Week 4 is here. I went 12-3 with my picks last week and am now sitting at 34-10 on the season (.773 winning %).
Each week is a new week, but the latest trend shows that there is at least 1 or 2 schools in our area who have to shutdown football operations due to a positive Covid-19 test. The Broome Centurions, the Byrnes Rebels, & the Riverside Warriors are all sidelined from football as of right now due to Covid-19. As far as the regular season goes, each positive test warrants a two-week shutdown for the entire program. However, things will look much different in this years playoffs. First reported by Jed Blackwell of the Spartanburg Herald Journal in a recent news article, the SCHSL will not be allowing flexibility when it comes to the playoff schedule. In saying that, if a program has a positive test, their season will most likely come to and end.
I joined Marc Ryan earlier this week on air to discuss this move by the SCHSL. You can listen here.
Here are the games happening this week:
Dorman at Wade Hampton
Fort Mill at Boiling Springs
Clover at Gaffney
Greer at Eastside
Union County at Chapman
Legion Academy at Landrum
Blacksburg at Chesnee
Westside at Walhalla
Travelers Rest at Easley
Blue Ridge at Powdersville
Greenwood at Greenville
Greer at Eastside
Hillcrest at JL Mann
Mauldin at Woodmont
Wren at BHP
Here is my quick analysis & winner of each game:
Dorman at Wade Hampton: The Generals of Wade Hampton have struggled this season while Dorman has been very impressive. Wade Hampton has lost to JL Mann, Spartanburg, & Riverside. Dorman has defeated Riverside while dropping a non-region game to Gaffney. I do not think Dorman has any trouble on Friday night as they win 55-7.
Fort Mill at Boiling Springs: Boiling Springs has been my most improved team from last season. They have played so well this year that I voted for Boiling Springs as the 10th best team in 5A in this weeks Media Poll. The Bulldogs played Gaffney really close in a region loss to start the season, but have been excellent since while defeating Nation Ford & Clover. Fort Mill is still looking for their first win of the season, but it will not come on Friday night. Dodd, Sullivan, & the Bulldogs roll Fort Mill 49-14.
Clover at Gaffney: Gaffney comes off of a win, but it was not an impressive win at all. I dropped Gaffney a spot in my voting this week in the polls due to their performance against Nation Ford. If you are the second best team in the state, you handle Nation Ford with no problem. However, Gaffney snuck by on Friday night by a score of 41-40 in overtime. Brian Lane & the Clover Blue Eagles are 1-2 on the season with their only win coming over Fort Mill. I expect Gaffney to bounce back this Friday night and take care of business against Clover by a score of 40-10.
Greer at Eastside: The Greer Yellowjackets are 1-1 on the season with a loss to Greenville & a win over Greenwood. Eastside is 0-3 on the season and they will be 0-4 after this week. Greer is the much better team and the Yellowjackets have a world of confidence after beating a very good Greenwood team last Friday. Greer takes down Eastside 35-17.
Union County at Chapman: This is the biggest game of the week as these two teams are coming off wins from last week. Union County comes off of a win over the Spartanburg Vikings as Chapman comes off of a win over Clinton. This is a hard one for me to pick as I have gone back and forth all week. Union County has speed, they have an excellent head coach, and they have confidence. Chapman has much of the same, but the Panthers pride themselves on their outstanding defense. Reversal of past Chapman teams where their offense has been the feature. This year, it's the defense. I think this game will come down to the 4th quarter. I picked Chapman earlier in the week, but I am changing my pick. I am now picking Brian Thompson & the Union County Yellowjackets to prevail! Union County wins in a close one, 35-29.
Legion Academy at Landrum: Landrum comes off of a tough one to a very good Chesnee team last week as Chesnee was victorious 40-14. The Cardinals are now 1-1 on the season as they face a Legion Academy team that also lost to Chesnee this season. The Cardinals will bounce back this Friday as Cooper Gentry will have a big game for Landrum & the Cardinals win 35-21.
Blacksburg at Chesnee: Don't just call them the Eagles. Make sure you put that respect with their name and call them the REGION CHAMP CHESNEE EAGLES! What a season Clay Lewis & the Chesnee Eagles have put together. Blacksburg, now under former Woodmont & Broome HC Jet Turner, looks for their first win of the season. Chesnee will be too much to tame this Friday for Turney & Co. I like Chesnee to keep it rolling by a score of 42-21 over Blacksburg.
Westside at Walhalla: Westside continues to roll as they RAMMED Pendleton last Friday by a score of 63-7. Scott Earley & his rams have been rolling this season, now sitting at 3-0 with wins over Easley, Travelers Rest, & Pendleton. Bob Thomas & the Walhalla Razorbacks look to get their second win of the season but it will be tough against this very good Rams team. Walhalla comes off of a 25-14 win over Easley, but I think the Rams will be too much to handle on Friday night. Westside continues to roll as they defeat Walhalla 45-20.
