Class 2A, Upper State First Round Preview

As the Class 2A playoffs are set to get underway this week, the only guarantees are that there will be a new State champion and a completely new matchup in the Upper State final. Reigning 2A State champion Oceanside Collegiate and Upper State champion Gray Collegiate both moved up to Class 3A this season, while last year's Upper State runner-up Abbeville moved to Class 1A.   While there are new teams competing in 2A this season, many are not new to postseason football. Clinton, Batesburg-Leesville and Fairfield Central are the No. 1 seeds in the Upper State. Those three programs have combined for 17 state titles in football.   Here's a look at the eight first-round matchups in the Upper State portion of the 2A playoffs.   NO. 5 PELION (2-8) at NO. 1 CLINTON (7-2)   Clinton begins pursuit of its ninth state championship and first since 2009. While the Red Devils feature their traditionally strong running game, quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1012830' first='Tushawan' last='Richardson'] has passed enough to keep defenses honest. He's thrown for 886 yards and rushed for 426. More than 20 percent of Richardson's 48 completions have gone for touchdowns as he's thrown 10 and had just one interception. Paving the way up front for an offense that has rushed for 2,924 yards are linemen [player_tooltip player_id='1360221' first='Cal' last='Pitts'], [player_tooltip player_id='241184' first='Rion' last='Gordon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1165753' first='Tre' last='Aiken']. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='150043' first='Brett' last='Young'] leads Clinton's defense in tackles (82), tackles-for-loss (9), quarterback hurries (5), interceptions (2) and fumble recoveries (2). He's returned one of those picks for a touchdown. Pelion sophomore quarterback Allen Moore threw a pair of touchdowns in a regular season finale win over American Leadership to clinch a playoff spot for the Panthers.   X-FACTOR: Clinton junior running back [player_tooltip player_id='1161156' first='Javen' last='Cook'] lead the team in rushing with 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns. The 5-foot-6, 150-pound speedster, who also runs track for the Red Devils, averages 8.7 yards per carry and 35 yards per kickoff return.    NO. 3 STROM THURMOND (6-3) at NO. 2 CHESTER (4-5)   This looks to be one of the best opening round matchups in the state and if you like defense, this might be the game for you. While Chester won just four games overall, it hosts a playoff game after finishing second in Region III with a record of 3-1. In those three victories, the Cyclones outscored their opponents 132-0. That defense is led by a pair of juniors - lineman [player_tooltip player_id='816734' first='Terry' last='Radford'] and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1165099' first='Darriyarn' last='Baxley'] - who've put up incredible numbers this season. Radford has 93 tackles, 25 tackles-for-loss, 15 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries, while Baxley has 92 tackles including 16 tackles-for-loss. Behind an offensive line led by [player_tooltip player_id='1157755' first='JaBrell' last='White'], junior [player_tooltip player_id='1592278' first='Hudhaifah' last='Taylor'] has rushed for 851 yards and nine touchdowns for Chester. Strom Thurmond has to make the 90-mile road trip after a heartbreaking 8-7 loss to Batesburg-Leesville last Friday that left the Rebels in third place in Region II. Thurmond's defense, led by lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1249754' first='Josh' last='Merriweather'] (pictured), has allowed more than 14 points just once all season. Merriweather leads the Rebels in tackles-for-loss (13), while his younger brother Justin Merriweather - a sophomore - is second with 11, including a team-high three sacks. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1422601' first='Wytrayvious' last='Dugar'] leads Thurmond in tackles (55) and is tied with junior [player_tooltip player_id='617663' first='Kaleb' last='Simpkins'] for the team lead in interceptions (2).   X-FACTOR: Chester senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='457973' first='Trooper' last='Floyd'] is a dual threat quarterback. He's completed 67 percent of his passes this season for 1,024 yards with 13 touchdowns and two interceptions. Floyd has rushed for 326 yards and six touchdowns, while averaging 5.7 yards per carry.    