Week 6 of high school football begins Wednesday night in Aiken area. Here are the matchups

Barnwell (4-1) at Silver Bluff (0-5)

Last time they played

Silver Bluff defeated Barnwell 35-8 on Sept. 22, 2023.

Keys to the game

One of the state's fiercest rivalries should once again be a physical contest, but games like this often come down to who can win the mental battle. There's nothing more Barnwell players like than beating Silver Bluff, and vice versa, but each side can't get too caught up in that aspect of the game and risk taking themselves away from their gameplan. It's been a rough start to the year for Silver Bluff in terms of wins and losses, but Barnwell knows the Bulldogs have a rough-and-tumble defense and skill position players that can put points on the board in a hurry. Barnwell, the sixth-ranked team in Class AA, has talent and experience all over on offense, so the Silver Bluff defense knows it has to play sound and can't commit too many eye balls to one particular Warhorse. Barnwell did a good job of bouncing back from its first loss of the season to shut down a previously-unbeaten Swansea team this past week, while Silver Bluff suffered a lopsided road loss at Georgia small-school powerhouse Lincoln County. Both sides know, though, that those results won't matter Wednesday. Tuning out the noise and only playing the game between the sidelines will be key, and expect both sides to pull out all the stops to try to pick up the most satisfying win on their regular-season schedules.

Williston-Elko (3-1) at Fox Creek (3-1)

Last time they played

Williston-Elko defeated Fox Creek 59-39 on Nov. 6, 2015 in the first round of the Class A playoffs.

Keys to the game

Fox Creek and Williston-Elko will have to make a quick turnaround this week after their game was moved up from Friday to Wednesday night due to inclement weather. With both teams coming off of big wins last week, the key for this game will be how well the Predators' offense can overpower an athletic defense in the Blue Devils. Fox Creek has scored 164 points this year with while Williston-Elko has held opponents to 69 points. The Predators have found success all over the field in the last three weeks with receivers like Devonta Holmes and a quarterback who can run the ball in Nate Owens. On the other hand, the Fox Creek has held teams to a total of 46 points this season while the Blue Devils have produced 100 points against opponents. Both teams have started to find their groove going into Week 6, but their coaches are still looking for more improvement. Head coach Lemuel Lackey said he still wants more consistency out of the Predators and to see them play cleaner on both sides of the ball. Fox Creek has the advantage of being undefeated in its new home stadium as its celebrates homecoming this week. A win would put Williston-Elko at 4-1 with region play on the horizon and head coach Kenny Lipsey said the key will be to slow down the Predators' electric offense on Wednesday night.

Brookland-Cayce (1-3, 1-0 Region 4-AAAA) at Midland Valley (0-4, 0-1 Region 4-AAAA)

Last time they played

Brookland-Cayce defeated Midland Valley 42-0 on Oct. 18, 2019.

Keys to the game

Midland Valley has been painfully close to winning its last two games before the Mustangs ultimately dropped heartbreakers, the most recent one a 26-21 defeat against Gray Collegiate Academy in last week's Region 4-AAAA opener. The Mustangs have held leads and showed signs of being ready to break into the win column in each of those games, and Wednesday night presents another opportunity for the Mustangs to learn to be finishers. Midland Valley allowed 277 rushing yards and four touchdowns last week to Gray Collegiate's powerful run game, and up next is a Brookland-Cayce team that also likes to get the run game going. The Bearcats can also throw it around a little bit, which they did in last week's win over South Aiken, so Midland Valley's pass defense will have to be good for the second week in a row.

Ridge Spring-Monetta (2-2) at Whitmire (1-3)

Last time they played

Ridge Spring-Monetta defeated Whitmire 48-0 on Nov. 5, 2021 in the first round of the Class A playoffs.

Keys to the game

Ridge Spring-Monetta is building confidence after back-to-back wins, and in the last seven quarters the Trojans' defense hasn't allowed a touchdown. RS-M head coach Jay Brannon knows he has a defense that will keep his team in every game, and he's looking for a physical, disciplined performance against a Whitmire team that lines up in the double-wing for a methodical run game that shortens games. As such, the Trojans will have to be efficient on offense to maximize the possessions they do get. RS-M punished Eau Claire for loading the box last week, and the Trojans will look to do the same should Whitmire attempt to do the same. Sophomore quarterback Jaiden Holloway has emerged as a big-time playmaker for the Trojans, and after a 200-plus-yard, three-touchdown performance his confidence is only continuing to grow.