This is The Herald’s High School Football 411 for Sept. 6 and 7, 2018 games. Click on the links below to jump to a particular section, or just scroll down:

Week 3 game previews

What was the best play from Week 2 action?

These are the latest Hawgs of the Week

Area Stat Monsters, after three weeks of 2018 high school football

Bret McCormick and Jimmy Wallace talk about Week 3 high school football:

Moose and McCormick FB embed Week 3

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Game previews Week 3 embed

Ridge View at Northwestern (Thursday)

Last week: Ridge View was idle; Northwestern lost to Dorman 35-24

Last played: Northwestern won 58-31 (2011)

Key players: RV: QB Javon Anderson, ATH/WR Walyn Napper, LB Terry Carson, DE Deaundre Brown. N: WR Jamaar Moore, DB Keyshard McCroey, RB Antonio Heath, QB Dustin Noller.

Need to know: Northwestern is 0-3 for the first time since 2009. That team, coached by Jimmy Wallace, lost its first four games before hitting a hot streak and running to the state championship game. The big question again for the Trojans is whether standout Jamario Holley plays. The game against Ridge View is really meaningless as far as playoff considerations are concerned, so it may be worthwhile to sit the Gamecocks commit out another week as he rests his twanged hamstring.

Indian Land at Rock Hill

Last week: Indian Land beat York 14-9; Rock Hill lost to Chester 36-14

Last played: never played

Key players: IL: LB Dorian Williams (Coastal Carolina commit), OL Christian Ressalem, LB/DB Alex Murphy, RB/WR Tyree Sistare. RH: RB Narii Gaither, OL Devon Rice, OL Tyrek Banks, DB Zy’Quon Edwards.

Need to know: This game got spiced up a bit when a former coach at Indian Land apparently used an old Twitter account connected to the school to say that the Warriors were going to whoop up on Rock Hill just like they did York the week before. Damage control was quickly enacted on Indian Land’s part, with coaches calling reporters to let them know they would never post anything saying that on social media. Focusing on actual football, Rock Hill needs to get its passing game going. The Bearcats completed just five passes against Chester and struggled to stretch the field, and opposing defense.

Lancaster at Nation Ford

Last week: Lancaster beat Fort Mill 42-14; Nation Ford lost to South Pointe 60-14

Last played: Nation Ford won 14-7 (2017)

Key players: L: OL Jalen Tatah, RB Asont’a Clark, WR Zach Truesdale, LB Immanuel Bush. NF: RB Nathan Mahaffey, OL Aronde Smith, DB Petey Tuipulotu, WR Dewuan McCullum (Texas-San Antonio commit).

Need to know: Lancaster has two players (QB Kemarkio Cloud and running back Nygel Moore) averaging over 100 yards rushing per game and the onus will be on Nation Ford to do what no team has done this season: stop the Bruins’ ground game. A big Lancaster offensive line makes that even tougher, but Nation Ford showed ability against Conway’s big OL to knife into the backfield and make tackles-for-loss. Interesting that one of these teams blew out its opponent last week, while the other was on the receiving end of a whooping. Which team will have the right mindset Friday night?

South Point (N.C.) at Clover

Last week: South Point beat Forestview 46-20; Clover lost to Hunter Huss (N.C.) 21-14 in overtime

Last played: South Pointe won 28-0 (2017)

Key players: SP: RB Naseem Jones, DL Nolan Cochran, DB Devon King. C: DL Isiah Farmer, RB David Hall, WR Blackmon Huckabee, DB L.A. Adams.

Need to know: it takes every ounce of attention to detail to not add an “e” to the end of Clover’s opponent’s name. While this South Point from across the state line is very different offensively, the Red Raiders win nearly as much as the South Pointe with an “e.” With a few outliers, Clover-South Point games have been pretty close over the years. The visitors from Belmont are as run-focused as ever, but have a talented receiver in Ray Grier for when defenses get sucked too far in.

Camden at Fort Mill

Last week: Camden lost to Hartsville 35-21; Fort Mill lost to Lancaster 42-14

Last played: Camden won 28-7 (1995)

Key players: C: QB Bryce Jeffcoat, RB/WR Shymeik Corbett, OL Jason Harris, OL Josh Barnes. FM: DB Avery Wilcox, LB Cole Rasmussen, OL/DL Dominic Campbell, P Kyle Romenick.

Need to know: These two schools meet for the first time in 23 years. Camden played Hartsville pretty tough in Week 2, and hammered 5A Lugoff-Elgin the week before that. The Bulldogs use four different running backs that all average over five yards per carry. That’s thanks in part to a large offensive line. This will be a tough game for Fort Mill, especially if the Yellow Jackets don’t shore up their defense. Fort Mill running back Sebastian Lach has accounted for 41 percent of the team’s offensive yardage.

York at Dorman

Last week: York lost to Indian Land 14-9; Dorman beat Northwestern 35-21

Last played: never played

Key players: Y: LB Robert Dalton, HB Khalil Ellis, OL Will Boggs, RB Stephen Oglesby. D: RB Zack Hillstock, WR Jacoby Pinckney (Virginia Tech commit), OL John Gelotte (Duke commit).

