Midlands Week 10 Players To Watch

Players win championships and that will be put to the test this week in the Midlands. Several games will offer region championship implications, and we want to take a look at some of the players that will play huge roles this week.   Here are 36 players that will factor heavily in the outcome of this week's games.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592297' first='Cole' last='Martin'] RB and [player_tooltip player_id='1360369' first='Gavin' last='Stam'] LB, Chapin   The Eagles are still searching for their first region win after going 4-1 in the non-region. They face an explosive and undefeated Irmo squad this week and will need huge games from Martin and Stam to have a chance. Martin will be the key to the running game on offense with 566 yards and six touchdowns this season. Chapin needs to try and control the clock. But when the Yellow Jackets do have the ball, Stam has 83 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. He will try to help keep the high scoring attack at bay.   [player_tooltip player_id='377560' first='Donovan' last='Murph'] WR and [player_tooltip player_id='1422528' first='Maleek' last='Miller'] WR, Irmo   We all know what [player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand'] brings to the table. The Yellow Jackets QB is just 59 yards shy of 10,000 total career yards. Murph and Miller are his two main targets and hard for opposing defenses to keep in check. Murph is averaging over 100 receiving yards per game and Miller is a big-play waiting to happen as he averages nearly 18 yards per catch. Those two are over 1,400 combined receiving yards this season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1025776' first='Raleigh' last='Salters'] LB, Dutch Fork   Needless to say, the Silver Foxes defense is playing at a high level. They've allowed 17 points in seven games and have five shutouts on the season. They routinely hold teams to less than 100 yards rushing, and they face a one-loss River Bluff team that wants to pound the ball right at you. Salters plays in the middle and will have plenty of opportunities. Dutch Fork uses a balanced defensive attack but Salters is aggressive and plays in the middle so he will have ample opportunity to slow the Gators down.    [player_tooltip player_id='1592250' first='Hayden' last='Myers'] RB, River Bluff   Myers has feasted running behind a [player_tooltip player_id='1249821' first='Pac' last='Pitts'] led offensive line. Myers is 63 yards from reaching the 1,000-yard mark for the season but has his work cut out for him against Dutch Fork. If Myers can break through and have a 100-yard effort and [player_tooltip player_id='464884' first='Parker' last='Murray'] protects the football when he throws, the Silver Foxes might have the recipe for an upset.    [player_tooltip player_id='1249786' first='Artem' last='Kalinkin'] DL, Lexington   The Wildcats are allowing less than 20 points per game and need a big effort from Kalinkin and company to keep a balanced White Knoll offense in check. Kalinkin is hard to block coming off the edge and can move his 6-foot-1, 260-pound frame on the interior as needed. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='836316' first='Matthew' last='McAulay'] is a tackling machine and will also play a key factor here.      [player_tooltip player_id='1036740' first='Tiyon' last='Fanning'] RB, White Knoll   The Timberwolves are looking for their first region win as well after going 4-1 in the non-region. Fanning missed a couple of games with an injury but has played in the last two. He will need to have a decent night on the ground against a solid Lexington defense. QB [player_tooltip player_id='346199' first='Landon' last='Sharpe'] always gives White Knoll a chance but will need a ground attack to open things up in the passing side of things.     [player_tooltip player_id='233146' first='Jordon' last='Gidron'] WR, Ridge View   The Blazers are poised to play Sumter for a region championship next week but getting Gidron back in the fold is important. He returned to play against West Florence, but Ridge View leaned on the ground game in that one but will likely go to the air more against Blythewood. Gidron is one of the best pass catchers in the state and he's ready to have a statement game with the playoffs beginning in two weeks.   [player_tooltip player_id='473013' first='Carter' last='Coleman'] WR, Blythewood   This one might be personal for Coleman (pictured). He transferred from Ridge View and will be going against his former teammates. He has 44 receptions for 740 yards but more importantly, he has 12 touchdown catches on the season. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1418100' first='Johnny' last='Collins'] has 25 TD passes on the season and the Bengals will be looking to air it out against the Blazers.   [player_tooltip player_id='595702' first='Anthony' last='Addison'] DE, Sumter   Addison is living up to his preseason billing. He leads the Gamecocks with 17.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks to go along with 71 tackles. He makes a living coming off the edge and can recover if he overruns the play. Sumter's defense has been somewhat overshadowed by an explosive offense, but Addison and company are a force to be reckoned with. They will be a key as Sumter looks towards a region title showdown with Ridge View next week.    [player_tooltip player_id='1025784' first='Roper' last='Wentzky'] QB, AC Flora   Let this number sink in for a bit. Wentzky threw for 516 yards and five touchdowns in his last outing against Dreher. He has over 2,000 yards on the season and uses a strong, accurate arm to help his receiver in the open field. WR [player_tooltip player_id='1165081' first='Kendall' last='Byrd'] had 292 yards receiving in that same game and his 39 yards shy of a second straight 1,000-yard receiving season. Tripp Van Vlake is a solid second option.     [player_tooltip player_id='1165092' first='Tylin' last='Drakeford'] DB and [player_tooltip player_id='1157893' first='Jordan' last='Crim'] DB, Camden   Drakeford and Crim will have to be at their best against the Falcons passing attack. Both are long and lengthy and have the skills to match up with the best in the state. The defensive front led by Tanner Bracey will need to get pressure on Wentzky and not let him get comfortable in the pocket. That will help the two defensive backs out in coverage.   [player_tooltip player_id='379013' first='Seth' last='Tillman'] DE, South Pointe   Tillman has a huge presence for the Stallions defense with 18 tackles for loss and 51 tackles on the season. South Pointe has allowed 37 points in five region games but will face [player_tooltip player_id='272698' first='Will' last='Wilson'] and RNE this week. If Tillman lives in the backfield it will be a good start to keep the Cavaliers offense at bay.   [player_tooltip player_id='591391' first='Blake' last='Betette'] WR, Richland Northeast   The junior wide receiver has turned into [player_tooltip player_id='272698' first='Will' last='Wilson']'s favorite target. He has over 50 catches on the season and around 800 yards. If he can get free against a talented South Pointe secondary, he gives the Cavaliers a fighting chance to pull off the upset.   [player_tooltip player_id='1158045' first='Jared' last='Acosta'] LB and [player_tooltip player_id='1267311' first='Julian' last='Senn'] LB, Newberry   Acosta is a Touchstone Energy North-South All-Star and Senn is just as valuable as a junior in being key components of the Bulldogs defense. They play Swansea for the region title and the Tigers like to run it right at people. If Acosta and Senn are big on first and second down and force Swansea into passing situations, it will help.    [player_tooltip player_id='1267270' first='Dante' last='Caldwell'] RB and Teysean Charley RB, Swansea   The Tigers backfield duo has almost 1,500 yards between them and 20 total touchdowns. QB Jacob Harper has only thrown 57 passes on the season, so Caldwell and Charley must be successful in giving Swansea a chance against Newberry.   Tanner Watkins QB, Batesburg-Leesville   Watkins is completing over 74 percent of his passes on the season but has only thrown it 83 times on the season. He has 15 touchdowns and just one interception. The Panthers want to run first with [player_tooltip player_id='1267286' first='Amadre' last='Wooden'], but Watkins will play a huge role in a battle with Saluda for the region title this week.   [player_tooltip player_id='617664' first='Brayden' last='Williams'] RB, Saluda   Williams has settled back into the running back role after filling in at quarterback early in the season. He has 785 yards rushing and another 415 yards passing on the season. If he and Tristan Daniels can run the football successfully against the Batesburg-Leesville front seven, that will help Drew Arant in the passing game. It's a battle of unbeatens and the top two ranked teams in Class AA so a heavyweight battle is expected.   Justin Wright QB, Columbia   The Capitals senior QB finished with 228 yards passing and three touchdowns in a win over Eau Claire last week. Columbia will face Mid-Carolina this week and will need another big effort from Wright. Third place in Region II-AA will be in the line.

Players win championships and that will be put to the test this week in the Midlands. Several games will offer region championship implications, and we want to take a look at some of the players that will play huge roles this week.