Class 5A Division I Upper State First Round Preview

The state's biggest schools will present an interesting playoff picture, as a number of rematches loom thanks to the seeding process. In the first round, though, teams are battling to see who will advance to take on the top four, who will enjoy a bye this week as things are sorted out. Here's a look at the Upper State's first round in Class 5A Division I.   NO. 12 SPRING VALLEY (2-8) AT NO. 5 ROCK HILL (6-4)   The Vikings are very much a team in search of something that will click, particularly on the offensive side. They've played seven guys at QB, and 15 different players have rushing attempts. Defensively, though, Spring Valley is better than their record. The Vikings have 54 tackles for loss, 27 hurries, and 24 sacks on the season. [player_tooltip player_id='477819' first='Dylan' last='Redden'] and Kalub Green help lead the way, and DL [player_tooltip player_id='1821189' first='Bryson' last='Hugee'] is a monster, with 50 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, six hurries, two interceptions, and a blocked kick. The Bearcats shine out wide and at the back of the defense, and the fact that those positions are mostly the same guys are a big part of the reason why. [player_tooltip player_id='1088328' first='Nigel' last='Lightner'], JoJo Brooks, and [player_tooltip player_id='1819632' first='Kimari' last='Barber'] are all very good on both sides of the ball. Lightner is the possession guy with sure hands, Brooks is the deep threat, and Barber just has a knack for making plays on defense.   X-FACTOR - [player_tooltip player_id='1816896' first='Jonah' last='Young'] QB, Rock Hill: The Bearcats thrive on aggressive defense and big-play offense, and Young plays a huge role in those big plays. He's thrown for nearly 1,500 yards, has completions of 90 and 71 yards on his resume, and is capable of taking the top off a defense.    NO. 11 J.L. MANN (1-9) AT NO. 6 SPARTANBURG (6-4)   A new system and a ton of injuries have made it a tough year for Mann. Starting QB [player_tooltip player_id='1420582' first='McLeod' last='Darnell'] played three games for the Patriots, and he's one of a bunch of guys who haven't been able to go. Five players have taken snaps at quarterback for Mann, with [player_tooltip player_id='1821181' first='Reese' last='Shomo'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1823779' first='Josiah' last='Smith'] most recently splitting time against Mauldin. [player_tooltip player_id='1809307' first='Shaun' last='Carvalho'] has been a bright spot on both sides of the ball, playing RB and WR as well as leading the team in tackles. Spartanburg has been hit hard by injuries as well, with RB [player_tooltip player_id='1172345' first='Trenton' last='Lynch'] missing the Vikings' last two games and a number of defensive personnel out. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1592374' first='Trey' last='Burke'] will lead the offense for the Vikings, and K [player_tooltip player_id='816752' first='Will' last='Love'] is a legitimate weapon.   X-FACTOR: [player_tooltip player_id='1858182' first='Ruben' last='Landrum'] RB, Spartanburg - If Lynch isn't at 100 percent, it'll likely be Landrum shouldering much of the offensive load for Spartanburg. He's more than up to it. He's been a change-of-pace guy for the Vikings, but in crunch time last week against Riverside, with 176 yards and a crucial two-point conversion. Against a Mann team that gives up points in bunches, Landrum might even give Lynch another opportunity to heal.    NO. 10 BLYTHEWOOD (3-7) AT NO. 7 CLOVER (5-5)   The Bengals are balanced offensively, with [player_tooltip player_id='1426578' first='James' last='Veasey'] serving as a true dual-threat at QB. He's thrown for almost 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns, while rushing for 443 and eight more scores. [player_tooltip player_id='1540721' first='Landyn' last='Strong'] (pictured) is the workhorse back with nearly 900 yards and seven scores, while [player_tooltip player_id='1824874' first='Chance' last='Johnson'] leads a deep receiving corps. [player_tooltip player_id='1822062' first='Jeremy' last='Harris'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1820549' first='Joshua' last='Reaves'] lead an attacking defense that gets into the backfield in a hurry. Clover, meanwhile, has battled some injuries and some plain bad luck. The Blue Eagles went to overtime with Rock Hill and Catawba Ridge, two of six games that came down to one possession and final drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. They're well-disciplined and don't make a ton of mistakes, and they'll be a tough out. [player_tooltip player_id='1407416' first='Aaron' last='Shealey'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1776870' first='Brody' last='Woolbright'] have both played well at QB for Clover, with [player_tooltip player_id='1827400' first='Braxton' last='Goodman'], [player_tooltip player_id='1827403' first='Jake' last='Nicely'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1823061' first='Justin' last='Haywood'] among the top targets. Defensively, [player_tooltip player_id='1404968' first='Jackson' last='Hill'], [player_tooltip player_id='1743683' first='Carson' last='Pinti'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1696778' first='Najeh' last='Potts'] give the Blue Eagles a standout at all three levels.   X-FACTOR: [player_tooltip player_id='1824427' first='Grady' last='Stone'] RB, Clover - We get it. A guy who's rushed for almost 700 yards and eight TDs isn't much along the lines of a surprise player or a hidden gem. But this game could truly hinge on whether or not Stone can go. During their last game against Catawba Ridge, the Blue Eagles were DEEP into their RB corps thanks to injuries - and lost by a point. Stone, behind Clover's physical offensive line, takes a ton of pressure off and makes Clover's offense run completely differently.   NO. 9 BOILING SPRINGS (4-6) AT NO. 8 MAULDIN (5-5)   This is a rematch, as Mauldin took a win early in the season. The Bulldogs' offense has been a work in progress this season. [player_tooltip player_id='1819429' first='Imri' last='Logan'] has gone most of the way at QB, throwing for nearly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns. Running back has been very much by committee, with [player_tooltip player_id='1819841' first='Kyron' last='Tobler'], [player_tooltip player_id='1822081' first='Izael' last='Johnson'], and Logan leading the way. Defensively, [player_tooltip player_id='1036731' first='Dennis' last='Glenn'] is a force with 18 tackles for loss and four sacks, while [player_tooltip player_id='1592395' first='TJ' last='Collins'] leads the team with 73 tackles. Mauldin is having their best season since 2021, and is hosting just the third home playoff game in program history. [player_tooltip player_id='1820354' first='Reddick' last='Langston'] has been one of the keys for the Mavericks, as he's thrown for more than 1,100 yards, rushed for nearly 600, and accounted for 16 total touchdowns. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1822852' first='Taurus' last='Thomason'] and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1822865' first='Kamari' last='Cannon'] are a solid 1-2 punch at RB, combining for more than 200 carries, 1,200 yards, and 13 TDs.   X-Factor: [player_tooltip player_id='1467822' first='Josh' last='Evans'] DL, Mauldin - Evans is an absolute terror up front, a true game-changer, and he's just a sophomore. He's got nearly 60 total tackles on the year, with 10 tackles for loss and six sacks. He's capable of being disruptive and allows the Mavericks to bring pressure without extra bodies, which is huge against a mobile QB like Logan.

The state's biggest schools will present an interesting playoff picture, as a number of rematches loom thanks to the seeding process. In the first round, though, teams are battling to see who will advance to take on the top four, who will enjoy a bye this week as things are sorted out. Here's a look at the Upper State's first round in Class 5A Division I.