The Unbeaten: Breaking Down SC’s Perfect After Week 7

Three teams fell from the ranks of The Undefeated last week.   That brings us down to just 14 unbeaten SCHSL programs, or roughly 6.9 percent of the entire membership. The company just keeps getting more and more exclusive.    And with further proof of just how difficult it is to run the table, even in the regular season, all three of the teams that dropped from this list last weekend - Dixie, Hillcrest and River Bluff - all lost by double digits.    Let's take another look at the 14 squads still alive in the perfect season conversation.   CLASS 2A    Batesburg-Leesville Panthers (6-0)   Last game: Beat Ninety Six 42-14 (Oct. 11)   About the Panthers: Batesburg-Leesville didn't just withstand a 100-yard [player_tooltip player_id='1013113' first='Zayvion' last='King'] rushing effort; it made it look rather inconsequential in a win that moved the Panthers to 6-0. Amare Wooden rushed for another 200 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Tanner Watkins threw for 145 and two more touchdowns. Batesburg-Leesville should have little trouble with American Leadership Academy this week to remain perfect.    Next up: at American Leadership (Friday)   Saluda Tigers (5-0)   Last game: Beat Pelion 50-0 (Oct. 10)   About the Tigers: Saluda got its primary quarterback (Drew Arant) back for the Thursday game against Pelion, something that allowed the Tigers to move tailback [player_tooltip player_id='617664' first='Brayden' last='Williams'] back to his natural position. Combined with the team's second shutout of the year, it was quick work to open region play.    Next up: at Ninety Six (Friday)   CLASS 3A   MARLBORO COUNTY BULLDOGS (7-0)   Last game: Beat Georgetown 64-15 (Oct. 11)   About the Bulldogs: Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='370006' first='Nydarion' last='Blackwell'] put up his best game in a Bulldog uniform in a 64-15 win over Georgetown. The senior was eight-of-11 passing for 268 yards and four touchdowns (no interceptions) and added three carries fro 59 yards. Of little surprise, [player_tooltip player_id='1271463' first='Justin' last='Purvis'] caught four of those passes, taking them for 172 yards and three touchdowns. The next two weeks will show just how ready Marlboro County is.   Next up: vs. Dillon (Friday)   MOUNTAIN VIEW PREP STARS (6-0)   Last game: Beat Chapman 27-9 (Oct. 11)   About the Stars: MVP's most contentious game of its first season still resulted in an 18-point victory. In the end, Jaylin McGill used 15 offensive touchdowns to put up 216 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 14 scores for the year. But the game everyone's had circled is here, as undefeated Woodruff will be bringing in a loaded squad of its own.    Next up: vs. Woodruff (Friday)   WOODRUFF WOLVERINES (5-0)   Last game: Beat Chesnee 45-28 (Sept. 20)   About the Wolverines: Woodruff will be one of the most rested teams in the state when he plays MVP this week. The effects of Hurricane Helene have put the Wolverines on the shelf since September 20, wiped out one game and postponed another. Still, quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1253917' first='TJ' last='Morris'] and running back [player_tooltip player_id='1036753' first='Aiden' last='Gibson'] (pictured) are proving to be an electric combination, while receivers [player_tooltip player_id='1592034' first='Kori' last='Moates'] (376 yards, three touchdowns) and [player_tooltip player_id='1395078' first='Kam' last='Taylor'] (182 yards, six touchdowns) are preventing opponents from locking in on Gibson.    Next up: at Mountain View Prep (Friday)   CLASS 4A   SENECA BOBCATS (6-0)   Last game: Beat Berea 42-0 (Oct. 11)   About the Bobcats: Seneca used its first game back after three weeks off to show how ready its defense could be. [player_tooltip player_id='1360008' first='Avery' last='Butler'] had a pick six, Noah Hamm intercepted the first Berea offensive play and the Bobcats added three more before the game was over. All those short fields equated to Seneca putting up fewer than 350 yards of offense. But the dominance of the game was felt.    Next up: at Greer (Friday)   MAY RIVER SHARKS (6-0)   Last game: Beat Bishop England 35-8 (Oct. 11)   About the Sharks: The win over Bishop England probably qualifies as the Sharks' most impressive one to date in 2024. The Bishops were 5-1 coming into that game and looked to have a chance to make some noise in Region VI-4A. [player_tooltip player_id='1592214' first='Andrew' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='1574079' first='Asa' last='Haskins'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1592230' first='Sean' last='Mitchell'] made it look easy. The trio of ball carries rushed for 385 yards and four touchdowns.    