Statewide Second Round Game Balls

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And then there were 52.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thanks to some dynamic performances across the state, the number of teams still alive for a state championship in 2026 was cut in half across the SCHSL and SCISA ranks on Friday night. We saw unbelievable defensive performances, huge passing nights and, of course, the monster rushing games that have dictates so much of the Palmetto State this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While most of these performances helped push their teams to the next rounds of the playoffs, we felt inclined to tack on five that stemmed from losing efforts but were too good to ignore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Enjoy. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603691' first='Jackson' last='Ross']</strong> LB, Hammond</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The USC commit closed out his career at Edens Field in grand fashion. He had a Pick-6 and kickoff return for a touchdown to help lead the Skyhawks to the Class 4A SCISA state championship after the 42-3 victory over Porter-Guad. He also added a 9-yard scoring run. Hammond scored twice on defense and once on special teams in the win. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820506' first='Kayden' last='Proctor-Bates']</strong> also returned an interception for a TD.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1717939' first='Nigil' last='Fripp']</strong> RB, Hampton County</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fripp picked a nice time for his fifth 200-yard rushing game of the year. Facing a North Central team that was clearly not interested in simply showing up, Fripp got the Hurricanes out of the gate with back-to-back touchdowns on the team's first two series of the game. He finished with 27 carries for 244 yards and three of Hampton County's four touchdowns on the night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823372' first='Mack' last='Rambo']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820807' first='Sam' last='Patterson']</strong> RBs, St. Joseph's</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The duo of running backs had a big night for the Sabres in their 42-20 win over Keenan in the second round. Rambo ran the ball 24 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns while Patterson (pictured) ran it eight times for 135 yards and two touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817636' first='Nyleek' last='Geer-Harrison']</strong> DB, and <strong>Austin Whitcomb</strong> LB, Crescent</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers knew Chesnee was going to come in and try to run the ball. All those rushing yards all season didn't come out of nowhere, after all. Whitcomb and Geer-Harrison entered the night with some pretty huge games already this season, but nothing like this. Geer-Harrison finished with 23 total tackles and an interception. Whitcomb did his part by racking up 22 tackles and a tackle for loss in the 28-16 win to set up a third-round trip to Southside Christian.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823085' first='Noah' last='Singletary']</strong> RB, Dillon</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>By the time teammate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1821487' first='D'Rontae' last='McClam']</strong> returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Manning on Friday, Singletary had already made sure the game wasn't in doubt. The senior tailback rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. He scored a touchdown in each the second, third and fourth quarter to keep putting pressure on the Monarchs and make sure Dillon could move on to their third-round showdown against Marlboro County. Speaking of…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2163536' first='Tehvin' last='Easterling']</strong> ATH, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='776240' first='Tre' last='Blakeney']</strong> QB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818233' first='Jamorie' last='Williams']</strong> LB, Marlboro County</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two weeks after Williams was forced into a big role at tailback, he adjusted again, pitching in at an H-Back spot for the Bulldogs in the team's 42-35 win at Strom Thurmond. He was steady in his blocking (and caught a big 17-yard reception on a third-down play) for Blakeney and Easterling on top of his eight tackles and a tackle for loss. Blakeney made it count, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for another two, while Easterling finished with 121 rushing yards and a score and two receptions or 34 yards and another touchdown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/27389633/6af81db56d4620d4b0fb859cu0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af902e60e139"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823625' first='Tristan' last='Daniels']</strong> RB, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1909406' first='Avery' last='Coyle']</strong> QB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1824968' first='Ceddion' last='Springs']</strong> WR, Saluda</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers' two stars were at it again in the second-round home win over Orangeburg-Wilkinson. Daniels used his 25 carries to put up 153 yards and three of Saluda's four touchdowns in the game. Coyle (13-of-25, 147 yards) and Springs (eight receptions, 100 yards) connected for a 17-yard, second quarter score for the last one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19843338/6af8fe3f366fe939a0ca3067u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af902e60e160"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1824948' first='Riggs' last='Savage']</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1586857' first='Jaydon' last='McGrier']</strong> and <strong>Colton Kreger</strong> DL, Powdersville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Patriots didn't have a hard time seeing who their players of the game against Wren were after the second-round upset. The Hurricanes could never fully get their offense off the ground thanks to how much time these three spent in the backfield. Savage (two sacks, two QB hurries), McGrier (four QB hurries, four tackles) and Kreger (four QB hurries, two PBUs and two tackles) helped hold Wren to fewer than 50 rushing yards the entire night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1094520' first='Jace' last='Grass']</strong> QB, Daniel</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grass had a near perfect night in their rout of Pickens to advance to the third round. He went 14-of-17 for 277 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers -- <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1467841' first='Trey' last='Wimbley'],</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823486' first='Jeremih' last='Brown'] [player_tooltip player_id='1819126' first='Andrew' last='Anderson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818189' first='Jayden' last='Benson']</strong> - to push the Lions to a third-round home game against fellow undefeated Chapman. