Class 2A Lower State First Round Preview

It's fair to say that the Class 2A Lower State bracket is as wide open as any this postseason. There isn't an undefeated dominant team with Central leading the way with only one loss. That should make for some interesting and intriguing matchups all the way from the first round until the Lower State championship.   It's going to be all about who is hot at the right time and a couple of teams fit that bill coming into the playoffs. We're here to break it all down for you here is our look at the first round matchups in the Class 2A Lower State bracket.   LAKE CITY (3-7) AT HAMPTON COUNTY (7-3)   If Lake City is going down into the Lowcountry to pull off the upset, the trio of quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1820580' first='Amari' last='Hanna'], running back [player_tooltip player_id='1824434' first='Jordan' last='Dobson'] and receiver J'Mari Jones are going to need big nights. In the three wins, the Panthers have scored 20, 30 and 30 points. Their first win of the season was over an 8-2 East Clarendon team. Because we know what the Hurricanes bring to the table offensively, averaging 42 points per game. If running back [player_tooltip player_id='1165165' first='Jaylen' last='Singletary'] and quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1644574' first='Tarell' last='Grant'] have typical games, the Hurricanes will be hard to keep pace with.   X-Factor: A lot is made about the Hurricanes offense, but the defense has been good outside of the three losses and [player_tooltip player_id='1820423' first='Braydon' last='Blake'] is a huge part of that. Hampton County allowed an average of 38.6 points in the three-game losing streak in the middle of the season but only 46 total points in the seven victories. Blake has 60 tackles and two fumbles caused while playing in eight games this season. He closed out the season with 10 tackles in the season-ending 62-12 win over Whale Branch.   ANDREWS (4-6) AT CHERAW (6-4)   These are two teams going in the opposite direction at the end of the season. Andrews lost two of three to close the season while Cheraw closed out the year with three straight wins. The Yellow Jackets will need a huge night from [player_tooltip player_id='1395098' first='AJ' last='Lee'], who rushed for 1,648 yards and 21 of the teams 24 touchdowns on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='1734436' first='Kayden' last='Dorsey'] [player_tooltip player_id='1827390' first='Colby' last='Marlowe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1827392' first='Brycen' last='Cannon'] have 61 of the teams 89 receptions if they have to go to the air. Cheraw lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1422635' first='Anthony' last='Strong'] and defensive back Demaurice James have helped the Braves play better since a loss to Andrew Jackson on October 3. This will come down to who controls the line of scrimmage best.     X-Factor: Cheraw linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1172365' first='Crawford' last='Poole'] has been a menace to opposing offenses all season long. The junior has 19 tackles for loss and nine sacks to go along with his 41 total tackles. If he's able to help control the Yellow Jackets running game, it will force them to put the ball in the air, which they've only completed about nine passes per game this season. Poole will have to be a key against Lee and the rest of the Andrews backs.     ACADEMIC MAGNET (5-5) AT MANNING (7-3)   The adage if you want to win playoff football games on the road, the adage is you better bring your running game and a solid defense. The Raptors will lean heavily on [player_tooltip player_id='1821469' first='Owen' last='George'] if that's the case. The junior quarterback has rushed for 1,191 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing for 643 yards and four touchdowns. But he has thrown eight interceptions as well. Sophomore linebacker Samson Peters has over 100 tackles on the season, and he will be needed to slow the Monarchs attack. Manning lost its first two games of the season and then won seven of eight since the month of September. Defensively, linebackers [player_tooltip player_id='1811132' first='Daniel' last='Robinson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1809951' first='Ethan' last='Lowder'] have been the key.   X-Factor: There is no question that [player_tooltip player_id='1592198' first='Jontavious' last='Canty'] is the leader of this Manning attack. The two-way standout closed the regular season with 275 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a win over Lake City. He also doubles as a linebacker and that unit is the strength of the Monarchs defense. If he has a huge night on either side of the ball, Manning usually fares well.   BARNWELL (4-6) AT TIMBERLAND (8-2)   Despite the records, this could be one of the more intriguing first round matchups. The War Horses played in the state championship a season ago and was preseason Top 10 until injuries derailed their season. But some of those players are starting to make their way back. Barnwell won its first two games, lost six in a row and won the final two regular season games. Two-standout [player_tooltip player_id='1819832' first='Jayden' last='Peeples'] is one of the players that returned. In the season-ending win over Whale Branch, he rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns to give him 670 yards and six scores on the season. He hadn't played since early in the season. The Wolves will counter with athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1823614' first='Jordan' last='Gorham'], quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1823610' first='Malyk' last='Goodman'] and linemen [player_tooltip player_id='473011' first='Desmond' last='Green'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1823613' first='Hunter' last='Edens'].   X-Factor: The one mainstay for Barnwell has been [player_tooltip player_id='1817436' first='Nehemiah' last='Brown'], a two-way standout. He leads the team in rushing with 861 yards and eight touchdowns, and he has an interception on defense. Now that teams can't fully key on Brown in the running game, things will open for the War Horses to move the chains. As a team, they rushed for 324 yards in the season finale.    