Class 2A Upper State First Round Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have now approached the fourth quarter of the season – the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class 2A Upper State bracket features teams who have had an up-and-down 2026 season, and as we approach Friday's first round matchups, they'll be looking to solidify things and play their best ball of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The run games may prove critical for some teams as they'll look to wear down the other down the stretch. Mid-Carolina and Southside Christian are the No. 1 seeds in the bracket and will have byes this round before play begins for them in next week's second round.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's jump in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>NO. 12 ANDREW JACKSON (4-6) AT NO. 5 ST. JOSEPH'S (8-2)</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Volunteers have had an up and down 2026, ending the regular season with a close loss at home against Chester. Everything will start offensively with star running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1667267' first='J'Von' last='Kelly']</strong> who has run for over 700 yards and seven touchdowns on the year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822655' first='Brody' last='Broughton']</strong> (pictured above) has been efficient in the passing game, throwing for over 1300 yards on the year and seven touchdowns – he can run a good bit as well with over 100 yards rushing on the year. <strong>Jayce Brown</strong> is the Vols leading receiver with over 600 yards and over six touchdowns on the year. Keep an eye on <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822644' first='Jacayden' last='Miller Anthony']</strong>, who leads the team in tackles with 87 total tackles and one tackle for loss on the year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Knights can spread the wealth around offensively, so you have to be careful getting too caught up in one guy because it's multiple guys you have to defend like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820807' first='Sam' last='Patterson']</strong> who has run for close to 600 yards on the year and eight touchdowns to go along with 421 yards and five touchdowns receiving, which leads the team and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1809341' first='John' last='Campbell']</strong> who is a playmaker who has 498 yards and nine touchdowns rushing and 119 yards and three touchdowns receiving. Keep an eye on <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823371' first='Jack' last='Stewart']</strong> has 494 yards rushing and five touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>X-FACTOR:</em></strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820148' first='Antonio' last='Grant']</strong> is active on the defensive line with 54 total tackles and five tackles for a loss. If the Volunteers want to slow down the Knights's run game, he'll need to find a way to be around the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>NO. 9 MOUNTAIN VIEW PREP (4-5) AT NO. 8 CHESTER (5-5)</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Stars came up shy of the region championship to end the regular season with a loss to Southside Christian. They have shown an ability to be explosive with quarterback <strong>Jacoby Kelly</strong> who will want to spread the ball around to his playmakers like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1809282' first='Savion' last='Booker']</strong> who has found a way to get open and get into the end zone throughout the year. They will likely want to shorten the game with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='865974' first='Jemo' last='Stinson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1521092' first='Camren' last='Martin']</strong> who can each explode when they get out into the open field. Keep an eye on <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1938780' first='Caden' last='Hunter']</strong> as he can be a guy in the quick passing game for Kelly. The offense is averaging 40.8 points per game over the last six games, where they've gone 4-2. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jerry Caldwell's team got win No. 5 on the season last week in a tight nailbiter over Andrew Jackson on the road where the Vols kicker missed the extra point. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819933' first='Amari' last='Nesmith']</strong> can make plays on both sides of the ball at defensive back and wide receiver. Expect him to play down in the box with the Stars run game. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2388941' first='Jeremy' last='Grant']</strong> will get his touches for the Cyclones as they'll want to run the ball. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822439' first='Jakobe' last='Starks']</strong> provides a nice one-two punch in the backfield in providing fresh legs throughout the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>X-FACTOR:</em></strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603965' first='Luke' last='Reed']</strong> is an enforcer on the defensive line, and he knows the challenge that he'll have in trying to generate pressure and force the Stars into some passing situations and keep them off schedule. If they can affect things up front, the Cyclones will have the advantage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>NO. 13 NEWBERRY (4-6) AT NO. 4 KENNAN (7-3)</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Raiders have been balanced offensively with the run and the pass game. