Week 7 Lower State Game Balls

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>As we come down the home stretch of the 2026 regular season, <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe/">now is the perfect time to get in the game</a>. You can subscribe to Prep RedZone South Carolina today - and enjoy 40% off while you're at it. Simply use the offer code <strong>Guerin40</strong> for significant savings on an annual membership. You'll gain access to all the content from our deeply embedded team of scouts across the Palmetto State, as well as our rankings and player evaluations.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we said earlier this week in our Week 7 previews, everyone's playing for keeps now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's October, and that means the playoff and state championship chases are heating up in a big way. Teams still aren't yet looking to peak, but by now they should've long left base camp.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Everything is magnified from this point forward, and every big-time performance means just a little bit more as we advance deeper into the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And there was no shortage of said performances in the Lower State in Week 7. Scoreboards were lit up, stat sheets were stuffed, and our inboxes were filled with nominations following Friday night's festivities. Let's dive into them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1054957' first='Gray' last='Kitchings'] ATH, [player_tooltip player_id='1840715' first='Tarrant' last='McKenzie'] WR, [player_tooltip player_id='1840750' first='Jayden' last='Merriweather'] DL and [player_tooltip player_id='1820316' first='Tanner' last='Padgett'] QB, Aiken</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a lot to unpack from the Hornets' wild 42-41 win over Midland Valley to get into the Region V-4A win column. Defensively, Kitchings made eight tackles with two tackles for loss, two quarterback pressures and a pass break-up, then got some crunch-time carries on offense and rushed for 59 yards and the game-winning touchdown. McKenzie caught four passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns, Merriweather had 10 tackles (four for loss), two sacks, a forced fumble and three QB pressures, and Padgett went 12-for-21 passing for 239 yards and two touchdowns, with a third score coming on the ground.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/20097234/6ac114503746dc8a91e6f6c7u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac123d9086a5"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1816457' first='Andrew' last='Frick'] QB and <strong>Isaiah Daniels</strong> WR, Brookland-Cayce</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Frick tossed three touchdown passes, including a 75-yarder to Daniels, as the Bearcats opened region play with a 28-21 win over Lower Richland. Daniels also delivered the go-ahead score from he returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown after Lower Richland had tied the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1354590' first='Greyson' last='Rimpf'] QB, Camden</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rimpf passed for 178 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a third in a 48-33 win over Gilbert that pushed Camden to 2-0 in Region IV-3A heading into next week's game against Brookland-Cayce.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1823603' first='Christian' last='Bennett'] RB, [player_tooltip player_id='1823591' first='Matthew' last='Kellner'] QB and [player_tooltip player_id='1672894' first='Brady' last='McDowell'] WR, Carolina Forest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carolina Forest opened Region VI-5A play with an explosive offensive performance in a 41-6 win over Goose Creek. Bennett ran for 80 yards and four touchdowns on only nine carries, Kellner went 6-for-7 through the air for 233 yards with a touchdown, which was caught by McDowell to complete his four-catch, 168-yard outing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1069233' first='Caden' last='Young'] ATH, Hammond</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Young accounted for four total touchdowns, three as a receiver and one as a rusher, as the Skyhawks rolled to 7-0 with a 58-0 win over Wilson Hall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1819171' first='Charlie' last='Schrecker'] WR, James Island</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Schrecker hauled in five catches for 108 yards and three touchdowns as the Trojans blanked Fort Dorchester 56-0 to improve to 6-0.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2163955' first='Kenny' last='King'] WR/DB, <strong>Ayden Scott</strong> RB and [player_tooltip player_id='1422632' first='Makel' last='Stephens'] RB, Loris</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>King (pictured) blocked the potential game-tying extra point with 6:21 to play in the Lions' 21-20 win over Darlington. Scott ran for 107 yards and a touchdown, and Stephens rushed for a score of his own and 128 yards, surpassing the 100-yard barrier for the sixth time in seven games to boost his season total to 1,310 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1827482' first='Deante' last='Darden'] DB/LB, [player_tooltip player_id='1811107' first='Javon' last='Ryans'] LB and [player_tooltip player_id='2209663' first='Dallas' last='Williams'] DB, North Augusta</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>North Augusta emphatically staked its claim as the Region V-4A favorite by <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/10/jones-darden-help-north-augusta-stymie-irmo-in-region-opener/">winning a 25-16 slugfest over Irmo</a>. Ryans led a defensive effort that held Irmo to only 72 second-half yards, Darden provided the game-winning points with a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the third quarter, and Williams intercepted a pass and recovered a muffed punt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='840548' first='Tre' last='Howard'] QB, [player_tooltip player_id='1172363' first='Khristian' last='Jackson'] WR and [player_tooltip player_id='1603911' first='Isaiah' last='Small'] WR, Ridge View</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ridge View cruised to a 46-14 win over White Knoll in non-region play. Howard threw three touchdown passes, two to Small and one to Jackson, and Jackson added another score by returning a punt for a touchdown in the Blazers' third consecutive win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19653162/6ac109fbe57d6a6b9b3ff2c9u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac123d9086ed"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1909406' first='Avery' last='Coyle'] QB and [player_tooltip player_id='1823625' first='Tristan' last='Daniels'] RB, Saluda</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coyle and Daniel helped Saluda make quick work of ALA-Lexington in a 55-6 win. Coyle completed nine of 13 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns, each to a different receiver, and Daniels needed only five carries to pile up 116 yards and two touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1654810' first='Drelyn' last='Brown'] RB, South Aiken</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Aiken shared the wealth in a 35-0 win over Fox Creek, but Brown still accumulated 92 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1823525' first='De'Eric' last='Davis'] QB, [player_tooltip player_id='1615112' first='Semaj' last='Parker'] WR and [player_tooltip player_id='2216428' first='Malik' last='Robinson'] WR, South Florence</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davis had a hand in seven touchdowns in the Bruins' 51-21 win over Conway. He was 10-for-12 passing for 168 yards and five scores, and he added two more touchdowns and 72 yards on seven carries. Parker caught four balls for 78 yards and two touchdowns and had 117 all-purpose yards, and Robinson snagged four passes of his own for 68 yards and two scores.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1819945' first='Deandre' last='Caldwell'] RB and [player_tooltip player_id='2070776' first='Tarez' last='James'] QB, Swansea</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Caldwell rushed for a season-high 232 yards and three touchdowns, while James ran for 158 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 108 yards and a third score in the Tigers' 48-28 win over Airport to even their Region IV-3A record at 1-1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1823164' first='Jawuan' last='Gamble'] DB, [player_tooltip player_id='2163989' first='Cory' last='Patterson'] WR/DB, [player_tooltip player_id='1817693' first='Barnabas' last='Paye'] LB, [player_tooltip player_id='2045858' first='Ka'ron' last='Williamson'] DL, West Florence</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gamble ran the ball 15 times for 84 yards and three touchdowns, Patterson rushed for 156 yards and a score on 13 carries, Paye had 10 tackles (four for loss) a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, and Williamson made five tackles (three for loss) with a sack as West Florence beat North Myrtle Beach 38-26, handing the Chiefs their first loss of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1818416' first='Zy' last='Rouse'] ATH, Strom Thurmond</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rouse rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries and added a tackle for loss as Strom Thurmond beat Silver Bluff 42-0, extending the defending 2A state champions' winning streak to 16 games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/23827953/6ac083ceba10805933e24ac5u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ac123d908715"} /-->