Each week, The Augusta Press sports editor, Gabriel Stovall, will highlight five high school football games in the area to watch, while also providing his picks on the action.
The summer camps are over. The preseason scrimmages are out of the way. Now it’s time to play games that count. Football season is finally here.
It seems like the anticipation for it grows with each passing year. But this particular season for the Augusta area football scene is particularly intriguing, thanks to a defending state champion in Thomson and a host of other capable squads that could make deep postseason runs with players who are beginning to light up the recruiting trail.
On this season-opening week of action, we give you five of the area’s top games that you’ll want to keep an eye on.
Who: Thomson at Burke County
When: Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Burke County High School, 1057 Burke Veterans Parkway, Waynesboro.
Why: Obviously, this is the headliner for the week. I mean, it’s Burke County and Thomson — one of the CSRA’s most competitive football rivalries, and that alone is enough for the local football fan to get excited. These games are almost always close. Burke snagged a 24-21 win from Thomson at the Brickyard last year, which proved to be the Bulldogs’ only blemish en route to a Class AA state championship. But you know Thomson will be revenge minded. Lots of storylines abound here, including a new head coach pacing the Burke County sidelines for the first time in 16 years. Franklin Stephens returns home to succeed Eric Parker after his retirement, and he brings with him a lengthy resume that includes a pair of state titles at Tucker and eight region crowns across four schools. Burke has had to replace a few key pieces from last year, but players like junior A’merre Williams look ready to thrive under new leadership. Meanwhile, Thomson has way too many returning players to count them out of a state title repeat, much less a chance at rivalry revenge.
The Pick: Thomson 31, Burke County 27.
Who: Laney at Strom Thurmond
When: Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Strom Thurmond High School, 1131 Columbia Road, Johnston, South Carolina
Why: Much has been made about how well the Laney Wildcats played during the 2022 season, especially when it almost knocked off Thomson during the regular season. The Wildcats are a rugged bunch with coach Ronnie Baker who employs a physical “pound-the-rock” strategy offensively. The Wildcats should be bolstered by the return of Javaris Harris who starred on both sides of the ball during his junior season at Greene County. Meanwhile, it’ll be a staunch test for the Laney defense as it will face an experienced and talented Thurmond receiving corps headlined by 4-star Tennessee commit Braylon Staley. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior is considered the No. 1 ranked pass catcher in South Carolina. Laney shut out the Rebels 16-0 last year at home. But this looks to be a different kind of offense than what the Wildcats faced last year, especially due Heard transferring in. If nothing else, it should be an entertaining game.
The Pick: Thurmond 27, Laney 17.
Who: Evans at North Augusta
When: Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Where: North Augusta High School, 2000 Knobcone Ave., North Augusta, S.C.
Why: Let’s call this the “Discovery Bowl.” Why? Because, though it’s just game one of the regular season, this game could tell us a lot about the identity of two programs that seem to be sitting on the cusp of “next-levelness.” The Yellow Jackets will be looking to extend the good vibes that came with an undefeated Region 4-AAAA mark and a trip to the second round of the South Carolina state playoffs, as well as the return of a North Augusta alum as head coach. Meanwhile, Evans boasts one of the nation’s most highly touted recruits in offensive lineman Mason Short. Evans (4-7 in 2022) made it to the GHSA playoffs despite a losing record. But aside from a 50-14 early-season drubbing at the hands of Burke County, the Knights were competitive in just about every game. Rayshaun King is a proven player poised for a breakout season at tailback, but Evans will find out a lot about some of its new faces in key places during the early part of this season. Meanwhile, North Augusta hosts a plethora of intriguing talent — some, like promising transfer running back Beans Hunt, making their Yellow Jacket debut. These appear to be to very solid programs trending upward. Last year, Evans scored a 16-7 victory against North Augusta.
The Pick: North Augusta 31, Evans 17
Who: Aquinas at Jefferson County
When: Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Jefferson County High School, 1157 Warrior Trail, Louisville, Ga.
Why: This just feels like it could be “the year” for Aquinas to get back to its championship winning ways. The Fighting Irish have a strong senior class and one of the area’s biggest, most versatile stars in Clark Jackson. They enjoy the luxury of having a healthy starting quarterback in junior Jim Franklin and capable sophomore signal caller Jack Rhodes who played in all 11 games for Aquinas as a freshman last year, while taking over starting duties when Franklin went down with injury. Franklin who had an impressive, though injury-shortened sophomore campaign where he threw for 1,545 yards and 17 touchdowns to just two interceptions. Rhodes completed 70 percent of his passes for 1,273 yards and nine scores. Several key transfers are now on the roster as well, and the team just sort of has that look to it that precedes a banner year. This game could be a fairly easy win for Aquinas, but it will also likely give us an early bead on how complete of a team this could be.
The Pick: Aquinas 41, Jefferson County 10
Who: Midland Valley (S.C.) at Grovetown
When: Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Grovetown High School, 2010 Warrior Way
Why: It’s safe to say expectations have been significantly raised at Grovetown since coach Cory Evans’ arrival three seasons ago. The program hit its high water mark in 2017 and 2018 with its first, and only, seven-win season and second-round playoff finish. The next year Grovetown won a region title before slipping back to a 2-9 mark in Damien Postell’s last season as head coach. Grovetown’s gotten a game better in each season since, and if you hear people talking freely about the Warriors making a return trip to the playoffs, it’s largely because of the play and potential of senior quarterback Amare Clark. Clark is a true dual threat, passing for 1,116 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 520 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Midland Valley, a team that finished third in its region behind South Aiken and North Augusta, should provide a solid first-week test.
