Class 5A, Division-II Lower State Second Round Preview

The Class 5A, Division-II playoff bracket included did not include a single seedings-based upset in the first round. In fact, the eight games in the bracket were determined by an average of three touchdowns. It was nearly identical to what we had happen in 2024, the first season of the newfangled playoff system utilized by the SCHSL.   Why is that important?   Because most of the staffs from the eight teams who received a first-round bye sent members of the coaching contingent to watch their future opponents. They got a great look at what each of those favorites did (and do) well, and possibly what they don't.   But there's also something to be said for rhythm. A year ago, we did see a second-round seeding upset. Will there be another this time around in the Lower State?   We're three days from finding out if that trend    NO. 8 LUGOFF-ELGIN (6-5) AT NO. 1 IRMO (9-1)   In dispatching Socastee in the opening round, Lugoff-Elgin got another solid performance from sophomore quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1823858' first='Zach' last='Williams'] (15-of-19, 223 yards) and [player_tooltip player_id='1268611' first='Jar'kese' last='Grant'] (17 carries, 158 yards, five touchdowns). Those two and receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1267277' first='Shamil' last='Saadiq'] (five-107-one against Socastee) will have to not only repeat those performances this week, but probably exceed them somehow. Irmo has hung 35 points on everyone this season not named Dutch Fork or White Knoll, and after a week off to analyze everything Lugoff-Elgin does well and counter it, the starting point has to be with the Yellow Jackets' offense. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='860400' first='Drevon' last='Dopson'] has had an electric senior season in his one and only year at Irmo. Receivers [player_tooltip player_id='1422528' first='Maleek' last='Miller'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1467834' first='Jay' last='Eady'] have meshed in to the passing attack with new faces, too. And Miller and [player_tooltip player_id='755890' first='Amire' last='White'] have both shown they can blow the doors open while keeping the ball on the ground. It all works so well because an Irmo offensive line led by the likes of [player_tooltip player_id='756223' first='Nate' last='Carson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1267313' first='Vernen' last='Hairens'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1816905' first='Bryson' last='Moore'] have been downright dominant.    X-Factor: With so many defensive studs entering this game for Irmo, we get why [player_tooltip player_id='1823864' first='Jace' last='Coleman'] hasn't been leading the list of talking points. But the sophomore may have just enough naivety (in a good way) to make him ready to put his athletic ability to the test without the pressure of everything the Yellow Jackets are representing. Coleman is a defensive end/outside linebacker who can wreck a play with his field awareness.     NO. 5 LUCY BECKHAM (7-3) AT NO. 4 WHITE KNOLL (7-3)   The White Knoll coaches taking advantage of their opening-round bye saw live from Lucy Beckham exactly what the Bengals have been doing all season. In a 38-21 home victory over North Myrtle Beach, Lucy Beckham pulled away in the fourth quarter thanks to two more [player_tooltip player_id='2005031' first='Jack' last='Lamonica'] touchdown runs. He finished with three in the game to go along with 110 yards. The fact that he needed 28 carries to get there screams that Lucy Beckham knew feeding him over and over again were the trick to advancing. The Bengals tried to balance it out some with Jaden Gethers (seven carries, 57 yards, one touchdown), not to mention quarterback Finn Gunter and his nine pass attempts. But by now, there is no secret about Lucy B's three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust strategy. Nor is how White Knoll has every intention of stuffing it immediately. Linebackers [player_tooltip player_id='1592362' first='Josue' last='Esiki'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1764304' first='Jeremy' last='Cokley'] and defensive backs [player_tooltip player_id='1659953' first='Markeese' last='Winn'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1025815' first='Caleb' last='Geronomi'] all pack a serious punch and won't shy away from Lamonica. If any of them dislodge the ball of stop the approach behind the line, it could be tough sledding for the Bengals.    X-Factor: White Knoll isn't exactly known for airing it out play after play after play, but the Timberwolves do throw the ball much more than North Myrtle Beach did during the regular season and that means sophomore outside linebacker Jake Grantham will have no choice but to get behind the line of scrimmage. He's the team leader or second on the roster in tackles for loss, sacks and quarterback hurries. Disrupting White Knoll quarterback Jhais McKiever will be of the utmost importance.    