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817638' first='Tavares' last='Lively']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1771826' first='Dante' last='Howse']</strong> provide stability in the backfield. Lively has rushed for 384 yards and three touchdowns on the year and Howse has rushed for 334 yards and five touchdowns. If you get too caught up in the run game, they can beat you up top with guys like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664508' first='Jordan' last='Wilson']</strong> who has 31 receptions for 640 yards and six touchdowns along with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818235' first='Jamauri' last='Johnson']</strong> with 28 receptions for 394 yards and one touchdown. Keenan has been in some tight contests with Mid-Carolina and Chester. Even in those losses, that experience could pay dividends as the next phase of the season begins on Friday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Newberry took a tough loss to end the regular season against undefeated Mid-Carolina. Quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1974816' first='Sincere' last='Glymph']</strong> missed last week's game but they should have him back. Keep an eye on <strong>Dontavius Griffin</strong> and <strong>James Hazel</strong> on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>X-FACTOR: [player_tooltip player_id='1672927' first='Ty' last='Abrams']</strong> provides a steady hand at running back for Newberry who can run hard and get the tough yardage, like we saw against Andrew Jackson earlier last month. He has good vision where he can find the open hole and use his speed to be able to elude defenders, and that ability could be big on Friday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19133569/6ae6540c4116d1d20ea64004u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003ern","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9356be8747"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>NO. 11 PENDLETON (5-5) AT NO. 6 CHESNEE (7-3)</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs have been up and down since a 3-0 to start the season, going 2-5 since, including last week's 48-6 loss to Crescent to end the regular season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820877' first='Sam' last='Jennings']</strong> has played in five games, throwing for 206 yards while <strong>Jaden Guess</strong> has thrown for 623 yards and five touchdowns on the year, and rushing for 114 yards on the year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816869' first='Rod' last='Greenlee']</strong> is the Bulldogs' leading rusher with 189 yards rushing. One would think they'll want to keep the ball on the ground and try to keep the ball out of the hands of a team who will want to run the ball themselves. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chesnee wants to line up and run the football. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1809771' first='Marquez' last='Franklin']</strong> is second on the team in carries with 55 and 655 yards and six touchdowns on the year. Quarterback <strong>Evan Reece-Lawter</strong> is a dual threat with 416 yards and nine touchdowns rushing. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823508' first='Michael' last='Dixon']</strong> will look to affect things up front as he has 22 tackles for loss and 71 total tackles. <strong>Colton Ray</strong> has 78 total tackles and will look to disrupt things.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>X-FACTOR:</em></strong> <strong>Luke Howell</strong> is a freshman that leads the Bulldogs in receiving with 217 yards and three touchdowns on 25 receptions and could be a threat in the passing game when they want to try to keep the Eagles defense off balance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/22419819/6ae2c1dc594563b82ac65e53u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003ern","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9356be8779"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>NO. 10 LIBERTY (5-5) AT NO. 7 CLINTON (6-4)</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Liberty had a strong finish to the end of the regular season with a win over Carolina in a rout. They are led by quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823934' first='Easton' last='Bell']</strong> who has thrown for over 670 yards and five touchdowns on the year. One of his top targets is <strong>Lavonte Henderson</strong> with over 268 yards receiving and three touchdowns. <strong>Caden Spencer</strong> has close to 900 yards rushing with at least three games over 100+ yards and 11 touchdowns. They'll want to give him his carries to keep Clinton's defense honest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The other devils from Newberry County will want to run the football as <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='630150' first='Owen' last='Glenn']</strong> is second on the team in carries with 468 yards to go along with 789 yards passing and 10 touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of his favorite targets is <strong>Damajia Crooks</strong> who has 219 yards receiving. Keep an eye on <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1824846' first='Jaiden' last='Jeter']</strong> who is third on the team in rushing with 323 yards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>X-FACTOR:</em></strong> <strong>Orion Austin</strong> is second on the team for Liberty with over 780 yards rushing and five touchdowns on the year. He had 210 yards last week and four touchdowns in a rout of Carolina Academy, which included a 82-yard run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/27393427/6ae728ac4c6fff75388a5cd0u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e rn","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9356be879b"} /-->