Need to know: the Cougars would have loved a nice little cupcake at this point in the schedule, but instead they get a trip to “Dorman University” and its high school football shrine of a stadium. The Cavaliers’ team is pretty good too, and fresh off a narrow escape of Northwestern last week. David Gutshall’s team had to score 20 unanswered in the fourth quarter to beat the Trojans. But if York continues to turn the ball over freely as it has in two losses, Dorman may not have to wait as long for a scoring spree.

Chester at Columbia (Ga.)

Last week: Chester beat Rock Hill 36-14; Columbia lost to Cedar Grove (Ga.) 45-0

Last played: never played

Key players: CH: DB/WR Zion Mills, DB Dorrien Bagley, OL Keith Boyd, DT Quay Evans. CO: OL Marcus Gaye, Jr. QB Octavious Griffin, RB/DB Khalon Manuel, DB/WR Nehemiah Grier.

Need to know: Columbia, based in Decatur, Ga., plays in that state’s 5A classification. The Eagles aren’t one of Georgia’s perennial powerhouses, so Chester may have a shot on the road. Either way, it’ll be a memorable road trip for many of the Cyclones, and a good practice run for postseason game days.

Carolina Pride at Lewisville

Last week: Carolina Pride lost to Charlotte Latin 50-0; Lewisville lost to Great Falls 26-22

Last played: Carolina Pride won 40-14 (2014)

Key players: CP: RB Wanyae Freeman, LB Miles Staton, DE/WR Deontae James. L: RB Martez Moore, OL Wesley Williamson.

Need to know: you never know what iteration of Carolina Pride you’ll get, but Lewisville could sure use an easier one. The Lions have had about the toughest start possible, between injuries, suspensions and anything else that could happen, happening. Carolina Pride (1-2) has used three different quarterbacks in all three of its games so far, but as a team is completing just 38 percent of its throws.

Great Falls at Andrew Jackson

Last week: Great Falls beat Lewisville 26-22; Andrew Jackson beat Blacksburg 37-8

Last played: Andrew Jackson won 35-13 (2015)

Key players: GF: LB Scott Blackmon, RB Elijah Simpson, OL/DL Ubiel Ferrufino-Stanley. AJ: RB Jamie Hinson, WR O.J. White, LB Iverson Mungo.

Need to know: Andrew Jackson brings a 3-0 record into Friday night’s contest with the Red Devils. Todd Shigley’s AJ squad is averaging almost 40 points per game and will be a huge challenge for Great Falls, especially after last week’s emotional win over Lewisville. Scotty Steen has to get the Red Devils refocused for this game, easily his team’s toughest test yet. Two very good lower classification receivers in this one – Andrew Jackson’s O.J. White is averaging 99 yards receiving per game, while Great Falls’ Kelton Talford is starting to flex his muscles. He had a huge game last week.

3 things that stood out from Aug. 31, 2018 high school football actionThe Herald’s Bret McCormick talks about three things that jumped out to him from Aug. 31, 2018 high school football action in The Herald’s coverage area, focusing on Chester QB Zan Dunham, Lancaster QB Kemarkio Cloud and Indian Land’s big win.

READ: local college football wide receivers had a big opening weekend of the 2018 season

READ: de-commit diva? No. Jaylen Mahoney explains why he switched from Wake Forest to Vandy

Plays of the Week embed Week 3

Check out the Week 2 plays of the week from The Herald’s coverage, then vote for the best one below (or here if you’re on a mobile device).

Which was the best play from Week 2 high school football action?Check out a handful of the best plays from high school football action in The Herald’s coverage area Aug. 31, 2018. Kelton Talford, Gabe Carroll, Marice Whitlock, Isaac Ross, Nygel Moore and Dorian Williams made the big plays.

Plays of the Week Week 2 embed

The winner from voting on Week 1’s best play was Clover wide receiver Zion Robbins’ screen pass touchdown against Forestview. Check it out here.

READ: local QB set school record, earned Tri-County player of the week

Hawgs of the Week embed Week 3

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4A, 5A schools

Fred Reid, Lancaster – Lancaster’s rushing attack has been unstoppable so far this season and senior guard Fred Reid is one big part of that up front for the Bruins. He graded 92 percent with three knockdown blocks during Lancaster’s four-touchdown win over Fort Mill. The Bruins ran for 300 yards, with many of those coming right up the middle behind and beside Reid.

1A, 2A, 3A schools

Daniel Elkins, Chester – three-year junior starter Elkins was instrumental in Chester’s 36-14 win over Rock Hill, grading 86 percent with five knockdown blocks. The Cyclones ran for over 300 yards and four TDs in the win, with three of the four rushing TDs coming from Elkins’ side.

Nominated: Aronde Smith, Nation Ford; Tyrek Banks, Rock Hill; Kyson Chisholm, South Pointe.

Stat Monsters embed Week 3

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Rushing after Week 2 embed

Passing after Week 2 embed

Receiving after week 2 embed

Tackles from Week 2 embed

Forced fumbles Week 2 embed

Fumble recoveries week 2 embed

September 6, 2018 | Herald, The: Web Edition Articles (Rock Hill, SC)
Author/Byline: Bret McCormick, The Herald | Section: prep_football