Week 9 CSRA/Midlands Games To Watch

We're coming to a close of the 2025 regular season and games over the next two weeks will have huge playoff and region standing implications. Everyone is playing for playoff seeding with the hope of securing home playoff games and the best possible path to the Weekend of Champions the first week of December.   Some games will determine Region champions this week. Others will set up big things for the following week.   We look at six games across the CSRA and Midlands area that will determine a lot of postseason destinations.   Ridge View (6-2, 4-0) at Sumter (7-1, 4-0)   Last year: Sumter 49-6   Players to Watch: RV – [player_tooltip player_id='1350429' first='Ashton' last='Chapman'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1172363' first='Khristian' last='Jackson'] (WR), [player_tooltip player_id='1149057' first='Spencer' last='Bobian'] (RB), Markeith Thomas (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1267280' first='Jordyn' last='Best'] (DB), Drew Madison (DE); S – [player_tooltip player_id='1816997' first='Cleveland' last='Pinkney'] (RB/LB) [player_tooltip player_id='1603974' first='Franklin' last='Richardson'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='876560' first='Tymaries' last='Thompson-DuRant'] (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1818349' first='Damarion' last='Holmes'] (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1819523' first='Cameron' last='Bradley'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1817008' first='Josh' last='Peeples'] (DB)   Notable: Winner of this one has the inside track for the Region 5-AAAAA championship. Despite battling injuries, the Blazers defense has been elite. In its five-game winning streak, Ridge View has allowed 28 points with two shutouts. [player_tooltip player_id='402489' first='Davon' last='Toney'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1537475' first='D'Juan' last='Franklin'] join Thomas and Madison to give the Blazers a fast and vicious front seven. Jackson returned from injury and had a touchdown catch on Friday. This will be their biggest test since playing Northwestern and Dutch Fork in back-to-back games. The Gamecocks are averaging over 41 points per game and only have three games in which they've scored less than 41 points. Sumter had 559 yards rushing on Friday with Pinkney going for 262 yards (three touchdowns) and Richardson (four touchdowns) adding 233 yards. Sumter has 3,045 rushing on the season with Richardson leading the way with over 1,000 yards. It should be fun to watch the Blazers defense try to slow the high-scoring Gamecocks offense.     Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (6-2, 3-0) at Blackville-Hilda (4-4, 3-0)   Last year: Hunter-Kinard-Tyler 59-12   Players to Watch: HKT – [player_tooltip player_id='1811059' first='De'Nyrion' last='Cave'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1809016' first='Josiah' last='Ross'] (DB), [player_tooltip player_id='1664511' first='Trenton' last='Summers'] (RB), [player_tooltip player_id='1822792' first='Pierre' last='Fogle'] (OL/DL), Taezon Sprinkle (DL); BH – [player_tooltip player_id='1003565' first='Jayden' last='Dash'] (OL/DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1856571' first='Isaac' last='Kem'] (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1856770' first='Travaris' last='Johnson'] (OL/LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1395064' first='Messiah' last='McFadden'] (LB/QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1758746' first='Jayden' last='Jackson'] (ATH)   Notable: First place in Region 3A will be on the line with both teams playing their best defense of the season. Since losing to Bamberg-Ehrhardt on September 28, the Trojans have allowed 13 points in a three-game winning streak. They have three shutouts on the season. On the flip side, the Hawks come into the contest on a four-game winning streak in which they've allowed just 20 points after allowing 139 points in the first four games playing mostly against teams in a higher classification. They have two shutouts in the last four games. The battle in the trenches will probably end up being the key in this one.     White Knoll (5-3, 1-2) at Lexington (3-5, 1-2)   Last year: White Knoll 35-14   Players to Watch: WK – Jhais McKiever (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1036740' first='Tiyon' last='Fanning'] (RB), [player_tooltip player_id='1025815' first='Caleb' last='Geronomi'] (ATH), [player_tooltip player_id='1592362' first='Josue' last='Esiki'] (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1824733' first='James' last='Smith'] (DB); L – [player_tooltip player_id='1820743' first='Victor' last='Smith'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1823330' first='Ethan' last='Geiger'] (DB), [player_tooltip player_id='1820744' first='William' last='Brooks'] (DB), [player_tooltip player_id='1909406' first='Avery' last='Coyle'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1823321' first='Sawyer' last='Headley'] (WR)   Notable: The Region 4-AAAAA title will come down to Dutch Fork or Irmo, but the winner of this game could claim third place. The Timberwolves have lost back-to-back games to the Silver Foxes and Yellow Jackets so they're in need of a win. McKiever (pictured) has been solid at quarterback, but White Knoll was kept out of the end zone against Irmo. A bounce back effort offensively will go a long way against the Wildcats. Lexington is coming off a performance in which they were limited to 14 total yards against Dutch Fork. The best weapon was Headley, who had 81 kick-off return yards. Coyle is getting back into the groove after sitting out the first six games of the season with an injury.   