First Round Game Balls: Spartanburg and Cherokee

One week is in the books, and the SCHSL playoff field has been cut in half. Here’s a look at players in the Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Laurens area who turned in first round performances worthy of Prep Redzone game balls. A pair of brothers cooked up something special at Byrnes. In the Rebels’ win over Mauldin. <strong>Kanai Cook</strong> ran for 96 yards and a score, adding 4 catches for 24 yards and another score. His brother <strong>Kyai Cook</strong> caught 3 balls for 55 yards and a TD. Kyai added a tackle on defense, and Kanai returned a punt for the Rebels. At Chapman, <strong>Derrick Miller</strong> continued to impress after returning from an early-season injury. Miller carried just 10 times in a 63-35 win over Blue Ridge, but he racked up 111 yards and scored 3 TDs. He also added a 75-yard TD reception. Clinton set a school record with 77 points in a huge win over Palmetto. The Red Devils’ offensive line paved the way for 458 total yards, with 379 of those on the round, and the Copeland brothers got it done all over the field for Clinton. <strong>Jishun Copeland</strong> rushed for 53 yards and 3 TDs on just 5 carries, while <strong>Justin Copeland</strong> had 45 receiving yards and a touchdown, and returned an interception 40 yards for another score. Gaffney had its usual strong night running the ball, with <strong>Ken Littlejohn</strong> providing the spark for the Indians. Littlejohn had 189 yards on just 7 carries, scoring 3 TDs in Gaffney’s 41-0 victory over Rock Hill. Even in a loss, Broome’s [player_tooltip player_id="91250" first="Dylan" last="Ramirez"] continued to shine. Ramirez threw for 406 yards and 5 touchdowns in the Centurions’ 45-44 loss to Powdersville.