Week 10 Preview: Region Titles At Stake In Upstate

As the regular season draws to a close, there's still a ton to be decided in the Upstate. Here's a look at games in the Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, and Pickens area that will determine region championships on Friday. &nbsp; <strong>Dorman (4-4, 2-1) at Spartanburg (5-3, 3-0)</strong> The City Rivalry is always a big game, but it’s one that Dorman has dominated lately. This year, there’s more than usual at stake. The Cavaliers have to win to force a 3-way tie (with the Vikings and Byrnes) for the top spot, while a Spartanburg win gives the Vikings the Region II-5A title outright. Dorman has been led by a stingy defense with [player_tooltip player_id="89299" first="Hudson" last="Lee"] and <strong>Bo Roseborough</strong> leading the way up front. When the Cavaliers have been successful offensively, it’s been on the ground behind a massive line anchored by 2023 players [player_tooltip player_id="91355" first="Markee" last="Anderson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="202774" first="DJ" last="Geth"]. Spartanburg, meanwhile, relies on the big arm of [player_tooltip player_id="89339" first="Raheim" last="Jeter"] and a defense led by [player_tooltip player_id="89301" first="Judah" last="McJimpsey"]. The Vikings are in position to win their first region title since 2015 with a victory. &nbsp; <strong>T.L. Hanna (9-0, 3-0) at Hillcrest (6-2,3-0)</strong> There’s no intricate tiebreaker at play in Region I-5A: this is it. Hanna, the defending Upper State champ, has rolled through the regular season undefeated with a stable of backs piling up yards in their option-based offense. [player_tooltip player_id="91225" first="Kamren" last="Johnson"] does a lot of the damage for the Yellow Jackets, rushing for 430 yards. He’s one of two Hanna backs, along with <strong>Walt Smith</strong>, to top 400 yards on the season. <strong>Vashun Burton</strong> has added 358, and the Yellow Jackets average a whopping 7.4 yards per carry as a team. Hillcrest, meanwhile, has put together a good season under the leadership of QB <strong>Bennett Judy</strong>, who’s thrown for more than 1,800 yards and 21 touchdowns. <strong>A.J. McFadden</strong> contributes more than 150 all-purpose yards per game, and has 9 receiving touchdowns. &nbsp; <strong>Daniel (8-0, 3-0) at Belton-Honea Path (3-5, 2-1)</strong> Daniel has cruised this year, and the defending 3A champs want to head into the postseason by defending their region crown. [player_tooltip player_id="153264" first="Trent" last="Pearman"], [player_tooltip player_id="91140" first="Eli" last="Merck"] and company have looked unstoppable at times, rolling to more than 47 points and 400 yards of offense per game behind a line led by <strong>Watson Young</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id="146355" first="Bryce" last="Smith"]. BHP has struggled some during the season, but seems to have righted the ship just in time for region play. <strong>Eli Strickland</strong> and<strong> AJ Pendleton</strong> help to pace the Bears’ attack. A BHP win would force a 3-way tie for the region lead between these two teams and Wren, while a Daniel win would cement the title for the Lions. &nbsp; <strong>Southside (4-5, 4-0) at Powdersville(9-0, 4-0)</strong> Powdersville couldn’t be hotter. The Patriots are off to the best start in school history, and look to finish the regular season undefeated on Friday. <strong>Eli Hudgins</strong> has helped lead the offense to 43 points per game and is one of the most efficient passers in the Upstate, while [player_tooltip player_id="89333" first="Jalen" last="Rambert"], Prep Redzone’s No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class, is the anchor of a defense that has allowed just 14 points per game. Southside started the season a dismal 0-5, but has ripped off four straight region victories behind <strong>Chance Gamble</strong>, who leads on both sides of the ball for the Tigers. &nbsp; <strong>Abbeville (9-0, 4-0) at Christ Church (7-1, 4-0)</strong> It’s been the same old, same old for the Panthers, who are undefeated and on the brink of another No. 1 seed in the 2A playoffs. The A-Bone offense has been in full effect, with QB <strong>Zay Rayford</strong> leading the way. The Panthers’ defense has been stingy and opportunistic, and non more so than [player_tooltip player_id="91180" first="Jeremiah" last="Lomax"]. Lomax has returned an interception for a touchdown in five consecutive games, and his five pick-6s for the year is one off the NFHS record. Christ Church hasn’t lost since an early season setback against Atlanta’s Holy Innocents Episcopal. The Cavaliers have relied on an offense led by [player_tooltip player_id="104595" first="Grayson" last="Klue"], who’s rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns in just 8 games, and by a defense that surrenders fewer than 14 points per contest. &nbsp; <strong>Landrum (5-3, 1-1) at St. Joseph’s (6-2, 2-0)</strong> The Region II-2A crown will either be clear cut or quite a mess. With Legion Collegiate’s games not counting toward the region standings, Landrum, St. Joseph’s, and Chesnee all have a shot at the title. The Eagles are in the house at 2-1, including a spilt with these two, leaving this head-to-head matchup to tell the tale. Landrum can force a 3-way tie with the win, and will look to get it done with an option attack led by <strong>Jesse Bowers, Colton Link</strong>, and a strong, athletic offensive line with [player_tooltip player_id="91197" first="Ethan" last="Dugat"] leading the way. St. Joseph’s also boasts a punishing rushing attack, but it’s defense that’s the hallmark for the Knights. They’re allowing just 12 points per game, led by North All-Star LB [player_tooltip player_id="91213" first="Harrison" last="Scott"]. &nbsp; &nbsp;