Class 5A Upper State Second Round Playoff Preview
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The 5A playoffs are officially wild. A No. 3 seed AND a No. 4 seed both advanced out of the first round. BOTH state finalists from 2018, 2020, and 2021 are included in the field. A 6-5 team looks like…
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Continue ReadingThe 5A playoffs are officially wild.
A No. 3 seed AND a No. 4 seed both advanced out of the first round. BOTH state finalists from 2018, 2020, and 2021 are included in the field. A 6-5 team looks like one of the teams to beat (and they’re the defending champs).
Here’s a look at a wide-open 5A second round.
NO. 2 DUTCH FORK (6-5) AT NO. 1 T.L. HANNA (10-1)
This one is a rematch of the 2018 and 2020 state title games, both won by Dutch Fork. But this one is a little be more intriguing. After losing to White Knoll to open Region IV-5A play, Dutch Fork was 2-5 and reeling. They responded with four wins in a row. Now, the defending state champions are a two seed fresh off a first-round blowout against Boiling Springs. Jonathan Hunt threw for 208 yards in just a half of play, Jacob Hamilton Jacob Hamilton 5'9" | 180 lbs | WR Dutch Fork | 2024 State SC (pictured) returned a punt for a score and caught another, and RB Maurice Anderson Maurice Anderson 5'10" | 200 lbs | RB Dutch Fork | 2025 State SC rushed for 96 yards and two TDs for the Silver Foxes.
Defense has never been the problem for Dutch Fork. They’ve allowed just 170 points on the season, and 48 of those were to national power Colquitt County, which averages 44 a game. Josh Smith Josh Smith 6'2" | 220 lbs | DL Dutch Fork | 2025 State SC has been one of the leaders for the Silver Foxes, with a team-leading eight tackles for loss. He had three sacks and forced a fumble on Friday. Bryce Nuttall, another defensive standout for Dutch Fork with 73 tackles, picked that one up and returned it for a TD.
The Yellow Jackets are a hard team to figure out, and that’s by design. T.L. Hanna’s vaunted wing-based rushing attack is best suited when you can’t figure out who the feature back is going to be any given night. Even Hanna doesn’t know, as the offensive flow is determined by who’s playing well and what the defense is giving. A bunch of guys have assumed the top role for Hanna throughout the year. Kedarrion Patterson Kedarrion Patterson 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB TL Hanna | 2025 State SC is a good bet – he’s got a game with six rushing TDs under his belt already, and came into the postseason with more than 1,100 yards and 22 TDs on the year. Vashun Bruton is another standout, leading the first-round romp over Fort Mill with 112 rushing yards. Josh Donald is the third back who’s sometimes the leader. Brandon Cunningham Brandon Cunningham 6'2" | 180 lbs | QB TL Hanna | 2025 State SC is a QB perfectly capable of picking his spots, incredibly efficient when the Jackets throw it, and fourth on the team in rushing. On the ground, it’s very much pick-your-poison.
Defensively, Daylan Williams helps to lead the secondary for the Yellow Jackets, while Julius Norris stands out at LB. Khilon Groves is a monster at OLB.
NO. 2 GAFFNEY (8-3) AT NO. 1 CLOVER (9-2)
Gaffney cruised past Lexington in the first round, and the game looked a little different than most of the Indians’ wins this season. Lexington seemed content to bottle up the incredibly talented Jaiden McDowell Jaiden McDowell 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Gaffney | 2026 State SC and to make the Indians’ passing game beat them. So Riley Staton Riley Staton 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Gaffney | 2024 State SC did. He threw for 222 yards and four TDs, including two to Shane Davidson. North All-Star Emazon Littlejohn Emazon Littlejohn 6'0" | 180 lbs | WR Gaffney | 2024 SC caught a TD and returned the game’s opening kick 87 yards for a score. The lesson: Gaffney’s too balanced to try to make them one-dimensional.
Defensively, the Indians have playmakers everywhere. Shrine Bowler Jarriel Jeffries leads the way up front, with North All-Star Caron Foster Caron Foster 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Gaffney | 2024 State SC also helping to anchor the DL. Imari Foster-Boyd and Andrew Ruppe Andrew Ruppe 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Gaffney | 2025 State SC both play with abandon at LB, and King Dowdle is an absolute ball-hawk and tackle machine in the defensive backfield.
The Blue Eagles are on a tear. They started 0-2 (against Northwestern and Hillcrest), but have ripped off nine wins in a row since. They’ve done a lot of it on the ground, with junior RB Landon Stone Landon Stone 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB Clover | 2025 State SC piling up 1,903 yards on 229 carries in 10 games. He averages 8.3 yards per carry and has rushed for 13 touchdowns. Jaylon Hoover is a capable QB who takes care of the football and puts the Blue Eagles in good spots, throwing for 1,064 yards and just four interceptions on the year. Brayden Woolbright and Isaac Allen have nearly identical receiving numbers – 19 catches each, 240-ish yards, and they’ve combined for four receiving TDs. TJ McCluney is the big-play guy for the Blue Eagles.
