeting: Rock Hill won 37-19 (2015)
Key players: RH - DB Tyreil White, DB Anthony Jackson, LB Charles Gilliard, QB Hayden Jackson. C - WR Zion Mills, OL Daniel Elkins, LB/DB Dorrien Bagley, LB Jovonti Jackson.
Need to know: None of the last four meetings between these two schools have been very close, but it feels like Friday’s game could be. One of the most impressive parts of Rock Hill’s performance against South Pointe was its run defense; the Bearcats held the Stallions to just 3.6 yards per carry. If Bubba Pittman’s defense can do something like that again on Friday in Chester, the Bearcats should be in good shape. Don’t be surprised if Rock Hill stacks the box against Chester and forces the Cyclones’ ninth grade QB starter, Zan Dunham, to make the plays, instead of the three running backs whose bellies he put the football into.
READ: Rock Hill upsets South Pointe with last-minute touchdown
Dorman at Northwestern
Last week: Dorman was idle; Northwestern lost to Byrnes 41-21
Last meeting: Northwestern won 42-28 (2017)
Key players: D - WR Chance Black, WR/CB Zack Hillstock, OL Cale Brown. N - LB Gregory Johnson, WR Jamaar Moore, LB Derrick McCrorey, DB Jaheim Rogers.
Need to know: The Trojans have beaten Dorman 42-28 each of the last two times the teams played. The Cavaliers, who played in the 5A state title game last season, are coming off a weirdly-placed bye week and should be fresh for the trip to Rock Hill. Northwestern has to improve its defense after allowing 90 points combined in the first two games. The Trojans aren’t big up front on either side of the ball, but missed defensive assignments have been costly, especially last week against Byrnes.
Nation Ford at South Pointe
Last week: Nation Ford beat Conway 28-17; South Pointe lost to Rock Hill 29-22
Last meeting: South Pointe won 53-0 (2017)
Key players: NF - DB Devin Harper, OL Aronde Smith, QB Wayde Prince, WR Dewuan McCullum. SP - ATH Marice Whitlock, DE Dorian Manning, LB Savion White, LB Dwayne Davis.
Need to know: Well, South Pointe coach Strait Herron probably knew the time would come when his team had to face a first loss since September, 2016. That happened last Friday night against Rock Hill, in an otherwise meaningless game that doesn’t impact the Stallions’ season long-term. It’ll be curious to see how the four-time defending state champs react. Nation Ford is winless against South Pointe in seven all-time meetings, but if the Falcons can make their opponent one-dimensional on offense like Rock Hill did, Win No. 1 could be a possibility. Michael Allen’s team could use another 100-plus-yard rushing performance from Nathan Mahaffey and another huge game from opposing backfield banshee Ashten Schaufert.
READ: Nation Ford pulls away from Conway
Fort Mill at Lancaster (Thursday night)
Last week: Fort Mill lost to Chester 28-20; Lancaster beat Fairfield Central 47-18
Last meeting: Fort Mill won 38-21 (2017)
Key players: FM - OL Bartley Leonard, OL Jack Kelley, WR Josh Cloud, WR/DB Alan Stevens. L - WR WyQuan Massey, OL Ray Heath, LB Chancellor Catoe, RB Nygel Moore.
Need to know: Man, this Lancaster team is running the football like a herd of buffalo. It’s a dream for Bruins head coach Bobby Collins, a former college football offensive lineman. Key is QB Kemarkio Cloud, who is built like a fullback but runs like a rabbit. He’s got a 50-yard-plus touchdown in each of the first two games so far, and he and sophomore Nygel Moore give Lancaster more backfield burst than it’s has had in a few seasons. The Yellow Jackets are moving the ball on the ground too, through senior Sebastian Lach, but they need to add aerial consistency to their offensive attack to offset the attention that Lach will no doubt begin to draw.
READ: These 10 were named Tri-County Coaches Association players of the week
Clover at Hunter Huss (N.C.)
