This is it. The last week of the regular season. Next week, the intensity ramps up as our local teams try to make a push for the ultimate goal – the state championship. But before that, they had to finish the regular season strong. Let’s dive in to the regular season finales for those few that were in action this week.
Gaffney 27 Spartanburg 24
This game has been circled on the calendar for a while. The 2 squads, ranked in the top 10 in 5A for most of the season. Over the last couple of weeks, the Vikings have been among the hottest teams in the state while the Indians had been heading in the wrong direction on the offensive side of the ball. But when it comes to this game, you can almost always throw away how the teams are playing in the buildup as being any kind of factor.
This game started out looking like it would be the exception. To cut to the chase, Spartanburg absolutely dominated. For 36 minutes, they were playing exactly like they were the best team on the field. But, everything changed in the 4th quarter. The Vikings, who led 24-7 at the start of the final 12 minutes, became their own worst enemy.
The period started with a TD pass from Javon Gilmore to Shane Davidson – the 2nd time they connected in the game. Davidson finished with 3 TD receptions – all seemingly coming at key moments for the Indians. After a botched snap killed the extra point try, making the deficit 24-13, Spartanburg failed to answer. The Vikings drove to the Gaffney 36, stalling out there. Will Love missed a field goal try from 53 yards out for his 2nd miss of the night – a rarity for the Shrine Bowl kicker.
The two sides traded possessions once each before Gaffney struck again on Davidson’s third big snag of the game, cutting it to a one possession affair. Twice after that, the Vikings failed to convert a third down to keep running the clock, eventually leading to the Indians getting a shot to go down field with just under 2 minutes to play. They eventually did move the ball, aided by a pass interference call that kept the drive alive that would be capped by a TD strike from Gilmore to Jamarcus Smith to hand Gaffney their first lead of the night – which they would not relinquish.
Javon Gilmore finished the night 18 for 31 with 254 yards and three touchdowns along with 21 yards on 8 rushes. Jamarcus Smith was the leading target, pulling in 7 passes for 107 yards, but as mentioned already, it was Shane Davidson that had all the touchdowns, with 4 receptions for 92 yards. Jaiden McDowell was the leading rusher with 55 yards and a touchdown on 18 touches.
On the Spartanburg end, Trey Burke was 14 for 27 with 187 yards and a pair of scores. Justin Rice hauled in 5 of his passes for 135 yards and a touchdown while Zeke Bell-Boyd notched the other score. Trenton Lynch led the run game, running the ball 20 times for a net of 167 yards and a touchdown.
Gaffney, now the region 2-5A champion, locked up a 1 seed in the 5A division 2 playoffs as well as a first round bye. Spartanburg also has a bye next week.
Woodruff 35 Broome 14
This had all the makings of a bad matchup for the skidding Broome Centurions. While both squads have playmakers on the offensive side of the football and are capable of scoring points quickly, Woodruff’s offense has multiple guys that can hurt you in a number of ways – more often than not on explosive plays. Make no mistake about it, this game was one where the best hope for Broome was to get into a shootout, trying your best to match touchdowns with touchdowns.
Things got off to an ideal start for the Centurions. They drew first blood, capitalizing on a tip drill interception on the Wolverines’ opening series of the game with a TD run by Amajai Martin. Six minutes later, Woodruff responded by knotting things up on a 36 yard catch and run on 4th and 6 by Snoop Green.
Early in the 2nd quarter, Broome drove to the Woodruff 2 yardline, but could not score. They sent Roger McGee out to try a 19 yarder that was low off his foot and blocked. That would be the last time we saw a kicker sent out for anything but an extra point or a kickoff. The Wolverines started at the 7 following the block and took the lead on the first of several explosive plays that seemed to come off a Broome mistake in this game. Kori Moates broke off a 64 yard touchdown rush to go up 14-7. Woodruff never looked back from there.
Broome was driving on their ensuing series when Ty’Qwon Booker fumbled on 3rd and 1. Next play, Aiden Gibson slipped through a crack in the A gap and went 80 yards untouched for a TD to go up 2 scores.
The Centurions had one more opportunity in the first half to put some points on the board, but facing a 4th and 8, Jameson Dearybury heaved a jump ball down the sideline that was picked off at the Woodruff 14, essentially ending the half.
Still, there was a chance for Broome to claw back in. They got the ball to start the 2nd half and did exactly what they needed to, going right down the field and scoring on a 23 yard TD pass to Tresean Suber, making it a 1 score game. The Centurions’ defense came up with a stop and forced Woodruff to punt from their own 44, pinning Broome at the 2. But, that was not the end of the world as it gave them the opportunity to be slow and methodical to try and eat clock while going down the field to try and tie the game.
Unfortunately, that never came to fruition. They did manage to take the game into the 4th quarter down just a TD while driving, but in the end, faced yet another 4th down in the red zone – this time from the Woodruff 26. Dearybury threw up a pass to the front corner of the endzone only for it to fall incomplete and turn the ball over on downs. Two plays later, Woodruff was once again in the endzone, scoring on a 9 yard run by Aiden Gibson.
The Wolverines put the exclamation point on the night with about 5 minutes to play in the game when TJ Morris connected with a wide open Kori Moates down the near sideline for a 73 yard TD catch and run.
