Midlands Game Balls: Playoffs First Round

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The start of the playoffs is like a new season. Everyone has a fresh start and it's time for the playmakers to set up a run for the first weekend in December.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some of the standouts across the Midlands that accomplished that feat this past Friday night in the first round of the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1158045' first='Jared' last='Acosta']</strong> LB, Newberry – The Bulldogs freshman made his first playoff game a memorable one. He recorded 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and one quarterback pressure as Newberry knocked off Saluda 24-15.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15199367/6545c7c419b0390d942a782c' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65490bcb5ce0a"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272715' first='Brady' last='Albro']</strong> QB, Chapin – Despite the Eagles suffering a first-round loss, the junior quarterback ended his season with a spectacular performance. He finished 31-of-40 for 497 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-27 setback to Stratford.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand']</strong> QB, Irmo – The train that is Yellow Jackets football continued to roll with an 85-0 victory over Colleton County. Brand has directed the Irmo attack with ease this season and that continued with his 16-of-19 performance for 277 yards and a total of seven touchdowns. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1083060' first='Connor' last='Burgess'] </strong>LB, White Knoll – The Timberwolves defense recorded its fourth shutout of the season and Burgess was a huge part of it. He finished with 15 tackles as White Knoll thumped Cane Bay 28-0. The Timberwolves are allowing 6.4 points per game. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272707' first='Caleb' last='Ford']</strong> RB, Gray Collegiate – After not playing a region game due to their opponents deciding to forfeit, the War Eagles opened the Class 2A playoffs with a 62-0 shutout of Pelion. Ford ran for 150 yards and four scores to lead the offensive attack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012718' first='TyDarion' last='Grier']</strong> RB, Fairfield Central – Grier has made a name for himself as a wide receiver, but he got the bulk of the carries in a 48-7 win over Liberty. The junior rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns to help compliment the three-touchdown performance of QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='473002' first='Cameron' last='McMillon']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1575317' first='Immanuel' last='Johnson']</strong> RB, Hammond – The Skyhawks opened defense of their SCISA Class 4A state championship with a 41-7 win over Trinity Collegiate. Johnson ran the ball eight times for 94 yards and a touchdown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14953258/65464c0e3deb520b887105d9' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65490bcb5ce36"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139303' first='Cortez' last='Lane']</strong> Ath, Cardinal Newman – The senior opened the playoffs with a four-touchdown performance to lead the Cardinals to a 41-24 victory over Augusta Christian.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jefferson McCallum</strong> QB, Northside Christian – The Crusaders marched to a 33-28 victory over Colleton Prep thanks in part to the play of McCallum. He went 12-of-14 for 231 yards and two touchdowns. That opened the door for <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360013' first='Sam' last='Burks']</strong> to rush for 264 yards and three scores on 25 carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quindarius McMillan</strong> DB, Keenan – McMillan helped the Raiders to a 24-21 win over Ninety-Six with 19 tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass defended.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19552907/65464d1f0dbff90aacec9caf' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65490bcb5ce55"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith']</strong> DE, Dutch Fork – It's November and that usually signals the time the Silver Foxes play their best. The defense limited Boiling Springs to 16 yards rushing in a 56-7 victory. Smith (pictured) had six tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble that <strong>Bruce Nutall</strong> returned 35 yards for a score.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771218' first='DeShaun' last='Washington']</strong> RB, Brookland-Cayce – The Bearcats opened the Class 3A playoffs with a 42-20 win over Lake City thanks in large part to the 254 yards and two touchdown effort from Washington. He and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771224' first='Will' last='Young']</strong> create a dynamic 1-2 punch for Brookland-Cayce.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15132017/654658b2b3d2120f2833d55c' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65490bcb5ce70"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Camorrie Wells</strong> DB, Sumter – The Gamecocks recorded five interceptions in defeating Ashley Ridge 56-13. Wells had one of those to go along with 10 tackles and .5 tackles for loss.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15198775/65465d263deb520b887117ae' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65490bcb5ce89"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272698' first='Will' last='Wilson'] </strong>QB and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1142696' first='James' last='Willingham']</strong> RB, Richland Northeast – When a team goes for 1,003 yards of total offense in one game, the entire offense probably deserves a game ball. But Wilson and Willingham led the way in an 88-54 win over Bluffton. Wilson ran for 401 yards and five touchdowns on 17 carries and threw for 140 yards. Willingham added 330 yards on 21 carries and five touchdowns on his own. The two averaged over 19 yards per carry.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17680630/65469784c119a009b8a4920b' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65490bcb5cea1"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139311' first='Grayson' last='White'] </strong>QB, Camden – White knows about leading a team to a state championship game appearance. He opened the playoffs of his senior season with 313 yards passing and four touchdowns in leading Camden to a 48-7 win over Dreher.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11720764/6548ff0d2352620a404e5c09' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65490bcb5ceb8"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='997149' first='Azarian' last='Yates']</strong> RB, Crestwood – The Knights opened the playoffs with a 35-0 blanking of Orangeburg-Wilkinson. Yates was a huge part of the offense with 145 yards and four touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15037913/6547b5dcb3d2120f2834ea3c' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65490bcb5ced0"} /-->