South Aiken’s Kyson McLeod (7) looks for running room after making a catch against Gilbert.
South Aiken (4-4, 2-3 Region 4-AAAA) at Midland Valley (6-2, 3-2 Region 4-AAAA)
Last time they played
Midland Valley defeated South Aiken 41-14 on Oct. 26, 2024.
Keys to the game
Midland Valley’s comeback kids were at it again last week – sort of. The Mustangs led somewhat comfortably for three quarters against Aiken, only to allow 20 consecutive points to fall behind before answering the Hornets’ go-ahead score with a kickoff return for a touchdown that ultimately sealed the win. The end result was key for Midland Valley to stay in a third-place tie in the Region 4-AAAA standings, and this week will be even more crucial against a South Aiken team that’s looking to move up in the playoff chase. The T-Breds’ defense will have to be up to the task of stopping a Midland Valley offense that showed in spurts last week just how balanced and explosive it can be. South Aiken will want to make Midland Valley as one-dimensional at possible to keep those playmakers on the sideline. It’s never been a secret that South Aiken wants to run the ball, but the T-Breds haven’t been shy about putting it in the air this season. Quick-hitters were a big part of Aiken’s comeback effort last week, and that would be a good way to keep Midland Valley’s dangerous pass rushers from wreaking havoc.
Williston-Elko (0-8, 0-3 Region 3-A) at Wagener-Salley (3-5, 1-2 Region 3-A)
Last time they played
Williston-Elko defeated Wagener-Salley 25-24 on Oct. 25, 2024.
Keys to the game
Wagener-Salley is coming off of a potentially season-shifting win over Aiken County rival Ridge Spring-Monetta, and this week it’ll try to keep that energy going against another local opponent. It’s been a season of ups and downs for the War Eagles, but this week they’re coming into practice with a bounce in their step. For head coach Blaze Gillespie, his philosophy is to treat the next game up as the most important game of the season when it comes to practice. Winning the turnover battle was the biggest difference maker last week, and they’ll need to repeat that this week to find success over Williston-Elko. He said he doesn’t want to overlook the Blue Devils despite the struggles they’ve faced this season. Williston-Elko is still on the hunt for a win with just two more games left in the season. Head coach Kenny Lipsey knows the War Eagles will be bringing a lot of speed to the field, so their focus this week is finding ways to disrupt that while improving on both sides of the ball.
Gray Collegiate (6-2, 5-0 Region 4-AAAA) at Aiken (2-6, 1-4 Region 4-AAAA)
Last time they played
Gray Collegiate defeated Aiken 55-0 on Oct. 25, 2024 in a game that was later forfeited due to Gray Collegiate’s usage of an ineligible player.
Keys to the game
This week is another opportunity for Aiken to learn how to finish – finish plays, finish drives, finish games. The Hornets have shown so much fight this season, most recently in last week’s thriller against Midland Valley during which Aiken scored 20 straight points in the fourth quarter to turn a 19-point deficit into a one-point lead before the Mustangs answered with the game-winning touchdown. Aiken teams in recent years might not have battled back from a 31-12 deficit, particularly after a heartbreaking loss the week before and a blowout loss the week before that, so there are plenty of encouraging signs there for first-year head coach Steve Hibbitts. Now it’s time for this banged-up group of Hornets to learn how to take the next step, and it won’t be easy this week against region-leading and fourth-ranked Gray Collegiate. The War Eagles are loaded on both sides of the ball, and they’ve shown in recent weeks that they have the ability to put up a ton of points with the run or the pass.
North Augusta (7-1, 4-1 Region 4-AAAA) at Brookland-Cayce (2-6, 2-3 Region 4-AAAA)
Last time they played
North Augusta defeated Brookland-Cayce 56-28 on Oct. 25, 2024.
Keys to the game
No. 6 North Augusta is finding its stride at the tail end of the season as it looks to iron out the last few wrinkles ahead of the playoffs. This week against Brookland-Cayce, the goal is to avoid giving up big plays on defense. Offensively, North Augusta needs to focus on getting first downs and ending every drive with points on the board. At this point in the season, it can be easy for a team to lose steam after a long fall, but head coach Richard Bush said it’s one step at a time for the Jackets to stay in the moment. Their biggest goal every single week is to improve to avoid hitting a wall before the playoffs. The Bearcats are coming off of a loss to Gilbert and sit in fifth place in the region. While they have struggled this season with just two wins overall, they are able to stay in the game if they can get going offensively.
Fox Creek (5-3, 0-2 Region 4-AAA) at Swansea (7-1, 1-1 Region 4-AAA)
Last time they played
Swansea defeated Fox Creek 21-7 on Oct. 25, 2024.