Jayden Bryant Jayden Bryant 6'4" | 215 lbs | DL Clover | 2024 State SC leads the Clover defense, and the Coastal Carolina commit turns in a ton of big plays behind the line of scrimmage. Deontae Star is a lock-down corner, while Jaylen Holmes and Peyton Root also stand out defensively.
NO. 4 SPARTANBURG (6-5) AT NO. 2 J.L. MANN (9-2)
Don’t look now, but the Vikings look to be improving at the right time. They struggled offensively this season, but have surged lately. Trenton Lynch Trenton Lynch 5'9" | 185 lbs | RB Spartanburg | 2027 State SC asserted himself at RB, with a 78-yard score to put the Week 10 game against Dorman away, and a 19-carry, 130-yard, 1-TD performance against Nation Ford in a dominant Round 1 win. Justin Rice has established himself as a downfield threat, and the Vikings have some offensive pieces clicking.
What’s never been in doubt is Spartanburg’s defense. Led by Shrine Bowler Demario Bookhart Demario Bookhart 6'1" | 175 lbs | DB Spartanburg | 2024 State SC and standouts LaCharles Woodruff, Bennie Littlejohn Bennie Littlejohn 5'7" | 210 lbs | LB Spartanburg | 2024 State SC and Cam’Rich Smith Cam’Rich Smith 5'9" | 200 lbs | LB Spartanburg | 2025 State SC , the Vikings’ defensive unit is as solid as it gets.
They’ll likely need all the defense they can muster. Ethan Anderson Ethan Anderson 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB JL Mann | 2024 State SC will be, put simply, the best QB Spartanburg has seen to date. The Patriots have a wealth of weapons for him to get the ball to, with Mikel McClellan Mikel McClellan 5'9" | 165 lbs | WR JL Mann | 2024 State SC as a particularly dangerous target. Mann blew out Blythewood in the first round, with Anderson throwing for 287 yards and four scores, with McClellan hauling in five catches for 118 yards and a score. Keyshun Henderson Keyshun Henderson 5'10" | 175 lbs | WR JL Mann | 2025 State SC caught two touchdowns, and Obadiah Jones rushed for 104 yards on just 10 carries.
Defensively, J.L. Mann has a few standouts as well. Jacari Bennett routinely terrorizes opposing backfields, and Wyatt Ward Wyatt Ward 6'0" | 225 lbs | LB JL Mann | 2025 State SC contributes a bunch of tackles. Na’Cyus Morrison shines on both sides of the ball.
NO. 3 HILLCREST (9-2) AT NO. 1 BYRNES (10-1)
This is a rematch of a first-round game last season, when the Rebels went on the road and got a win. If the Rams are gonna duplicate that feat, they’re going to have to control the ball. With QB Kalab Sutton Kalab Sutton 6'3" | 175 lbs | QB Hillcrest | 2025 State SC sidelined in the first round at Nation Ford, Hillcrest turned to Thomas Stanley. All he did was carry 39 times for 258 yards – a new Hillcrest single-game record. Avery McFadden Avery McFadden 5'10" | 175 lbs | WR Hillcrest | 2024 State SC is a threat every time he touches it, and if the Rams can find a complement, they’re dangerous. Defensively, Tyson Moses Tyson Moses 5'11" | 200 lbs | LB Hillcrest | 2024 State SC and DJ Henderson DJ Henderson 5'10" | 205 lbs | DL Hillcrest | 2025 State SC need to play well for Hillcrest.
The Rebels started out a little sluggishly against Dorman, but poured it on late. Armoni Weaver Armoni Weaver 5'11" | 170 lbs | ATH Westside | 2025 State SC had a huge game at WR, Andrew Stevens put together another 250 yard-plus game through the air, and Tre Segarra Tre Segarra 5'11" | 195 lbs | RB Byrnes | 2027 State SC led the way on the ground.
What’s separated Byrnes, though, has been their defense. Chris Foster Chris Foster 6'0" | 205 lbs | DL Byrnes | 2024 State SC , Knai Cook Knai Cook 5'11" | 180 lbs | RB Byrnes | 2024 State SC , and RJ Livingston RJ Livingston 5'9" | 185 lbs | LB Byrnes | 2025 SC have all played well. The difference has been James Oates James Oates 6'4" | 195 lbs | LB Byrnes | 2024 State SC . The tall, rangy LB had 12 stops on Friday, including 10 solo tackles. He’s capable of taking over a game by himself.