Week 3 Spartanburg and Greenville County Capsules

A couple of heavyweight matchups and some cross-classification showdowns highlight the Week 3 schedule in Spartanburg and Greenville counties. Here’s a look at this week’s matchups.

CLASS 5A

No. 1 Dutch Fork (1-0) at Spartanburg (1-1)

Last week: Dutch Fork beat Ridge View 35-13; Spartanburg beat Greenwood 21-14.

The series: Dutch Fork leads the overall series 7-1, including a 54-21 win last year.

About the Silver Foxes: There’s not a whole lot to write in this space that everyone doesn’t already know. The Foxes are good. Jaxon Knotts leads a balanced offense, Brady Lorenzo might be the best OL in the state, and Jayden Weurth is the biggest name on a loaded defense.

About the Vikings: Shorthanded and playing after an hours-long weather delay, the Vikings still found a way to get it done against Greenwood last week, scoring a late TD for a 21-14 win. Aryan Desai did a good job managing things at QB, and Mayson Whiteside stepped up at RB with 36 yards and a TD. Tre’gan Mickler caught the game-winner for the Vikings.

JL Mann (0-2) at Belton-Honea Path (0-2)

Last week: JL Mann lost to Gaffney 43-10; BHP lost at Daniel 45-7.

The series: BHP leads 2-1, all three of which were in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs. Mann won the last meeting, 20-13, in 2006.

About the Patriots: Of JL Mann’s 649 yards of total offense this season, 633 have come through the air. Gage Watkins has thrown for 560 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions. Tristian Shell has 16 catches for 266 yards and two touchdowns, while AJ Bush has 13 receptions for 177 yards and four touchdowns.

About the Bears: BHP is off to an 0-2 start for the first time since 2008. The usual run-heavy Bears are averaging just 2.5 yards per rush thus far. Freshman quarterback Rylan Crooks has completed 14-of-26 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns. More than half of those passes have been caught by sophomore Malachi Bohler, who had eight receptions for 175 yards and both scores. Senior Ty Dubose leads BHP’s defense with 15 tackles, including two sacks.

Catawba Ridge (1-1) at Boiling Springs (2-0)

Last week: Catawba Ridge lost to Fort Mill 38-17; Boiling Springs beat Riverside 34-13.

The series: This is the first meeting between the teams.

About the Copperheads: Catawba Ridge is going to sling it around, with QB Will Gambrill throwing for 350 yards already. Lucas McCauley and Colton McCauley are his top targets.

About the Bulldogs: Boiling Springs is off to a good 2-0 start, and it’s thanks in large part to a stingy defense. Dennis Glenn leads the way up front, Jamarcus Means is turning into a force at LB for the Bulldogs, and Tyvion Hall anchors a strong defensive backfield.

Hillcrest (0-2) at Fountain Inn (1-1)*

*Location: Wade Hampton High School, 100 Pine Knoll Dr, Greenville

Last week: Hillcrest lost to Summerville 45-28; Fountain Inn lost at Woodruff 32-15.

The series: First meeting.

About the Rams: Hillcrest is looking to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2011 with the first edition of what should grow into a huge rivalry in the Golden Strip. Hillcrest’s typically strong ground game struggled against Summerville last Friday as the Rams were held to 47 yards rushing. Jackson Free threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns, but was held to zero yards rushing on seven attempts the week after running for more than 100 yards against Dorman.

About the Fury: After arguably the biggest win in program history the week before at Greenville, Fountain Inn couldn’t maintain the momentum as it suffered six turnovers last Friday at Woodruff. Midway through the second quarter, Sam Holliday threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Ben Ruwe. That gave the Fury a 13-12 lead, but they only had a fourth-quarter safety the rest of the way. Holliday had 168 yards rushing and 150 passing. Fountain Inn’s defense was led by Gavin Pyles, who had three sacks and a forced fumble. 

Mauldin (1-1) at Class 4A No. 6 Westside (1-1)

Last week: Mauldin lost to Greenville 21-19; Westside lost at Jefferson (Ga.) 55-20.

The series: Westside leads 18-9, including a 56-10 victory in the last meeting in 2023.

About the Mavericks: Mauldin will try to rebound from a tough loss last week. After quarterback CJ Edwards ran for a touchdown to cut Greenville’s lead to 21-19 with 4:58 left, Edwards was sacked on the two-point conversion attempt. Sophomore Ryland Walton ran 20 times for 134 yards and a touchdown to lead the Mavericks. Tyson Smith had two catches for 81 yards, including the other touchdown for Mauldin. Josh Evans had 10 tackles, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss to lead the defense.