Travelers Rest at Easley: Jordan Durrah, former Byrnes OC & current Easley HC, looks to get his first win as a member of the Green Wave on Friday as they battle the Devildogs of Travelers Rest. The Devildogs are 1-1 on the season with a win over Eastside and a loss to Westside. Easley needs to figure things out quick as the losses are pilling up. Unfortunately, I do not think the Green Wave get back on track Friday. I like this Travelers Rest team to get their 2nd win of the season on Friday, 28-21.
Blue Ridge at Powdersville: Blue Ridge is also a team that is looking for their first win of the season. Powdersville is 2-1 on the season with wins over Berea & Carolina. I expect this one to be close with Powdersville getting their 3rd win of the season as they defeat Powdersville 31-21.
Greenwood at Greenville: Greenwood has defeated Laurens & Eastside but the Eagles are coming off of a loss last week to Greer. Greenville has been "too tough to tame" this season as Greg Porter and the Red Raiders sit at 3-0. This should be a very good football game, but I am rolling with Greenville to take care of business. Greenville 35, Greenwood 24.
Hillcrest at JL Mann: The Hillcrest Rams have been very good this season sitting at 3-0 with wins over Mauldin, Pickens, & Woodmont. JL Mann is 1-2 on the season coming off two straight losses to Woodmont & TL Hanna. The Hillcrest Rams will continue to roll as they take down JL Mann 42-20.
Mauldin at Woodmont: After losing Head Coach Harry Cabiness to Chapman, Mauldin has yet to find their first win of the season with losses to Hillcrest, TL Hanna, & Greenville. Woodmont has a win over JL Mann, but two losses to TL Hanna & Hillcrest. Neither one of these teams have found their true identity this season, so this one could go either way. I am picking Mauldin to get their first win of the season as they defeat Woodmont 28-20.
Wren at BHP: Wren is 2-1 on the season while BHP is 1-1. Wren wins on Friday 42-30.
Here is this week's High School Football Broadcasters Poll:
Week 4 Broadcasters Poll:
1) Dutch Fork
2) Gaffney
3) Fort Dorchester
4) South Pointe
5) Byrnes
6) Dorman
7) Myrtle Beach
8) Sumter
9) Abbeville
10) Chapman
Here is this week's High School Football Media Poll:
South Carolina Prep Media Football Poll
Class AAAAA
1. Dutch Fork
2. Fort Dorchester
3. Gaffney
4. Dorman
5. Byrnes
6. Sumter
7. T.L. Hanna
8. Goose Creek
9. Northwestern
10. Carolina Forest
Also receiving votes: Boiling Springs, Berkeley, Ridge View, Hillcrest, Spring Valley
Class AAAA
1. Myrtle Beach (14)
2. South Pointe
3. Greenville
4. AC Flora
5. North Myrtle Beach
6. Westside
7. Greer
8. Beaufort
9. Greenwood
10. West Florence
Receiving votes: Catawba Ridge, North Augusta, May River, York, Laurens, Hartsville
Class AAA
1. Dillon (12)
2. Chapman (2)
3. Daniel
4. Camden
5. Chester
6. Gilbert
7. (tie) Wren
7. (tie) Belton-Honea Path
9. Oceanside Collegiate
10. Aynor
Receiving votes: Union County, Lake City, Orangeburg-Wilkinson, Palmetto
AA1. Abbeville (14)2. Barnwell3. Gray Collegiate4. Newberry5. Cheraw6. Timberland7. Saluda8. Chesnee9. Batesburg-Leesville10. Wade HamptonOthers receiving votes- North Central, Latta, Andrews, Christ ChurchA1. Lake View (10)2. Lamar (4)3. Southside Christian4. Green Sea Floyds5. Blackville-Hilda6. Whale Branch7. Bamberg-Ehrhardt8. Wagener-Salley9. Ridge Spring-Monetta10. Carvers BayOthers receiving votes- Williston-Elko, C.A. Johnson, Johnsonville, Allendale-Fairfax, Branchville
Voters: Jed Blackwell, Spartanburg Herald-Journal; Kennington Lloyd Smith, III, Anderson Independent Mail; Geoff Preston, Greenville News; Chris Dearing, The State; Lou Bezjak, The State; Travis Jenkins, Chester News & Reporter; Chris Burgin, 100.1 The Fan; Ian Guerin, MyHorryNews.com; Kyle Dawson, Aiken Standard; Scott Chancey, Florence Morning News; Wes Kerr, LowCoSports.com; Dennis Brunson, Sumter Item; ; David Shelton, Charleston Post and Courier; Skyler Rolstad, Greenwood Index-Journal; Chris Clark, Orangeburg Times & Democrat; Cole Bryson, ESPN Upstate; Alex Zeitlow, The Herald; Justin Mathis, upstateprep-cast.net; Jamie McBee, The Boiling Springs Sports Journal; Pete Yanity, WSPA-TV
For a full recap of Friday's games, listen to The Saturday Morning Scramble with Cole Bryson & Jed Blackwell on Saturday from 8-10am on ESPN Upstate. The Byrnes Rebels will be BACK on ESPN Upstate next Friday, 10/23 as they host the Generals of Wade Hampton.
