Class 2A Lower State First Round Playoff Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year's Class 2A Lower State playoffs is filled with teams familiar with championship success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Teams like Timberland, Cheraw, Central and Barnwell have had the opportunity to hoist the state championship trophy. Now, newcomers like Hampton County will try to reach Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg over the next four weeks to achieve that goal for the first time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's how the first-round matchups shape up in Class 2A Lower State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 4 RIDGELAND (5-5) AT NO. 1 ANDREW JACKSON (7-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Region V-2A champion Volunteers present a balanced offense with quarterback <strong>Brady Williams</strong> (1,434 passing yards, 17 touchdowns), Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='317140' first='Trey' last='Thompson']</strong> (1,630 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns), wide receivers <strong>Isaac Blackmon</strong> (20 receptions, 479 receiving yards, six touchdowns), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448986' first='Banks' last='Helms']</strong> (22 receptions, 270 yards, three touchdowns) and <strong>Bryce Peterson</strong> (19 receptions, 241 yards, 2 touchdowns) and a well-sized physical line with tight end <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='399205' first='Hayden' last='Williams']</strong> (40 pancake blocks), guard <strong>Michael Hinson</strong> (23 pancake blocks) and center <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='451894' first='Brooks' last='Horton']</strong>. <strong>Kaden Hornsby</strong> and <strong>JT Gandy </strong>are active tacklers at linebacker and Peterson at defensive back leads the team in interceptions. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='997210' first='Maurice' last='Brown']</strong> carries the load on offense as the Jaguars' quarterback (910 passing yards, nine touchdowns) and second-leading rusher (652 yards, seven touchdowns). <strong>Wenson Smith</strong> leads the team in rushing (824 yards, seven touchdowns). The defense is allowing 31.2 points per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 3 KINGSTREE (5-5) AT NO. 2 TIMBERLAND (4-6)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The visiting Blazers rely on their running game with junior quarterback <strong>Ja'Shaun Dorsey</strong> (596 rushing yards, six touchdowns; 497 passing yards, four touchdowns) and senior running back <strong>Rodney Bryant</strong>, who rushed for 185 yards and four touchdowns in the season-ending win over Lee Central. Freshman linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036769' first='Maleek' last='Dukes']</strong> puts pressure on the quarterback (seven sacks) with <strong>Rodney Bryant</strong> and defensive tackles <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='340390' first='James' last='Brockington']</strong> and <strong>Heavis Morris </strong>and safety <strong>Terrance Scott</strong> has a team-high 62 tackles. The Wolves were held to seven points in last week's loss to Oceanside Collegiate. They will need running backs/linebackers&nbsp;<strong>Demarri Middleton</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>Kavon Green</strong> to pick up the offense and continue to play stout defense the second half of the season in which opponents have managed only 12 points a game with two shutouts. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 4 BISHOP ENGLAND (2-7) AT NO. 1 HAMPTON COUNTY (9-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aside from a 28-14 road loss to Region V-3A champion Brookland-Cayce, the first season for the newly consolidated school has gone without a hitch. It's helped to have a Mr. Football finalist in Touchstone Energy Bowl selection <strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id='239076' first='Zion' last='Dobson']</u></strong><strong>, </strong>who's a triple threat to run, catch and pass the football. He's also 157 yards shy of 2,000 rushing yards to go with 26 touchdowns. The Hurricanes have another Touchstone Energy Bowl selection on defense with lineman <strong>Kavon Chisolm</strong>. He and linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809743' first='Mandrell' last='Sanders'] </strong>lead a defense which has held opponents to 8.3 points per game. The Bishops needed a season-ending victory over Academic Magnet to reach the post-season. They have only eight seniors on the roster and average 13.4 points a game. Junior <strong>Jacob Mackara</strong> and freshman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664589' first='William' last='Donato']</strong> will see time at quarterback and <strong>Dixon Hardy</strong> and <strong>Jack Leahy</strong> are the main ball-carriers. The defense has allowed 40 or more points four times this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 3 NORTH CENTRAL (2-7) AT NO. 2 ANDREWS (9-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Knights held off a late rally by Central to clinch third place out of Region 5-2A. Running back <strong>Casey Shropshore </strong>surpassed 1,000 yards last week and leads the team with 14 touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 270 pounds, center <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360295' first='Aiden' last='Wiles']</strong> is a blocking machine on both sides of the ball with 62 pancake blocks and 64 tackles. Safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1249778' first='Jordan' last='Joe']</strong> has seven interceptions on the season and <strong>Quayson Peoples</strong> had six tackles, two interceptions, two sacks and two fumble recoveries against Central. The Yellow Jackets have three players with double digit touchdowns with quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013054' first='Brandon' last='Cumbee']</strong> (920 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns; 523 passing yards, four touchdowns) and running backs <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395098' first='AJ' last='Lee']</strong> (1,050 yards, 13 touchdowns) and Touchstone Energy Bowl selection <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448998' first='Lavon' last='White']</strong> (560 yards, 13 touchdowns).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 4 LEE CENTRAL (4-5) AT NO. 1 OCEANSIDE COLLEGIATE (7-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Landsharks return experience on both sides of the football. Seniors quarterback <strong>Edward Reidenbach</strong>, wide receivers <strong>CJ Moskos </strong>and <strong>Logan Hamilton</strong> and offensive linemen <strong>Phen Johnson</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139300' first='Ben' last='Britton']</strong>, a Touchstone Energy Bowl selection, are back on offense. The defense has linebackers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809745' first='Max' last='Moorman']</strong> and <strong>Trey Brown</strong> and safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809752' first='Grayson' last='Freeling'].</strong> The Stallions look to snap a three-game losing skid with four seniors on the roster, including linemen <strong>Jamarion Robinson</strong>, <strong>Trevion Washington</strong>, <strong>Kenyon Scarborough</strong> and <strong>Chris Thomas</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 3 WOODLAND (7-2) AT NO. 2 CHERAW (5-5)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wolverines snapped a 2-game skid to enter the post-season. Attention will be focused upon University of South Carolina commit and Shrine Bowl selection <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139286' first='Kam' last='Pringle'] </strong>on the offensive line. He will look to protect quarterback <strong>Cooper Glazer</strong> and open holes for running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='372771' first='TJ' last='Wright'] </strong>and <strong>Jaiden Gardner-Taylor</strong> on a Woodland offense coming off a season-high 57 points against Edisto. Junior<strong> Antonio Ford </strong>has been a surprise on the defensive line and linebackers <strong>Dwayne Blanding</strong> and <strong>Chance Ford</strong> are active in stopping the run. The Braves have run off four straight wins following a 1-5 start. Quarterback <strong>Aiden Nolan</strong> is coming off a four-touchdown performance against Chesterfield in which he completed 7-9 passes. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1271257' first='Nick' last='Gordon']</strong> accounted for two touchdown receptions and safety<strong> Dwight Harrington</strong> has an offer from The Citadel.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 4 CENTRAL (3-7) AT NO. 1 MARION (9-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's one of the first-round matchups which is also a rematch from the regular season. The Swamp Foxes won 34-7 on Sept. 1 as quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='295367' first='Gabe' last='Cusack']</strong> threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns. The same game saw Eagles' quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142868' first='Jacob' last='Griffin']</strong> intercepted three times by <strong>Ronqarius</strong> <strong>Jamison</strong>, <strong>Kerry Moody</strong> and <strong>Geoman Warren</strong>. Cusack is 67 yards shy of 2,000 total yards on the season to go with 28 touchdowns. Running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771088' first='Quay'Sheed' last='Scott']</strong> (pictured) has 1,065 total yards and 18 touchdowns (10 rushing, 8 receiving) for Marion.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NO. 2 BARNWELL (6-4) AT NO. 3 LAKE MARION (2-7)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Gators earned a playoff berth with a season-ending win over Academic Magnet two weeks ago. Running backs <strong>Torington White</strong> and <strong>Tracey Snider</strong> lead the offense which looks to keep up with a Warhorse team more pass-oriented than years' past. Quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272720' first='Cameron' last='Austin']</strong> has thrown for 1,185 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 622 yards and 17 touchdowns. Juniors <strong>Jaquan Peeples</strong> and <strong>Jordan Peeples</strong> are versatile threats running and catching the football and <strong>Logan Sturkie</strong> is a deep threat for Austin. Linemen <strong>Klayten Zissett</strong> and <strong>Jahlian Carter</strong>, safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1254065' first='Lex' last='Thomas']</strong> and linebacker <strong>Jeremiah Eady</strong> lead the Barnwell defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->