About the Rams: Westside will try to recover from a rough trip across the state line last Friday. The game was tied 7-7 early on before Jefferson scored five of the next six touchdowns to take a commanding 41-14 lead in the second quarter. Bear Woods threw for 249 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Rams. Tajeh Watson had six catches for 142 yards and all three scores.

Broome (0-2) at Woodmont (0-2)

Last week: Broome lost at Chesnee 40-20; Woodmont lost to Southside Christian in overtime 34-28.

The series: Tied 2-2 with all four meetings coming from 1988-91. Woodmont won the last one, 7-0.

About the Centurions: After rushing for 140 yards and throwing for 98 in the season opener, Broome quarterback Brayden Simpson was held to 27 passing and eight rushing by Chesnee. Cam McGill rushed for 76 yards, while Devon Brown had 72 for the Centurions. Bryson Martin led Broome’s defense with 12 tackles, while Nick Morgan had 10 stops including two tackles-for-loss.

About the Wildcats: After trailing 28-14 entering the fourth quarter last Friday, Woodmont got off the mat to score a pair of touchdowns to tie the game before falling in overtime. The Wildcats will try to shore up their rush defense moving forward as they allowed more than 300 yards on the ground last week.

CLASS 4A

Riverside (0-2) at Easley (0-2)

Last week: Riverside lost at Boiling Springs 34-13; Easley lost to Pendleton 45-42.

The series: Easley leads 5-1 with each game coming from 2004-11. The Green Wave won the last matchup, 42-0.

About the Warriors: Riverside continues to be the road Warriors this season as this will be the third different county it’s played in – none of which have been Greenville. In last Friday’s loss, Riverside was held to 63 yards of total offense including minus-34 rushing.

About the Green Wave: Easley is winless despite putting up 41 points in Week 1 and 42 last week. Sophomore Whitley Rodgers has thrown for 711 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Preston Bivens has rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns, while Leyton Scott has 11 receptions for 258 yards and two scores.

Lancaster (2-0) at No. 2 Gaffney (2-0)

Last week: Lancaster beat York 30-23; Gaffney beat JL Mann 45-10.

The series: Gaffney leads the all-time series 22-4, including a 49-7 win in the last meeting in 2011.

About the Bruins: Lancaster has shown some balance so far this season, with QB Fat Clinton leading the way for the Bruins. Shakeem Witherspoon has been his main target in Lancaster’s 2-0 start.

About the Indians: Gaffney is quickly finding an offensive identity on the ground behind an experienced line led by CJ Brooks. Amire White has been the workhorse, and Kendaris Bailey, a leader on defense, is the reliable short-yardage guy. And last week, TE Hank Davidson added a pair of touchdown catches.

Peachtree Ridge, Ga. (2-0) at Greenville (1-1)

Last week: Peachtree Ridge defeated Shiloh, Ga. 17-0; Greenville won at Mauldin 21-19.

The series: First meeting.

About the Lions: Peachtree Ridge is a Class 7A school from Suwanee, Ga. that has an enrollment of around 3,300. The Lions went 7-4 last season. Braxton Palmer has caught 13 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns this season to lead the Lions. Zain Belfield has thrown for 313 yards and four touchdowns, and rushed for 79 yards and two scores.

About the Red Raiders: Greenville held on for a thrilling win at Mauldin last Friday. The Red Raiders got a sack on a potential game-tying two-point conversion with less than five minutes remaining. Kiishawn Farrow has 395 yards passing and 103 rushing to lead Greenville. Kevarion Massey is its leading rusher with 164 yards. Jack Harrison and Ayden Burton each have 18 tackles to lead the Red Raiders defensively.

Blue Ridge (1-1) at Greer (2-0)

Last week: Blue Ridge defeated Travelers Rest 28-6; Greer won at Union County 52-0.

The series: Greer leads 22-2, including a 61-21 win last season.

About the Tigers: Brylon McCoy rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown to help Blue Ridge keep “The Jug” for another year in its rivalry win last week. Braylon Edwards caught two touchdown passes from Holden Powell also for Blue Ridge, while Cooper Smith made plays all over the field. Smith ran nine times for 87 yards, returned a fumble for a touchdown on defense and also had an interception. Max Gonzalez had nine tackles and an interception also for Blue Ridge.

About the Yellow Jackets: Greer raced out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and cruised to the most lopsided result in “Jacket Bowl” history last week. Calvin McCoy ran 13 times for 146 yards and three touchdowns, Zy Foster had 102 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, while Xavier Sammet had 76 yards on 10 attempts and two scores. Terrell Jackson returned one of the Yellow Jackets’ five interceptions for a 30-yard touchdown.

Wade Hampton (1-0) at Palmetto (0-2)

Last week: Wade Hampton defeated Southside 48-0; Palmetto lost at Crescent 37-20.

