South Aiken comes into this game finally having something to feel good about following last week's win over rival Aiken, a performance that frustrated head coach Chris Hamilton in the immediate aftermath but looked better once he got a chance to analyze the film. A couple of fumbles, including one on the goal line, and a turnover on downs in the red zone showed that the T-Breds moved the ball a little better than the 26 points on the board may have indicated. Star senior running back Jevon Edwards went for 338 yards and four touchdowns, and Airport finds itself in the same spot as everyone else South Aiken has faced this year in terms of knowing he's going to get his yards -- it's just a matter of limiting the number of times the defense gets burned by those touchdown runs of 70 yards or more. South Aiken's defense allowed next to nothing after a pair of first-half touchdowns, and up next is an Airport offense with a young, athletic quarterback who's shown improvement by the week. South Aiken would know -- this was the game scheduled for the week Hurricane Helene hit, so this isn't the first time the T-Breds have prepared for the Eagles. Both have to feel like a win gives them valuable momentum heading toward the playoffs, where anything can happen.
Friday
Gray Collegiate (7-2, 6-0 Region 4-AAAA) at North Augusta (8-1, 6-0 Region 4-AAAA)
Last time they played
This is the first meeting between the two programs.
Keys to the game
Region 4-AAAA will be decided on Friday night with a matchup of No. 8 Gray Collegiate Academy and No. 5 North Augusta, both of which are undefeated in league play. The matchup was originally scheduled at the beginning of October but was moved to the last game of the regular season because of Helene. The Jackets are coming off of a dominant win over county rival Midland Valley on Friday where the offense and defense shined. Not only does North Augusta bring standout running back Michael Doe to the table on Friday, but quarterback Corey Tillman showed strides in his passing game against the Mustangs. With a variety of targets for Tillman to choose from, including the return of Shrine Bowl wide receiver Connor Brown, North Augusta will have different options offensively. And the Jackets will need it against a Gray Collegiate team that has shut out its last two opponents in Aiken and Brookland-Cayce. The War Eagles have only allowed 40 points compared to the 99 points North Augusta has allowed in region play. North Augusta head coach Richard Bush knows the Jackets will have to play well at the line of scrimmage to see success defensively against the War Eagles and control the run. They also hold the edge in offensive production with 285 points scored in region play while the Jackets have scored 237. North Augusta will need to limit turnovers and capitalize on every possession to rack up the score against a defensively tough Gray Collegiate team.
Silver Bluff has become one of the turnaround stories of the entire state, and the Bulldogs have no interest in stopping that narrative this week against their mirror mascots. Newberry, the eighth-ranked team in Class AAA, is alone atop the Region 4-AAA standings at 3-0, but this is the region title game because Silver Bluff, which lost its first seven games of the season, has won its last two and, with a win, would own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Silver Bluff has scored 90 points in its last two games after scoring 81 in the previous seven. The offense has come alive the last two weeks, and it's helped that both of those wins have been ones where all three phases of the game made an appearance. Last week against Fox Creek, the run game was powerful, the defense was unyielding and the special teams generated multiple scores. That's a tough formula to beat, but it's one Newberry hasn't allowed opponents to put together. Newberry shut out both Fox Creek and Swansea while allowing only 20 points to Keenan's high-flying offense, and Newberry boasts a balanced unit of its own. The passing game produced three touchdowns, including one to University of South Carolina tight end commit Jamel Howse, last week and the running game added a couple. Silver Bluff's defense will have to be ready to disrupt a Newberry team that has been held below 37 points only once this season.
Batesburg-Leesville (9-0, 4-0 Region 2-AA) at Strom Thurmond (6-2, 3-1 Region 2-AA)
Last time they played
Strom Thurmond defeated Batesburg-Leesville 44-14 on Sept. 29, 2023.
Keys to the game
The stakes are always high when Strom Thurmond and Batesburg-Leesville meet -- this one just has Region 2-AA title implications added to it. No. 1 Batesburg-Leesville can clinch the region championship outright with a win, while ninth-ranked Strom Thurmond can complicate things with a win. That would tie the two at 4-1 in the region, and they can expect to be joined by No. 5 Saluda, which lost to Batesburg-Leesville last week and is playing winless American Leadership Academy on Friday. Strom Thurmond's defense has been the mainstay during back-to-back region championships, and it's going to have to be at its physical, hard-hitting best against an explosive Panthers offense with record-setting quarterback Tanner Watkins and Amadre Wooden leading a powerful run game. Strom Thurmond has a strong rushing attack of its own, and the Rebels will lean on their variety of options behind a physical, veteran offensive line. Strom Thurmond will have to achieve some balance to keep Batesburg-Leesville's defense on its toes, and stringing together first downs to keep the Panthers' offense on the sideline will be key.
Blackville-Hilda (7-2, 3-1 Region 3-A) at Ridge Spring-Monetta (5-4, 2-2 Region 3-A)
Last time they played
Blackville-Hilda defeated Ridge Spring-Monetta 54-35 on Oct. 6, 2023.
Keys to the game
The Region 3-A championship has already been decided, with No. 4 Hunter-Kinard-Tyler putting on the crown after last week's 60-8 win over Ridge Spring-Monetta. However, second place is still on the table. Seventh-ranked Blackville-Hilda currently is alone in second, but RS-M can force a three-way tie between those two and Calhoun County, which has already wrapped up its regular-season schedule, with a win. RS-M is focused on controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball against a Blackville-Hilda team that routinely has the upper hand in the trenches. The Trojans have relied on their defense all season long, and the key now will be how well the offense can back them up. The meeting between these two last year was tight before Jaquel Holman took over to lead the Fighting Hawks to a 54-35 win. The University of South Carolina commit ran for 247 yards and four touchdowns on only 12 carries, and quarterback Samari Williams threw two touchdown passes. Those two have been up to their usual tricks all season long, and the Hawks have had other offensive playmakers emerge, so the Trojans know they'll need another strong performance from their defense.