Upstate First Round Game Balls

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Run the ball and stop the run. It's the secret to success, particularly in the playoffs. Across the Upstate in the first round, a number of teams did just that, and it's no surprise they're moving on. Here's a look at a bunch of players who had some success running the ball, some success stopping opponents from doing it, and who lived to play another week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1551027' first='Nick' last='Holmes']</strong> RB and <strong>Quamaine Dodd</strong> LB, Greer</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holmes was an absolute workhorse in the Yellow Jackets' win over Fountain Inn, rushing for 199 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries for Greer. Dodd was a defensive standout, notching nine tackles in the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zy Landrum</strong> QB, Byrnes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Landrum was the Rebels' main offensive threat in a big win over Lexington. He threw for 147 yards and a score, while rushing eight times for 46 yards and three touchdowns as the Rebels won 32-11.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16575537/67383141b978c2e407dfa3d0' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673963fba951f"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kjay Proctor</strong> ATH and <strong>Jayden Williams</strong> RB, Chesnee</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Proctor and Williams powered a first-round win over Ninety Six, getting it done on the ground for Chesnee. Proctor ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns for the Eagles, while Williams had 112 yards and a score in the 26-21 win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='293593' first='Michael' last='Martin']</strong> RB, Christ Church</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Martin added some balance to Christ Church's potent passing attack, giving the Cavaliers some success on the ground. He rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in a win over West-Oak.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='429920' first='Sam' last='Holliday']</strong> QB, Fountain Inn</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite falling to Greer, Holliday (pictured) showed why he's one of the best dual-threat QBs in the area. He threw for 219 yards and a score, adding 124 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1604046' first='Jackson' last='Free']</strong> QB and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1359171' first='Frank' last='Starks']</strong> RB, Hillcrest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Free and Starks keyed an offensive explosion for the Rams in their win over Nation Ford. Free finished 11-for-15 for 217 yards and four touchdowns, while Free rushed for 206 yards and two scores on 19 carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Keegan Reid</strong> QB and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1149042' first='Brandon' last='Waldrop']</strong> RB, Powdersville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another offensive duo helped the Patriots break out in the first round. Reid threw for 194 yards and two scores in a first-round win over Broome, while Waldrop ran for 163 yards and a score on 26 carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012616' first='Mikkel' last='Skinner']</strong> ATH, Riverside</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Skinner put the Warriors on his back down the stretch. He finished with four total touchdowns, including TD runs of 40 and 49 yards, and finished with 137 rushing yards, 37 receiving yards, two tackles, and three QB hurries as he split time at WR, RB, and DE.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16942809/6738a9a4b978c2e407e021ee' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673963fba957d"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036753' first='Aiden' last='Gibson']</strong> RB and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1253917' first='TJ' last='Morris']</strong> QB, Woodruff</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gibson rushed for 108 yards and a pair of scores, while Morris threw for 176 and two more as the Wolverines beat Pendleton 28-21.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Campbell Johnson</strong> LB, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592395' first='TJ' last='Collins']</strong> LB, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592404' first='Cohen' last='Chalk']</strong> S, and <strong>Ry'Shaun Morgan</strong> S, Boiling Springs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a shutout win over region rival Dorman in the first round, Boiling Springs' defense came up huge. Johnson and Collins had identical lines, with seven tackles, a sack, and half a tackle for loss each. Chalk picked off a pass, recovered a fumble, and made four tackles. And Morgan provided a pivotal score, returning an interception 70 yards for a touchdown in addition to three tackles and a tackle for loss.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16099759/6738bc793c3db560338e6845' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-673963fba95bf"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='605525' first='Marquise' last='Henderson']</strong> RB, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='283891' first='Noah' last='Thomas']</strong> QB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin']</strong> ATH, Belton-Honea Path</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bears' trio of playmakers did plenty of damage in the first round. Henderson rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns, eclipsing 6,000 rushing yards for his career. Thomas threw for 192 yards and three scores. And Watson-Martin caught three balls for 78 yards and a score.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->