The series: First meeting.

About the Generals: Wade Hampton snapped the state’s longest losing streak in convincing fashion last Friday. The Generals, who had lost 24 consecutive games dating back to Sept. 15, 2023, jumped out to a 29-0 lead in the first quarter and cruised to the victory. Coleman Batson and Clamarie Kilgore each ran for multiple touchdowns for Wade Hampton. Brayden Oliver led the shutout effort with nine tackles, including four sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

About the Mustangs: Palmetto fell behind 16-0 after one quarter last Friday and could never make up that deficit. Bryson Arflin got the Mustangs on the board in the second quarter with a 16-yard touchdown run. Malachi Drummond accounted for both Palmetto touchdowns in the second half. One came on a 21-yard pass from Arflin and the other on a 47-yard run.

Travelers Rest (0-1) at Class 3A No. 8 Wren (1-1)

Last week: Travelers Rest lost at Blue Ridge 28-6; Wren beat Eastside 49-12.

The series: Travelers Rest leads 14-10-1, including a 56-49 victory when the teams last met in 2003.

About the Devildogs: Travelers Rest suffered five turnovers in its rivalry loss last week. Quarterback JT Pochard accounted for 191 of the Devildogs’ 271 of total offense. He threw for 86 yards and ran for 105 on six carries, including TR’s only score. Riley Broderick was Pochard’s top target as he caught seven passes for 66 yards.

About the Hurricanes: After falling behind 6-0 early last week, Wren responded with six first-half touchdowns to take a 42-6 lead into halftime and rolled to the win. Star running back Muntu Brown scored three touchdowns (one on a reception), while Jacob Owings passed for three scores. Preston Schilling had an interception return for a touchdown also for Wren.

CLASS 3A

Chapman (2-0) at Seneca (1-1)

Last week: Chapman beat Walhalla 61-6; Seneca beat Liberty 28-21.

The series: Chapman holds a 6-5 advantage all-time, including a 57-29 win in the teams’ last meeting in the second round of the 2022 playoffs.

About the Panthers: Chapman has yet to play a complete game – literally. The Panthers had a Week 1 game against Eastside shortened by rain, and hammered Walhalla last week to trigger the running-clock threshold before halftime. Ashton Moore has done a great job at QB, while Keilon Tucker is a playmaker on both sides of the ball.

About the Bobcats: Seneca fell to a good Powdersville team in Week 1, and got all they wanted from Liberty in last week’s win. The Bobcats are adjusting to a new head coach, and lost a ton of offensive production from last season’s squad. 

Berea (0-2) at Carolina (1-0)

Last week: Berea lost to West-Oak 17-0; Carolina won at Ware Shoals 24-0.

The series: Berea leads 22-18. Carolina snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series with a 21-6 win last season.

About the Bulldogs: Berea was held to 103 yards of total offense last Friday as it was shut out for the 18th time since the start of the 2022 season. Sophomore Isaiah Griffin rushed for 62 yards on nine carries to lead the Bulldogs.

About the Trojans: After clinging to a 6-0 lead entering the fourth quarter last week, Carolina scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away for its most lopsided win since a 47-0 victory over Berea in the 2012 season opener. Jaylen Patterson completed 10-of-15 passes for 114 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Tirecc Turner ran six times for 74 yards and a touchdown, while Bryson McMoore ran four times for 45 yards and two scores also for the Trojans.

Christ Church (0-2) at St. Christopher’s, Va. (0-0)

Last week: Christ Church lost at St. Joseph’s 27-21.

The series: First meeting.

About the Cavaliers: Christ Church will make a 400-mile trip in search of its first win following a heartbreaking rivalry loss last week. The Cavaliers saw a 21-14 fourth quarter lead disappear in the loss to St. Joseph’s. Judd Windham threw for 171 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 46 yards, while Michael Martin ran 32 times for 125 yards for Christ Church. Tristan Shell caught two passes and they went for touchdowns of 74 and 21 yards, respectively.

About the Saints: St. Christopher’s, located in Richmond, is the largest all-boys school in Virginia and was founded in 1911. The Saints went 7-4 last season and are currently the sixth-ranked team overall in the state by MaxPreps.

Southside (1-1) at West-Oak (2-0)

Last week: Southside lost at Wade Hampton 48-0; West-Oak won at Berea 17-0.

The series: Southside leads 2-0. Mike Anthony coached the Tigers to a 14-0 win in 1984 and a 29-0 victory in 1985.

About the Tigers: A week after snapping its 31-game losing streak with a win in the season opener, the momentum didn’t last for Southside last week. The Tigers fell behind 29-0 in the first quarter as Wade Hampton snapped its 24-game losing skid. 

