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<p>Hurricane Ian has caused a shift in the high school schedule for this week. Several games were played on Wednesday in the Lowcountry, Pee Dee and Grand Strand area but the bulk of the Midland games are Thursday night. Here is a quick primer for the best games in the area. </p>
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<p><strong>Gilbert (3-2) at Lower Richland (1-4)</strong></p>
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<p>The Region 5-3A opener has both teams in search of a much-needed win. Gilbert has lost two in a row and Lower Richland comes in on a three-game losing streak. The Indians will look to the ground game with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262635' first='Alias' last='Graham-Woodberry']</strong> (766 yards) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='267430' first='Jaden' last='Allen-Hendrix']</strong> (486 yards, 11 TD's) to get back on track. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262616' first='Chance' last='Jennings']</strong> and <strong>Drake Braddock</strong> will continue to split time at QB. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262639' first='Jordan' last='Smith'], Jake Torbett</strong> and <strong>Kyler Seigler</strong> will look to get the defense back on track.</p>
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<p>The Diamonds need to find a way to get <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443504' first='Mekhi' last='Campfield']</strong> (27 catches, 436 yards) and East Carolina commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202736' first='Nate' last='Branch']</strong> (15 catches, 286 yards) more involved. <strong>Lamarion Pearson</strong> has 438 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='411696' first='Deamonti' last='Garrett']</strong> and <strong>Jamel Patterson</strong> are the top two tacklers on defense. </p>
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<p><strong>Class 4A No. 9 Irmo (4-1) at Richland Northeast (1-4)</strong></p>
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<p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand']</strong> returned from injury and threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns for Irmo last week. They open Region 5-4A on the road at RNE. <strong>Erick Tucker</strong> has nearly 500 yards rushing for the Yellow Jackets and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1085401' first='Telvin' last='Smith']</strong> has been the top receiver. The defense recorded a shutout last week.</p>
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<p>Richland Northeast has struggled defensively and have not won since the season-opener. Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272698' first='Will' last='Wilson']</strong> holds an N.C. State offer and hopes to open things up now that region play has started. <strong>Enosh Jean-Philippe, Zackery Watkins</strong> and <strong>Zahir Khalid</strong> have all done good things offensively.</p>
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<p><strong>Class 5A No. 7 Lexington (5-1) at Chapin (3-3)</strong></p>
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<p>It's the Region 4-5A opener for both schools. The Wildcats <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443502' first='Jonah' last='Norris']</strong> might be the MVP of the Midlands with 996 yards rushing. He picked up a PWO offer from South Carolina on a visit this past weekend. QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208887' first='Taiden' last='Mines']</strong> has three good receivers in <strong>Kamdi Maxwell</strong>, <strong>Jarrod Mewborn and</strong> <strong>Brandon Cromer</strong>. Defensively, <strong>Chris Frye</strong> and <strong>Brayden Woolbright</strong> lead the secondary with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='997334' first='Montrell' last='Byrd'] </strong>a force from the secondary.</p>
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<p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272715' first='Brady' last='Albro']</strong> has thrown for 1,279 yards and 13 scores for the Eagles. <strong>Weldon Gunter</strong>, <strong>Grady Brandstatter </strong>and <strong>Nolan Beerman</strong> have been the top targets. Beerman is the top ground-gainer with 406 yards. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360035' first='Tanner' last='Short']</strong> and <strong>Hayden Burriss</strong> are the top tacklers and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='204427' first='Max' last='Drag']</strong> is also a force from his DE spot.</p>
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<p><strong>Lugoff-Elgin (3-2) at Class 4A No. 7 Ridge View (4-1)</strong></p>
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<p>These two teams come into the Region 5-4A opener well rested after a week off. Lugoff-Elgin will try to control the clock behind running back <strong>Sky Harter</strong>, who has 753 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. <strong>Jake Morris</strong> has been steady at quarterback. Defensively, L-E will lean on <strong>KD Outen</strong> and <strong>Chandler Rush</strong> to try and slow the Blazers. </p>
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<p>Ridge View is allowing just 10 points per game. The defense is being led by <strong>Jabari Gamble, Joshua Saddler, Kenneth Jackson, [player_tooltip player_id='448979' first='Myles' last='Brown'] </strong>and <strong>David Matthews</strong>. QB <strong>David Tomlin</strong> has thrown for 1,017 yards with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202775' first='Zion' last='Agnew']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='202731' first='Adonis' last='McDaniel']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262637' first='Chris' last='Lawson']</strong> being the top targets. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='262703' first='Marcus' last='Kelly']</strong> has over 400 yards rushing. </p>
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<p><strong>River Bluff (5-1) at Class 5A No. 4 White Knoll (6-0)</strong></p>
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<p>Maybe the biggest surprises in the Midlands this season square off in the Region 4-5A opener. River Bluff's only setback came last week on the road at Dorman. White Knoll opened as a school in 2000 and is off to its best start in school history.</p>
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<p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443497' first='Cooper' last='Johns']</strong> has 870 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground to lead the high-scoring Gators offense. <strong>Gray Herring</strong> has six rushing touchdowns. Sophomore <strong>Parker Murray</strong> is settling in at quarterback with <strong>Stephen Collier</strong> being his top target. <strong>Kameron Woodruff</strong> and <strong>Drew Surratt</strong> are the top tacklers for River Bluff.</p>
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<p>The Timberwolves defense is allowing just over 12 points per game. The main reason behind that has been the play of <strong>Marcus Domenech, Hayden Cushman, Michael Trippe</strong> and <strong>Nate Thomas</strong>. Offensively, sophomore QB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346199' first='Landon' last='Sharpe']</strong> has 923 yards passing and 15 TDs. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448995' first='Austin' last='Cunningham']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='336147' first='Jesse' last='Ross']</strong> have been his top targets. Ross has 10 rushing scores and 560 yards. </p>
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