South Carolina High School Playoffs: Mason Pickett-Hicks Shines with Historic Night as Top Teams Dominate

South Pointe’s Star RB Leads Five Key Takeaways from a Thrilling Round 3 of the SCHSL State Playoffs

In one of the most impressive performances in South Carolina high school football playoff history, South Pointe's Mason Pickett-Hicks rushed for 485 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-35 win over Daniel in the SCHSL Class AAAA playoffs. / Mason Pickett-Hicks Hudl

The third round of the South Carolina High School League state playoffs is complete. It featured, among other things, a jaw-dropping performance by South Pointe running back Mason Pickett-Hicks.

Here are five takeaways.

Pickett-Hicks puts on an incredible show

The South Carolina State commit had one of the biggest nights in South Carolina history for a running back in South Pointe’s 49-35 win over Daniel in the Class AAAA playoffs.

Pickett-Hicks ran 34 times for 485 yards and 6 touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior scored on runs of 1, 84, 65, 54, 39 and 34 yards. He has over 2,400 yards for the season.

This figured to be a marquee game and it didn’t disappoint. 

Daniel won last year’s Class AAA state championship and moved up due to realignment but the Lions still packed a big punch. Sophomore quarterback Grayson Clary threw five touchdown passes and the last one cut South Pointe’s lead to 42-35.

Pickett-Hicks’s final touchdown sealed the deal. 

South Florence turns the tables on Hartsville

Hartsville dealt South Florence a 54-35 defeat in the last game of the regular season.

When the teams met Friday night in the third round of the Class AAAA playoffs, it was all South Florence. The Bruins smacked Hartsville early, jumping to a 27-0 lead and cruised to a 49-21 win.

Quarterback Messiah Jackson accounted for six touchdowns in the big win. Jackson fired three touchdown passes to Lennix Valarie and one to Jayden Sellers. He also had a pair of touchdown runs.

The Bruins, who won the 2022 state championship and were runners-up last season, have won nine in a row.

Loris shows out on defense, wins 30-14

Keenan quarterback Desmond Washington threw for 430 yards and 4 touchdowns in a Class AAA second-round rout last week.

That aerial assault figured to pose a big challenge to Loris. But the Lions unleashed a powerful pass rush led by 6-foot-3, 305-pound tackle Damarea Thurmond and 6-foot-3, 250-pound end Jay Wilson and 5-foot-11, 230-pound linebacker Landon Conner, among others.

Washington spent much of the night getting sacked or scrambling. He did throw a long touchdown pass but was generally shackled. Patrick Bellamy had an interception that set up a Loris touchdown.

Loris quarterback Moon Gerald threw a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver Grim Lewis.

Dutch Fork keeps rolling

Dutch Fork has won two straight state championships and seven in the last eight years under the direction of legendary coach Tom Knotts.

It looks like yet another title is there for the taking.

Maurice Anderson ran for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Silver Foxes routed River Bluff 52-14 in the Class AAAAA Division 1 playoffs. Quarterback Ethan Offing threw for 181 yards and had two rushing touchdowns. The Silver Foxes had 559 yards total offense.

South Carolina commit Josh Smith blocked a field goal attempt and Jarvis Jackson returned it 76 yards for a touchdown.

Irmo keeps up

Knotts mused about the possibility of the town of Irmo having two state champions after the Silver Foxes outlasted the Yellow Jackets.

Irmo kept up its end of the deal with a 55-7 demolition of West Florence in the Class AAAAA Division 2 playoffs.

Quarterback A.J. Brand threw five touchdown passes and ran for two more. Maleek Miller caught two touchdown passes and had a punt return for a touchdown. Donovan Murph also had two touchdown catches.

Westside dominates again

Speaking of teams seeking repeat state championships, Westside crushed Camden 49-7 in the Class AAAA playoffs. It was a first-quarter TKO as the Rams, who have won 26 in a row, raced to a 35-0 lead.

Quarterback Cutter Woods, a South Carolina commit, threw five touchdown passes – all in the first half.