Week 9 high school football preview

Fort Mill (6-3, 2-2 Region 3-4A) at York (6-3, 2-2)

Last week: Fort Mill beat Rock Hill 20-7; York beat Nation Ford 42-28

Last meeting: Fort Mill won 30-14 (2014)

Key players: FMHS - Jr. WR/DB Ryan Deluca, Jr. WR Gus Jarosz, Jr. ATH Noah Wetzel, Sr. OL Austin Randolph. YCHS - Jr. ATH Javione Matthews, Jr. QB Wally Wilmore, Jr. OL Danny Warren, Sr. DT Joe Gill.

Need to know: Second big game in a row for both teams, who won’t have any unimportant games the rest of the way. The Jackets and Cougars are tied for third in the region and will run the ball relentlessly Friday night. York produced one of its best defensive performances of the season against Nation Ford (despite allowing 28 points). It also had its best rushing effort, with three players topping 100 yards. Oddly enough, it was Fort Mill’s passing attack that scorched York last fall, something Ed Susi’s team may try to exploit again.

Clover (1-7, 0-3 Region 3-4A) at Gaffney (4-4, 2-1)

Last week: Clover lost to Northwestern 63-0; Gaffney was idle

Last meeting: Gaffney won 35-5 (2014)

Key players: CHS - Sr. WB Cody Payne, Sr. DE Elijah Plummer, Jr. FB Tanner Tolson. GHS - Sr. DE Jontez Littlejohn, WR Scott McCluney, RB Ikeem Posey.

Need to know: Clover would need to win at Gaffney, at Nation Ford and at home against York to have a shot at the playoffs. Completing the first leg of the trio will be difficult, especially with the Indians seemingly gathering steam. Coming off a surprising blowout of York and a bye week, Gaffney will be ready to make a run on the region title, thanks in large part to its defense.

Nation Ford (5-3, 2-1 Region 3-4A) at No. 1 Northwestern (7-1, 3-0)

Last week: Nation Ford lost to York 42-28 (2014); Northwestern beat Clover 63-0 (2014)

Last meeting: Northwestern won 66-19 (2014)

Key players: NFHS - Sr. WR Colby Ridge, Sr. RB Tyree Chaplin, Sr. WR Hank Tuipulotu, Sr. DE Charlie Newton. NHS - Sr. WR Julian Shockley, Jr. OL Alex Parker, Sr. OL Yari Wright, Soph. WR Jordan Starkes.

Need to know: Nation Ford still struggles at times stopping the run, a fact spotlit by York last week. The difficulty with Northwestern is the Trojans can generate offense on the ground or through the air, making them nearly impossible to stop during a seven-game win streak that’s carried them to the top of state 4A rankings. Northwestern is outscoring opponents 216-50 in the first half, making a positive start imperative for the visitors if they are to stay in the game.

No. 2 South Pointe (7-1, 3-0 Region 3-3A) at Broome (3-5, 1-2)

Last week: South Pointe beat Lancaster 16-7; Broome lost to Chester 28-21

Last meeting: South Pointe won 38-17 (2014)

Players to watch: SPHS – Sr. DB Marquarius Brice, Sr. QB Greg Ruff, Sr. LB Jonathan Lowery, Sr. OL/DL Ethan Hudspeth, Jr. LB Bryson Cooper. GBHS – Sr. QB Hunter Weber, Jr. LB/FB D’Marco Jackson, Sr. OL/DL Isaiah Crook.

Need to know: South Pointe will take heart from the run defense it played in the win over Lancaster, limiting the machine-like Bruins to a season-low 127 yards on the ground. Playing teams like Broome is good practice for the 3A state playoffs when the Stallions will encounter a number of run-heavy offenses. Still, unlike the newspaper, Strait Herron’s team can’t get caught looking ahead; a late-season loss would hurt in playoff seeding.

Union County (3-5, 2-1 Region 3-3A) at Lancaster No. 9 (7-1, 2-1)

Last week: Union County beat Clinton 36-12; Lancaster lost to South Pointe 16-7

Last meeting: Union County won 31-24 (2014)

Key players: UCHS - Jr. ATH Shi Smith, Sr. WR Roscoe Johnson, Sr. TE Montray Feaster, Sr. DT Deshawn Thompson. LHS - Sr. OL Caleb Funderburk, Jr. WR Cordarious Tinsley, Jr. DB C’Darious Catoe, Sr. OL Lewis Johnson.

