Rock Hill-Northwestern, York-South Pointe among huge games in HS football final week
Region championships, playoff berths, rivalry pride — all this and more is on the line in the final week of the high school football season for teams in York, Chester and Lancaster counties.
Here’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to get ready for football on Friday night.
High school football story lines, Zietlow picks, full schedule
All kickoffs are slated for 7:30 p.m. on Friday unless otherwise noted.
Northwestern (3-0, 8-1) at Rock Hill (1-2, 2-5). This intra-town rivalry — one between the two oldest high schools in a town that is affectionately called Football City, USA — needs no introduction. You know its history. You know its lore. You probably even remember the last time these two teams played: It was earlier this season, when Rock Hill and Northwestern got together on one day’s notice in Week 1 after COVID-19 bungled their original schedules. (Northwestern won that contest, 48-14, and did so by the arm and legs of quarterback Will Mattison and the talented Trojan offense.)
But this game, this time? It holds a different weight for each team.
Northwestern has already claimed the Region 4-5A championship. The team is guaranteed home games for the first three rounds of the state playoffs.
Rock Hill, conversely, is fighting for a playoff berth. A Bearcat win means Rock Hill is in; a Bearcat loss makes things messy. Check this scenario out: If Rock Hill loses and Blythewood beats Ridge View on Friday, there’d be a three-way tie at the bottom of Region 4-5A. That would mean Rock Hill, Ridge View and Blythewood would need a tiebreaker to determine the two remaining playoff spots offered by the region. (That tiebreaker: Region 4-5A would select the No. 3 seed based on who gave up the fewest points in the games Blythewood, Ridge View and Rock Hill were involved in. And then the No. 4 seed would be determined by who won the contest between the last two remaining teams.)
Your eyes glaze over that explanation? Fair enough. In short: A Rock Hill win means a Rock Hill playoff berth. Northwestern has its playoff fate set in stone. And both programs will still play hard on Friday — just like the two rivals have for decades. Don’t miss it.
Listen: FM 100.1/AM 1340
Sports editor Alex Zietlow’s prediction: Northwestern wins.
York (3-0, 7-1) at South Pointe (3-0, 6-1). Both teams have playoff berths. Both will start their 2021 playoff runs at home. So what, then, is on the line when York travels to South Pointe for its regular season finale?
A Region 3-4A championship.
This one is shaping up to be a classic: South Pointe hasn’t lost a region game since 2013 and is going for its eighth straight region title. But this is the best York team South Pointe has seen in years. The Cougars have won seven straight — each win an admirable showing of defensive discipline and offensive guts and, occasionally, big play heroics.
Listen: FM 107.1
Zietlow’s prediction: South Pointe wins.
Clover (2-1, 3-4) at Nation Ford (2-1, 4-4). Second place in the region is on the line in this one. And both teams have had success in different ways as of late. Take each of their most recent matchups against 5A statewide power Gaffney: Nation Ford hung tough with the Indians thanks to a potent passing attack — one engineered by offensive playmakers Jerrick Foster (WR), Ky Bowman (WR), Quadeir Hand (WR), Will Alvarado (RB) and Carson Black (QB). Clover, conversely, played well against the Indians by virtue of a stingy defense that only allowed Gaffney 21 points and 166 yards of total offense. Whichever team’s strength shines through on Friday will win this one.
Listen: FM 94.3
Zietlow’s prediction: Clover wins.
Lancaster (0-3, 2-4) at Indian Land (0-3, 4-3). Whoever wins is in. And whoever loses isn’t. Indian Land almost clinched a postseason berth last week, but a goal-line stand and a game-winning field goal delivered IL region foe Catawba Ridge a win in overtime. Indian Land will look to get its offensive playmakers — quarterback Blake Goode, receiver Drew Hardin and athletes Myles Stinson and Dumkele Idehen and Jeremiah Strikland — going early: In the Warriors’ four wins, they’ve averaged 34 points a game. In their losses, they’ve scored 39 points total (or 13 points a game).
Lancaster has struggled in its region but had shown promise before that.
Listen: FM 104.1
Zietlow’s prediction: Indian Land wins.
Fort Mill (0-3, 1-7) at Gaffney (3-0, 9-0). This is one of the few games this week that doesn’t have postseason implications: Gaffney has locked up the Region 3-5A championship. Fort Mill has been eliminated from the playoffs.
Listen: WRHI.com
Zietlow’s prediction: Gaffney wins.
THURSDAY: Legion Collegiate (2-4) at Estill (3-6). Legion Collegiate will try to make it three in a row when it travels to Estill on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The Lancer offense has come to life in the past three games, scoring an average of 26.3 points a game in that stretch after being shut out in its first three. (Legion won’t have a postseason in 2021; it’ll be a provisional member of the NCISAA until the 2023 season.)
Zietlow’s prediction: Legion wins.
Andrew Jackson had its region game against Buford canceled because of COVID-19 concerns within the Buford program. Catawba Ridge, Chester and Great Falls don’t have games scheduled this week but will continue their 2021 seasons in the playoffs next week. Lewisville’s season is over.
Tri-County Coaches Association Players of Week 9
5A
Offensive Player: N/A; Offensive Lineman: N/A; Defensive Player: N/A; Defensive Lineman: N/A; Special Teams Player: Mateo Moyon, Rock Hill, 40-yard average on 3 punts; 2 for 2 on field goals (from 27 and 29 yards out).
4A
Offensive Player: Jevon Long, York, 7 receptions for 75 yards and 2 TDs; Offensive Lineman: Zach Moss, York, graded out at 80% with 4 knockdown blocks; Defensive Player: RJ Glasgow, York, 6 tackles, 2 pass breakups, 2 interceptions (one of which was returned for a 55-yard TD); Defensive Lineman: Asa Johnson, Catawba Ridge, 13 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack; Co-Special Teams Players: Kohen Kozel, Catawba Ridge, 1-1 PAT, 3-4 on FGs including game-winner (from 24, 24 and 31 yards out); Zy Brown, York, 85-yard kickoff return for a TD.
3A, 2A, 1A
Offensive Player: Foxx Moore, Great Falls, 11 rushes for 116 yards and 1 TD, 4 catches for 54 yards and 1 TD, 6 tackles and 1 pass deflection; Offensive Lineman: Wyatt Faulkenberry, Andrew Jackson, 94%, 2 pancake blocks; Defensive Player: Jubal Grant, Lewisville, 11 solo tackles, 2 assists, 13 total tackles, 3 TFL, 1 forced fumble, 1 blocked punt; Defensive Lineman: Natorris Woodard, Great Falls, 3 sacks, 3 TFL, 8 total tackles; Special Teams Player: Henry Glenn, Chester, 2-2 on PAT, 2-2 on FGs (22 and 32 yards).
This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 8:00 AM.
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