Predicting the South Carolina 3-A playoffs second round

See who High School on SI thinks will earn a spot in the second round

Mike Duprez | Nov 21, 2024

The Powdersville football team will square off with Woodruff in the second round of the SCHSL playoffs. / Powdersville Fotoball Instagram

A new champion will be crowned in Class AAA thanks to the latest South Carolina High School League realignment, which moved 2023 champion Daniel to Class AAAA.

Here’s what to look for in the second round.

Class AAA Upper State

No. 9 Walhalla (6-5) at No. 1 Mountain View Prep (10-0)

Mountain View Prep became an instant powerhouse in its first year of existence behind quarterback Bryson Drummond, running back Jaylen McGill and wide receiver Kadarus Hainsworth, among others. The Stars rolled 42-0 over Carolina Academy in their playoff opener.

Walhalla features running back Landon Robinson, who has 1,848 yards and 21 touchdowns.

WINNER: Mountain View Prep

No. 5 Crescent (6-4) at Christ Church Episcopal (6-4)

Christ Church, which won the Class A state championship last year, has won five in a row after a 1-4 start. Quarterback Taylor Hendrix and wide receiver Jude Hall have been making big plays all year.

Crescent drubbed Union County 45-16 in the first round.

WINNER: Christ Church Episcopal

No. 6 Woodruff (9-1) at No. 3 Powdersville (8-3)

Powdersville had a big win in the first round. Woodruff got a late touchdown by Aiden Gibson to hold off Pendleton’s upset bid 28-21.

WINNER: Powdersville

No. 10 Palmetto (5-6) at No. 2 Belton-Honea Path (10-1)

Palmetto pulled off a 29-15 upset over Chapman in the first round. BHP has been a juggernaut all season and crushed Southside Christian 63-20 in the first round.

BHP has some serious playmakers, including Clemson commit Marquise Henderson, Noah Thomas and Tajeh Watson-Martin on offense and Kelsey Miles Jr. on defense.

WINNER: Belton-Honea Path

Class AAA Lower State

No. 8 Hanahan (6-5) at No. 1 Loris (9-1)

This will be the first game for Loris in three weeks. Hanahan whipped Silver Bluff 35-10 in the first round.

Quarterback Moon Gerald, Quantez Dyson and Javon Johnson have made big plays for the Lions all season.

Running back Trevis Neal and wide receiver Dru Goldsmith lead the Hanahan offense.

WINNER: Loris

No. 5 Orangeburg-Wilkinson (8-3) at No. 4 Keenan (7-4)

Keenan blasted North Charleston 58-8 in the first round. The Raiders look dynamic with dual threat quarterback Desmond Washington, running back Hunter O’Neal and wide receiver Nykeim McNeal.

O-W relies on running backs Derrick Thomas and Jordan Avinger.

The two teams played in the regular season with Keenan prevailing 26-20 on Sept. 20 in Orangeburg.

WINNER: Keenan

No. 6 Dillon (9-2) at No. 3 Newberry (7-3)

Both teams won by runaway margins in the first round. Dillon is seeded lower because it is in the same region as Loris.

Jamarion Fling has been a dynamic playmaker his entire career at Dillon.

WINNER: Dillon

No. 7 Waccamaw (6-4) at No. 2 Oceanside Collegiate Academy (7-3)

Waccamaw has had a breakthrough season after winning three games last year. OCA has gotten better as the year has progressed and routed Fox Creek 56-14 in the first round.

Two of OCA’s losses have been to Irmo and Dutch Fork. Sophomore quarterback Aiden Manavian already has Division I offers.

WINNER: Oceanside Collegiate Academy

Published Nov 21, 2024

MIKE DUPREZ

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.