Update: Rock Hill to play Northwestern on 1 day’s notice, plus other area Week 1 picks
The once-acclaimed “biggest rivalry in the state of South Carolina” barring level or circumstance will come a bit early this year — and without its typical week-long bit of fanfare.
That’s right: Rock Hill High School will take on Northwestern in District Three Stadium on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The announcement was made Thursday morning, after it was established Indian Land couldn’t play because several individuals in the program were deemed out due to COVID-19 protocols, The Herald confirmed with Warriors coach Adam Hastings.
The change is a substantial one for football fans across the state. Instead of seeing Northwestern take on Indian Land — a game that could’ve been a transformational one for an upstart program like Indian Land (which just a decade ago was playing 2A football) — the city of Rock Hill will see an exhibition of sorts between two of its beloved teams: The Herald confirmed with sources in both schools that the Northwestern-Rock Hill game will not count toward Region 4-5A standings; it will not count toward the city championship the three Rock Hill schools (South Pointe, Northwestern, Rock Hill) compete for every year; and the two teams still plan to play each other later in the season.
But it’ll still mean plenty — particularly because both schools are looking for their first wins of the season.
For Rock Hill? The Bearcats hope to rebound after a tough loss to 4A power Greenville, one caused by a controversial fourth-quarter call on special teams that swung the game’s momentum. And for Northwestern? The Trojans hope to reestablish themselves after a loss to a rival that featured 560 yards of total offense for South Pointe. (Northwestern will attempt to do this with some legends watching, as the 2010 Trojan state championship team will be honored at halftime of the game.)
From an update on the mess that is high school football scheduling during COVID-19, to game predictions, to game-by-game storylines and more — here’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to get ready for Friday night football.
Who is playing? Football storylines, Zietlow picks
Catawba Ridge (1-0, 0-0) at Nation Ford (0-1, 0-0): Here’s a matchup between two of the best young quarterbacks in South Carolina. You’ve heard of Jadyn Davis, the sophomore who was recently named the No. 1 recruit in the nation for his 2024 class. You’ve also heard of Carson Black, the junior with a handful of Division I offers, including ones from South Carolina and Virginia Tech and Cincinnati. Both are replete with offensive weapons. Both are coming off impressive performances — Davis with a 300-plus-yard, three-touchdown passing outing in a win against Fort Mill, and Black with a 200-yard, four-touchdown passing outing in a loss to Indian Land. And both will be taking part in an interesting bit of history on Friday: The game will mark the first chapter of what could be a fun, fruitful intra-town rivalry between two teams that are raising the profile of high school football in Fort Mill and York County at large. Don’t miss it.
▪ Listen: FM 104.1
▪ Sports editor Alex Zietlow’s prediction: Catawba Ridge wins.
Fort Mill (0-1, 0-0) at Chester (0-1, 0-0): Both teams lost in their season openers last week. Chester played without its four-year starter at quarterback Zan Dunham, who was sidelined with an injury (and should be back this week), and battled admirably against what might be the largest offensive and defensive lines the Cyclones will see all year. Fort Mill lost to Catawba Ridge. Chester (3A) is playing up two classifications on Friday, but the team has done so before and won — most recently in 2019, against Fort Mill.
▪ Listen: FM 90.3/Comporium Channel 103
▪ Zietlow’s prediction: Chester wins.
Myers Park (0-1, 0-0) at Clover (1-0, 0-0): Clover’s win over Dorman last week shook the state and pushed the Blue Eagles into Tuesday’s 5A media poll’s Top 10. It also signaled a flexibility that could make Clover dangerous: Head coach Brian Lane, one of the most aggressive play-callers in South Carolina who is open about wanting to throw the ball every down, ran it 39 times for 191 yards and only threw 14 passes all game. (It didn’t hurt either that his team’s defense, a stated strength in the preseason, lived up to its billing.) The Blue Eagles now, after an aforementioned COVID interruption, turn their attention to Charlotte power Myers Park, which lost its opener to Hough last week.
▪ Listen: FM 107.1
▪ Zietlow’s prediction: Clover wins.
