What To Watch: Top Week 1 Upstate Matchups

Here's a look at several matchups shaping up to be good ones in the Upstate as we head into Week 1 of the high school season.   5A No. 1 Dutch Fork (1-0) at 5A No. 9 Spartanburg (0-1)   Both teams traveled out of state last week, with much different results. Dutch Fork hung on to defeat Hough 27-24 in a game in North Carolina, while Spartanburg fell to Georgia powerhouse Langston Hughes. Now, the Lower State champions and the Upper State finalists will tangle in a rare early matchup.   Spartanburg is powered by QB [player_tooltip player_id='89339' first='Raheim' last='Jeter'], and the offense will run through him. Jeter even showcased some power running last week, churning for a TD against a much bigger Hughes team. The Vikings will need a better push from [player_tooltip player_id='336115' first='Darrell' last='Brannon'] and the group up front, and this is just the second in a murderers row-type schedule for Spartanburg.   The Foxes have a new QB in [player_tooltip player_id='44974' first='Aliam' last='Appler'], and while he's coming into his own in their system, they'll rely even more heavily on RB [player_tooltip player_id='91136' first='Jarvis' last='Green']. That's not a bad strategy, as Green rushed for 69 yards and a score, and returned an errant onside kick for another score.     3A No. 4 Powdersville (1-0) at 2A No. 1 Abbeville (1-0)   Both teams have sky-high expectations, and this one could mean even more for the Patriots. After a school-best undefeated regular season a year ago, a win over a legendary program could elevate Powdersville to elite. They've got a pair of the best LBs in the state in [player_tooltip player_id='89333' first='Jalen' last='Rambert'] and [player_tooltip player_id='267456' first='Harrison' last='Jeffries'], [player_tooltip player_id='91152' first='Thomas' last='Williams'] is a stud on both sides of the ball, and the Patriots have a QB-WR tandem as good as any in Eli Hudgins and Drake Sloan.   But it's not gonna be easy. Abbeville is missing last year's leading rusher in Antonio Harrison, who injured his knee in an AAU basketball game and isn't expected back until mid-season. Last week, they struggled a bit early against McCormick's six-man front, designed to bottle up the vaunted A-Bone offense. Then, Zay Rayford started throwing. Rayford was an efficient 4-for-5 for 128 yards and TDs to Altavious Patterson and Jha'Louis Hayden. That opened up the running game and Abbeville looked like the same ol' Panthers. Which makes them pretty dang good.   Chapman (0-1) at 5A No. 4 Byrnes (1-0)   Chapman was without projected starting QB [player_tooltip player_id='998700' first='Coleman' last='Gray'] last week, struggling to find a groove offensively and falling to Woodruff 13-7 in overtime. Byrnes, meanwhile, blew the doors off a good Brookland-Cayce team behind a breakout, 300-plus yard performance from QB Colby Shaw and a suffocating defense. On paper, this one might not be great. On the field, though, the teams seem to bring out the best in each other, especially in their rare recent meetings. Last year, they turned in one of the best games of the year with Byrnes notching an end-zone interception and a late score to seal the win.   Gray will make a difference if he's back, but the Rebels' defense is nasty. [player_tooltip player_id='267454' first='Chris' last='Foster'] is a huge presence on the line, [player_tooltip player_id='204428' first='Miquel' last='Dingle'] has D1 talent and world-class speed at LB, and new additions [player_tooltip player_id='272708' first='Chamarryus' last='Bomar'] and [player_tooltip player_id='272705' first='Armoni' last='Weaver'] immediately made a difference in the secondary for the Rebels.   5A No. 3 Hillcrest (1-0) at Greer (0-1)   Hillcrest is loaded offensively. [player_tooltip player_id='262574' first='Bennett' last='Judy'] runs the show at QB, and he threw four TDs last week in the Rams' win over Laurens. Hillcrest is deep at receiver, and all of them are fast, with [player_tooltip player_id='267431' first='Avery' last='McFadden'] leading the way. He had more than 100 receiving yards last week, and he'll play DB and return kicks, too. But the X-factor for the Rams might be RB [player_tooltip player_id='156630' first='Logan' last='Coldren']. He averaged more than 8 yards a catch last week out of the backfield, and hauled in a touchdown. But he's proven that he can churn out tough yardage in the running game, and can keep defenses off-balance.   Greer had a tough night against Daniel, but did have some success on the ground. QB Kaden Rowland showed some flash, rushing for 83 yards and a 6.9 yards per carry average. [player_tooltip player_id='1012565' first='LaDainnian' last='Martin'] had 67 yards and a TD, while Rowland threw for 138 yards and two scores, both to Chase Byrd.   J.L. Mann (1-0) at Riverside (1-0)   If last week is any indication, the Riverside stadium crew might want to tighten up the bulbs in the scoreboard, and the stat guys will need elbow rest on Saturday. The Patriots and Warriors each put on an offensive SHOW last week, and now they'll square off against each other. Mann's [player_tooltip player_id='1144060' first='Ethan' last='Anderson'] threw for 448 yards and six touchdowns last week, including two to [player_tooltip player_id='1142457' first='Mikel' last='McClellan'], who hauled in six passes for 241 yards. Toby Cates Jr. added three catches, all three for scores, and 100 yards receiving.   [player_tooltip player_id='202732' first='Robinson' last='Sanders'] was even better for the Warriors. He threw for 288 yards and seven touchdowns in just three quarters, and added 25 yards on the ground. Cayden Crosby caught four balls, all for scores, and rang up 144 yards receiving.   It could be a long night for the defenses.

Here's a look at several matchups shaping up to be good ones in the Upstate as we head into Week 1 of the high school season.