Spartanburg @ Gaffney
We’ve had potential game of the year candidates already this season with big stakes that failed to deliver in quality, and candidates that were incredibly close and well played but no one saw coming. However, this week the Spartanburg Vikings and Gaffney Indians meet up over a month later than expected and it still comes with all the stakes that a big game requires.
The Vikings are on fire, winners of six games in a row and the only loss coming to perennial power Dutch Fork. While the defense receives a lot of attention and rightly so as a unit that has suffocated opponents all year, the Spartanburg offense has scored 50+ points each of the last two games against Byrnes and Riverside.
Gaffney rolled last week to a 43-0 win on the road against Wade Hampton, a win that the Indians needed after a loss to Dorman and close calls against .500 teams like Byrnes and Riverside at home. The defense kept the Generals off the board as expected, but the offense was the unit for Gaffney that needed a spark. RB Jaiden McDowell returned to action for the first time since the opener against JL Mann, and even at less than 100% McDowell can make a huge impact out of the backfield.
It’s a game that should live up to the hype despite not having tremendous playoff implications, due to Spartanburg going to the Division 1 bracket and Gaffney headed to Division 2. Despite the recent struggles from Gaffney, these are clearly the two best teams in the region, and two of the top teams anywhere in the state.
Boiling Springs @ Eastside
The Bulldogs dropped its third game of the season last week to Byrnes by a final score of 27-22. Boiling Springs struggled to contain Rebels RB Tre Segarra in his return from injury and lost a back and forth game to fall to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the region. Boiling Springs will wrap up the regular season on the road against Eastside.
The Bulldogs’ typically stout defense gave up 248 yards on the ground to Byrnes, and should bounce back with a struggling Eastside Eagle offense. The Eagles have lost four of its last five games after a 3-0 start in non-region play, but do have some talented players like Jaquavious Dodd at defensive end who is committed to play at South Carolina that Lincoln Husky and company will have to keep their eyes on.
Boiling Springs will be in the Division 1 playoffs starting next week, but will probably be on the road in its first postseason game regardless of the result against Eastside. The Bulldogs will have a great chance to get right ahead of the playoffs with a win and gain confidence over a struggling Eastside team.
Travelers Rest @ Greer
Greer hung with Daniel on the road last week with a chance to win the region title, especially in the first half, but couldn’t keep up with the high-powered Lions in a 48-21 final. Now to wrap up the regular season the Yellow Jackets host last place Travelers Rest before heading into the 4A playoffs.
Star RB Nick Holmes still scored two touchdowns and ran for 169 yards in the loss, but the Yellow Jacket defense let up 460 yards to Daniel and the game got out of hand in the second half.
This will be a name-your-score type of game for Greer. Travelers Rest hasn’t been competitive in region play, and with the playoffs right around the corner the Yellow Jackets should be eager to get up big early and put in the reserves as soon as possible.