KINGSTREE (4-6) AT CENTRAL (8-1)   Kingstree lost three of four to close the season and get a road game against a Central team that has been near the top of the 2A rankings all season. The Blazers will need a big game from quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1825539' first='Randy' last='McFadden'] if they're going to pull off the win. The junior has thrown for 698 yards and six touchdowns. He's thrown 11 interceptions so that will have to be limited against an Eagles defense that has eight picks on the season. Defensive backs [player_tooltip player_id='1817469' first='Aidan' last='Welch'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1817468' first='Dylan' last='Tomberlin'] each have two picks for Central. The Eagles have only allowed 20 points or more three times this season. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1036769' first='Maleek' last='Dukes'] will be a key for Kingstree in trying to slow Central.   X-Factor: Kingstree goes as [player_tooltip player_id='473015' first='Tyleek' last='Dukes'] goes and it's time for the senior to have an explosive night if the Blazers are to advance. [player_tooltip player_id='473015' first='Tyleek' last='Dukes'] has rushed for 822 yards and five touchdowns but we've seen him fully take over at times. He also has 25 tackles, two interceptions and eight pass breakups on defense. It's very unlikely he comes off the field on Friday and he will need to be operating at a high level in a road playoff environment.   EAST CLARENDON (8-2) AT LAKE MARION (5-5)   East Clarendon will count on running backs Skyler Cornelius and TyQuan Wilson among others to control the clock and the pace of the game. Cornelius could sniff the 1,000-yard mark with a big game and Wilson is more of a grinder with 505 yards on 105 carries. The Wolverines only scored 14 and 6 points in the two losses and were over 26 points in every other game. The Gators come in as winners of four of their final five games. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1821861' first='Zai' last='Watson'] and receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1821420' first='Carl' last='Capers'] have made big plays all season for Lake Marion and they will need that trend to continue. Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1824128' first='Charles' last='Smith'] paves the way upfront.   X-Factor: East Clarendon linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1819756' first='Keshaun' last='Porter'] is a game-changer on defense. He has 42 tackles and two sacks, but he also has 11 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, two pass breakups and an interception. The junior plays well sideline-to-sideline and always seems to be around the football. He has a knack for separating the ball from the ball-carrier and turnovers in November are way more important than turnovers in August.   WHALE BRANCH (3-7) AT PHILIP SIMMONS (8-2)   The Warriors have stumbled to the finish line of the regular season, losing the final three games and six of the final seven. Freshman Makhi Zackary has split time at quarterback this season and is the future at the position for certain. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1822239' first='Jamari' last='Smalls'] and lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1395023' first='I'veon' last='Watson'] can create trouble defensively, especially Watson, who has 14 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and 53 tackles. Philip Simmons lost the first two games of the season and has ripped off eight straight wins to enter the playoffs. The duo of quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1821540' first='Hayes' last='Goddard'] and receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1822035' first='Ashton' last='Kellermann'] are one of the best in the state. Goddard has thrown for 24 touchdowns with Kellermann catching 12 of those. [player_tooltip player_id='1271262' first='Alex' last='Tchoryk'] (pictured) has seven sacks, and [player_tooltip player_id='1592627' first='Ethan' last='Chisum'] is second with four. In the eight-game winning streak, the Irmo Horses have not allowed over 14 points in a game and have four shutouts in that span.   X-Factor: Whale Branch athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1822237' first='Jermon' last='Bowers'] is another player on the 2A level that hardly ever comes off the field. The senior has rushed for 540 yards, thrown for 252 yards, caught 13 passes for 188 yards and accounted for 15 total touchdowns on the season. He also has added 21 tackles and four interceptions on the defensive side of the ball.      WOODLAND (5-5) AT ATLANTIC COLLEGIATE (4-6)   When the calendar flipped to October, Atlantic Collegiate was sitting at 0-5 and not looking to be much of a factor in the playoffs. The Armada then won four of the final five games and found themselves hosting a playoff game. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1850693' first='Garrett' last='Smith'] and defensive end Solomon Freshly have been huge in helping to turn the season around. Freshly has three sacks and three of the six receiving TD's for Atlantic Collegiate. [player_tooltip player_id='1850667' first='Quay' last='Vereen'] is the leading rusher with 599 yards. Woodland had a four-game losing streak in the midseason but rebounded to win two of the final three games. [player_tooltip player_id='1592194' first='Jaemin' last='Pinckney'] will lead the defense and running backs Jeraze Salley and Lavonte Furray will try to generate enough offense for the Wolverines.     X-Factor: [player_tooltip player_id='1821585' first='Semaj' last='Wilson'] does so many things for the Armada and that needs to continue for as long as Atlantic Collegiate can play into November. The junior is second on the team with 404 yards rushing but he leads the way with 10 touchdowns. He's thrown a TD pass and does it all on defense as well. He has 62 tackles and two tackles for loss. He's a load at 5-foot-11, 205 pounds and that makes him effective in short-yardage situations on both sides of the ball.

It's fair to say that the Class 2A Lower State bracket is as wide open as any this postseason. There isn't an undefeated dominant team with Central leading the way with only one loss. That should make for some interesting and intriguing matchups all the way from the first round until the Lower State championship.