Lower State Week 6 Game Balls 

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>October football means big performances are even more important.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Well, we've got 20 players and their complimentary pieces who started off the month on the right foot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These players from around the Lower State put their teams on their respective backs to help them earn region contests, including a few games that could ultimately be for a de facto region crown. Like we said, showings like these this time of year are even more important.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820474' first='Preston' last='Smith']</strong> RB, Midland Valley (pictured)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've seen our share of grown-man runs this season already, but a few of Smith's carries in the 63-26 win at Airport Friday more than qualify. Throughout his 18 carries, the sophomore was giving would-be defenders reasons to make some business decisions. The amount of broken tackles he piled up nearly competed with his 334 rushing yards and five touchdowns. The even better sign for Midland Valley was that two weeks after getting stymied in a loss to Gray Collegiate, Smith has now bounced back with 563 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in his last two games.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/22290134/68e1344b6915368ea846ea54' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68e1645a9d777"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603740' first='Thaddeus' last='Czarnecki']</strong> RB/LB, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822838' first='Will' last='Jimenez']</strong> LB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822839' first='Josh' last='Bigger']</strong> DL, Hilton Head</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Want to see what a statement effort in a statement game looks like? Try what this trio of Seahawks did on for size. In the 41-10 win over Bishop England, Bigger put up three tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hurries and four tackles. Jimenez had 10 stops to go along with three quarterback hurries, two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. And Czarnecki, the junior star of the program, had seven tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a pick to go along with 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19639884/68e11d94c314b519d22f2ed1' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68e1645a9d7ba"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1399640' first='Noah' last='Legg']</strong> QB, Conway&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's safe to say that Legg is finally back in a big way. The Tigers junior - after missing the end of last season and nearly all of the offseason with a knee injury - went ham in Conway's 35-28 win at North Myrtle Beach. On top of 53 rushing yards and a score, he also threw for 310 yards and three more scores (two to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820934' first='Javon' last='Smalls']</strong> with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818290' first='Christian' last='Byrd']</strong> catching the third). It was by far his best game of the 2025 football season and the fact that it came in the Tigers' region opener made it even more important.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semaji Wilson</strong> RB/DB, Atlantic Collegiate Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wilson's numbers won't wow a lot of onlookers. But the meaning behind his 13 carries for 83 yards and three touchdowns (and four tackles in defense) can't be undersold. In leading the Armada to a 28-12 victory against Marion, ACA now has its first win of the 2025 season and just its second overall since becoming a full-fledged member of the SCHSL. It also snapped a nine-game losing streak dating back to 364 days ago.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1346277' first='Lorenzo' last='Kitching'] </strong>ATH, North Charleston </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kitchings is becoming a household name in this section every week, and he didn't let up in the the momentum building win against Battery Creek in advance of next week's game against Oceanside Collegiate. Kitchings finished with 20 carries for 164 yards and a touchdown, a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a two-point conversion carry. While he's not playing a ton of defense yet, he also chipped in three tackles.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1894002' first='Zamarius' last='Gladden']</strong> DB, James Island</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With a showdown of their own looming (next week against Summerville), the Trojans didn't lose focus in a six-touchdown win against West Ashley. And that means James Island was locked in defensively. Gladden's night wasn't over until he picked off two passes, recorded two tackles for loss and added four overall tackles.&nbsp;It was another in a season-long string of different James Island defenders putting up some strong games while the offense keeps chugging along. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1821540' first='Hayes' last='Goddard']</strong> QB, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822035' first='Ashton' last='Kellermann']</strong> WR and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592627' first='Ethan' last='Chisum']</strong> LB, Philip Simmons</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As our [player_tooltip player_id='1823811' first='Andrew' last='Wright'] saw in person Friday, Goddard, Kellermann and Chisum weren't messing around in the Iron Horses' win over Woodland. Chisum had another strong defensive showing, piling up 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery. Goddard and Kellermann handled most of the offensive damage. The quarterback finished 14-of-26 for 302 yards (the first 300-yard passing game of his career) and four touchdowns. Kellermann hauled in six of those passes, which he took for 168 yards and two scores.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19691072/68e131ade23cb8bb94a1e79e' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68e1645a9d81d"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395062' first='Damarea' last='Thurmond']</strong> DL, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1821016' first='Khalil' last='Sherman']</strong> WR/DB, Loris</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a defensive slugfest in which both the Lions and Dillon made some incredible plays and forced some turnovers, Thurmond and Sherman helped Loris check the ultimate box in this crucial Region V-3A matchup. Thurmond picked off a pass and had three tackles for loss. Sherman had the biggest play, when after teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1592447' first='Jacobien' last='Lewis'] stripped a Dillon ball carrier Sherman was able to pick it up and take it back 90 yards for the go-ahead score in the third quarter. As it turned out, it resulted in the final points of the night. It was fitting, as Sherman score the opening points of the game on a 10-yard touchdown reception.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18126013/68e12eef1063e095ca78f1b8' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68e1645a9d85b"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822003' first='Cayon' last='Gordon']</strong> RB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603974' first='Franklin' last='Richardson']</strong> QB, Sumter</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stop us if you've heard this one before: The Gamecocks are pretty good at piling up big rushing totals. Gordon and Richardson were at it again in the region victory against West Florence. The quarterback carried it 19 times or 164 yards and three touchdowns, one of which included an 88-yard scamper. Gordon - a senior stepping in for normal starter [player_tooltip player_id='1817005' first='Reggie' last='Shannon'] - finished with 110 yards and two scores on 20 carries. For good measure, Richardson added 78 passing yards.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='284135' first='Kamren' last='Long']</strong> QB and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1148537' first='Jaryn' last='Fox']</strong> RB, Carolina Forest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers seniors didn't waste any time putting a hurting on a region foe. Against Socastee, Long put up his second four-touchdown game of the season, completing 15-of-21 passes for 227 yards. Fox tacked on his second 200-yard game in the last three contests by rushing 20 times for 227 yards and two scores. It stands to reason that neither of Carolina Forest's backfield mates are going to be slowing down any time soon.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603854' first='Eric' last='Richardson']</strong> ATH and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823858' first='Zach' last='Williams']</strong> QB, Lugoff-Elgin</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Demons have been part of some entertaining back-and-forth games already this year, but Friday's 42-38 win over Blythewood came out with a rally solid result. Williams was 18-of-33 for 310 yards and four touchdown passes. Richardson finished the night with five touchdowns by way of 215 rushing yards and 164 rushing yards. It was Williams' second straight 300-yard passing game while Richardson is at most two games away from flying past 1,000 yards from scrimmage on the season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1615056' first='Ford' last='Wallace']</strong> QB, Hartsville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wallace's inaugural season as the Red Foxes' starting quarterback hasn't all gone swimmingly, but in Friday's win at Lower Richland, something might have clicked. The sophomore finished the game 10-of-15 for 326 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage was a Hartsville single-game (besting Shawn Smith's 300-yard game from 2009). In the process, he looked to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672848' first='CJ' last='Hickmon']</strong> (four receptions, 150 yards), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1639740' first='Dorian' last='Mason']</strong> (three, 101) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592487' first='Tristian' last='Spann']</strong> (three, 46). Wallace excelled at making the most of some tight windows and maximizing some deep throws against Lower Richland.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/22961173/68e148194816a18e77e2c685' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68e1645a9d89c"} /-->