Week 2 Previews: Spartanburg Area

CLASS 5A

No. 4 Gaffney (1-1) at Greenville (1-1)

Former Greenville quarterback Banks Bouton returns to Sirrine Stadium as part of what’s been a two-man rotation for Gaffney. Jayvon Gilmore, who’s committed to Arkansas, threw every pass in the Indians’ 28-0 win over JL Mann last Friday. Meanwhile, Bouton led Gaffney in rushing with 91 yards on eight carries, including a touchdown. Indians’ lineman Jaleel Tate and linebackers Kendaris Bailey and Zyon Ratchford helped limit Mann to 126 total yards of offense in the shutout.

After being shut out by Dorman two weeks ago, Greenville got one of its own last Friday with a 28-0 win at Riverside. Junior Julian Renwick led the defensive effort with a monster night. He had four sacks, three other tackles-for-loss and six hurries. Making his first start at quarterback, Kiishawn Farrow ran for a pair of touchdowns to lead the Red Raiders’ offense.

No. 5 Greenwood (1-0) at No. 7 Dorman (2-0)

Following tight, defensive struggles each of the past two seasons in this series, Friday’s matchup has the makings of another that could go down to the wire. After losing at Greenwood 10-7 in 2023, Dorman won 20-14 there last season. The Cavaliers are off to a 2-0 start thanks to stingy defense that has allowed just seven points and standout junior running back Nick Means. Means has rushed for 282 yards and six touchdowns this season.

Greenwood raced out to a 41-0 halftime lead in its season opener last week and cruised to a 48-8 win over Beaufort. Eagles’ quarterback Triston Lewis, who’s committed to South Carolina as a defensive back, completed 11-of-15 passes for 141 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, and also ran for a touchdown.

Chapman (0-2) at Boiling Springs (1-1)

Boiling Springs and Chapman look to rebound from close road losses a week ago. Bulldogs safety Tavion Hall had two interceptions, including his second pick-six in as many weeks, but the offense was shut out over the final three quarters in a 21-14 loss at Mauldin last Friday. Tre’Sean Suber had five catches for 84 yards to lead Boiling Springs’ offense.

Chapman quarterback Bryson Cothran ran for a four-yard touchdown with two minutes left last Friday to cut St. Joseph’s lead to one. Cothran’s two-point pass fell incomplete and the Panthers weren’t able to recover the onside kick as they lost, 35-34. In addition to his rushing score, Cothran threw for three touchdowns and finished with 293 yards passing. Nazar Ackbar had touchdown catches of 48 and 53 yards, respectively, in the second half for Chapman.

Broome (1-1) at Spartanburg (0-2)

Opening the season by facing the top two ranked teams in Class 5A has knocked Spartanburg out of the poll with an 0-2 mark. Despite the fierce competition, Vikings running back Trenton Lynch has ran wild. Lynch has rushed 36 times for 281 yards and three touchdowns this season. At top-ranked Dutch Fork last Friday, Spartanburg led for portions of the first half before trailing 27-21 at the break. It was all Silver Foxes in the second half though. That included a 21-0 fourth quarter as Dutch Fork pulled away for a 54-21 victory. The Foxes had 341 yards rushing and ran for six touchdowns.

Broome jumped out to a 28-12 lead at the half and didn’t score in the second half, but managed to pull out a 35-34 overtime victory against Chesnee last week. Tyqwon Booker rushed for 219 yards and three touchdowns, including the overtime score, for the Centurions. Meanwhile, linebacker Nick Morgan had 14 tackles and a quarterback hurry that assisted Chesnee’s incomplete pass on its two-point conversion attempt in overtime.

CLASS 3A

No. 2 Woodruff (2-0) at Emerald (2-0)

A battle of unbeatens is set for Greenwood Friday as Woodruff takes its first road test of the season. While Friday might not have as many fireworks as last year’s wild 62-35 victory by the Wolverines, the firepower is still there. None are more powerful than Woodruff standout running back Aiden Gibson, who leads the team in rushing (197 yards), receiving (184 yards), rushing touchdowns (three) and receiving touchdowns (two). Senior Shaun Graybill has 18 tackles and a pair of sacks to lead Woodruff’s defense.

Sophomore quarterback Beau Hite has thrown for 217 yards and rushed for 50 for Emerald this season. Desean Brewer has 11 tackles and three interceptions for a Vikings’ defense that has allowed just seven points this season.

St. Joseph’s (2-0) at No. 4 Mountain View (2-0)

It will be another battle of unbeatens at North Greenville Friday. Mountain View is led by the dynamic duo of Makorean Anderson and KD Hainsworth. In last week’s 43-14 win at Southside Christian, Anderson passed for 238 yards and a touchdown and ran six times for 50 yards and three scores. Hainsworth had five receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown. All that damage was done in the first half, as the starters didn’t play after halftime.

St. Joseph’s is coming off a thrilling 35-34 win over Chapman last Friday. Mack Rambo rushed 33 times for 256 yards in the win. His fourth touchdown gave the Knights a 35-28 lead midway through the fourth quarter. After Chapman scored with two minutes left, its two-point conversion pass fell incomplete. St. Joseph’s Josh Lyons recovered the ensuing onside kick to preserve the win.

CLASS 2A

Blacksburg (0-2) at Chase (NC) (0-1)

Perhaps a short trip to the Tar Heel state will be good for what’s ailing Blacksburg, which has been outscored 85-12 this season after last Friday’s 41-6 home loss to East Rutherford (NC). The Wildcats have brought home a victory on each of their previous three trips across the state line, including wins in 2024 and 2023. Blacksburg leads the series, 4-0, all of which came from 1960-63.

Chesnee (1-1) at Walhalla (0-2)

Chesnee will look to rebound from a heartbreaking 35-34 overtime loss at Broome last Friday. After trailing 28-12 at the half and by the same score entering the fourth quarter, the Eagles came up with two touchdowns and two two-point conversions, the last occurring with 43 seconds left to force overtime. In overtime, they couldn’t make it three consecutive two-pointers converted as their pass fell incomplete on the game’s final snap. Quarterback Evan-Reece Lawter has thrown for 153 yards and rushed for 298 this season to lead Chesnee.

Walhalla will be trying to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2010. The Razorbacks are coming off a 70-28 loss at Pickens last Friday. 

Landrum (2-0) at Ware Shoals (2-0)

Under new head coach Mike Reid, Landrum is going for its first 3-0 start to a season since 2011. Last week, the Cardinals jumped out to a 33-0 halftime lead and went on to a 39-0 win over Berea. AJ Lindsey has rushed for 202 yards this season to lead Landrum. Braylon Revis leads the Cardinals in receiving with nine catches for 139 yards and a touchdown and has also rushed for four scores.

Ware Shoals, which hasn’t won more than four games since 2013, is trying for its first 3-0 start since going 10-2 in 2003. Tyrell Cunningham has done a little bit of everything for the Hornets, who are coming off a 36-28 win at Ninety Six. Two games into his senior season, Cunningham has a 78-yard touchdown pass, a touchdown run, 13 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, a sack, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a blocked punt.