Class 4A Lower State First Round Playoff Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The path to Orangeburg is going to be no easy road.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sorting through the field in the Class 4A Lower State bracket is just as daunting. Among the mix are three of the eight remaining undefeated teams in the entire state, as well as three more teams who have lost two or fewer games so far.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Buckle up. The ride starts now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 16 LUGOFF-ELGIN (2-8) AT NO. 1 SOUTH FLORENCE (10-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're not sure if there is an at-large team that could have provided much of a first-round test for defending Class 4A champ and winner of 25 straight games South Florence. That doesn't mean Lugoff-Elgin is gonna no-show this opportunity. Senior linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142505' first='KD' last='Outten']</strong> has more than 80 total tackles and 15 tackles for loss and classmate <strong>Judah Laney</strong> is another TFL machine. Expect South to go heavy on <strong>Syree Livingston</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272722' first='Zion' last='Gilbert']</strong> out of the backfield to counter opportunities for those first two to disrupt the flow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 9 RICHLAND NORTHEAST (6-4) AT NO. 8 BLUFFTON (6-4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You ready to see some passing numbers? Look no further than this game. Bluffton senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='790404' first='Owen' last='Bayes']</strong> (2,293 yards, 22 touchdowns, 250 rushing yards, pictured) has no problem letting it rip 30-plus times a game and after a few solid outings of late is completing north of 60 percent of his passes. On the flip side, RNE junior and North Carolina State commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272698' first='Will' last='Wilson']</strong> - who is well versed in 300-yard passing games while also using his legs to move the chains and reach the end zone. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 12 WEST FLORENCE (5-5) AT NO. 5 LUCY BECKHAM (8-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two banged up squads are going to face off in this one, and neither of them need a reminder of how quickly promise turns to what ifs. Likely without quarterback and linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443495' first='Franklin' last='Emerson']</strong>, West will have to turn to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360071' first='Bobby' last='Patterson']</strong> at tailback and ask him to carry even more of the load. He's had some strong showings in limited action, but certainly not in a playoff game. Meanwhile, Beckham is going to go heavy on tailback Stephen Segars, who missed significant time but topped 100 yards and reached the end zone in last week's loss to James Island.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 13 LANCASTER (1-9) AT NO. 2 RIDGE VIEW (8-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bruins have no choice but to give the ball to tailback <strong>Mikal McCullum</strong> over and over again. Not only does is give Lancaster the best chance to put points on the board. It also keeps Ridge View's potent pass-first offense off the field. Because once that happens, the Blazers are going to let quarterbacks <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='997121' first='Breylon' last='Boyd']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='840548' first='Tre' last='Howard']</strong> pitch away in order to put tailback <strong>Siah Mack</strong> in position to close things out in less-than-dramatic fashion.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 11 MAY RIVER (4-6) AT NO. 6 MYRTLE BEACH (8-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>May River quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360121' first='Tanner' last='Macy']</strong> may be the key to this entire game. The dual-threat junior has rushed for 1,142 yards and 12 scores and thrown for another 872 yards and nine more touchdowns. All of that has opened the way some for sophomore tailback <strong>Jordan Williams</strong>. Those two will be the focal point for the Seahawks, who will attempt to get linebackers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='267459' first='Ricky' last='Escobar']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267229' first='Antonio' last='Brown']</strong> into Macy's face early and often to disrupt him from getting any sort of a rhythm going.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 14 COLLETON COUNTY (2-8) AT NO. 3 IRMO (10-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's no other way to say this: Colleton County will need to play by far its best game of the season to even keep this one close. Quarterback <strong>Sean Williams</strong> and tailback <strong>Antwon McWilliams</strong> have come a long way this fall. But they're also about to see their best opponent in more than a month. Irmo stars <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='267430' first='Jaden' last='Allen-Hendrix']</strong> are arguably the top quarterback-tailback combo in all of Class 4A, while linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='996940' first='Jylil' last='Favor']</strong> leads a lockdown defense that has embarrassed a few opponents this year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 10 AC FLORA (4-6) AT NO. 7 HARTSVILLE (7-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While AC Flora has come back down to earth some after an impressive run, the Falcons are still able to put up some big point totals. The emergence of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025784' first='Roper' last='Wentzky']</strong> at quarterback has been the driving force. The sophomore threw for 2,367 yards and 27 touchdowns in the regular season. The Red Foxes' offense is even more proficient. Behind a talented offensive line that features center <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208333' first='Slayton' last='Stokes']</strong>, quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208342' first='McKendrie' last='Douglas']</strong> and tailbacks <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012592' first='Hakeem' last='Watters']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208339' first='Carmello' last='McDaniel']</strong> are straight up dangerous.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 15 WILSON (3-7) AT NO. 2 JAMES ISLAND (10-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>James Island's defense will enter the postseason as the top defense in Class 4A, and they'll want to get several players - namely <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272709' first='Malachi' last='Jefferson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012698' first='Hendrix' last='Beran']</strong> on the line and linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='340395' first='Chris' last='Glover']</strong> - going early. That's because while Wilson's offense does have some pieces, it has struggled mightily when it falls behind early. The Tigers will need to get a fast start from receiver <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139297' first='Jyron' last='Waiters']</strong> and sophomore quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734485' first='Tristen' last='Howard']</strong>, or else the Trojans might make this the lopsided affair most are expecting it to be.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->