Class 3A Upper State Playoff Preview

The 3A classification just might be the most competitive in the state. Two of the No. 1 seeds are undefeated, and two of the No. 2 seeds are among the favorites to make deep playoff runs. Daniel, the defending state champion, has been ranked No. 1 all season, most weeks unanimously, but Chapman and Chester both have designs on the Upper State title, Clinton is capable of bending other teams to its will, and upstarts Powdersville and Lower Richland look to translate excellent regular seasons into playoff success. Here's a look at the entire 3A Upper State bracket: <strong>No. 4 Blue Ridge (2-7) at No. 1 Chapman (7-2)</strong> The Tigers put together a good performance in the last game of the season to beat Berea and claim the No. 4 spot from Region II-3A. <strong>Braeden Enloe</strong> has been a bright spot for Blue Ridge, and the Tigers’ running game goes through him. Chapman’s explosive offense has put up records this season: led by a deep and talented line, <strong>Derrick Miller</strong> broke the single-game rushing record last week. [player_tooltip player_id="153245" first="DJ" last="Black"] took down the single-game receiving mark earlier this year, and [player_tooltip player_id="153248" first="Drew" last="Settle"] has the single season marks for touchdowns and passing yards. &nbsp; <strong>No. 3 Belton-Honea Path (4-6) at No. 2 Chester (6-4)</strong> The Bears struggled early, got hot as region play began, and dropped their final two to fall to third place in Region I-3A. BHP relies on QB AJ Pendleton, who’s turned into one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the area. Chester took second place in Region IV-3A, and have been sparked by the play of [player_tooltip player_id="59469" first="Zan" last="Dunham"]. Dunham has more than 1,000 yards of total offense from his QB position, while leading the Cyclones on the defensive side of the ball as well. &nbsp; <strong>No. 4 Broome (4-6) at No. 1 Powdersville (10-0)</strong> This game is a first-round rematch, as the teams met back in Week 0, with Powdersville taking a 46-28 win. The Centurions have been explosive on offense this season, piling up 36 points per game. [player_tooltip player_id="91250" first="Dylan" last="Ramirez"] (pictured) is responsible for a lot of that damage, with nearly 3,700 combined offensive yards. <strong>Jamir Dewberry</strong> has contributed more than 1,500 all-purpose yards for Broome. Powdersville is enjoying the best season in school history, led in part by RB [player_tooltip player_id="91152" first="Thomas" last="Williams"] and by standout LB [player_tooltip player_id="89333" first="Jalen" last="Rambert"], along with North All-Star <strong>Angus Fisher</strong>. &nbsp; <strong>No. 3 Fairfield Central (5-3) at No. 2 Wren (5-5)</strong> The Griffins have been led by [player_tooltip player_id="91203" first="Stephon" last="Gadsden"], who’s thrown for nearly 1,000 yards and rushed for 500 more, and who’s accounted for 16 total touchdowns. <strong>Samaj Young</strong> provides some punch as well, with more than 400 yards rushing and four scores. The Hurricanes had a dreadful start, but have bounced back behind freshman QB <strong>Gavin Owens</strong> and junior [player_tooltip player_id="202753" first="Trey" last="Horne"], who’s played QB, RB, and WR for Wren, accounting for nearly 800 all-purpose yards. &nbsp; <strong>No. 4 Keenan (4-3) and No. 1 Daniel (9-0)</strong> Hernandez O’neal has put up a big season for the Raiders, throwing for more than 1,500 yards and accounting for 19 total touchdowns. Three Keenan receivers have at least 330 yards, and RB [player_tooltip player_id="103634" first="Marquece" last="Williams"] has topped the 1,000-yard mark. However, the Raiders will have some work to do to defeat reigning 3A champion Daniel. The Lions are undefeated at 9-0, and average 46 points and more than 400 yards of offense per contest behind reigning Gatorade Player of the Year [player_tooltip player_id="153264" first="Trent" last="Pearman"]. &nbsp; <strong>No. 3 Woodruff (4-4) at No. 2 Southside (4-6)</strong> The Wolverines suffered a big loss during the middle of the season, losing starting QB <strong>Carson Tucker</strong>. He’s bounced back, and <strong>Damarrian Elmore</strong> has stepped up to shoulder the load at RB, making the Wolverines a dangerous 3 seed. Southside reeled off four straight region wins before falling to Powdersville to claim the No. 2 seed. The Tigers have been led offensively by the do-everything <strong>Chance Gamble</strong>. &nbsp; <strong>No. 4 Seneca (6-4 at No. 1 Lower Richland (7-1)</strong> Seneca is an absolute matchup nightmare as a No. 4 seed. The Bobcats average 43 points per game, and their only losses are to playoff-bound teams in Easley, Daniel, Wren, and BHP. <strong>Adrian Lewis</strong> and <strong>Camsley Campbell</strong> lead the way out of the backfield for the Bobcats. Lower Richland, meanwhile ,has just one loss on the year and emerged from a good Region IV-3A as the region champ. QB <strong>Robert Adams</strong> has thrown for nearly 1,200 yards for the Diamond Hornets, while backs <strong>Lamarion Pearson</strong> and <strong>Jeremy Barney</strong> are both near the 700-yard rushing mark, and have combined for 19 touchdowns and a 6.5 yards per carry average. &nbsp; <strong>No. 3 Palmetto (3-6) at No. 2 Clinton (9-1)</strong> The Mustangs bounced back from a tough start to take the No. 3 seed from Region II-3A. <strong>Ragen Davenport</strong> leads the way for Palmetto, with 1,000 passing yards, while <strong>Zach Edwards</strong> has rushed for 691 yards and a 6.1 yards per carry average for the Mustangs. Clinton’s only blemish is a one-point defeat at the hands of Chapman. The Devils’ [player_tooltip player_id="91249" first="Jykorie" last="Gary"] and <strong>Bryson James</strong> lead a talented stable of backs in Clinton’s wing-based offense, while QB <strong>Davis Wilson</strong> is efficient when the Devils pass. &nbsp; &nbsp;