About the Warriors: West-Oak is going for its first 3-0 start to a season since 1989. Carter Fountain rushed 29 times for 128 yards to lead the Warriors to their first road shutout of a SCHSL opponent since a 37-0 win at Crescent on Sept. 24, 2010. Cole Brucke threw a pair of touchdown passes to Rabb Sheriff also for West-Oak. 

CLASS 2A

Emerald (2-0) at No. 3 Woodruff (2-0)

Last week: Emerald beat Newberry 70-34; Woodruff beat Fountain Inn 32-15.

The series: Woodruff leads 13-4, including a 42-22 win last season.

About the Vikings: Emerald’s offense has been dynamic, with QB Beau Hite throwing for 700 yards in two weeks. He’s got a number of weapons at his disposal, including Greenwood transfer Desiray Christian, but the Vikings will be without leading rusher Chris Dean, who was injured last week.

About the Wolverines: Woodruff has looked just as good offensively. Connor Davis spreads the ball around, with Micah McClintock and Curtis Bell leading the way. Jaylen Lyles has taken over at RB, and is averaging more than 130 yards per game.

St. Joseph’s (2-0) at East Rutherford, N.C. (0-2)

Last week: St. Joseph’s defeated Christ Church 27-21; East Rutherford lost to Christ School, N.C. 50-14.

The series: First meeting.

About the Knights: St. Joseph’s snapped its eight-game losing streak in the series with rival Christ Church last Friday in thrilling fashion. The Knights trailed 21-14 midway through the fourth quarter when Sam Patterson broke free for a 49-yard touchdown run to help tie the game. Mack Rambo snapped the 21-21 tie on a 10-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds left to lift St. Joseph’s to the victory. Myles Norman had a key third-down sack on Christ Church’s final possession and finished with a team-high 13 tackles for the Knights. Patterson ran nine times for 86 yards and three touchdowns, caught two passes for 66 yards and completed a 16-yard pass. Rambo finished with 64 yards rushing.

About the Cavaliers: Sophomore quarterback Zeke Wingo has thrown for 175 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 101 yards. East Rutherford, a Class 3A school, went 9-2 last season.

Southside Christian (1-1) at Laurens (1-1)

Last week: Southside Christian won at Woodmont 34-28 in overtime; Laurens lost at Clinton 29-22.

The series: First meeting.

About the Sabres: Southside Christian ran the ball 61 times for 349 yards as a team in last week’s overtime win at Woodmont. Jaylen Samuel led the way with 177 yards and two touchdowns on 30 attempts, while quarterback Aaron Gilliam had 118 yards on 25 carries, including a touchdown. Gilliam also completed 6-of-8 passes for 91 yards and a score. Nigel Rock led the defensive effort with nine tackles, including three sacks, and a forced fumble.

About the Raiders: Despite a heartbreaking loss to rival Clinton last week, it appears that Greg Porter’s team is turning things around. Early in the fourth quarter, Laurens’ Logan Bragg hit Brayden Patterson on a 60-yard touchdown. Elijah Cheeks’ two-point conversion run tied the game at 22-22. It remained tied until Clinton got a game-winning touchdown pass with two seconds left. Travion Robinson ran just nine times for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Raiders.

Chesnee (1-0) at Columbia (1-1)

Last week: Chesnee beat Broome 40-20; Columbia lost to Lamar 33-8.

The series: Columbia won the only other meeting 21-20 in the 2007 playoffs.

About the Eagles: Chesnee had a huge night on the ground in Week 2, behind RB Marquez Franklin’s 188 yards on the ground. QB Evan-Reece Lawter added 150 yards rushing of his own, and is a dynamic playmaker.

About the Capitals: Columbia uses a platoon system at QB, truly playing two QBs. Darius Cunningham has one more passing yard, while Juleyus Perry has one more attempt. The’ve combined to throw for more than 300 yards and three TDs. Perry is the more mobile of the two, and has contributed on the ground. Nycari Kinard leads the way at WR.

Landrum (1-1) at Polk County (N.C.) (0-2)

Last week: Landrum lost to Ninety Six 28-26; Polk County lost to Newton-Conover 

The series: Polk County leads all-time 38-27-2. Landrum won the last meeting 43-6 in 2024.

About the Cardinals: Sophomore RB JP Branyon and junior QB Ian Patterson are creating some buzz about the Cardinals. They’ve combined to rush for nearly 600 yards already, and they average right at 6.5 yards per carry on the year. 

About the Wolverines: Polk County is led by QB Brody Wilkins and RB Styler Blackwell. The Wolverines have played a rescheduled game due to weather and a long-trip road game, and will be playing at home for the first time this year.

Capsules compiled by Jed Blackwell and Scott Keeler