GSPD Week 8 Games and Players To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's not every week you get three de facto region title games on the docket, especially with two weeks of the regular season to go.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yet, here we are, with six teams knowing a win on Friday will be the most important step toward the region championship and postseason home-field benefits. If that wasn't enough to get you fired up, we've also got a number of players who are primed to stand out in some games that may not be moving the collective needle outside their own fan bases.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Are you ready for Week 8 on the Grand Strand and Pee Dee?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sumter (5-2, 1-0) at Carolina Forest (4-3, 1-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Gamecocks have been the thorn in the rest of the region's side since returning in 2020. Sumter has used its size and strength advantage to go unbeaten in region contests against Carolina Forest, Socastee, Conway and St. James. And if anyone in that group is going to stand up to tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809744' first='John' last='Peeples']</strong> (759 yards, 17 touchdowns) and defensive standouts <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='997137' first='Bryson' last='Cuffie']</strong> (36 tackles, six tackles for loss), <strong>Jaheim Rose</strong> (28 tackles, four TFL) and Tymaries Thompson-Durant (28.5 tackles), it will likely have to be the Panthers. Linebacker <strong>Jonathan Rivas</strong> (51 tackles) has been solid, as has lockdown corner [player_tooltip player_id='771040' first='Jamauri' last='Davis'] (17 tackles, one interception). Offensively, Carolina Forest has dedicated itself to the run, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='267465' first='Kalil' last='Johnson']</strong> (1,059 yards, 11 touchdowns) has been electric, rushing for at least 100 yards in six of the team's seven games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Myrtle Beach (6-1, 2-0) at South Florence (7-0, 2-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464881' first='Jayden' last='Sellers']</strong> likely out for the duration of the year, South Florence has officially transformed into a run-first team. Thankfully for the Bruins, they will enter every game they play the rest of this season with an eye-popping defense. Five different players - <strong>Kemonte Rose</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267265' first='Amare' last='Reaves']</strong>,<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='996915' first='Dirrick' last='Goodman'] </strong>(pictured), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1157897' first='Cameron' last='Coe'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208354' first='Chantwan' last='Harkless']</strong> - have combined for nine defensive touchdowns this season with at least one in every game. It's flipped a lot of games into South's favor. Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach's ability to limit turnovers has been one of its biggest strengths. While quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1254177' first='Gibson' last='Goodroe']</strong> threw four picks in the season-opening loss to Camden, he's had just two since. And after <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208336' first='Malachi' last='Washington']</strong> had a fumble against Camden, he hasn't lost one since.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dillon (6-1, 2-0) at Manning (7-0, 2-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What's at stake? Oh, only a likely region title, a No. 1 seed for the playoffs and home-field advantage throughout the Lower State of arguably the most stacked bracket in the entire state. Dillon has been muscling up most of its opponents this year thanks to 260 rushing yards a game, led by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346196' first='Jamarion' last='Fling']</strong> (769 yards, 17 touchdowns), who has been running behind massive tackles <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139295' first='Josiah' last='Thompson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142578' first='Jayden' last='Benjamin']</strong>. Manning not have an answer for that running game, but the Monarchs aren't coming in empty handed. <strong>Triston Thames</strong> (698 yards, six touchdowns) and <strong>Jalynn Coard</strong> (493 yards, 12 touchdowns) lead a rushing attack that has produced 27 touchdowns.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>MORE PLAYER NOTABLES</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395094' first='Jaylen' last='Augustus'] </strong>QB, Darlington - While no one outside Darlington expects the Falcons to hang close with Crestwood, what Augustus is able to do in this game could be a positive sign for what's to come. The 6-foot-3 sophomore quarterback has thrown for 1,066 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for another two scores. He's a bit turnover prone still (seven picks, two fumbles), but a lot of that can be attributed to inexperience. Augustus is learning by fire, and this game is certainly fire.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771237' first='Quadir' last='Scott']</strong> WR, Socastee - The Braves are in now-or-never territory after dropping their second straight region game against St. James last week. But it wasn't for lack of effort from Scott. The senior caught two touchdowns and ran in a third against the Sharks. Had it not been for a herculean rushing effort from St. James tailback Issaih Brown, it probably sticks. Either way, against Conway this week, the Braves can't afford another let down and still have any realistic shot of making the playoffs. Scott will need to be active early and often.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Eli Jones</strong> LB, Latta - Against Lake View, the Vikings' best chance to come out on top is to limit the Wild Gators' hopes of a long drive or two early that could potentially pay dividends in the fourth quarter. And that means Latta needs to get off the field. Jones is averaging just shy of 10 tackles per game while also reaching the double-digit mark in tackles for loss. Latta could use a whole bunch of Jones mentions by the PA announcer, especially near the line of scrimmage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='340390' first='James' last='Brockington']</strong> DL, Kingstree - Andrews is gearing back up to full strength after the return of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448998' first='Lavon' last='White']</strong> following an ankle injury. He rushed for four more touchdowns last week and the Blazers are going to see a heavy dose of him Friday. That's where Brockington comes in. Kingstree's leading tackler also has has a team-best 10 tackles for loss. If he's able to get going, it likely means slowing down White and the rest of the Andrews running game - and Kingstree can make this interesting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->