Week 9 HS football: Clover defends top spot in region, Rock Hill-Ridge View clash, more
A lot is on the line in the high school football season’s penultimate week.
From game predictions, to matchup story lines and more — here’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to get ready for Friday night football in Week 9.
Week 9 high school football schedule, Zietlow picks
Rock Hill (1-1, 2-4) at Ridge View (0-2, 2-4). Rock Hill earned a huge win last week over Blythewood — thanks in part to an eyebrow-raising stat line of tight end/defensive end/field-goal-blocking-assassin Luke Bracey — and the Bearcats now find themselves playing well as they face an athletic Ridge View team on Friday night. A lot can unfold from this one, and enumerating all the multiverses that can be triggered from a Rock Hill win or a Ridge View win is futile work, but just know: Rock Hill (1-1), Ridge View (0-2) and Blythewood (0-2) are fighting for one of four Region 4-5A playoff spots — two of which already belong to Spring Valley and Northwestern. Stay tuned. (Oh, and a Rock Hill loss means Northwestern wins the region title outright. So there’s that.)
Listen: FM 100.1/AM 1340
Zietlow’s prediction: Rock Hill wins.
Gaffney (2-0, 8-0) at Clover (2-0, 3-3). A Region 3-5A champion won’t be crowned on Friday because both teams have region contests in Week 10, but this one means a lot. Clover, after all, clinched a playoff berth last week and is tied with undefeated Gaffney for first place in the region. Gaffney is a top-10 team in South Carolina 5A — but this Blue Eagle team has dismantled a top-10 team before (Dorman in Week 0). Something else of note: Gaffney allowed Nation Ford quarterback Carson Black to have an absolute field day last week; the junior completed 30 of 41 passes for 458 yards and four touchdowns. Can a pass-heavy, coach Brian Lane-led offense replicate those numbers with Joe Boyd (another talented junior quarterback) as its benefactor? Buckle in.
Listen: WRHI.com
Zietlow’s prediction: Gaffney wins.
Boiling Springs (0-3, 0-8) at Fort Mill (0-2, 1-6). This one’s simple: Whoever wins is in (the state playoffs). Fort Mill has experienced victory in 2021, something Boiling Springs hasn’t. The Yellow Jackets, too, might have found something in their running game at the right time: Running back Michael Threatt ran 28 times for 148 yards and a touchdown last week and did so behind an offensive line that features North-South All-Star selection Marcus Boston Brinkley.
Listen: FM 94.3
Zietlow’s prediction: Fort Mill wins.
Andrew Jackson (3-0, 6-2) at Chesterfield (3-0, 5-1). There’s plenty of history on the line in this one for Andrew Jackson — a team that, with a win, can earn its first region championship since 1982. The Volunteers are in this position after defeating Cheraw last week, 21-7, to snap a 16-game losing streak against the Braves. (A Region 4-2A championship means a No. 1 seed in the Lower State bracket of the state playoffs.)
Zietlow’s prediction: Andrew Jackson wins.
Lancaster (0-2, 2-3) at York (2-0, 6-1). York can set up a showdown for the region title next week against South Pointe with a win in this one. The sophomore-laden Cougars have simply found ways to win all season, thanks to their four-headed rushing attack in quarterback Ayden Davis and running backs RJ Glasgow, Frank Thompson and Javarus Guthrie. Lancaster needs a win to avoid being in the position of completely missing the postseason.
Listen: FM 107.1
Zietlow’s prediction: York wins.
Indian Land (0-2, 4-2) at Catawba Ridge (1-2, 4-4). Both teams are capable of putting a lot of points on the scoreboard: Catawba Ridge, which competed with its starting quarterback (Jadyn Davis) out last week, needs a win for a better playoff position. Indian Land needs a win to avoid possible playoff elimination next week — and if the Warriors put together the performance they did against South Pointe (while cutting out a red-zone turnover here, a punt return for a touchdown there), they can get one.