NO. 6 WEST FLORENCE (6-5) AT NO. 3 MYRTLE BEACH (7-3)   For as much as this game will be billed as a strong rushing attack against a quality pass-based offense, what the Knights and Seahawks are both able to do on the ground will probably determine the bulk of the outcome. Like we saw live last Friday, pint-size tailback Tristian Collins (1,023 yards, 16 touchdowns) and Jeremiah Anderson (1,021 yards, nine touchdowns) stay fresh by alternating series (for the most part) and have two very different styles of running the ball for West Florence. Collins is shifty as all get up between the tackles while Anderson likes to find the edge and get into space. It keeps defenders' heads on a swivel and make it hard to track, even with its obvious to everyone in a stadium the Knights are going to run the ball. Myrtle Beach throws it more than West; senior quarterback Tanner Gaddy has put up 1,801 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. However, having [player_tooltip player_id='1823730' first='Michael' last='Cohen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1267229' first='Antonio' last='Brown'] both 100-percent healthy for the first time in weeks not only allows the Seahawks to offset some time-of-possession issues that could arise. It also gives head coach and primary play caller Mickey Wilson options galore for mixing things up. The fact that Cohen has caught 23 passes in nine games doesn't hurt, either.   X-Factor: We know West Florence knows what [player_tooltip player_id='1823169' first='Derrick' last='Austin'] can do. We also know what Myrtle Beach knows he can do, too. The corner is bigger than most you'll see at the high school level, and his ascent up the ranks (ours and those of college programs) in the last three months isn't by accident. When teams lose track of him and go his direction, it's not out of the question that the opposing staff knows it was a mistake while the ball is still in the air. If Myrtle Beach gets cute with Austin - who will probably be lined up against [player_tooltip player_id='1664545' first='JJ' last='Brown'] - hold your breath… no matter which team you're rooting for.     NO. 7 WESTWOOD (7-4) AT NO. 2 BERKELEY (8-2)   Westwood couldn't have asked for a better start to the first playoffs under first-year coach Stephen Burris than what happened on Friday against St. James. Westwood picked off the Sharks seven times. S-E-V-E-N. Seriously. [player_tooltip player_id='1611165' first='Tyrese' last='Drakeford'] had three (and a fumble recovery, for what it's worth). Shareef Pitts added another. And [player_tooltip player_id='1532410' first='Zyian' last='McWhite'] (pictured) had one. [player_tooltip player_id='1821209' first='Justin' last='Washington'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1720069' first='Zion' last='Oliver'] got into the mix, too. If you watch the film from the game, it was simply about one team compounding mistakes and the other pouncing time after time after time. It's going to take that type of effort from the Redhawks to advance to the third round. Because while Berkeley's [player_tooltip player_id='1036733' first='Henry' last='Rivers'] is nowhere near as prolific as he's been in the past during his junior season, he's also still not prone to turnovers. The battle between those aforementioned Westwood players and the Stags' star will more than likely come down to how they track him when he decides to tuck it an run. He's had a week off to game plan and acclimate to the second season. And the battle between him and his offensive cohorts against a Red Hawks' defense riding a serious high should be a fun one.   X-Factor: [player_tooltip player_id='1823824' first='Elye' last='Owens'] started the year as the junior varsity backup, but through a variety of causes and effects has climbed the chart to varsity starter status. Considering the recent history, the face that he's 32-of-41 for 292 yards passing in his two games since taking over - against Sumter in the regular-season finale and St. James last week to open the playoffs - has been a boost. Owens isn't coming into the games guns blazing, but he's running the offense well and not making catastrophic mistakes. It might just be the determining factor against the Stags.

The Class 5A, Division-II playoff bracket included did not include a single seedings-based upset in the first round. In fact, the eight games in the bracket were determined by an average of three touchdowns. It was nearly identical to what we had happen in 2024, the first season of the newfangled playoff system utilized by the SCHSL.