Class 4A Upper State Final Preview

Brandon Stockdale November 21, 2023 @ 01:00 PM

The Class 4A Upper State championship is here and it's sort of what we expected.   Greenville pulled off a thrilling upset in Rock Hill, defeating Northwestern 42-41 last week, who many thought would be in this position when the bracket was released. The Raiders avenged last year's loss in the Upstate with a late stop on a two-point conversion attempt by the Trojans.   Many expected Westside and coach Brian Lane's group to be in this position. They have been putting up points in bunches, and last week's shootout against Midland Valley is a prime example. They put up over 500 yards of offense, scoring 47 points in the second half to overcome a halftime deficit in a 68-53 victory in the third round.   These two teams met previously on <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/09/what-we-saw-defense-powers-westside-over-greenville/">Sept. 29 as the Rams defeated Greenville 28-14</a> at Sirrine Stadium. The stage is set for a rematch in Anderson with a berth in next Saturday's 4A state championship on the line Friday night.   NO. 8 GREENVILLE (10-3) AT NO. 3 WESTSIDE (12-1)   Time: 7:30 p.m., Friday   About the Raiders: [player_tooltip player_id='349806' first='Bryson' last='Drummond'] picked a great week to have one of his best performances of the season against Northwestern. The connection between him and [player_tooltip player_id='997216' first='KD' last='Mosley'] was strong as Mosley had 7 completions for 163 yards and two touchdowns. And we can't forget about [player_tooltip player_id='163871' first='Mazeo' last='Bennett']. The University of South Carolina commit had 36 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. Look for Greenville to run it often with Bennett along with Jayvion Sherman and [player_tooltip player_id='1395024' first='Rashad' last='Robinson'].   [player_tooltip player_id='242787' first='Bruce' last='Knauber'] and Daylon Johnson were all over the place defensively last week against the Trojans and will look to disrupt the Rams in the rematch. Keep an eye on Jamal Jefferies, who had two tackles last week as well.   About the Rams: [player_tooltip player_id='346189' first='Cutter' last='Woods'] threw for four touchdowns last week against the Mustangs to advance, including two to [player_tooltip player_id='139314' first='Josh' last='Williams'], who has been his downfield threat throughout the year. [player_tooltip player_id='1157819' first='Sharode' last='Richardson'] ran for 240 yards and three touchdowns, so it's sort of pick your poison when facing this squad.   Last week's performance defensively against Midland Valley for the Rams was probably an anomaly considering they were facing the No. 1 player in the 2024 PRZ Rankings. Look for [player_tooltip player_id='139296' first='Jimmar' last='Boston'] (pictured above) to be involved in the secondary, along with Jamison Williams and Kwon Simpkins up front.   Key Matchup: Greenville's defensive line against Westside's balanced offense: Can the Red Raiders get penetration in the backfield against the run and force the Rams into obvious passing situations, making it difficult for the Rams to be balanced like we've seen during the playoffs?   X-Factor: Demarco Evans | RB | Westside   Evans is a physical, downhill running back who can stop on a dime and keep his legs moving. He has a unique burst of speed and power that once he gets into the open field, it's probably a house call. He will get his carries early and often in this matchup.

The Class 4A Upper State championship is here and it's sort of what we expected.