Class 3A, Lower State First Round Preview

With exception to top seed and Region V-3A champion Loris, the post-season begins Friday for 14 Class 3A Lower State teams.   This year's field includes a state champion from last year (Oceanside Collegiate), teams who are having seasons which exceeded expectations in some eyes (Swansea, Orangeburg-Wilkinson) and others seeking to relive past glory (Silver Bluff, Dillon).   Here's a breakdown of Round One.   NO. 9 SILVER BLUFF (2-8) AT NO. 8 HANAHAN (5-5)   A pair of teams who enter the post-season with some late momentum. The Bulldogs won two of their last three games following a 0-7 start. Quarterback Trellis Riley gives them a dual threat with the big run capabilities of running back [player_tooltip player_id='766728' first='Drelyn' last='Brown'].. The defense has allowed 30 points a game and face a Hawks' team that averaged 45.5 points in their last two regular-season wins. While leading rusher Travis Neal is a focal point of the offense, freshman quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1615084' first='Tripp' last='Gallus'] has seized the reins at the starting position. In six games, his passing numbers (776 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception) have allowed Hanahan to utilize former starter [player_tooltip player_id='1165104' first='Julius' last='Hippenstiel'] as a running back.Senior Dre Goldsmith has emerged as a deep threat at wide receiver. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1819692' first='Joshua' last='Amara'] is the leading tackler. Along with defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1359220' first='Antwain' last='Mitchell'], the Hawks' defense possesses the size, speed, and strength to cause problems for a Silver Bluff offense which, outside of scoring 56 points against Swansea, has managed only four games over 20 points. The winner faces Loris in the second round.   X-FACTOR: Hanahan lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1522432' first='Kalani' last='Roberts'] exhibits brute force on both sides of the football. The 6-foot, 285-pound senior overpowers centers and other blockers at defensive tackle, where he leads the team with five sacks. At guard, he moves swiftly and uses his long arms effectively in blocking over anyone in his path.    NO. 12 AYNOR (6-4) AT NO. 5 ORANGEBURG-WILKINSON (7-3)   The Bruins will play their first home playoff game since 2016. Under head coach [player_tooltip player_id='1742363' first='Chris' last='Carter'], they have paired an experienced offensive line led by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives All-Star Bowl selection [player_tooltip player_id='1360170' first='David' last='Blanchard'] with a run-dominant offense with senior [player_tooltip player_id='1361647' first='Derrick' last='Thomas'] (935 yards, seven touchdowns) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1126113' first='Jordan' last='Avinger'] (671 yards, seven touchdowns). Prior to last week's 46-0 loss to Oceanside Collegiate, the defense held opponents to 15.1 points per game. Linebackers Avinger and Derrick Neal and [player_tooltip player_id='1820110' first='Demonta' last='Sistrunk'] give the Orangeburg-Wilkinson defense its aggressive identity. They face a Blue Jackets' team whose bread and butter is the running game led by [player_tooltip player_id='1188517' first='Matthew' last='Kerby'], [player_tooltip player_id='1269581' first='Austin' last='Tanyika'], and senior talent Shileek Nash. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1734403' first='Luke' last='McCracken'] is adept at RPOs which allows him to keep teams off balanced with his running and passing capabilities.   X-FACTOR: Orangeburg-Wilkinson quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1474133' first='Brenden' last='Peoples'] has a quick left-handed release and is elusive enough to improvise long runs as he did against Airport.    NO. 13 NORTH CHARLESTON (4-5) AT NO. 4 KEENAN (6-4)   The Cougars enter the post-season mired in a four-game losing streak. Athlete Lorenzo Kitchings has over 1,000 total yards and 10 touchdowns at running back, wide receiver and kick returner. He also leads the team with four interceptions. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1467813' first='Raymond' last='Middleton'] provides a physical presence paired in the backfield with Kitchings at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. A defense that has allowed 38 points in their four region losses faces a Raiders' team which had scored over 40 points in six games this season. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1360203' first='Desmond' last='Washington'] has thrown for 2,214 yards and 17 touchdowns. Along with a strong arm,  he's a patient passer who scans the field in connecting with wide receivers [player_tooltip player_id='1578660' first='Tyheim' last='McNeil'] (47 receptions, 861 yards, seven touchdowns) and NyKeim McNeil (29 receptions, 641 yards, five touchdowns) and running back [player_tooltip player_id='1422608' first='Hunter' last='O'Neal'] (20 receptions, 269 yards, two touchdowns). O'Neal is also 44 yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards on the season. Linebackers [player_tooltip player_id='1603881' first='Darius' last='Dixon'] and Ty'quez Taylor lead the team in tackles and fiercely defend the middle of the field.   X-FACTOR: Keenan junior defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1734638' first='Tyreik' last='Davenport-Smith'] is a 6-foot-3, 209-pound pass rusher. He has a team-high five sacks to go with 44 tackles. His bursts off the line of scrimmage gives him immediate access into the backfield to disrupt plays.    