Four local high school football teams make it to the state championship games

FOOTBALL ACROSS THE UPSTATE LEADING UP TO CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND. SEVEN LOCAL TEAMS STILL FIGHTING, JUST ONE WIN AWAY FROM A JOURNEY TO ORANGEBURG FOR A STATE TITLE. THIS IS A PATH THE WEST SIDE RAMS ARE FAMILIAR WITH. LAST YEAR, THEY SECURED THEIR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 1969 WHILE RIDING ON A 26 GAME WINNING STREAK. […]

FOOTBALL ACROSS THE UPSTATE LEADING UP TO CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND. SEVEN LOCAL TEAMS STILL FIGHTING, JUST ONE WIN AWAY FROM A JOURNEY TO ORANGEBURG FOR A STATE TITLE. THIS IS A PATH THE WEST SIDE RAMS ARE FAMILIAR WITH. LAST YEAR, THEY SECURED THEIR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 1969 WHILE RIDING ON A 26 GAME WINNING STREAK. AND THEY’RE AIMING FOR ANOTHER. THEY HAVEN’T TASTED DEFEAT SINCE LAST AUGUST. THE RAMS ARE POWERING THROUGH THIS POSTSEASON, OUTSCORES FOR THEIR THREE PLAYOFF RIVALS 153 TO 16. SOUTH POINT STALLIONS PRESENT A GREATER CHALLENGE, BUT IT’S HARD TO STOP A RAMS STAMPEDE. ON THE THIRD PLAY FROM SCRIMMAGE, HOT ROD RICHARDSON SPRINTS 47 YARDS FOR A TOUCHDOWN. RAMS LEAD SEVEN-NOTHING. LATER, SOUTH POINT DRIVES. MASON HICKS, WHO HAS MORE THAN 2500 TOTAL YARDS THIS SEASON, FINISHES OFF SOUTH POINT’S DRIVE WITH A THREE-YARD CATCH, TIEING IT AT SEVEN. NOW THE RAMS REALLY GET INTO GEAR. WEST SIDE IS BACK IN SCORING RANGE WITH TYROD RICHARDSON ONCE MORE, THIS TIME FROM SEVEN YARDS OUT. RAMS LEAD BY A TOUCHDOWN, THEN EXTEND IT TO TWO. IT’S 21 TO 7 AS THE SECOND QUARTER DRAWS TO A CLOSE. WITH TIME WINDING DOWN, CARTER WOODS, A SOUTH CAROLINA SIGNEE, GOES DEEP TO ARMANI WEAVER FOR A 50-YARD COMPLETION, PUTTING THE RAMS INSIDE THE FIVE-YARD LINE. ON THE NEXT PLAY, WOODS TAKES IT IN HIMSELF, DRAGGING A DEFENDER INTO THE END ZONE. THE RAMS EXIT THE FIRST HALF AHEAD 28 TO 7. THEY RETURN TO THE FOUR A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AFTER BESTING SOUTH POINT 35 TO 14. GO AHEAD GUYS, THE JOB ISN’T FINISHED YET. WE FACE ANOTHER CHALLENGE AGAINST SOUTH FLORENCE. I’M SURE THEY’RE EAGER FOR REVENGE AFTER LAST YEAR. SO WE’RE GOING TO WORK HARD THIS WEEK TO PREPARE FOR SOUTH FLORENCE. COACH LANE JUST MENTIONED THAT. WEST SIDE WILL TAKE ON SOUTH FLORENCE IN THE FOUR A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT WEEK, A REMATCH OF LAST YEAR’S EXCITING GAME THAT THE RAMS WON IN THE FINAL MOMENTS. WE’RE EXCITED FOR THAT ONE IN ORANGEBURG. THE PLAYOFFS ARE SPLIT INTO TWO DIVISIONS. SPARTANBURG AND DUTCH FORK CLASH IN 5 A DIVISION ONE. THIS MEETING MARKS THE SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS THEY’VE FACED OFF IN THE POSTSEASON. THE VIKINGS ARE AWARE OF THE TASK AHEAD. DUTCH FORK IS A DYNASTY GOING FOR THEIR EIGHTH TITLE IN NINE YEARS, AND THE SILVER FOXES STRIKE FIRST ON THEIR OPENING DRIVE. ETHAN OFTEN CONNECTS WITH BOYKIN BICKLEY FOR A 68-YARD TOUCHDOWN. THE SILVER FOXES LEAD SEVEN-NOTHING. LATER IN THE QUARTER, OFTEN HITS BICKLEY AGAIN AS DUTCH FORK ENTERS THE RED ZONE. A COUPLE OF PLAYS LATER, K.J. SMITH MAKES IT IN FOR DUTCH FORK, LEADING TO SPARTANBURG’S END OF A MEMORABLE SEASON AS DUTCH FORK SHUTS THEM OUT 24-0. THE SILVER FOXES WILL FACE SUMMERVILLE IN 5 A D1 NEXT WEEK. AT THE SAME TIME, 582 GAFFNEY VISITS NORTHWESTERN. IN THE FIRST QUARTER, TIED AT SIX IN ROCK HILL, KENDARIUS BAILEY TAKES THE HANDOFF, SLIPPING AWAY FROM A COUPLE OF TACKLERS AND DARTING 56 YARDS FOR A TOUCHDOWN. GAFFNEY LEADS 12-6. NORTHWESTERN RESPONDS IN THE SECOND QUARTER, WITH FINLEY POLK HITTING CAMERON VANCE DEEP FOR A 64-YARD TOUCHDOWN, PUTTING THE TROJANS AHEAD 13-12. GAFFNEY ANSWERS BACK AS SMITH PICKS UP A THREE-YARD TOUCHDOWN, PUTTING GAFFNEY UP 18-13. AFTER A TOUCHDOWN AND AN ONSIDE KICK, THE TROJANS HAVE THE BALL AGAIN. POLK KEEPS IT, SLIDING INTO THE END ZONE. A SHOOTOUT IN ROCK HILL LEAVES THE TROJANS ON TOP AT 58-40. DAN JONES ENDS A REMARKABLE CAREER HEADING INTO RETIREMENT AFTER OVER 30 YEARS AT GAFFNEY, 15 OF THOSE AS HEAD COACH. IT HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC RUN WITH GREAT SUPPORT FROM OUR COACHES WHO HAVE WORKED HARD WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT. THEY LOVE THE KIDS AND BEING PART OF A PROGRAM LIKE THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.

