Week 10 Focal Points in the GSPD

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The race to the regular-season finish line has brought us to Week 10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Grand Strand and Pee Dee may not be loaded with potential region championship games like other parts of the state. But that doesn't mean we're devoid of one monster match-up and a few others that will dictate playoff seedings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the heart of it all is 40 names to know for this week's games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SOUTH FLORENCE (7-2, 5-0) AT HARTSVILLE (7-1-1, 5-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A showdown developing over months is finally here. And we can't mention this game without first addressing the stockpile of ball carriers who will share the field. South Florence will lead with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272717' first='Tre' last='Leonard']</strong> (672 yards, nine touchdowns) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272722' first='Zion' last='Gilbert']</strong> (445 yards, three touchdowns), two tailbacks who have both missed at least two games. They'll sprinkle in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1615112' first='Semaj' last='Parker']</strong> (312 yards, three touchdowns) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464881' first='Jayden' last='Sellers']</strong> (117 yards, four touchdowns to go along with 653 yards and seven touchdowns receiving). The Red Foxes will counter out of its split-T offense with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012592' first='Hakeem' last='Watters']</strong> (890, 15, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592473' first='Kylif' last='Miller']</strong> (622, 11), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578854' first='EJ' last='Smith']</strong> (438, eight) and <strong>Reggie Smith</strong> (244, one). That's not to say that South Florence's [player_tooltip player_id='1166986' first='Messiah' last='Jackson'] (1,425 yards, 19 touchdowns) or Hartsville's [player_tooltip player_id='1578854' first='EJ' last='Smith'] (1,256 yards, 11 touchdowns) won't throw the ball, too. But both teams will look to establish a way to keep their respective offenses on the field.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MYRTLE BEACH (4-4, 2-1) AT NORTH MYRTLE BEACH (3-4, 3-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maybe the second-biggest game in the GSPD this year matches up a Chiefs team that feasted on the bottom half of the region so far against a Seahawk squad that still had designs on a second-place region finish. Look no further than these two defenses to determine how this one could shake out. Between <strong>Sloan McIntyre</strong> (56 tackles tackles, 3.5 TFL, interception), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1738840' first='Bricey' last='Gore']</strong> (45 tackles, two TFL) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025820' first='Lamontae' last='Smith']</strong> (45 tackles, 2.5 TFL), North Myrtle Beach has allowed fewer than 14 points a game in wins over Socastee, Conway and St. James. Myrtle Beach, meanwhile, has given up more points but is also more reliant on big plays. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395042' first='Malachi' last='Geathers']</strong> (nine TFL, sack), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='395980' first='Ashton' last='Keith']</strong> (eight tackles for loss, sack), <strong>Noah Herring</strong> (two fumble recoveries, two sacks) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='816754' first='Tyree' last='Cauthen']</strong> (four interceptions, pictured) have taken turns causing major disruptions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PHILIP SIMMONS (7-2, 2-0) AT ANDREWS (6-3, 2-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With both teams locked into their playoff positions, the region champion Iron Horses are going to hope for yet another dominant defensive effort. We certainly saw that last week, when <strong>Cam Richardson</strong> and <strong>Travaris Walker</strong> each picked off a pass, <strong>Darriel Porcher</strong> forced a fumble, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1271262' first='Alex' last='Tchoryk']</strong> recovered one, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592627' first='Ethan' last='Chisum']</strong> had three tackles for loss and freshman <strong>Trevor Tonon</strong> finished with 11 total tackles. Against Andrews, all that collective fire power is going to be a little more singularly focused. Tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395098' first='AJ' last='Lee']</strong> (1,186 yards, 15 touchdowns) has 50-plus carries more than the next ball carrier on this roster. No. 2 happens to be quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013054' first='Brandon' last='Cumbee']</strong> (603 yards, 11 touchdowns), a player who has attempted only seven passes per game so far this year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LORIS (8-1, 4-0) AT AYNOR (5-4, 1-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lions have already seemingly locked up a region title after last week's forfeit victory over Marlboro County, but this game will likely prove vital for this offense's rhythm given a likely lengthy layoff before starting a well-positioned spot in the Class 3A Lower State playoffs. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='797160' first='Moon' last='Gerald']</strong> is going to get fewer opportunities to throw, and he'll have to prevent turnovers. He's done well with that this year, as he's only got one interception in 117 pass attempts. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592447' first='Jacobien' last='Lewis']</strong> (204 receiving yards), <strong>Quantez Dyson</strong> (382) and <strong>Zhimere Herring</strong> (205 yards) will each be asked to make the best out of their short receptions. And while this game won't change much in the region standings, Aynor isn't going into the rivalry contest empty handed. Ball carriers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1188517' first='Matthew' last='Kerby']</strong> (802 yards, seven touchdowns), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734403' first='Luke' last='McCracken']</strong> (476, six) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1269581' first='Austin' last='Tanyika']</strong> (410 yards, 11) have already proved they can take over a game, both in points and keeping opposing offenses parked on the bench. Of course, defensive linemen <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464883' first='Javon' last='Johnson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395062' first='Demarea' last='Thurmond']</strong> and linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464897' first='Avery' last='Todd']</strong> might have something to say about that, too.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>PLAYERS TO WATCH</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1573996' first='Rahmond' last='Hamilton']</strong> QB, Dillon | The Wildcats are going into their regular-season finale against Georgetown possibly without any of their top three tailbacks. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346196' first='Jamarion' last='Fling']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025778' first='Domanick' last='Felton']</strong> are both dealing with lighter injuries and likely to sit, while third stringer <strong>Noah Singletary</strong> was already ruled out of the season. That puts the onus on Hamilton, the team's starting quarterback, to make enough plays against an overmatched Georgetown squad to get through this one with another region win.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Javier Higgins </strong>RB, Carolina Forest | After last week's monster effort from [player_tooltip player_id='1148537' first='Jaryn' last='Fox'] pushed the Panthers to a 52-38 win over Myrtle Beach, there's little more than pride going for Carolina Forest against Conway. The Tigers have yet to win a region game and will be fighting like hell to change that, but we also know what Marc Morris' team has compared to what Josh Pierce is rolling with. If the game gets even slightly out of hand, Higgins, the team's third-string tailback, will get opportunities to improve upon his 175 yards and three touchdowns this year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1429140' first='Christian' last='Royals']</strong> QB, Socastee and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267347' first='Alex' last='Sandt']</strong> QB, St. James | The Battle of 707 will shine a big ol' light on the two junior signal callers with different styles. Royals has shown off his arm in small doses while the Braves tend to try to control the clock. Sandt, on the other hand, has been known to throw it sideline-to-sideline in an effort to take pressure off an undersized offensive line and some issues in the run game. This won't be the last time these two match up, and bragging rights and a potential playoff berth are on the line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->