Midlands Non-Region Games To Watch In 2024
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This year’s realignment made a sizable change in the region competition aspect of the football regular season. In the Midlands, it opened up opportunities to schedule compelling non-region matchups which seemed unfeasible in years’ past. Here are some of those…
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Continue ReadingThis year’s realignment made a sizable change in the region competition aspect of the football regular season.
In the Midlands, it opened up opportunities to schedule compelling non-region matchups which seemed unfeasible in years’ past.
Here are some of those games mixed in with others which are considered as more rivalry as a region game.
AUGUST 23
Gilbert at Lexington
Since the longstanding rivalry officially started in 2018, it has served as a springboard for success for the winning team. The Indians have a new head coach in Ozzie Exune but return arguably one of the Midlands’ dynamic backfields in Trevon Williamson Trevon Williamson 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB Gilbert | 2027 State SC , Jaylen Jay Jaylen Jay 6'0" | 200 lbs | RB Gilbert | 2025 State SC , and Krew Morris Krew Morris 5'11" | 185 lbs | WR Gilbert | 2025 State SC . All three players proved more than capable as dual threats running and receiving. Like Gilbert, Lexington also finds itself seeking a new starting quarterback and looking to fill other key holes on both sides of the football. Among the returning starters on defense is linebacker Matthew McAulay Matthew McAulay 6'0" | 190 lbs | LB Lexington | 2025 SC .
AUGUST 30
Northwestern at Ridge View
This contest has the potential to be one of the early season’s highest scoring games. Both teams return impact players on offense. For the Blazers, wide receiver Jordon Gidron Jordon Gidron 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Ridge View | 2026 State SC continues to attract daily interest from colleges. He’s even already received an invitation to the 2025 U.S. Army Bowl and will not have to make a complete adjustment to a new starting quarterback with rising sophomore Tre Howard Tre Howard 5'10" | 160 lbs | QB Ridge View | 2027 State SC getting the full-time nod. Speaking of quarterbacks, Class 5A All-State quarterback Finley Polk enters his senior year having thrown for 6,159 yards and 75 touchdowns the past two seasons and should be healthy by the start of the regular season. While Mr. Football finalist Turbo Richard Turbo Richard 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Northwestern | 2024 State SC has graduated, the Trojans return wide receivers Jayden Nichols Jayden Nichols 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Northwestern | 2025 SC and rising junior Kameron Vance. On defense, Tamarian Watkins had a strong showing at the U.S. Army Bowl Combine in Wando playing at defensive back and was third on the team in tackles behind rising seniors linebacker defensive lineman Andre Pickett and Will Massey Will Massey 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Northwestern | 2025 State SC . Rising seniior placekicker Matthew Fish will give Northwestern an advantage with his near-perfect PAT percentage and 25 touchbacks last season.
Rock Hill at River Bluff
The Bearcats make their first-ever visit to The Swamp. The wide receiver position is once again a position to watch in his contest with Rock Hill’s Malik Clark Malik Clark 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Rock Hill | 2025 State SC and River Bluff’s Stephen Collier Stephen Collier 6'3" | 210 lbs | WR River Bluff | 2025 State SC . The former creates matchup issues with his speed in the open field, while the latter uses his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame to a great advantage. He also has the advantage of an experienced quarterback in Parker Murray Parker Murray 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB River Bluff | 2025 State SC returning as the Bearcats will be looking to replace Matthew Wilson Matthew Wilson 6'1" | 200 lbs | QB Rock Hill | 2024 State SC . On the other side of the football, Rock Hill defensive lineman Justice Foster Justice Foster 6'2" | 285 lbs | DL Rock Hill | 2025 State SC can create havoc upfront both in pressuring the quarterback and stopping the run. River Bluff hard-hitting rising senior Elijah Hayes is one of the team’s returning top tacklers.
A.C. Flora at Chapin
These longtime rivals often produce intense, competitive games against each other. Both starting quarterbacks Brady Albro Brady Albro 5'10" | 190 lbs | QB Chapin | 2025 State SC of Chapin and Roper Wentzky Roper Wentzky 5'11" | 155 lbs | QB AC Flora | 2026 State SC of A.C. Flora know how to throw their wideouts open for receptions and use some mobility to make plays. The key will be which team has improved its defense enough in the post-season to make difference in this game and moving forward.