NO. 4 COLUMBIA (5-5) at NO. 1 BATESBURG-LEESVILLE (10-0)   Coming off its first perfect regular season since 2000, seven-time state champion Batesburg-Leesville has high hopes for its first state crown since 2013. A balanced team defense has led the way for the 2A No. 1-ranked Panthers as they've posted five shutouts and only allowed 70 points. Half of those came in a thrilling 37-35 win at Abbeville in Week 2. The only other close game Batesburg-Leesville has had came last week when it pulled out an 8-7 win at Strom Thurmond on a score with 3:43 left to play. Senior quarterback Tanner Watkins has had an impressive, efficient season. He's completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 1,245 yards with 16 touchdowns and three interceptions. All 16 scores have been caught by two receivers - senior [player_tooltip player_id='1574124' first='Jamerius' last='Clark'] with nine and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1592414' first='KD' last='Whitt'] with seven. Defensively, Clark and Whitt also share the team lead for interceptions with three apiece. Columbia posted its first non-losing regular season since 2011. Senior quarterback Justin Wright has rushed for 387 yards and passed for 316. Senior Malachi Butler has done a little bit of everything for the Capitals. He averages 14.2 yards per carry in rushing for 242 yards and three touchdowns and is their leading receiver with 12 catches for 227 yards. Butler has a team-high four interceptions on defense, a kickoff return for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown.   X-FACTOR: Batesburg-Leesville junior running back [player_tooltip player_id='1267286' first='Amadre' last='Wooden'] has rushed for 1,543 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. Wooden's 19th touchdown was the score that cut Thurmond's lead to 7-6 last week before Wooden ran for the game-winning two-point conversion.    NO. 3 ANDREW JACKSON (3-7) at NO. 3 LIBERTY (5-4)   Liberty is hosting a playoff for the third time since 1996 after going 5-4 overall and 2-2 in Region I. The Red Devils' five wins were all decided by at least 18 points, while three of their four losses were anywhere from four- to eight-point losses. Those wins included one of the wildest in the state this season when Liberty outslugged Walhalla 60-41 on Sept. 20. [player_tooltip player_id='1303770' first='Jamijae' last='Karim'] had 21 carries for 220 yards and four touchdowns for the Red Devils that night. After earning a combined 20 wins over the last two seasons, Andrew Jackson got off to an 0-6 start this season. The Volunteers rallied to win three of their last four games to make the playoffs and get a 150-mile bus ride Friday. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1394996' first='Damias' last='Seegars'] does everything for Andrew Jackson. He's rushed for 726 yards and nine touchdowns, has caught two touchdowns, returned an interception for a touchdown and has two touchdowns on kickoff returns. He averages 49.3 yards per kick return, 17.8 yards per punt return and averages 40 yards per punt. Seegars has had nine of his 30 punts downed inside the 20.   X-FACTOR: Liberty senior athlete Logan Smith is a true dual threat quarterback. Smith's terrific scrambling ability has helped him often make something out of nothing. He was selected to the North-South All-Star game as a wide receiver.    NO. 5 CHESTERFIELD (6-4) at NO. 1 FAIRFIELD CENTRAL (9-1)   This is a matchup of teams that have won a combined five state championships, although none in Class 2A. Chesterfield won consecutive Class 1A Division I state titles from 2007-09, while Fairfield Central won back-to-back Class 3A state finals in 1996 and 1997. Despite losing a standout cornerback in [player_tooltip player_id='1012860' first='Chris' last='Pearson'] due to an ACL injury suffered in the fourth game this season, the Griffins' defense has been solid holding seven opponents to single digits. [player_tooltip player_id='1578741' first='Chauncery' last='Turner'] leads the team in tackles (92), tackles-for-loss (13) and sacks (5), while North-South All-Star defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1170192' first='Antario' last='James'] has 68 tackles and a team-high three interceptions. Chesterfield is led by North-South All-Star receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1254128' first='Jaquavis' last='Clark'] and running back TJ McBride. Clark has over 1,000 all-purpose yards this season, while McBride has more than 1,000 rushing.   X-FACTOR: While Fairfield Central senior [player_tooltip player_id='1012718' first='TyDarion' last='Grier'] made the Shrine Bowl as a wide receiver, he's been running all over opponents out of the backfield. After being held to 53 yards in a season-opening loss to Ridge View, Grier has run for more than 100 yards every week since including efforts of 250 and 246 yards against Newberry and Chester, respectively. Grier's rushed for 1,486 yards and 27 touchdowns and averages nine yards per carry.    