Andrew Jackson (0-0, 0-0) at Richland Northeast (1-0, 0-0): Andrew Jackson will step up two classifications and travel to Columbia to play Richland Northeast in its brand new stadium. This will be the opener for the Volunteers, who were originally scheduled not to play last week, and thus the first varsity start for junior AJ quarterback Hammond Wrenn and a slew of other players. RNE defeated Darlington in Week 0.
▪ Zietlow’s prediction: Richland Northeast wins.
Lewisville (1-0, 0-0) at Wagener-Salley (1-0, 0-0): Lewisville put together a well-rounded win over Columbia (2A) last week, using its experienced and talented offensive line to clear the way for over 250 yards rushing. That adeptness on the ground will be welcomed in Week 1 against Wagener-Salley, which beat Pelion by the same margin as Lewisville’s season-opening win (20). Friday will mark a matchup between two of the better 1A teams in the state. (Lewisville is ranked as No. 9 and Wagener-Salley is ranked as No. 6 in Tuesday’s 1A media poll.)
▪ Zietlow’s prediction: Lewisville wins.
Eau Claire (0-0, 0-0) at Great Falls (1-0, 0-0): Great Falls is coming off a huge win at Whitmire last week, one that saw the emergence of Xavier “Zae” Brown at quarterback and defensive back. The Red Devils, with a road win under their belts, are playing at home against a traditionally tough but so-far-untested Eau Claire team.
▪ Zietlow’s prediction: Great Falls wins.
Rock Hill (1-0, 0-0) at Northwestern (0-1, 0-0).
▪ Listen: FM 94.3
▪ Zietlow’s prediction: Northwestern wins.
Who isn’t playing? COVID-19 shakeups
Another week, another slew of schedules thrust into COVID-caused chaos.
The marquee game of Week 1 in York County — between city foes Rock Hill and South Pointe — was canceled Wednesday afternoon. South Pointe won’t play for at least the next two Fridays. Rock Hill, as aforementioned, is set to face Northwestern.
The Stallions aren’t the only ones sidelined in Week 1: Indian Land is out. Legion Collegiate will have to wait another week to make their NCISAA debut. (The Lancers are slated to play Gray Collegiate on their home turf in Gastonia on Thursday, Sept. 2.) And York and Lancaster are still quarantining after COVID foiled their season-openers last week.
There were other close calls, too. Andrew Jackson, originally slated to play Latta, found a new opponent on Wednesday in 4A opponent Richland Northeast. And Clover will now play Charlotte power Myers Park instead of West Florence.
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Week 0 Tri-County Coaches Association Players of the Week
5A awards
Offensive Player: Nathan Bruce, Rock Hill, 6 catches for 63 yards and 126 yards on kick returns; Offensive Lineman: Andrew Beuch, Rock Hill, 84% grade, nine knockdowns; Defensive Player: Cooper Zohner, Clover, 15 tackles, four tackles for loss, one forced fumble; Defensive Lineman: Maurice Bonneau, Rock Hill, six tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks; Special Teams Player: Ian Gomez, Rock Hill, 4-for-4 on PATs, four touchbacks.
4A awards
Offensive Player: Waymond Jenerette, South Pointe, 11 catches, 205 yards, two touchdowns; Co-Offensive Linemen: Cade Purgason, Catawba Ridge, 93%, 2 pancakes, 1 knockdown; Jordan McVay, South Pointe, 93% grade, five knockdowns, four pancakes; Defensive Player: Dumkele Idehen, Indian Land, 20 tackles, 1 tackle for loss; Defensive Lineman: AJ Miller, South Pointe, seven tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss; Special Teams: Kohen Kozel, Catawba Ridge, 5-5 on PATs.
3A, 2A, 1A awards
Offensive Player: Xavier “Zae” Brown, Great Falls, 133 yards and 2 TDs passing, 102 yards and 2 TDs rushing; Offensive Lineman: Tyler Nunoo, Lewisville, 87% grade, 3 pancakes, helped pave way for 250-plus rushing yards; Defensive Player: Natorris Woodard, Great Falls, eight tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks; Defensive Lineman: Jaymes Gillcrese, Lewisville, two tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble; Special Teams: D’Arrius Edwards, Lewisville, two forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles on kickoffs, one blocked punt.
Sam Copeland contributed to this report.
This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 9:26 AM.
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