Next up: at Hilton Head (Thursday)   WESTSIDE RAMS (5-0)   Last game: Beat Emerald 41-17 (Oct. 11)   About the Rams: Make that 19 straight victories for the defending Class 4A state champs after quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='346189' first='Cutter' last='Woods'] threw for another 350 yards and three more scores in a win over Emerald. The Rams were pushed a bit more early than most expected, but Westside's passing game picked up yet another victim behind the South Carolina commitment.    Next up: vs. Fountain Inn (Friday)   CLASS 5A   SUMTER GAMECOCKS (7-0)   Last game: Beat West Florence 63-25 (Oct. 3)   About the Gamecocks: Sumter took advantage of its off week, but don't expect any major changes for an offense that has been ultra-committed to its ground game. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1012696' first='Kameron' last='Fortune'] (801 yards, 11 touchdowns) and [player_tooltip player_id='809744' first='John' last='Peeples'] (689 yards, 15 touchdowns) and sophomore quarterback Frank Richardson (562 yards, seven touchdowns to go along with 615 passing yards and seven touchdowns) have put a premium on running through opponent after opponent.     Next up: vs. Blythewood (Oct. 18)   NORTHWESTERN TROJANS (8-0)   Last game: Beat Fort Mill 65-6 (Oct. 11)   About the Trojans: The Northwestern machine kept on rolling against Fort Mill, as sophomore tailback [player_tooltip player_id='1603697' first='Zymier' last='Gordon-Miles'] put up his fourth 100-yard game of the year. He needed just 10 carries to hit 190 yards and three touchdowns. On the flip side, defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1360210' first='Mason' last='Grier'] put up another dominating performance. He finished with seven tackles, three tackles for loss, two pass break ups and a forced fumble.    Next up: vs. Rock Hill (Friday)   SUMMERVILLE GREEN WAVE (7-0)   Last game: Beat James Island 26-0 (Oct. 11)   About the Green Wave: Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1215391' first='Jayven' last='Williams'] extended his year-long coming out party another week by going off for 278 yards and all four of the Green Wave's scores in a 26-0 win over James Island. That could help open up doors for the [player_tooltip player_id='367350' first='Jaden' last='Cummings'] and the rest of passing game again this week against cross-town foe Ashley Ridge.    Next up: vs. Ashley Ridge   IRMO YELLOW JACKETS (7-0)   Last game: Beat River Bluff 35-14 (Oct. 11)   About the Yellow Jackets: Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand'] is running up on a second consecutive 2,000-yard passing, 1,000-yard rushing season after he put up another 210 yards and three scores on the ground and 120 passing in the win over previously unbeaten River Bluff last week. That was the first game all season when Brand failed to throw for a touchdown; but he's run for at least one every week.   Next up: at White Knoll (Friday)   DUTCH FORK SILVER FOXES (6-0)   Last game: Beat White Knoll 38-0 (Oct. 11)   About the Silver Foxes: The freak show that is the Dutch Fork defense did its thing again in shutting out White Knoll, the fourth opponent this year that has failed to score against the Silver Foxes. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith'] had 10 tackles to go along with a sack and a pass breakup, while defensive back Elgin Session had a long interception return for touchdown. In the middle of it all is 6-foot-3, 280-pound defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1574071' first='Carl' last='Fulmer'] beginning to emerge. He's had a tackle for loss in three of the last four games.    Next up: at Lexington (Friday)   GAFFNEY INDIANS (5-0)   Last game: Beat Byrnes 15-9 (Oct. 11)   About the Indians: Gaffney got starting quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='284134' first='Jayvon' last='Gilmore'] back for the second half in the narrow win over Byrnes, but [player_tooltip player_id='1254122' first='Jamarcus' last='Smith'] was again the bigger storyline. He scored his second straight overtime game winner on a carry to move the Indians to 5-0. The door is certainly open for Gaffney and its high-powered defense to run the table in the regular season.   Next up: at Riverside (Friday)

Three teams fell from the ranks of The Undefeated last week.