Lowcountry Week 7 Games To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The stakes seem to grow with each passing week as the high school football season shifts into region play and teams start jockeying for playoff seeding, and some of the most pivotal games remaining on the schedule happen to fall this week, including a few that could end up crowning the region champion when the dust settles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are the games that have the highest stakes around the Lowcountry this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fort Dorchester (3-3, 2-0) at James Island (5-0, 2-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Patriots and Trojans are already the last two undefeated teams in Region 5-5A play, and only one will be standing unblemished Saturday morning. Fort Dorchester will take its best shot at slowing down [player_tooltip player_id='1820390' first='Brady' last='Dantzler'] and the high-scoring James Island offense. Dantzler has thrown 13 touchdown passes to seven different receivers, including four to freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2184776' first='Thyus' last='Fabor'] and three apiece to leading receiver [player_tooltip player_id='874321' first='Raphael' last='Puiu'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1819171' first='Charlie' last='Schrecker']. That combination will be a big test for a Fort D defense led by secondary stars [player_tooltip player_id='2411560' first='Jaxson' last='Ray'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1825430' first='Zaire' last='Warren'] and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1821069' first='Ryan' last='Simmons']. The Patriots have some dangerous weapons in running backs <strong>Liam Chapman</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id='1907408' first='Amir' last='Green'] and receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1818368' first='Devin' last='Gates'], and they can show different looks on offense with both junior [player_tooltip player_id='1061145' first='Mesiah' last='Rivers'] and highly-touted freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2400835' first='Landon' last='Freeman'] seeing time at quarterback. Consistency has been hard to come by for Fort D's offense, though, and [player_tooltip player_id='1274260' first='Bryson' last='Bowers'] (pictured), Robert Grant and [player_tooltip player_id='651361' first='Jakayden' last='Pendergrass'] anchor a James Island defense that hasn't allowed more than 21 points in a game despite a stiff non-region schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hilton Head (5-1, 1-0) at Lucy Beckham (3-2, 0-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Seahawks bit off a challenging non-region schedule and acquitted themselves well, and it carried over into a 57-12 rout of rival Bluffton to open Region 6-4A play, but they have one more major hurdle to clear in the region. [player_tooltip player_id='1603740' first='Thaddeus' last='Czarnecki'] had four touchdowns in his return from injury and the trio of [player_tooltip player_id='1664222' first='Derrick' last='Raniszewski'], [player_tooltip player_id='1820333' first='Jeremiah' last='Walters'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1422535' first='Jayvin' last='Risher'] continued to put up big numbers on offense, and [player_tooltip player_id='1822839' first='Josh' last='Bigger'] and Shrine Bowl pick [player_tooltip player_id='1172368' first='Andrew' last='Massey'] led a dominant defensive effort from BJ Payne's team. The Bengals appear to be the biggest challenger to Hilton Head's throne. They're coming off a 49-7 rout of Cane Bay but still looking for a signature win. Lucy Beckham is big and physical in the trenches with Georgia-committed tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1667798' first='Ty' last='Johnson'] and Chooch Torcasio as the other bookend, paving the way for a strong ground game featuring explosive 2030 [player_tooltip player_id='2413907' first='Waylon' last='Walker'] and versatile speedster [player_tooltip player_id='2077217' first='Braylon' last='Mcfadden']. <strong>Charlie Stafford</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id='2106764' first='Alex' last='Clamp'] have both taken snaps at quarterback, but Clamp is also one of the anchors of a strong secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hanahan (6-0, 0-0) at Oceanside Collegiate (2-3, 0-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is the opening salvo in a Charleston-area round robin that will give a clearer picture of the Region 5-3A and Class 3A Lower State landscapes. Hanahan quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1615084' first='Tripp' last='Gallus'] is putting together an outstanding junior season, already closing in on 2,000 passing yards with 19 touchdowns against four interceptions, and sophomore <strong>Nevaehus Gourdine</strong> has emerged as a reliable workhorse back. Gallus has two dynamic receivers in [player_tooltip player_id='1222230' first='Quamell' last='Grant'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1819697' first='Grayson' last='Mathes'], both of whom have surpassed 700 receiving yards this season while combining for 15 touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id='1819695' first='Mason' last='Bellamy'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1817902' first='Lucas' last='Meyer'] anchor a Hawks defense that has allowed only 15 points over the past three games, but Hanahan will face its toughest test yet trying to slow down a trio of D1 commits in quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1094944' first='Aiden' last='Manavian'] (Davidson) and receivers [player_tooltip player_id='378969' first='Jaiden' last='Kelly-Murray'] (Colorado) and [player_tooltip player_id='1764392' first='Anthony' last='Williams'] (North Carolina). Both teams still have to play Bishop England, so even the winner won't exactly be in the driver's seat yet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Battery Creek (5-0, 0-0) at Academic Magnet (4-1, 0-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two programs that have endured long droughts between winning seasons go head-to-head to open Region 5-2A play, and the winner might be a surprise contender for the region title. Woodland and Philip Simmons also figure to have a say in the matter, but the Dolphins and Raptors have sustained enough success early in the season to require the region's attention. No one has been able to slow down Battery Creek's ground game led by [player_tooltip player_id='2414196' first='Eddie' last='Heyward'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1825360' first='Elijah' last='Frazier'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1664217' first='Kiawan' last='Ford'] is the anchor in the trenches, leading strong line play on both sides of the ball. The Dolphins' defense has handled some mobile quarterbacks well this season, and they'll be tested again by [player_tooltip player_id='1821469' first='Owen' last='George'], who leads the Raptors in rushing and has developed a connection with receiver <strong>Bryce Lee</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ridgeland (1-5, 0-0) at Hardeeville (3-2, 0-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Jagaurs stunned the Hurricanes in the rain last year in Ridgeland as this old county rivalry was renewed, but Hardeeville's youth movement has things trending toward the Hurricanes this time around. Both teams recently routed Burke, but Ridgeland couldn't sustain the momentum last week, being shut out 36-0 at Baptist Hill. Quarterback <strong>Taishaun Smith</strong> has a dangerous weapon in receiver [player_tooltip player_id='2415424' first='Hakeem' last='Chaneyfield'], a major matchup problem on the edge, and running back <strong>Markus Hunter</strong> had a monster game against Burke, but the Jaguars' offense has been inconsistent. Hardeeville hit on all cylinders in a 76-0 homecoming rout of Burke last week, and a sensational freshman class that includes [player_tooltip player_id='2253662' first='Jeremiah' last='Dunham'], [player_tooltip player_id='2400896' first='Tahlib' last='Nelson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2401248' first='Travon' last='Harris'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2401252' first='Jose' last='Chavez'] — four of the top 20 players in the state in PRZ's 2030 rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->