Week 5 Lower State Game Balls

The end of the first half of the regular season including it's share of fireworks.   Around the lower half of the state, the impact of some of the biggest individual and collective performances was evident.   Here, 25 players had the type of game that pushed their teams to some big wins. Yes, some of them were bigger than others, as they had region implications. For others, this was about truly establishing momentum before those contests begin.   Either way, these 25 players earned their Game Ball for Week 5.   [player_tooltip player_id='2370991' first='Jeremiah' last='Smiling-Waiters'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1738331' first='Matt' last='Benjamin'] RBs, West Florence    After a couple tough games against Sumter and South Florence, the Knights' tailbacks were at it again in a 41-27 win against region foe Myrtle Beach. Benjamin, a senior, carried the ball 12 times for 170 yards and four touchdowns (the same number of scores he had against Hartsville in Week 2). Smiling-Waiters, a sophomore, countered with 12 carries for 186 yards and a touchdown. The two have now combined for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns so far this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1422535' first='Jayvin' last='Risher'] ATH, and [player_tooltip player_id='1664222' first='Derrick' last='Raniszewski'] QB, Hilton Head   On a night when standout tailback [player_tooltip player_id='1603740' first='Thaddeus' last='Czarnecki'] was held out while he strives to get healthy again, Risher and Raniszewski took it upon themselves to do their own damage on the ground. Risher moved the chain and help control TOP with 18 carries for 133 yards and two scores. (Risher also broke up four passes and made five stops on defense.) Raniszewksi had six carries for 64 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 83 yards on eight-of-11 passing. They also got some help from a big defensive teammate.    [player_tooltip player_id='1172368' first='Andrew' last='Massey'] LB, Hilton Head   Against a powerful offense in Camden, Massey was also dealing while Czarnecki was out. The senior outside linebacker finished off the win with 17 total tackles (15 solo), two tackles for loss and a pass break-up. Massey has now surpassed 50 tackles for the season (51) and 250 career tackles. He's also well on his way to eclipsing his 14 tackles for loss from his junior year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1824442' first='Jayden' last='Wilson'] RB, North Myrtle Beach   Wilson's two touchdown runs against St. James were crucial in a 41-24 victory that sent the Chiefs to a 5-0 overall start and a 1-0 mark inside Region VII-4A. Those 46- and 45-yard scores were big. But they were only two of his 29 carries or a fraction of the damage he did wearing down the Sharks' defense with positive carry after positive carry. He was only stopped behind the line twice all game, and one of those was on the first offensive snap of the night.   [player_tooltip player_id='1615084' first='Tripp' last='Gallus'] QB, [player_tooltip player_id='1819697' first='Grayson' last='Mathes'] WR and [player_tooltip player_id='1222230' first='Quamell' last='Grant'] WR, Hanahan    Another week, another game in which the Hawks' passing game wreaked havoc on an opposing team. The junior quarterback hit the 300-yard mark for the fourth straight game with a 320-yard, two-touchdown night on 14-of-18 passing. Matthes and Grant each caught six passes, with Grant finishing with 140 yards and Mathes going for 141 and a touchdown. It led Hanahan to a fifth straight win to open the season.     [player_tooltip player_id='2045815' first='Silas' last='Brawner'] QB, [player_tooltip player_id='896094' first='Lavoris' last='Lucas'] ATH and [player_tooltip player_id='2045814' first='Tre' last='Green'] WR, Pinewood Prep   Speaking of another big passing performance from a team that's been doing it all season, Brawner went off again, throwing for 352 yards and two touchdowns in a big SCISA matchup with Hilton Head Christian. He's now thrown for 1,711 yards and 20 touchdowns against only three interceptions on the season. Once again, he looked toward Green (nine receptions, 170 yards, TD) and Lucas (six, 125, one).    [player_tooltip player_id='1331923' first='Gabriel' last='Williams'] RB, Conway (pictured)   Everyone knew the Tigers were going to run a lot this year when Jody Jenerette was hired to led Conway. The new coach then told everyone he was going to do. One problem, he didn't have Williams to execute it during the first two weeks (losses against Loris and Carolina Forest. In a Region VII-4A opening win against Wilson, though, Williams wasn't simply in uniform, he was effective. The senior tailback rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries in the 34-22 victory. Combined with his game against Socastee last week, Williams has gone for north of 350 yards and five touchdowns in the last two games.   [player_tooltip player_id='1817511' first='Carter' last='Patno'] LB, [player_tooltip player_id='1896110' first='Rob' last='Grant'] DL and [player_tooltip player_id='485450' first='Mykell' last='Warthen'] RB, James Island   The Trojans continued to establish themselves as one of the premier programs in the Lowcountry, if not the state, and a monumental win over Summerville isn't hurting. Patno finished with eight total tackles and three tackles for loss. Grant added three tackles for loss of his own to go along with four stops. And Warthen reached the end zone one time to go along with 163 yards on 26 carries.    [player_tooltip player_id='1819756' first='Keshaun' last='Porter'] LB, East Clarendon    The Wolverines did a lot right in the 41-0 win at Hannah-Pamplico, giving East Clarendon a nice final tune-up for region play, which begins for it on October 2 at Manning. Against HP, Porter took on a starring role. The senior logged 10 tackles, a recovered fumble he returned 20 yards for a touchdown, four tackles for loss, a sack and a pass break up.    [player_tooltip player_id='1821540' first='Hayes' last='Goddard'] QB, Philip Simmons    Goddard had another nice night throwing the ball, as he notched his fourth 250-yard game (on the dot) of the season. He made up for his one interception by throwing three touchdowns. What's more, he also put up his best rushing performance of the season and one of the best of his video-game career. Goddard had 11 carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns.    [player_tooltip player_id='1827171' first='Jayden' last='Hatcher'] RB, North Augusta   The Yellow Jackets picked up an important win in the region opener at Aiken, beating the Hornets 38-15 behind Hatcher's steady production. With only 14 carries, Hatcher reached the end zone three times, out-pacing Aiken's scoring all by himself. He had 117 yards    [player_tooltip player_id='1824725' first='Meltrin' last='Segars'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1819051' first='Brenton' last='Epps'] DBs, Kingstree   In a low-scoring affair with Lake City, Segars and Epps had the biggest role in limiting the Panthers' offensive. Epps, a corner, picked off two passes in the win - both in the fourth quarter, including the last play of the game to seal it. Segars, who starts at free safety, added one of his own. While Epps had forced two fumbles earlier this season, those were his first two interceptions of the season. Segars now leads the team with three picks. The Blazers have nine through five games heading into next week's contest against Andrews.     [player_tooltip player_id='1664498' first='Yachin' last='Gamble'] LB, [player_tooltip player_id='1816441' first='Marek' last='Yates'] QB and [player_tooltip player_id='1664643' first='Calvin' last='Wofford'] RB, Crestwood   While Yates and Wofford were busy making sure the Knights' offense was doing its thing, Gamble was putting up maybe the most productive game of his career. The senior linebacker finished the 31-8 win at Aynor with 22 tackles (seriously), three tackles for loss and a sack. It helped him cruise past 150 career tackles in 22 varsity games. Yates was efficient through the air, throwing for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-15 passing. Wofford had another Wofford-like game, rushing 14 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns.    [player_tooltip player_id='1615095' first='Kaden' last='Wigfall'] ATH, Strom Thurmond   Wigfall's stat pack was all over the map in Friday's 33-20 win over Lincoln County (Ga.). Rushing, he had nine carries for 80 yards and three touchdowns. Pretty good, but that wasn't it. He also caught an 11-yard pass. Not enough? How about the six tackles he had. Oh, yeah, he also picked off a pass in the first quarter and took it back 43 yards for the Rebels' second touchdown on the game.

The end of the first half of the regular season including it's share of fireworks.