Broome finished the night with 330 yards of total offense, led by Booker, who had 133 yards on 31 carries. Dearybury finished the night 16 for 26 with 151 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 7 times for 38 yards. Suber amassed 60 yards and a TD on 6 receptions. Amajai Martin hauled in 2 passes for 45 yards while Brayden Simpson had 4 snags for 24 yards.
Aiden Gibson ran the ball 14 times for 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Kori Moates hauled in 2 passes for 108 yards and a TD while Snoop Green caught 3 balls for 58 yards and a score. TJ Morris threw for 180 yards and 2 TDs on 6 for 16 passing. Woodruff amassed 410 yards of total offense in the win.
Broome will hit the road to face the Powdersville Patriots in the opening round while Woodruff will host Pendleton.
Boiling Springs 41 Eastside 0
The Bulldogs rebounded from their disappointing loss last week to Byrnes in exactly the way they have when facing competition that, well, let’s call it like it is – isn’t good, all season long.
The Bulldogs sputtered a bit out of the gate, but finally broke through on a 16 yard touchdown strike from Lincoln Huskey to Grayson Crowe late in the opening frame. That set in motion an offensive explosion with Boiling Springs scoring a touchdown on each of their next three offensive possessions – a 39 yard TD run by Javen Chhim, a 24 yard TD pass to Tamajae Williford, and a 17 yard rush on a scramble by Lincoln Huskey.
The Bulldogs cruised to the shutout victory, which was maintained by a TD-saving tackle by Jeremiah Favorite on a play where Eastside broke off a long run only to be knocked out of bounds at the 5 yard line. The Eagles failed to score as the Bulldogs defense ended up forcing a turnover on downs.
Husky was 10 of 16 through the air with 140 yards and a pair of touchdowns along with 61 rushing yards and a score on 7 attempts. Chhim also had 7 rushes, tallying 72 yards and a TD. Ry’Shaun Morgan and Williford also logged a rushing TD. Combined, the Bulldogs’ ground game accounted for 193 yards on 27 carries.
Boiling Springs leap frogged Lexington in the tie-breaking Maxpreps RPI rankings, meaning the Bulldogs will likely get the 9 seed. That means, unofficially, that we will get the game Helene stole from us – Boiling Springs vs Dorman, with it being in Roebuck next week.
Greer 51 Travelers Rest 0
In similar fashion to Boiling Springs, Greer wrapped up the regular season looking to rebound from a tough loss in the region title game against Daniel last week against a team they outmatched. They did just that in a statistically-balanced affair.
The Yellow Jackets amassed 325 yards of total offense, 206 of which came through the air. Quarterback Dawson Fowler was 5 of 8 with 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Ty Breeze also contributed with 3 completions on 5 attempts with 79 yards and 2 TDs. Brock Diggins, Max Hannon, and Mikey Williams each had a touchdown reception, Diggins being the leader with 3 snags for 97 yards. In the ground game, Nick Holmes and Ty Breeze each had a score, with Holmes tallying 49 yards on 9 carries.
Greer will get a home game in the opening round next week, as they will host the Fountain Inn Fury.
MVP 48 Union County 7
Again, no disrespect to Union, but this game was never going to be close. It was a complete mismatch. The most surprising thing was that Jaylen McGill had less than a hundred rushing yards, albeit with 3 rushing touchdowns, in the rout, and only one receiver had over 50 yards.
Bryson Drummond went 5 for 12 through the air with 39 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for a score. Backup QB Brody Judd threw for 101 yards, completing 7 of 11 passes with a touchdown. McGill ran the ball 9 times for 90 yards to go with his 3 scores. Hayden Agnew was the lone Star pass catcher over 50 yards with 56 on 4 receptions, and was one of two with a touchdown snag, the other being Chase Richards.
The Stars will host the Carolina Academy Trojans next week with the site still to be determined.
Chesnee 47 Blacksburg 13
You could not ask for a stronger ending to the regular season to propel you into the playoffs than what Chesnee got. On the flipside, you could not ask for a worse run through the last month and a half of the season than what Blacksburg experienced.
The eagles jumped up to the early 7-0 lead on a 16 yard KJay Proctor touchdown run. Blacksburg answered with a 24 yard TD pass to tie it. But, from there it was all Chesnee, scoring the next 33 points unanswered.
All 7 of the Eagles’ touchdowns came via the run, with 6 different ball carriers logging a score. Jayden Williams was the leader with 145 yards on 11 touches and a TD. KJ Proctor was next closest with 94 yards on 9 carries and 2 scores. Kyle Thrift had 84 yards and a TD, while Bradley Meyers had 76 yards to accompany his score. Hayden Webb and Paul Martin also had a rushing touchdown each. Evan Reese-Lawter completed 8 of 9 passes for 112 yards, most of which came to Braylon Blanton with 82 yards on 4 receptions.
Chesnee will host the Ninety-Six Wildcats in their playoff opener next week.
Landrum, Byrnes, Dorman, and Chapman were all on bye this week. But their first round playoff destinations are as follows:
Byrnes hosts Lexington (site TBD)
Dorman hosts Boiling Springs
Chapman will host Palmetto
Landrum will be on the road at Central (Pageland).
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