High school football: This week’s best games, full Midlands schedule and predictions

Looking at this week’s top high school football games in the Midlands and picking winners for the first full week of the 2024 regular season.

AC Flora (0-0) at Westwood (0-0)

Players to Watch — ACF: QB Roper Wentzky, WR Kendall Byrd; W: QB Carrington Carter, RB Cam Cunningham

Notes — A.C. Flora leads all-time series and won 36-33 last year. The Falcons rallied from a 33-21 deficit in the second half to beat the Redhawks. Both teams are coming off losing seasons with Flora going 4-7 and Westwood 1-9. Flora receiver Kendall Byrd caught 66 passes for 1,069 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Westwood is moving up from Class 4A to 5A this season.

Prediction — AC Flora

Christ Church (0-0) at Hammond (0-0)

Players to Watch — CC: QB Tucker Hendrix, WR Jackson Repp; H: TE Mike Tyler, RB Manny Johnson

Notes — Matchup of state champions, with Christ Church winning the last two S.C. High School League Class A championships and Hammond winning seven straight S.C. Independent School Association titles. Fourth meeting between two schools and first since 1991. Hammond leads the series, 3-0, but comes in as a heavy underdog (34 points), according to High School Sports Report’s “Doodle’s Doodles” weekly picks . Christ Church receiver Jackson Repp had 1,537 total yards and 32 (27 receiving) TDs last season. Hammond TE Mike Tyler committed to LSU on Saturday.

Prediction — Christ Church

Gilbert (0-0) at Lexington (0-0)

Players to Watch — G: RB/LB Trevon Williamson, WR Krew Morris; L: RB/LB Matthew McAuley, DL Artem Kalinkin

TV — Wach Fox 57.2 and also streamed on WACH.com, the WACH Fox app, and WACH Fox Facebook page.

Notes — Seventh meeting between two Lexington 1 schools. Lexington leads the all-time series, but Gilbert won 14-3 a year ago. Lexington is 3-0 vs. Gilbert at home. Debut of new Gilbert coach Ozzie Exume. The Indians averaged 483 yards of offense and 42 points per game last season. Both teams are breaking in new QBs with Lexington starting Brennan Connor and Gilbert starting Connor James.

Prediction: Lexington

Oceanside Collegiate (0-0) at Irmo (0-0)

Players to Watch — OC: QB Aidan Manavian, DL Sawyer Arnold; Irmo: QB AJ Brand, WR Donovan Murph

Notes — First meeting between the two schools. Oceanside won the Class 2A state championship last year but is moving up to 3A this year. Irmo quarterback AJ Brand is a Virginia Tech commitment and set school records for total offense (4,045 yards), passing yards (2,932), touchdown passes (45) and total TDs (62) last year. Irmo averaged 49.5 points per game last season.

Prediction — Irmo

White Knoll (0-0) at Camden (0-0)

—Saturday game—

Radio — Kool 102.7 FM

Players to Watch — WK: QB Landon Sharpe, DB Devin Geronimi; C: WR/DB Jojo Crim, TE/DL Tanner Bracey

Notes — First meeting between two teams. White Knoll won a school-record 14 games last year and made it to the Class 5A championship game. The Timberwolves lost 27 seniors from last year’s team but have several key players back, including QB Landon Sharpe, RB, Tiyon Fanning, brothers Caleb and Devin Geronomi and offensive lineman Donovan Sims. Camden WR/DB Jojo Crim missed preseason scrimmages with injury but is expected to play this week.

Prediction — White Knoll

Game schedule, predictions

(Winner picks in bold face caps)

Airport at MAY RIVER

CA JOHNSON at Columbia

Cardinal Newman at ST. JOSEPH’S

CHAPIN at Catawba Ridge

Dreher at KEENAN

Great Falls at NORTH CENTRAL

Heathwood Hall at HANNAH-PAMPLICO

James Island at GRAY COLLEGIATE

LAURENS ACADEMY at Newberry Academy

LUGOFF-ELGIN at Lower Richland

Nation Ford at BLYTHEWOOD

NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN at Calhoun Academy

Pelion at WILLISTON-ELKO

Providence Athletic Club at AMERICAN LEADERSHIP (Bray Park)

ROCK HILL at River Bluff

RICHARD WINN at Oakbrook Prep

RIDGE VIEW at Fairfield Central

SALUDA at Crescent

Spring Valley at RICHLAND NORTHEAST

SWANSEA at Mid-Carolina

Union County at NEWBERRY

WW King at WARDLAW