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422632' first='Makel' last='Stephens']</strong> RB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422629' first='Roderick' last='Purcha']</strong> ATH, Loris</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another week, and another high-end performance from the Lions' two biggest stars. Stephens - who previously set the school's all-time rushing mark this year - pounded Bishop England with 27 carries for 212 yards and three touchdowns. Purcha added two scores of his own, finishing with seven carries for 63 yards. The win pushed Loris to its third consecutive Lower State semifinal. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672924' first='Kendall' last='Wright']</strong> QB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1809066' first='Chandler' last='Guthrie']</strong> WR, Gilbert</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Facing a Hartsville squad that knows how to put up some points, the Indians needed every bit of their offense in the second round. Wright and Guthrie each found multiple ways to make it happen. Wright, the first-year Gilbert starter, completed seven-of-11 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown while rushing 21 times for another 201 yards and a score. Guthrie caught six of those completions, putting up 106 yards and a score, while also rushing 12 more times for another 100 yards and four touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823525' first='De'Eric' last='Davis']</strong> QB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2216514' first='Dylan' last='Boatwright']</strong> LB, South Florence </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing with normal starting tailback [player_tooltip player_id='1422638' first='Cam' last='James'] (ankle), the Bruins needed everyone else to step up against a red-hot Lucy Beckham squad. Davis and Boatwright answered the ball. The big quarterback completed six-of-10 passes for 140 yards, but more importantly, he took the reins in the rushing attack, piling up 163 yards and five touchdowns on 23 carries. Boatwright had a career night, racking up 18 tackles (seven more than his next best game), something that was crucial against the Bengals' rushing attack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/21113837/6af8951f6d4620d4b0ff783du0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af902e60e173"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036740' first='Tiyon' last='Fanning']</strong> RB, Lugoff-Elgin</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The senior broke the school's single-season rushing record as he went for 264 yards and three touchdowns in the 28-24 victory over Conway. Fanning's touchdown with 3:53 remaining ended up being the game-winner. Fanning has 1,897 yards this season to set the new rushing record, which was previously set three decades ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='232624' first='Xavier' last='Means']</strong> QB, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820783' first='Quay' last='Mobley']</strong> RB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1301735' first='Dash' last='Holley']</strong> LB, Northwestern</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Trojans had a balanced attack on Friday night in their second round win over cross-town rival Rock Hill. Mobley ran for 137 yards and one touchdown, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. Means, an East Carolina commit, rushed for 112 yards and one touchdown, while throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='513067' first='Malik' last='Ratliff']</strong> was his leading receiver with seven receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown. Holley had four tackles for loss and one forced fumble to go along with one pass breakup in the win over the Bearcats. He has 18 tackles for loss on the year and has been all over the ball as one of the leaders of the Trojans defense in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='409882' first='Jaden' last='Wuerth']</strong> DL, Dutch Fork</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Like many of the Silver Foxes' former P4 commits before him, Wuerth showed he could turn it on under the brightest lights of the season. The Clemson pledge helped Dutch Fork demolish Fort Mill with a three-sack game that also included five total tackles and a fumble recovery. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='463113' first='Gideon' last='Merhib']</strong> QB, Byrnes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Merhib and the Rebels opened the playoffs with a 38-17 rout of Hillcrest at Nixon Field. He threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns - one going to <strong>Keilon Franklin</strong> and the other to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1581471' first='Isaiah' last='Robinson']</strong> - and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036721' first='Tre' last='Segarra']</strong> had another strong night as he ran the ball 22 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns. The win sets up a third-round showdown at perennial powerhouse Dutch Fork. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1036733' first='Henry' last='Rivers']</strong> QB, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2325383' first='Julius' last='Milligan']</strong> DB, Berkeley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rivers, the soon-to-be signed College of Charleston baseball player isn't done on the gridiron just yet. In the blowout win over Gray Collegiate, he recorded his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season, finishing with 171 and three touchdowns. He also completed eight-of-11 passes for another 100 yards and a score. Milligan kept Gray Collegiate off-balance by recording the first two interceptions of his varsity career to go along with four tackles and a PBU. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Notable Mentions in Losing Efforts</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1422601' first='Wytrayvious' last='Dugar']</strong> DB, Strom Thurmond</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dugar put up a career-high 21 tackles and two tackles for loss in the 42-35 loss to Marlboro County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1603974' first='Franklin' last='Richardson']</strong> QB, Sumter</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Gamecocks' three-year starter saw his Sumter career come to an end in a loss at Ridge View,, but not before rushing for 204 yards and three touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1824195' first='Kameryn' last='Davis']</strong> LB/RB, Marion</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davis' junior year wrapped up with a 22-tackle performance that also saw him record a tackle for loss and a rushing touchdown in the loss at Central. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brenden Peoples</strong> QB, Orangeburg-Wilkinson</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>O-W fell on the road at Saluda Friday. Peoples was responsible for all three of the Bruins' touchdowns in the 28-21 loss. He rushed for two scores and 116 yards and threw for another to go along with 131 yards through the air.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672833' first='Trace' last='Hillian']</strong> RB, Hartsville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hillian wrapped up his junior year with another big individual game. The tailback had 148 yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries in the loss to Gilbert.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->