Week 0 Midlands Games To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The calendar still says mid-August, but the start of the high school football season has several intriguing matchups for teams across the Midlands. We will feature three top 10 showdowns, a cross the border battle that has national implications and a backyard rivalry game that will be hotly contested.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are the best games to keep an eye involving Midlands teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 5A #2 Dutch Fork vs Hough at Charlotte Memorial Stadium, Thursday, 5 p.m. (Charlotte Memorial Stadium)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You can't accuse Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts of easing into the season. The Silver Foxes open with one of the top teams in North Carolina, Hough High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Silver Foxes finished runner-up last year to Gaffney, snapping their record five-year stranglehold on the state title. They lost a lot to graduation, but Knox has a habit of reloading, not rebuilding. RB<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='91136' first='Jarvis' last='Green'] </strong>returns after accounting for over 2,100 yards of total offense and 36 touchdowns last year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='44974' first='Aliam' last='Appler'] </strong>will start at QB after being a top reserve last season. The top returning receiver is <strong>Jacob Hamilton</strong>. <strong>Jacob Beasley</strong> will anchor a stellar offensive line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensively, Dutch Fork will count on a DL led by <strong>AJ Johnson</strong>. The LB corps of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='132398' first='Chandler' last='Perry']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262678' first='Jaylen' last='Hinton'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='336148' first='John' last='Buetow']</strong> is one of the best in the state. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262550' first='Landon' last='Danley']</strong> is a hard-hitting safety that is a budding star.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hough, who finished 14-1 last season, will be led by UNC commit QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='44970' first='Tad' last='Hudson']</strong>. He accounted for over 2,600 yards last season. His top targets are <strong>Markell Quick</strong> and <strong>Sequan Osborne</strong>. The running game is led by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='144924' first='Akil' last='Williams']</strong>. Defensively, the Huskies have two talented LBs in <strong>Anthony Walker</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='45004' first='Garvey' last='Sterling']</strong> as well as DE <strong>Branden Palmer</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blythewood at Ridge View</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To put it frankly, these two neighbors don't like each other.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blythewood finished with a disappointing 3-6 record last season that included a 43-7 loss to Ridge View to end the season. <strong>Harrison Collins</strong> and <strong>David Herden</strong> are vying to be the starting QB and will have receivers <strong>Josh Gary</strong> and <strong>Deon Tyler</strong> to throw too. The Bengals return 10 starters on defense with DL <strong>Jabari Collins</strong> and <strong>Jaylin Ricks</strong> leading the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Blazers graduated a lot of talent to college football but does not lack for talent. The trio of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202775' first='Zion' last='Agnew']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202731' first='Adonis' last='McDaniel']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262637' first='Chris' last='Lawson']</strong> is one of the best groups in the state. <strong>Donald Tomlin</strong> took all the snaps in a shortened preseason jamboree and likely will get the starting nod.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 2A #1 Gray Collegiate at Class 2A #3 Oceanside Collegiate</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This could be a potential playoff rematch with talent on both sides of the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The War Eagles are the defending Class 2A champions and despite losing a lot, have experienced pieces returning. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='119009' first='Riley' last='Staton']</strong> started at QB the latter part of the season and he's untrenched as the top guy this season. He has a strong arm and a talented receiver group led by <strong>Devin Johnson</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139316' first='Zai' last='Offord']</strong> and <strong>Savion Smith</strong>. <strong>Elijah Radden</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1001124' first='JT' last='Sowell']</strong> are anchors up front on both sides of the ball. &nbsp;<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272707' first='Caleb' last='Ford']</strong> and <strong>BJ Montgomery</strong> will share ball-carrying duties. LB <strong>Jordan Robinson</strong> and DB <strong>Blake Croft</strong> will lead the defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oceanside Collegiate counters with an equally impressive roster. RB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='89344' first='Vaughn' last='Blue']</strong> rushed for nearly 1,400 yards last year. Up front, the Landsharks have one of the top prospects in the country in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='89337' first='Monroe' last='Freeling']</strong>. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91359' first='Cole' last='Strickler']</strong> is the top returning WR. Defensively, look for DL <strong>Timmy Castain</strong> and DB <strong>Zack Hagedon</strong> to carry the load.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 4A # 6 Greenwood at Class 4A #4 AC Flora</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a solid early season test for both teams. Each team will be breaking in new quarterbacks but have highly successful returning running backs. Both are strong defensively as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles have <strong>Ve Morton</strong>, who rushed for over 1,700 yards, returning at RB and he will also see time on defense. <strong>Kaleb Burton</strong> is expected to be the new QB and his top targets are expected to be <strong>Gaines Adams </strong>and <strong>Omari McGowan</strong>. The defense will be led by Morton and DEs <strong>Michael Holloway</strong> and <strong>Shamar Farrow</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202726' first='Markel' last='Townsend']</strong> is back at RB for the Falcons and is one of the top backs in the state. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202733' first='Carew' last='Bates']</strong> moves from WR to take the QB spot and he's looked very polished in preseason. The offensive line is anchored by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='340713' first='Ben' last='Holmes']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202728' first='Kendarius' last='Kinard']</strong>. DL <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202750' first='Braxton' last='Burton']</strong> and <strong>Andrew Thomas</strong> along with LB <strong>Mason Little</strong> will lead the defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Class 4A #9 Myrtle Beach at Class 3A #2 Camden</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Myrtle Beach will come halfway across the state with a talented group. The Seahawks do have some injury issues and will likely turn to <strong>Wyatt Cannon</strong> at QB in the opener. His top targets will be <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='336119' first='Jake' last='Doty']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272701' first='John' last='Simmons']</strong> and <strong>Kenny Brown</strong>. Defensively, LB <strong>Shammond Sutton</strong> and DB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402500' first='Malachi' last='Washington']</strong> lead a deep and talented group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Camden has finished as Class 3A runner-up the last two years and returns the best DL in the state. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='89338' first='Xzavier' last='McLeod']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91155' first='David' last='Copley']</strong> and <strong>Shymeik Jones</strong> will cause a lot of team's problems this season. &nbsp;<strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139311' first='Grayson' last='White']</strong> is back at QB and has a talented group of skill players around him in RB <strong>Avery Hickman</strong> and WR <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139303' first='Cortez' last='Lane']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->