Keys to the game
The theme for Fox Creek in the last few weeks has been learning to finish strong. While the Predators have dropped their last three games, they still had a chance to get the win going into the fourth quarter in two of them. Head coach Lemuel Lackey said the key to keeping it close again this week will be stopping the run against Swansea. Every team that they’ve faced this year has presented unique challenges, and the Tigers are no exception. Fox Creek’s defensive line has been a bright spot this season and has helped to limit explosive teams like Orangeburg-Wilkinson. Being able to disrupt the Tigers early to force them to throw the ball could be a game-changer with players like cornerback Mekhi Quiller waiting downfield for Fox Creek. Quiller is tied for first place in Class AAA in interceptions this season, and getting the ball in the air will be crucial to force some turnovers. Turnovers can be a momentum killer for an offense, and the Predators will need to play with confidence to shift the energy in their favor coming out of halftime. Swansea is also coming off a loss to Silver Bluff last week, snapping its undefeated start to the season, and will be looking for another win to improve its region standing going into the final week of the regular season.
Barnwell (2-6, 0-2 Region 5-AA) at Edisto (4-4, 0-2 Region 5-AA)
Last time they played
Barnwell defeated Edisto 34-8 on Oct. 25, 2024.
Keys to the game
Barnwell is still banged up with a lot of injuries to crucial players, but help could be on the way in the latter part of the season. The Warhorses had a rough night last week against fifth-ranked Hampton County, allowing 424 rushing yards in a 50-0 loss that was Barnwell’s sixth in a row. The Warhorses know they have to lean on their rushing attack, led by Nehemiah Brown, to extend drives and keep the opposing offense off the field. They should find more success doing that this week against an Edisto defense that allowed 389 rushing yards to Hampton County two weeks ago. That will go a long way toward keeping the defense fresh against an Edisto offense that showed in the non-region portion of the schedule against Class A opponents that it can string together scoring runs. Barnwell needs to prevent that confidence from building and then go right back to pounding the rock.
Saluda (5-3, 2-1 Region 2-AA) at Strom Thurmond (6-2, 3-0 Region 2-AA)
Last time they played
Saluda defeated Strom Thurmond 35-25 on Oct. 25, 2024.
Keys to the game
A share of the Region 2-AA championship is at stake for No. 1 Strom Thurmond should the Rebels pull out another tough rivalry victory. The Rebels climbed one big mountain with a 28-26 overtime win over Batesburg-Leesville to begin the region schedule, and over the last two weeks they’ve taken care of business against overmatched opponents by outscoring American Leadership Academy and Pelion by a combined score of 115-0. Saluda is an entirely different animal, of course, and the Tigers are coming into this one hurting after a stunning 28-27 loss to Ninety Six that dropped them out of the top 10. This game, as always, will favor the team that is more physical, and this Strom Thurmond team has taken a lot of pride in doing that this season to keep alive a long-standing tradition. The Rebels know they can’t look ahead to next week, and they’ve shown all season long that they understand how to tackle the challenge immediately in front of them. The Rebels have the balance offensively to move the ball however they feel is best, so it will be up to Saluda to figure out how to take away what’s been working to force the Rebels into uncomfortable situations.
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (6-2, 3-0 Region 3-A) at Blackville-Hilda (4-4, 3-0 Region 3-A)
Last time they played
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler defeated Blackville-Hilda 59-12 on Oct. 25, 2024.
Keys to the game
First place in Region 3-A is on the line as the league’s two undefeated teams square off, and the winner will be able to claim at least a share of the region championship. Blackville-Hilda has caught fire since starting the Class A portion of its schedule, reeling off four consecutive wins and allowing only 20 points in the process. The Fighting Hawks’ defense has taken care of business time after time, and that’s going to be especially important this week against No. 10 Hunter-Kinard-Tyler. The Trojans are loaded with playmakers that they love to get the ball to in space, and they’ve scored 44 or more points in a game six times this season. They’ve won their last three, all in region play, by a combined score of 190-13, so Blackville-Hilda will need to limit the Trojans’ big plays while also extending drives to shorten the game. The Hawks have a variety of backs to run the ball, with Kaiden Davis scoring two touchdowns last week, and Messiah McFadden is a matchup nightmare in the passing game should the Hawks need to pick up first downs in third-and-long situations.
Calhoun County (1-7, 1-2 Region 3-A) at Ridge Spring-Monetta (3-5, 1-2 Region 3-A)
Last time they played
Calhoun County defeated Ridge Spring-Monetta 14-6 on Oct. 25, 2024.
Keys to the game
While Ridge Spring-Monetta is coming off of a tough loss, the Trojans have an opportunity to get back on track against Calhoun County this week. As they look to get some confidence back, their priority this week is situational football, head coach Jay Brannon said. This includes more focus on special teams after giving up an 80-yard kickoff return last week against Wagener-Salley. Along with correcting mistakes on that front, the Trojans are back to the drawing board when it comes to limiting turnovers. While they showed some improvements when it comes to forcing turnovers last week with Jaiden Holloway’s 99-yard pick-six, they’re still working on protecting the football on offense to keep the momentum on their side. Calhoun County has only one win on the season against Williston-Elko and has struggled to produce offensively. While the Saints have had some success defensively, holding Blackville-Hilda to just 20 points last week, they’ve only scored an average of 6.75 points per game. Ridge Spring-Monetta has the edge with an average of 15.5 points per game.
