Class 1A Lower State First Round Preview

Photo: Prep Redzone

Chris Dearing November 5, 2021 @ 12:42 AM

Class A Lower State has a number of teams that could end up playing the final weekend of the season. Covid restrictions have caused a lot of teams to play a shortened season, but each have started to peak with November starting. C.E. Murray, Lake View, Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Baptist Hill are the top challengers but a surprise team in Whale Branch or Branchville could break through with the right breaks. Here is a preview of the first-round matchups. No. 4 Cross (2-4) at No. 1 C.E. Murray (4-1) C.E. Murray QB Tyree Prunes leads the team in rushing and passing yards. But he has help in the form of RB Quentarius Grant and on defense from LB Quentin Grant. Cross leans on two-way DB/RB Caleb Wright. Both teams lost games to Covid and are just now getting into what would normally be the middle of the season. No. 3 Johnsonville (4-3) at No. 2 Branchville (6-1) Branchville only suffered one loss and that was to undefeated Bamberg-Ehrhardt. Johnsonville has won three in a row after suffering a 3-game losing streak. RB Daquan Burroughs is the top threat offensively. TE/DE [player_tooltip player_id="103787" first="Wyatt" last="Smith"] is a solid two-way player. No. 4 Estill (3-7) at No. 1 Lake View (8-2) Lake View has RB Marvin Gordon and Treyvon Bellmon but Gordon missed the last game. QB DJ Bethea has thrown for over 1500 yards. His top two targets are WR Shaheed Dawkins and Trey Page. Estill lost four of five to end the season. No. 3 East Clarendon (2-6) at No. 2 Whale Branch (7-1) RB Joseph Hicks is just shy of 1,000 yards on the season for Whale Branch. QB Kai’shawn Jenkins has played well for an offense that is averaging 30 points per game. East Clarendon has lost two in a row to end the season. No. 4 Hannah-Pamplico (4-3) at No. 1 Bamberg-Ehrhardt (9-0) It is uncertain if Bamberg-Ehrhardt will be without QB Gage Boykin. He missed the last game of the regular season. But the Red Raiders still have the likes of RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id="91201" first="Quincy" last="Bias"]. They have allowed less than 7 points per game with three shutouts Hannah-Pamplico is led by QB Zander Poston, RB Floyd Eaddy and WR Tae Sellers. No. 3 St. John’s (2-4) at No. 2 Carvers Bay (3-2) Carvers Bay has QB Kayshaun Brockington and a solid nucleus to build around. St. John’s must find a way to slow down the Bears high-powered attack. No. 1 Baptist Hill 54, No. 4 Scott’s Branch 20 Baptist Hill trailed 14-8 at the half but scored 48 second half points to rally for the win. QB Harold Gathers came into the game with 1,723 passing yards and 22 TDs. Baptist Hill improves to 7-0 while Scott’s Branch finishes the season 1-9. No. 3 Allendale-Fairfax (3-4) at No. 2 Green Sea Floyds (5-2) Green Sea Floyds lost the region title to Lake View in the final region game of the season. RB Colby Thorndyke paces the ground attack with RB Dan Johnson being a key piece as well.