Spartanburg (7-4) at T.L. Hanna (10-1)
Spartanburg moved into round two after a 59-17 win over Nation Ford last week. Hanna came from behind to knock off White Knoll 36-35. The Jackets come into this game on an eight game winning streak, while the Vikings have won four of their last five. Hanna will be the first option-style team Spartanburg has faced this year, and the Jackets run it to near perfection.
I expect this to be a high scoring game, with the winner probably needing to score in the upper thirties. Spartanburg has the firepower to keep up in a shootout, and I think they’ll need it this Friday. The Vikings will need to cut down on the penalties this week if they want to come away with a win on the road. Hanna is a team that likes to stay on schedule offensively and they will try to dominate the time of possession in this game to keep Jeter and Co. on the sideline. The Vikings can’t afford to give the Jackets any extra opportunities to keep their drives alive with penalties. I like the Vikings chances, as long as they stay disciplined on the defensive side, I think the offense will make enough plays to come out on top.
Dorman (9-2) at Dutch Fork (10-1)
The Cavaliers defeated Clover 37-7 in round one, while Dutch Fork dominated Mauldin 56-0. This should be a great game featuring two of the best tailbacks in the state with Demarius Foster of Dorman (336 scrimmage yards last week), and Jarvis Green for the Silver Foxes (Mr. Football Finalist). The Cavaliers understand the challenge in front of them as they will go on the road to face the number one team in the state. Dutch Fork seems to have improved as the season has gone along, winning their last five games by a combined score of 278-14.
The Cavaliers will need to score points on nearly every possession to have a chance to keep up with the potent offense of the Silver Foxes. If Dorman can play near perfect on offense and Foster has another huge game like last week, this one has a chance to go down to the wire. Unfortunately in the end, I just don’t know that the Cavs have enough to keep up with them for 48 minutes.
Byrnes (8-3) at Blythwood (9-2)
Blythewood moved on with a 40-0 win over Boiling Springs, while the Rebels went on the road and knocked off Hillcrest 31-28. The Rebels have been playing their best football at the right time, with back to back wins over Gaffney and Hillcrest. They’ll have another tough test this week as they face a Bengals team that comes in allowing only 11 points per game.
This game could very well be a defensive battle and a low scoring affair. Byrnes will need to make some big plays on offense, and find a way to score touchdowns in the red zone and not settle for field goals. If the Rebels win the turnover battle, I think the offense will make enough plays late to come away with the upset.
J.L. Mann (7-4) at Gaffney (7-3)
Gaffney started slow, but then cruised to a 60-23 win over Rock Hill last Friday, while Mann advanced with a 33-21 victory over Spring Valley. The Indians have been up and down this year, but they have played their best against the best teams. The Patriots are not one of the best teams Gaffney has faced, and the Indians should have an advantage at nearly every position group.
If Gaffney comes out ready to play and Grayson Loftis takes care of the football on what projects to be a rainy night, the Indians should come away with a comfortable win.