South Aiken (4-4, 2-3) at Midland Valley (6-2, 3-2)   Last year: Midland Valley 41-14   Players to Watch: SA – [player_tooltip player_id='1822587' first='Blain' last='Drake'] (WR/RB), [player_tooltip player_id='1822590' first='Zay'lynn' last='Hightower'] (WR), [player_tooltip player_id='1825166' first='Rasco' last='Hopkins'] (DB), [player_tooltip player_id='1822593' first='Jayden' last='Riley'] (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1820077' first='Bralyn' last='Bodie'] (DB); MV – [player_tooltip player_id='644030' first='Xavier' last='Geter'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1824068' first='Jayden' last='Franklin'] (WR), [player_tooltip player_id='1820474' first='Preston' last='Smith'] (RB), [player_tooltip player_id='1506464' first='Charles' last='Richardson'] (DB), [player_tooltip player_id='1824066' first='Brayden' last='Gerard'] (LB)   Notable: These teams are looking up to Gray Collegiate and North Augusta in the Region 4-AAAA standings but again, a third-place finish could be on the line here. The Thoroughbreds are coming off a big loss to the War Eagles but have displayed an explosive offense at times. [player_tooltip player_id='1704301' first='Tommy' last='Burns'] has thrown for over 1,200 yards and Kaeleb O'Berry has over 500 yards rushing. If those two can get going, the Mustangs defense is allowing over 24 points per game. Midland Valley won a thriller last week with a Franklin kick return in the final minutes being the difference. Geter (1,800+ yards passing) and Smith (1,100 yards rushing) will need to have big nights along with [player_tooltip player_id='1647592' first='Corey' last='Gleaton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1824045' first='Jaylen' last='Washington'] on the receiving end of things.     Saluda (5-3, 2-1) at Strom Thurmond (6-2, 3-0)   Last year: Saluda 35-25   Players to Watch: S – [player_tooltip player_id='1823625' first='Tristan' last='Daniels'] (RB), CJ Springs (WR), [player_tooltip player_id='1783207' first='Jakaile' last='Stevens'] (DB), [player_tooltip player_id='1823631' first='Jahmeer' last='Myers'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1592013' first='Akiem' last='Mills'] (LB); ST – [player_tooltip player_id='1820530' first='Deonte' last='Phillips'] (RB), [player_tooltip player_id='617663' first='Kaleb' last='Simpkins'] (ATH), Gregory Moore (LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1823104' first='Grayson' last='Smith'] (DL/OL), [player_tooltip player_id='1515761' first='Jalin' last='Collins'] (DB)   Notable: Saluda could get the Region 2-AA race into a mess with a win in this one. Strom Thurmond wins the region with a victory but a Saluda win and a Batesburg-Leesville win over Pelion would create a three-way tie at the top with the Tigers and Panthers playing in the final week of the regular season. Saluda lost a heartbreaker to Ninety-Six in which 145 of the 248 yards allowed came on the four touchdown plays. Daniels and QB [player_tooltip player_id='1822966' first='Brayden' last='Williams'] will need to have big nights to keep up with the Rebels attack that is averaging right at 40 points per game. Strom Thurmond has won three in a row and has won the last two by a combined 115-0 margin. Shaheen Williams is the leading receiver and has two interceptions as well. Phillips, [player_tooltip player_id='1615095' first='Kaden' last='Wigfall'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1818416' first='Zy' last='Rouse'] combined to rush for seven touchdowns in a 61-0 win over Pelion on Friday. Brishaun Lee has 16 touchdown passes.   Fox Creek (5-3, 0-2) at Swansea (7-1, 1-1)   Last year: Swansea 21-7   Players to Watch: FC –[player_tooltip player_id='1825146' first='Kamal' last='Grant'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1816110' first='John' last='Truesdell'] (DL/OL), [player_tooltip player_id='1822476' first='Mekhi' last='Quiller'] (DB/WR), [player_tooltip player_id='1821681' first='Brandon' last='Wallace'] (QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1824044' first='Bryson' last='Crawford'] (RB); S – Nick Riley (LB), Jeremiah Waymyers (DL/OL), [player_tooltip player_id='1817558' first='Jamarieye' last='Jones'] (DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1816291' first='Trace' last='Selfridge'] (DB) [player_tooltip player_id='1267270' first='Dante' last='Caldwell'] (RB/DB)   Notable: Both teams need a win for playoff seeding from Region 4-AAA. The Predators have lost three in a row after opening the season with five straight wins. Crawford is over 1,000 yards rushing on the season and Wallace is over 1,200 yards of total offense. [player_tooltip player_id='1822476' first='Mekhi' last='Quiller'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1822485' first='Mikah' last='Quiller'] make things difficult for opposing offenses from both a rushing and passing perspective. The Tigers are coming off their first loss and need a win here to set up a showdown with Newberry in the final week of the regular season. [player_tooltip player_id='1819945' first='Deandre' last='Caldwell'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1267270' first='Dante' last='Caldwell'] have both been effective on both sides of the ball. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1672924' first='Kendall' last='Wright'] missed some time during the loss to Silver Bluff but having him back healthy could be a key.

We're coming to a close of the 2025 regular season and games over the next two weeks will have huge playoff and region standing implications. Everyone is playing for playoff seeding with the hope of securing home playoff games and the best possible path to the Weekend of Champions the first week of December.