Four area high school football teams advance to state championship games

Seven local teams across six classifications competed in Upper State finals on Friday night, just one win away from a trip to Orangeburg for Championship weekend. The Westside Rams took a commanding three-touchdown lead into halftime and maintained their advantage, securing a 35-14 victory over South Pointe in the 4A Upper State, setting the stage for a rematch against South Florence next weekend. The defending champion Rams have gone 27 games without a loss since last September. In 5A Division 1, Dutch Fork delivered a 24-0 shutout against Spartanburg, as the Silver Foxes chase their eighth championship in the last nine years next week. In 5A Division 2, Northwestern edged out Gaffney 58-40, concluding the coaching career of Dan Jones at Gaffney. Jones, who announced his retirement prior to this season, wraps up over 30 years at the school, 15 of which were spent as head coach. He finished with a 140-53 record, securing two state titles with the Indians. (Video below: Part 2 of High school football playoffs – final week) In the 3A Upper State final (held at Hillcrest High School), Belton-Honea Path came back against the previously undefeated Mountain View Prep 30-22 in the fourth quarter, powered by three touchdowns from Clemson commit Marquise Henderson. Clinton surged ahead late to defeat Fairfield Central 32-21 in the 2A Upper State, marking their first trip to the state championship game since 2009. Abbeville triumphed over Lewisville 42-18 in the 1A Upper State title game, setting up a showdown with Cross next Thursday as they aim for their ninth championship in the last 15 years. State Championship Schedule (all games at SC State’s Dawson Stadium) 2A: Clinton vs. Barnwell, Thursday, 2:00 PM 1A: Abbeville vs. Cross, Thursday, 7:30 PM 5A D1: Dutch Fork vs. Summerville, Friday, 2:00 PM 4A: Westside vs. South Florence, Friday, 7:30 PM 3A: Belton-Honea Path vs. Oceanside Collegiate, Saturday, 12 PM 5A D2: Northwestern vs. Irmo, Saturday, 6:00 PM Below you will find live scores throughout the night and highlights once the games conclude. If you are unable to see the scores below, click here. PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0ic2NvcmVzdHJlYW0td2lkZ2V0LWNvbnRhaW5lciIgZGF0YS1zc193aWRnZXRfdHlwZT0idmVydFNjb3JlYm9hcmQiIHN0eWxlPSJoZWlnaHQ6NjAwcHg7IiBkYXRhLXVzZXItd2lkZ2V0LWlkPSIxODg1Ij48L2Rpdj48c2NyaXB0IGFzeW5jPSJhc3luYyIgdHlwZT0idGV4dC9qYXZhc2NyaXB0IiBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vc2NvcmVzdHJlYW0uY29tL2FwaUpzQ2RuL3dpZGdldHMvZW1iZWQuanMiPjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==

Seven local teams across six classifications competed in Upper State finals on Friday night, just one win away from a trip to Orangeburg for Championship weekend.

The Westside Rams built a solid three-touchdown lead going into halftime and never wavered on their way to a 35-14 victory against South Pointe in the 4A Upper State, paving the way for a rematch for the state championship against South Florence next weekend. The reigning champions Rams have claimed 27 consecutive wins, previously starting in September.

In 5A Division 1, Dutch Fork blanked Spartanburg with a 24-0 score, with the Silver Foxes pursuing their eighth title in nine years next week.

In 5A Division 2, Northwestern narrowly defeated Gaffney 58-40, marking the end of head coach Dan Jones’ time at Gaffney. Jones, who had planned to retire before this season, concludes his tenure of over 30 years at the school, the last 15 as head coach, with a 140-53 record and two state championships with the Indians.

(Video below: Part 2 of High school football playoffs – final week)

In the 3A Upper State final (held at Hillcrest High School), Belton-Honea Path overcame Mountain View Prep, who had been undefeated, with a score of 30-22 in the fourth quarter thanks to three touchdowns from Clemson signee Marquise Henderson.

Clinton surged ahead of Fairfield Central 32-21 in the 2A Upper State, reaching the state championship for the first time since 2009.

Abbeville dominated Lewisville 42-18 in the 1A Upper State title match, setting up a matchup with Cross next Thursday as they target their ninth title in the last 15 years.

State Championship Schedule (all games at SC State’s Dawson Stadium)