Need to know: Like a mini-Gaffney, Union County always seems to improve late in the season. Steve Taneyhill’s team won its last two region games by a combined score of 70-12. The Yellow Jackets are a difficult matchup for Lancaster’s running attack because of their strong defensive line and their athletes on both sides of the ball in the secondary. Shi Smith, for example, caught two TD passes and ran in another last week against Clinton and will be a huge challenge for a Bruins defense with just two senior starters. Perhaps more than the South Pointe game, this one will show what kind of leaps Lancaster has made toward being an annual contender.

Chester (3-5, 1-2 Region 3-3A) at Clinton (2-6, 0-3)

Last week: Chester beat Broome 28-21; Clinton lost to Union County 36-12

Last meeting: Broome won 58-44 (2014)

Key players: CHS – Sr. LB Dre Johnson, Soph. ATH Quay Hardin, Jr. DL Ethan McGriff, Soph. C Anthony Foster. CHS – Soph. RB Kris Holmes, Jr. QB Donte Reeder, Sr. ATH Donaven Blackmon.

Need to know: A win Friday and Chester is all but guaranteed a 3A playoff spot. The Cyclones face a tough task, though. Chester has yet to win on the road in four tries this season, but it’s been a fast starter, building leads on both South Pointe and Lancaster before second-half capitulations. The Cyclones’ comeback last week against Broome may be evidence they’re starting to put together four quarters. No better time to do so.

Buford (5-3, 4-1 Region 4-2A) at Indian Land (5-3, 2-2)

Last week: Buford lost to Central 35-14; Indian Land beat North Central 28-21

Last meeting: Indian Land won 39-38 (2015, Week 1)

Players to watch: BHS – Sr. LB/WR D.J. Stradford, Sr. QB Scotti Moser, Sr. K/P Wade Lambert. ILHS – Jr. RB/LB Dillon Howie, Sr. LB Trevor Martin, Sr. OL Jacob Williams, Jr. LB Ethan Burdette.

Need to know: It’s been a terrific turnaround this season for Buford under second-year coach Tripp Watts. Indian Land nipped a win from Buford in the season opener but faces a much improved Yellow Jackets team. Key for the Warriors will be to turn long drives into points, as well as force turnovers – two things that Central was able to do in a win against Buford last week that opened up the region title race.

No. 9 Lamar (5-3, 2-0 Region 3-A) at Great Falls (1-7, 1-1)

Last week: Lamar beat C.A. Johnson 39-0; Great Falls lost to McBee 84-0

Last meeting: Lamar won 62-6 (2014)

Players to watch: LHS – Soph. LB Jeblonski Green, Sr. RB Trey Ceasar, DB/WR Decobie Durant. GFHS – Raheem Bowers, Dee Perry, Zy White.

Need to know: After a surprise non-region loss to Andrew Jackson, Lamar has scored 88 points in its last two games, both Region 3-A blowouts. This one likely won’t be much different as the Silver Foxes prep for their season-finale showdown with McBee.

Lewisville (1-7, 0-2 Region 3-A) at C.A. Johnson (1-7, 0-2) (Thursday night game)

Last week: Lewisville was idle; C.A. Johnson lost to Lamar 39-0

Last meeting: Lewisville won 43-32 (2014)

Players to watch: LHS – Jr. LB Jene Thompson, Soph. RB/CB Quentin Sanders, Jr. LB Daryl Manning, Jr. OL DeAllen Boulware. CAJHS – Sr. ATH Shaquan Murphy, Sr. ATH Jaquan Perry.

Need to know: Lewisville faces a team with a losing record (when the Lions encountered it) for the first time this season. It’s been a tough season with a tough schedule; at one point Lewisville played four straight undefeated teams. But it was this point last year when Lewisville’s season took an up-tick with consecutive wins over C.A. Johnson and Great Falls. The Lions will try and repeat that feat this year to build momentum for their 2016 campaign, which could be special thanks to a new-look 1A classification and a talented bunch of returning players.

This story was originally published October 22, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Week 9 high school football preview."