NO. 14 GEORGETOWN (3-6) AT NO. 3 NEWBERRY (6-3)   Newberry won its final four regular season games to win the Region IV-3A title. The continued improvement of quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1267234' first='Kenton' last='Caldwell'] has served as a major catalyst for their turnaround. This enabled Newberry to move former quarterback Bryce Satterwhite to tight end and provide more offensive weapons with wide receivers [player_tooltip player_id='1113710' first='CJ' last='Earl'], [player_tooltip player_id='1771641' first='Cash' last='Brown'], and University of South Carolina commit [player_tooltip player_id='816735' first='Jamel' last='Howse'] to go with running backs [player_tooltip player_id='473022' first='BJ' last='Jones']. Georgetown has just two on-field wins the past four seasons. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='1734397' first='Trenton' last='Parker'] had his most productive game in a 34-29 win over Carvers Bay with 225 rushing yards, 103 receiving yards and four touchdowns.   X-FACTOR: [player_tooltip player_id='1254060' first='Isaiah' last='Glymph'] is one of Newberry's top two-way players. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound athlete uses his length and quickness at wide receiver and is an aggressive safety who hustles all over the field. He also shows good hands on both sides of the football.    NO. 11 BATTERY CREEK (3-6) AT NO. 6 DILLON (8-2)   The Wildcats rebounded from back-to-back losses to Hartsville and Loris by ending the season with four straight dominating wins. Senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='346196' first='Jamarion' last='Fling'] scored six of his 17 touchdowns and 276 of his 910 yards in an Oct. 25 win over Waccamaw. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1573996' first='Rahmond' last='Hamilton'] is another running threat out of the backfield and has a speedy target at wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1165163' first='Zamaurious' last='Robertson']. Dillon has size upfront on both sides of the football with tackles Ky'heim Lester (6-foot 4, 255 pounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='1820508' first='Ethan' last='Sampson'] (6-foot 2, 265 pounds) on offense and end Ta'Marein Rogers (6-foot 1, 185 pounds) and tackle Azavion Deberry (6-0, 275 pounds) on defense.   X-FACTOR: On a team with aggressive defenders, junior middle linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1025771' first='Keryien' last='Brown'] leads the way. With 118 total tackles and two sacks, he watches the action like a hawk, ready to swoop in to make the tackle or a hard hit. At 5-foot 11 and 210 pounds, Brown stays low and charges fast when lining up to make a play.    NO. 10 SWANSEA (7-3) AT NO. 7 WACCAMAW (5-4)   The Tigers nearly doubled their combined win total from the previous four seasons. First-year head coach Willie Fox has honed in on the team's strengths, starting on offense with the punishing backfield of Teysean Charley and [player_tooltip player_id='1267270' first='Dante' last='Caldwell']. The tandem has accounted for the bulk of Swansea's points with offensive linemen [player_tooltip player_id='1804680' first='Kevin' last='Sightler'] and Kasiah Harkless-Adams helping to lead the way. The other team strength is an athletic linebacking corps with DJ Green, [player_tooltip player_id='1822446' first='Jerel' last='Wine'], and Chase Alley. Despite the record, the Warriors have averaged 32 points a contest. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='473025' first='Andre' last='Grate'] (pictured) has accounted for 14 touchdowns on the ground and in the air. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='1344769' first='Zaireon' last='Skinner'] has rushed for 764 yards and nine touchdowns. Linebacker Adrian Grate has 102 tackles to go with six rushing touchdowns.   X-FACTOR: Junior outside linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='756588' first='William' last='Geddis'] manages to cover a large portion of the field. He can drop back in the secondary and return an interception for a touchdown or line up and make a pass rush to pressure the quarterback. He's a big reason why the Tigers' defense has allowed an average of 15.7 points in their seven wins.    NO. 15 FOX CREEK (4-5) AT OCEANSIDE COLLEGIATE (6-3)   The Landsharks emerged battle-tested from a non-region schedule which included Irmo and Dutch Fork. Their four Region VI-3A games were run by a 185-13 margin. Sophomore quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1094944' first='Aiden' last='Manavian'] is resembling the player who guided Oceanside Collegiate to last year's Class 2A title run. He has a healthy wide receiving corps with [player_tooltip player_id='809757' first='Will' last='Virgilio'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1180863' first='Gavin' last='Gaspar'] and an experienced offensive line with [player_tooltip player_id='816747' first='Michael' last='Jones'], Charlie Bean and Carson Lee. The defense has posted 10 straight scoreless quarters with defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1025774' first='Sawyer' last='Arnold'], linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='809745' first='Max' last='Moorman'] and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='809752' first='Grayson' last='Freeling']. The Predators seek another restart in a season where it opened 4-1 and have dropped their last four games. Quarterback Nate Owens has a pair of talented wide receivers to target with [player_tooltip player_id='1523586' first='Devonta' last='Holmes'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1822476' first='Mekhi' last='Quiller'].   X-FACTOR: As predicted by former Oceanside Collegiate head coach Chad Wilkes, junior wide receiver Terance Johnson has seen his role grow as the season progressed. The first-year varsity player stretches the field whenever he grabs the football. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, his presence sometimes distracts teams even when he's not carrying the football. He runs short, precise routes which can turn into long runs after catches and is the team's best kick returner.

With exception to top seed and Region V-3A champion Loris, the post-season begins Friday for 14 Class 3A Lower State teams.