SEPTEMBER 6
Hartsville at Camden
One of the Palmetto State’s oldest football rivalries remains fresh each years thanks to a continual supply of All-State talent produced by both schools. Look for rising senior running back Hakeem Watters Hakeem Watters 5'6" | 170 lbs | RB Hartsville | 2025 State SC to be the focal point offensively for the Red Foxes with the graduation of quarterback McKendrie Douglas McKendrie Douglas 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Hartsville | 2024 State SC . Meanwhile, linebacker Web Barnes Web Barnes 5'11" | 215 lbs | LB Hartsville | 2025 State SC is positioned to be this year’s Comeback Player of the Year. After missing last year with a foot injury, he put on an impressive showing at the Carolinas Coaches Clinic both running and bench-pressing. As for Camden, the offense lost significant firepower to graduation in quarterback Grayson White Grayson White 6'0" | 240 lbs | QB Camden | 2024 State SC , wide receiver Jaquarius Mayrant Jaquarius Mayrant 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR Camden | 2024 State SC and running back Averee Hickmon Averee Hickmon 5'6" | 170 lbs | RB Camden | 2024 State SC . Jordan Crim Jordan Crim 6'1" | 160 lbs | DB Camden | 2025 State SC has shown potential to become a playmaker at both wide receiver and defensive back.
SEPTEMBER 13
Oceanside Collegiate at Dutch Fork
This is the first of two straight home matchups against charter schools for the Palmetto State’s most dominant public school football program. It’s also a rare matchup between two programs which won state titles the previous season. The Landsharks move up to Class 3A after winning the Class 2A title last season. Rising sophomore quarterback Aiden Manavian Aiden Manavian 5'11" | 175 lbs | QB Oceanside Collegiate | 2027 State SC made a name for himself during the post-season. Replacing injured starter Edward Reidenbach to open the playoffs, he led Oceanside Collegiate on an undefeated championship run capped by a 367-yard, two-touchdown performance in the title game. Rising senior Gavin Gasper was the recipient of both scores and returns along with Will Virgilio. They face a Dutch Fork defense which retained key pieces of a defense which held playoff opponents to 16.5 points per game. Rising junior linebacker Raleigh Salters Raleigh Salters 5'10" | 190 lbs | LB Dutch Fork | 2026 State SC emerged as one of the leading tackles and rising seniors defensive end Josh Smith Josh Smith 6'2" | 220 lbs | DL Dutch Fork | 2025 State SC (pictured) and Elgin Sessions Elgin Sessions 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Dutch Fork | 2025 State SC leads an equally athletic secondary. More on the Dutch Fork offense in the next game preview.
SEPTEMBER 20
Gray Collegiate at Dutch Fork
New War Eagles’ head coach DeAngelo Bryant is faced with the challenge of leading last year’s Class 2A runner-up into the Class 4A ranks. Rising junior Tyler Waller Tyler Waller 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Gray Collegiate | 2026 State SC established himself as the starting quarterback, throwing for 1,501 yards and 17 touchdowns. The backfield returns intact with rising seniors 1,000-plus yard rusher BJ Montgomery BJ Montgomery 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Gray Collegiate | 2025 State SC and Caleb Ford Caleb Ford 5'10" | 215 lbs | RB Cardinal Newman | 2025 State SC and the offensive line will mix in newcomers like rising sophomore Nathan Carson Nathan Carson 6'5" | 255 lbs | OL Gray Collegiate Academy | 2027 SC with returning rising seniors like Zeb Taylor. Defensively, rising junior Michael Boulware Michael Boulware 6'2" | 200 lbs | LB Gray Collegiate | 2026 State SC led the team in tackles (155) and returns as a team leader along with Taylor and Trequan Singleton on the defensive line. For the Silver Foxes, Ethan Offing saw action in 14 games and threw for a team-high 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns before suffering an injury in the playoffs. He returns as Dutch Fork’s most experienced quarterback and will not have a shortage of weapons with rising junior Mario Anderson and KJ Smith KJ Smith 5'7" | 170 lbs | ATH Dutch Fork | 2025 State SC in the backfield, promising rising senior Boykin Bickley at wide receiver and rising senior Joshua Benson on the offensive line.
Myrtle Beach at Irmo
The last time Seahawks’ quarterback Gibson Goodroe Gibson Goodroe 5'10" | 170 lbs | QB Myrtle Beach | 2025 State SC visited W.C. Hawkins Stadium; he was “greeted” with eight sacks by the Yellow Jackets’ defense. Aside from that, Goodroe did throw three touchdowns in the most points scored against Irmo prior to the Lower State final loss to South Florence. When Myrtle Beach returns, they will still see an athletic Yellow Jacket defense with defensive end Jaiden Bryant Jaiden Bryant 6'2" | 195 lbs | DL Irmo | 2027 State SC and free safety Matthew Blocker leading the charge. Offensively, it begins and ends with All-State quarterback AJ Brand AJ Brand 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Irmo | 2025 State SC who came 68 yards shy of throwing for 3,000 yards and rushing for over 1,000 yards in the same season. Wide receiver Donovan Murph Donovan Murph 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Irmo | 2026 State SC returns for his junior season, but the Yellow Jackets will have to replace All-State running back Jaden Allen-Hendrix Jaden Allen-Hendrix 6'2" | 230 lbs | RB Irmo | 2024 State SC and offensive linemen Bryant Ham Bryant Ham 6'2" | 275 lbs | OL Irmo | 2024 State SC and Elijah Montgomery.