Week 3 Recap

Byrnes 49 Greer 9

A year ago, the James F Byrnes Rebels suffered their first loss to the Greer Yellow Jackets in over 2 decades on the road at Dooley Field. The Rebs would return to the shadow of the water tower Friday night for a rematch, hoping to start a new win streak in the series. Last season, Byrnes was not in nearly as good of a place as a team as they are now. They were without Tre Segarra when these 2 battled one another, and it is undeniable that his presence in this game made a big difference, scoring 2 of Byrnes’ three rushing touchdowns in the game to go with 112 yards on 10 carries. Segarra also had a team-leading 2 receptions for 50 yards and a score. The offense was actually fairly balanced for the Rebels, with quarterback Caine Rogers completing 10 of 12 passes for 3 touchdowns. Kaylin McDowell and Jackson Bailey hauled in the other 2 TD passes – among 5 different Byrnes pass catchers to put up double digit yardage.

The Rebels’ defense suffocated the Yellow Jackets – oddly enough the third straight opponent to hold that nickname in just as many games Byrnes has played these days. Greer was held to just 11 first downs, 200 yards of total offense (94 rushing, 106 passing), and limited Dawson Fowler to just 7 completions on 22 passing attempts, and forced 1 turnover (an interception).

Greer, who still has yet to crack the win column, has a great chance to do that next week as they host the Berea Bulldogs in their region opener. Byrnes will open their 2-5A slate at Nixon Field against the Wade Hampton Generals.

Clinton 40 Chapman 34 (OT)

The Chapman Panthers have now had 2 games this season in which their offense has been competitive, only to fall on the last play of a 1-score game. The Panthers, still searching for their first win of the 2025 campaign, went down to Wilder Stadium down in Clinton to take on the #4 ranked team in 2A. These 2 have a history of high-scoring close games, and with the ongoing defensive struggles that have plagued Clinton since their week zero loss to Woodruff, this one was no exception.

The Red Devils drew first blood on a 50 yard Javen Cook TD run that was answered early in the 2nd quarter on a Josiah Copeland 23 yard touchdown rush – his first of three scores on the day. Clinton scored the next 13 unanswered to create a cushion, but in the 2nd half, the 2 sides got into a seesaw affair that finally tipped Chapman’s way late in the 4th quarter on Copeland runs, eventually forcing overtime.

The Devils scored on the very first play of the extra period, but missed the extra point, giving the Panthers a chance to potentially win the game, but they ended up turning the ball over on downs to end it with an incompletion on 4th and goal from the 5 yard line.

Copeland led the way for the Panthers with 24 carries for 181 yards and 3 touchdowns. Bryson Cothran went 12 for 16 passing with 156 yards and a score. Keilon Tucker also scored a TD with 93 yards on 6 receptions.

Chapman will look to build on the offensive momentum they built in this game as they host the Christ Church Episcopal School Cavaliers next

week.

Union County 49 Blacksburg 7

Last season, these 2 had one of the wildest games I personally have ever followed along with. The Yellow Jackets came out on top after erasing a late 2 score deficit in what would be one of just 2 wins on the season. The Jackets entered this game looking for their first win of 2025 a week removed from dropping a heartbreaker to York. In the end, they were able to make it 2 in a row over the Wildcats thanks to senior tailback Dreshawn Mills, who had 117 rushing yards and a pair of scores on 12 touches. He also added a 59 yard touchdown catch. Qa Brannon had 3 touchdown passes and another on the ground as the Jackets dominated Blacksburg from wire to wire.

Union will hit the road next week to face off against the Chester Cyclones.

Woodruff 48 Woodmont 6

The Wolverines took a slight step up in competition this week, going up against a 5A foe in the Woodmont Wildcats. Despite the difference in school size/roster depth, Woodruff was the better team – both on paper and on the field, cruising to a blowout win to go to 4-0 on the season.

The Wolverines will now set their sights on a return to WL Varner Stadium as they host Chesnee in the battle of Highway 221 next week.

Emerald 42 Broome 18

Broome’s tough start to the season continued Friday night. They have 1 win – an overtime thriller against Chesnee – which is enough to say that the Centurions have some potential. Especially when you look at their schedule that has consisted of Belton Honea Path and Spartanburg sandwiched around that Chesnee win.

Broome’s offense was strong in spite of just 18 points scored in this game. They amassed 480 total yards – 348 of which came through the air, which happens when you throw the ball 36 times. Jameson Dearybury completed 22 passes with 2 touchdowns and 2 picks. He also ran the ball 15 times for 61 yards. Ty’Qwon Booker carried the ball nine times for 35 yards and a touchdown to go with 4 snags for 41 yards. Asher Littlejohn hauled in 4 balls for 54 yards while Reece Waugerman caught 7 for 97 yards and a score. Brayden Simpson was the leading receiver with 6 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown.

In the end, they were outmatched, albeit not as badly as they were a week ago when Spartanburg beat them 50-7 as Emerald ran away with the win.

Next week, the Centurions will head out to Powdersville for their annual date with the Patriots.

Elsewhere in 3A, Mountain View Prep took care of business on the road at Crescent with a 41-19 victory.

Chesnee 28 R-S Central 21

On paper, it would seem these 2 teams were a mismatch. But, paper is not reality. The Hilltoppers, despite an 0-2 record entering play Friday night, dropped just 2 single-digit affairs. If you took a trip back in time to last year, these 2 played a close game in which Chesnee held off RSC on a goal line stand in a 1-score slugfest. This border rivalry, which had the distinction of being televised on WMYA 40, would be no different.

These 2 squads are very similar – both in size and offensive approach. Both teams have hosses on the line and a dual threat quarterback that can run as well as Lanorris Sellers. Both squads like to take long drives and chew up the clock.

That is how this game started for the Eagles. R-S Central took almost 8 minutes to go down field, stalling out at the Eagles’ 15 yard line after converting three of 4 third downs. The ‘Toppers missed a 31 yard field goal try and after an empty series for Chesnee, the 2 sides entered the 2nd 12 minute stanza knotted at zero.

In the end, the game, which the Eagles led 21-7 after Marquez Franklin returned the 2nd half kick all the way, came down to quarterback play and turnovers as a result. Junior phenom Evan Reece-Lawter answered the bell when the Hilltoppers tied the game at 21 with just over 6 minutes to play. He made some big plays with his legs to the tune of 131 yards on 20 attempts with 2 touchdowns. His last carry was a scramble in which he broke loose down the near sideline for 60+ yards, tackled by his shoelaces to avoid a touchdown. That only prolonged the inevitable as 2 plays later, Kale Thrift punched it in from 2 yards out to put the Eagles back on top.

On the other end, R-S Central sophomore QB Rylan Holley made 2 critical mistakes. On a play in which he was on the way into the endzone for an easy touchdown that would have potentially tied the game with 9:30 to play in the game, he fumbled, recovered by the Eagles for a touchback. Late in the game with Chesnee up, the Hilltoppers had a drive in which they were backed up to a 2nd and 30 situation. Trailing, there is only one play in the book for that – heave it deep. Holley did, rolling to his right and chunking it up into traffic 20 yards downfield, ending up picked off by Braylon Blanton to all but seal the win.

Chesnee will get back to their own state and county this week as they make the trek down 221 for a date with the Woodruff Wolverines.

Landrum did not need AJ Lindsey to take care of business this week as they hosted and vastly outmatched a very small and very young Asheville Christian Academy. The Cardinals rolled to a 63-13 win. Landrum goes on the road this week to face the West Oak Warriors – their third long road trip of the early season.