A look ahead at this weekend’s Rock Hill-area high school football games:
FRIDAY
Andrew Jackson (0-6, 0-1 Region 4 2A) at Chesterfield (5-1, 0-1), 7:30 p.m. — The bad news for Andrew Jackson is that Chesterfield has lost only once this season. The good news (maybe) is that it happened last week, and it showed the Golden Rams can be beaten. The Rams were hurt by two interceptions and a fumble last week. Andrew Jackson, meanwhile, is coming off a strong performance in a 21-20 loss to Cheraw. Running back Q. Hall led the Volunteers with a touchdown run and another score on a 65-yard kickoff return.
Catawba Ridge (4-2, 1-1 Region 3 5A) at Indian Land (4-2, 1-1), 7:30 p.m. — C.J. Couch and the Copperheads’ passing attack comes to Lancaster County after a 59-17 loss last Friday to Northwestern. Couch has thrown for 1,700 yards this season, which is No. 1 in South Carolina. WR Colton McCauley had eight receptions in that game. Indian Land is coming off a 36-27 victory over Nation Ford. Sequel Patterson ran for two touchdowns in that game, and Matt Kucia threw a pair of touchdown passes. The winner of this game remains in good position for a playoff berth.
Chester (2-4, 1-0 Region 3 2A) at Fairfield Central (5-1, 0-0), 7:30 p.m. — Chester’s defense, which shut out Eau Claire last week, is getting stronger by the week. LB Darrlyam Bexley has 62 tackles this season, with 12 of them for losses. DB Zeke Evans has four interceptions. They’ll face a Fairfield Central offense built around the run — specifically, senior RB Tydarion Grier, who has 868 rushing yards, five 100-yard games, and 13 touchdowns.
Dreher (3-3, 1-2 Region 3 4A) at Lancaster (2-4, 0-2), 7:30 p.m. — Dreher is coming off a 35-34 upset of previously-unbeaten Richland Northeast. Stopping Dreher means stopping the Blue Devils’ strong ground game, which produced four touchdowns last week. Lancaster will try to counter with its own rushing game, led by De’Markeyun Mobley, who has rushed for 100 or more yards in four games.
Great Falls (2-4, 0-1 Region 3 1A) at Lamar (4-2, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. — Junior QB Zon Pierce leads the Lamar attack, which averages 130 passing and about 150 rushing yards a game. The Great Falls offense has shown signs of life recently, with Tremaine Caldwell throwing a 71-yard touchdown pass to Jalyn Sanders in the fourth quarter.
Lewisville (5-1, 1-0 Region 3 1A) at Lee Central (4-2, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. — This game matches probably the region’s top two teams. Lewisville QB Zach Rogers scored on a run and threw a touchdown pass last week, and Jordan Strong made a game-saving interception in the closing minutes. The host Stallions have dropped from 2A to 1A this season and are a power. They piled up 517 rushing yards last week against Great Falls. QB Tremaine Caldwell leads their attack.
Nation Ford (1-5, 0-2 Region 3 5A) at Rock Hill (4-3, 3-0), 7:30 p.m. — Injuries are proving to be a big problem for Nation Ford, as both starting QB Carson Sanford and backup Emmanuel “Ey” Young were hurt in last week’s loss at Indian Land. The Falcons will need a strong quarterback to put some points on the scoreboard, because Rock Hill’s offense has been operating efficiently this season. QB Kason Canupp ran for a score and threw for another last week, and Kaiden Watkins ran back a kickoff 95 yards for a score against Fort Mill.
Northwestern (7-0, 3-0 Region 3 5A) at Fort Mill (1-5, 0-3), 7:30 p.m. — Fort Mill showed life last week, scoring 20 straight points after falling behind 28-3 to Rock Hill. Braden Mitcheson and Bo Blankenship provide Fort Mill with an effective ground game. Of course, the Yellow Jackets are facing possibly the state’s best team in the Trojans. QB Finley Polk last week became the third Northwestern player to pass 100 career touchdown passes, and he’s thrown for 1,615 yards this season. Kameron Vance (544 receiving yards) and Jayden Nichols (508) have been Polk’s prime targets.
South Pointe (4-2, 2-0 Region 3 4A) at York (2-4, 1-1), 7:30 p.m. — Fans across the Palmetto State are still talking about South Pointe’s 64-0 destruction of traditional power Camden last week. QB Cam McMillon, who has been injured part of this season and has sat out parts of other games because his team was so far ahead, has thrown for 1,042 yards in nine quarters of play. He has 6,775 career yards and is only a junior. York, which was idle last week, is getting good leadership from junior QB Tayshon Freeman, who is completing 61% of his passes this season.
SATURDAY
Georgia Force (7-0, 3-0 Pioneer Football League) at S.C. Spartans (1-6, 0-3), 4 p.m. — The visiting Blue Knights are probably the toughest team on the Spartans’ schedule this season. Junior QB Randall Fanning has thrown for 1,549 yards, and WR Wade Combee has 28 receptions for nearly 600 yards.
Weekend schedule
(all kickoffs at 7:30 p.m., unless noted otherwise)
THURSDAY
Region 3 1A
McBee (2-3, 0-1) at C.A. Johnson (1-5, 0-1), 6:30
FRIDAY
Region 3 5A
Catawba Ridge (4-2, 1-1) at Indian Land (4-2, 1-1)
Nation Ford (1-6, 0-2) at Rock Hill (4-3, 3-0)
Northwestern (7-0, 3-0) at Fort Mill (1-5, 0-3)
Region 3 4A
Dreher (3-3, 1-2) at Lancaster (2-4, 0-2)
Richland Northeast (6-1, 2-1) at A.C. Flora (5-2, 2-1)
South Pointe (4-2, 2-0) at York (2-4, 1-1)
Region 3 2A
Chester (2-4, 1-0) at Fairfield Central (5-1, 0-0)
Mid-Carolina (3-3, 0-0) at Columbia (4-2, 0-0)
Region 4 2A
Andrew Jackson (0-6, 0-1) at Chesterfield (5-1, 0-1)
Pageland Central (5-1, 1-0) at Cheraw (3-3, 1-0)
Region 3 1A
Lewisville (5-1, 1-0) at Lee Central (4-2, 1-0)
Great Falls (2-4, 0-1) at Lamar (4-2, 1-0)
SATURDAY
Pioneer Football League
Georgia Force (7-0, 3-0) at S.C. Spartans (1-5, 0-3), 4
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