Last week: Clover beat Forestview (N.C.) 35-3; Hunter Huss beat Cox Mill 28-20
Last meeting: Clover won 42-41 (2017)
Key players: C - OL Clint Sexton, DB Ryan Jones, RB David Hall, DB L.A. Adams. HH - QB Zo Wallace, WR Tony Davis, LB Prince Bemah, LB Anthony Dye.
Need to know: A great test of Clover’s progress comes Friday at Hunter Huss. The Huskies are athletic and long, especially on offense, but they’ve got more playoff, big game experience from the last two years than the Blue Eagles do. David Hall’s 179-yard rushing effort against Forestview last week was a promising sign for Brian Lane’s offense, which needs balance to keep the defensive heat off its talented receiving corps. If Clover can get Hall going early against Hunter Huss, that opens up all the possibilities for Lane’s play-calling. Clover last started a season 3-0 in 2010 under Jet Turner.
Indian Land at York
Last week: Indian Land beat Buford 34-7; York was idle
Last meeting: never played
Key players: IL - DL Tahj Knight, RB/QB Brandon Britton, RB T.J. Thomas, DB Alex Murphy. Y - LB JayJay McNeal, OL Lane Towery, LB Kenny Byrd, DB Joseph Milton.
Need to know: Tough start to a very tough patch in Indian Land’s schedule. York comes off a bye week, probably still annoyed by losing to Clover in the season-opener, and ready to dole out some punishment. Establishing an offensive rhythm will be critical for Horatio Blades’ Warriors against a likely deeper, more talented York team. Interesting to see if the Cougars try to establish the run and lean on their big offensive front line and talented ball-carriers Stephen Oglesby and Frank Thompson.
READ: He was one of the NFL’s largest men for 17 years. Now, he’s coaching at Indian Land
Great Falls at Lewisville
Last week: Great Falls lost to Whitmire 19-6; Lewisville lost to C.A. Johnson 32-22
Last meeting: Lewisville won 54-0 (2017)
Key players: GF - DB/WR Quay Bowser, OL/DL Justin Montgomery, OL/DL Dustin Smith, QB D.J. Adams. L - ATH Demetric Hardin, WR Brayden Lee, WR Jadon Scott.
Need to know: Great Falls no doubt circled this one at the beginning of the season, but the Red Devils fell back to Earth a bit last week after their big in Week Zero. They’re 1-1 on the season, but they’ve only scored 14 points total, and they’ll probably need more than that to beat their rivals from Richburg. Lewisville has struggled to stop opponents from scoring, but they’ve managed to put some points on the board themselves. QB JaShawn Jason could be the difference-maker in this game. Likewise for Great Falls’ 6-foot-5 junior receiver Kelton Talford, who is a very difficult matchup, especially in the lower levels of S.C. high school football.
READ: Great Falls breaks through, wins first game in almost two years
Which play from Week 1 was the best in The Herald’s coverage area? Watch the video, then vote below (or here if you’re on a mobile device).
South Pointe’s Marice Whitlock won the popular vote for the best play from Week Zero. His 70-yard TD catch against Northwestern received 40 percent of the 353 votes.
4A, 5A schools
Carson Murray, Rock Hill - the junior center graded out at 91 percent during the Bearcats’ win over South Pointe last Friday. Rock Hill rushed the ball for 289
yards and Murray played a big part with four pancake blocks. Murray is a whiz-bang student with a 4.6 GPA and an interest in pursuing computer science. He loves hanging out with his fellow Rock Hill offensive linemen and eating tacos.
1A, 2A, 3A schools
Nick Yarborough, Indian Land - the senior had a big night for the Warriors against Buford, successfully hitting 94 percent of his blocking assignments, recording three knockdown blocks and allowing zero sacks. Yarborough, whose favorite NFL player is Lawrence Taylor, is a leader up front, according to Indian Land offensive coordinator Leon Boulware, a player who pushes the other four starters up front. His favorite food is pizza and his favorite subject is history.
Nominated: Aronde Smith, Nation Ford; Clint Sexton, Clover; Wyatt Tunall, Chester.
This story was originally published August 30, 2018 at 9:14 AM.