It’s “step forward week” for several area high school football teams, as a pair of marquee region matchups highlight our Week 8 action. If you haven’t had a chance to check out our first football power rankings, make sure you do and see who we’ve deemed as the area’s best of the best.
No doubt, though, some of those rankings spots will change after Friday’s action. Here are five games we’re keeping an eye on this week:
Benedictine (6-0, 1-0) at Burke County (6-0, 1-0): Burke County coach Franklin Stephens said he knew that the path to a Region 3-AAAA championship will go through Wayne County and top-ranked Benedictine — both teams that the Bears lost to last season. Well, Burke County’s already exacted revenge on Wayne County. That happened in last week’s 37-32 victory over the Yellow Jackets from Jesup. This week’s task is much taller as the defending Class AAAA state champions come to town. Add to that the banged up nature of Burke County’s roster, and a Benedictine offense that Stephens says is more potent than last year’s, and it’ll be considered an upset if Burke finds a way to win. Being at home should help, and as for finding a way to win, that’s been Burke County’s M.O. all season so far. We believe, at worst for Burke County, it’ll be closer than last year. Prediction: Benedictine 27, Burke County 21.
Hephzibah (5-1, 1-0) at Harlem (4-2, 1-0): No disrespect intended to the other teams in Region 4-AAA, but this game looks like it could easily be dubbed as the de-facto region championship game. Although Morgan County (5-1, 1-0) may have something to say about that later. At best, it’s a 3-team race between the aforementioned squads, and this game will go a long way in helping the winner take pole position in the region race while also being able to firmly control its own destiny. Hephizbah’s going to try to bring a level of physicality to this game that Harlem hasn’t seen yet. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have shown they can score in bunches against anyone. They’ll be tested heavily by a Rebels defense that’s giving up just a shade under 12 points a game, and you know the old saying — defense wins championships. Prediction: Hephzibah 28, Harlem 24.
Washington County (2-4, 2-2) at Westside (3-3, 2-1): When Westside was really good a couple of seasons ago, it was because it had a solid defense and a difference maker on offense. His name was Xzavier Green, and his 1,375 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns helped that 2021 Westside football team to a 9-3 record, a second place region finish, and its deepest run into the state playoffs in about 30 years. This year’s team may not be as comprehensively talented as the 2021 squad, but they’ve got an offensive difference maker once again at the running back position — a junior named Jeanarion Kamga. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound tailback has already rushed for 1,040 yards and 11 touchdowns through six games. He had 208 yards rushing in Westside’s 28-15 loss to Putnam County last week. He’s the spark plug for the Patriots. And we saw that WACO’s defense is a bit susceptible in its loss to Laney last week. Prediction: Westside 21, Waco 17.
Midland Valley (6-0) at Airport (5-2, 1-0): Not only is this Midland Valley’s first time back in action since a 77-0 drubbing of Swansea two weeks ago, Friday night’s matchup at Airport will be the Mustangs first Region 4-AAAA (South Carolina) test. They’ll go to West Columbia to face a solid Eagles squad that’s only lost twice this year. But those two losses were 49-0 and 56-0 blowouts to Brrokland-Cayce and Irmo, respectively. Brookland-Cayce is solid, and Irmo might be the best team in South Carolina by the time all is said and done. Still, Midland Valley wants to state its case for that same title. That starts with winning a region championship, and the Mustangs will have to beat Airport and, likely, North Augusta (6-2, 2-0) later this month to do it. Prediction: Midland Valley 45, Airport 21.
Saluda (5-1, 1-0) at Thurmond (4-2, 1-0): After some ups and downs in non-region play, Thurmond will have a chance to go 2-0 in the top-heavy South Carolina Region 3-AA. Thurmond’s tough non-region schedule has prepared the Rebels for a 3-team race for region supremacy with Saluda and Silver Bluff. Whichever team wins will put itself on the fast track to coming out of Region 3-AA as a No. 1 seed for the state playoffs. Prediction: Thurmond 28, Saluda 21.
