North Augusta cruises past Midland Valley 44–6 to open state playoffs

The North Augusta Yellow Jackets continued their strong season Friday night, rolling past familiar foe Midland Valley 44–6 in the opening round of the Class AAAA state playoffs.

Just a week after defeating the Mustangs in the regular-season finale, North Augusta (10–1) left little doubt in the rematch, using a dominant first half and a stifling defense to advance to the second round.

Junior running back Jayden Hatcher got the Jackets on the board early with a 5-yard touchdown run at the 3:41 mark of the first quarter. A few minutes later, North Augusta’s defense added two more points when a bad snap on a Midland Valley punt attempt sailed out of the end zone for a safety, pushing the lead to 9–0.

Hatcher struck again on the ensuing free kick, returning it deep into Mustang territory to the 11-yard line. The Yellow Jackets capitalized quickly, punching it in from a yard out with just eight seconds left in the opening quarter to make it 16–0.

North Augusta extended its advantage to 23–0 at halftime, then cruised the rest of the way behind a balanced offensive attack and relentless defense that kept the Mustangs (7–4) in check.

The Yellow Jackets (10-1) will now turn their attention to Gilbert, who topped Bluffton 38–21 in their playoff opener. The two will meet next Friday with a spot in the third round on the line.