Listen: FM 104.1
Zietlow’s prediction: Catawba Ridge wins.
Chester (2-1, 5-3) at Mid-Carolina (0-3, 1-4). Chester has already wrapped up a good playoff spot (No. 2 in the region behind Lower Richland). The Cyclones — led recently by explosive running back Shydem McCullough, who notched 170 total yards and a touchdown in his team’s 43-0 win over Hickory last week — shouldn’t take their final region game (and final regular season contest in 2021) lightly.
Listen: FM 90.3
Zietlow’s prediction: Chester wins.
Legion Collegiate (0-0, 1-4) at Landrum (1-1, 4-3). Legion Collegiate picked up its first win last week against a St. Joseph’s team that is no slouch. Part of that might have to do with the emergence of quarterback Judge Collier, who passed for 64 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 100 yards and another score in his team’s win. The Lancers look to defeat a good Landrum team in a non-region game on the road on Friday.
Zietlow’s prediction: Legion Collegiate wins.
Lewisville (0-3, 3-5) at CA Johnson (1-1, 3-3). Lewisville has an outside chance at the playoffs with a win. A loss completely ends the Lions’ postseason chances. What they need? A healthy defense would be useful — attrition by injury is something the team has battled all year. Another big performance by quarterback Christien Yoder, who notched 267 total yards last week, would be nice, too.
Zietlow’s prediction: Lewisville wins.
Hickory (1-2, 3-5) at Great Falls (1-3, 5-3). Great Falls returns home for a non-region game this week. The Red Devils take on Hickory, a team that got shut out 43-0 by Chester, Great Falls’ county neighbor, last week.
Zietlow’s prediction: Great Falls wins.
Northwestern, Nation Ford and South Pointe did not have games scheduled as of Thursday morning.
Tri-County Players of Week 8
5A
Offensive Player: Will Mattison, Northwestern, 22 of 37 for 262 yards and 4 touchdowns, 6 rushes for 47 yards and a touchdown; Offensive Lineman: Jordan Knox, Northwestern, 92% grade, 3 knockdowns, 0 sacks given up; Defensive Player: Jecari Bryson, Northwestern, 10 tackles, 2 pass breakups; Defensive Lineman: Luke Bracey, Rock Hill, 12 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 2 quarterback hurries, 1 pass breakup, 1 interception returned for a touchdown, 1 fumble recovery, 1 safety, 2 blocked field goals, also caught a touchdown pass on offense; Special Teams Player: Kanoah Vinesett, Northwestern, 5-5 extra points, 5 touchbacks.
4A
Offensive Player: RJ Glasgow, York, 5 carries for 115 yards, 1 reception for 15 yards and a touchdown, also had an interception on defense; Offensive Lineman: Jordan McVay, South Pointe, 5 pancakes, 93% grade; Defensive Player: MeKayle Burris, York, 11 total tackles, 3 tackles for loss, recovered fumble for 35-yard touchdown; Defensive Lineman: Asa Johnson, Catawba Ridge, 8 tackles, 4 tackles for loss; Special Teams Player: Kohen Kozel, Catawba Ridge, 3-3 PATs, 1-1 on field goals (37 yards).
3A, 2A, 1A
Offensive Player: Christien Yoder, Lewisville, 261 yards of total offense (167 passing, 94 rushing), 2 touchdowns; Offensive Lineman: Wyatt Faulkenberry, Andrew Jackson, 93% grade and 2 pancakes; Defensive Player: Antonio Hopkins, Chester, 14 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 quarterback pressure; Defensive Lineman: Quez Jackson, Chester, 10 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 quarterback pressures; Special Teams Player: Blake Brice, Andrew Jackson, 8 punts, 32-yard average, 1 downed inside the 20, 1-2 on extra points, 1 touchback.
This story was originally published October 21, 2021 at 9:00 AM.
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