NO. 4 NINETY SIX (3-7) at NO. 2 CHESNEE (5-5)   Chesnee got off to a 2-4 start this season before winning three of its last four games to be able to open the playoffs at home. Running back Jayden Williams and receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1732649' first='Braylon' last='Blanton'] have come on strong down the stretch for the Eagles. In their 44-34 win over Landrum on Nov. 1, which clinched a home playoff game, Williams ran 10 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns while Blanton caught five passes for 144 yards and three scores. In last week's 47-13 win over Blacksburg, which wrapped up second place in Region I, Williams was one of four Eagles with more than 75 yards rushing as he went for 141 and a touchdown. Blanton had 82 yards receiving. Ninety Six has had a tough season but that hasn't stopped [player_tooltip player_id='1013113' first='Zayvion' last='King'] from earning North-South All-Star honors. King has been a workhorse back for the Wildcats, rushing for more than 800 yards and nine touchdowns. King has also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.   X-FACTOR: Senior Kjay Proctor might be Chesnee's best player on both sides of the ball. While plenty of Class 2A players go both ways, there's likely not many that primarily play quarterback and defensive end like Proctor does. In that win over Landrum two weeks ago, Proctor threw two touchdowns, ran for another, had nine tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Last Friday, the North-South All-Star rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns and had an interception on defense.    NO. 4 LANDRUM (5-4) at NO. 2 CENTRAL (8-2)   Central put together its best regular season since going 8-2 in 2012 and now the Eagles are shooting for their fifth state championship and first since 2010. They've done so without any eye-popping stats. They just play solid team football. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1664364' first='Dwayne' last='Louallen'] has thrown for 948 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions, while rushing for 359 yards and five scores. [player_tooltip player_id='1639669' first='Ashten' last='Wilson'] has 87 carries for a team-high 581 yards and four touchdowns, while [player_tooltip player_id='1639753' first='Aiden' last='Short'] has 87 carries for 573 yards and six scores. [player_tooltip player_id='1254093' first='Tray' last='Wilson'] is the most impactful Eagle though. He's the leading receiver with 476 yards and four touchdowns on 29 catches. Wilson's also ran 42 times for 325 yards (7.7 per carry) and 11 of those runs have resulted in touchdowns. Landrum has a big-play offense that's also balanced as the Cardinals have thrown for 1,699 yards and ran for 2010. Senior Aidan Kelley has rushed for a team-high 846 yards and seven touchdowns, while sophomore Micah McClintock is their leading receiver with 40 catches for 558 yards and eight scores. Titus Poore has done a little bit of both for Landrum as he's rushed for eight touchdowns and caught three.   X-FACTOR: Junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1592305' first='Ty' last='Foster'] is the engineer of Landrum's explosive offense. He's thrown for 1,687 yards with 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Foster also averages 9.4 yards per carry as he's rushed for 745 yards and seven scores.    NO. 3 MID-CAROLINA (5-5) at NO. 2 SALUDA (8-1)   This year was just the third since 1978 in which these two teams didn't face off in the regular season. Now the rivalry renews for the first time ever in the postseason. Saluda has won each of the last seven meetings to take a 29-22 lead in the series. After falling 28-7 to Batesburg-Leesville in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown on Nov. 1, the Tigers bounced back with a 57-0 win over American Leadership last Friday. Saluda's defense, which has given up 94 points this season, allowed just five yards of total offense in the win, including minus-eight rushing. North-South All-Star lineman JT Lott leads the Tigers' defense. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='617664' first='Brayden' last='Williams'] has seen time at quarterback and running back this season, but he's a dynamic playmaker for Saluda's offense wherever he lines up.   X-FACTOR: Saluda senior wide receiver Jah Foulks has been a key playmaker, whether it's turning swing passes into big gains or working his way to get open downfield. In that victory last Friday, Foulks also had two of the Tigers' six rushing touchdowns.

As the Class 2A playoffs are set to get underway this week, the only guarantees are that there will be a new State champion and a completely new matchup in the Upper State final. Reigning 2A State champion Oceanside Collegiate and Upper State champion Gray Collegiate both moved up to Class 3A this season, while last year's Upper State runner-up Abbeville moved to Class 1A.