Prep Football Second Round Playoff Preview Capsules
Nov. 9—Class AAAA Upper State
South Pointe (8-3) at Midland Valley (11-0)
Last time they played
South Pointe defeated Midland Valley 67-14 on Nov. 3, 2017 in the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs.
Keys to the game
For Midland Valley, intensity from the opening kickoff is a must. The Mustangs sleepwalked a bit through last week's playoff opener against a stubborn No. 4 seed in Easley, and it nearly cost them. Still, the highlights from a frustrating performance were the things the Mustangs have consistently done while building this winning streak — they ran the ball well, and the defense again made timely plays. Both of those elements will be necessary against South Pointe, and they need to be at their best. The visiting Stallions are battle tested, having played one of the toughest schedules in the state. South Pointe has a pair of running backs approaching the 1,000-yard mark, and the Stallions have plenty of options in the passing game. The South Pointe defense has made 100.5 tackles for loss in 11 games, and it will be up to Midland Valley's offensive line to make sure that number doesn't grow too much. The Stallions will look to limit Traevon Dunbar and Preston McNair to minimal gains in order to force the Mustangs into uncomfortable third-and-long type situations.
Class AA Upper State
Keenan (5-5) at Strom Thurmond (9-2)
Last time they played
Strom Thurmond defeated Keenan 21-6 on Nov. 12, 2022 in the second round of the Class AA playoffs.
Keys to the game
The train has continued to roll for Strom Thurmond, which scored 49 first-half points in last week's 49-7 win over Landrum to begin the playoffs. The Rebels have won six games in a row by an average of 35.8 points per game, so the key to this game is for the Rebels to just keep doing what they're doing. The offensive line continues to set the table for the Rebels' punishing run game and star-studded passing attack, so Keenan's defense will be challenged from front to back. Quarterback Quan Edmond is completing 65.5% of his passes for the season, and Keenan will have to find a way to disrupt that. The Raiders made it here by upsetting Ninety Six in the first round, averaging 24.5 yards per completion while passing for 196 yards and two touchdowns. The Rebels have 25 sacks and 21 interceptions this season, and they'll look to take away Keenan's passing game.
Silver Bluff (8-3) at Fairfield Central (9-2)
Last time they played
Fairfield Central defeated Silver Bluff 22-6 on Nov. 12, 2022 in the second round of the Class AA playoffs.
Keys to the game
Silver Bluff's defense and special teams were dominant in last week's 47-6 win over Mid-Carolina. The defensive line spent most of the night in the Rebels' backfield, and the linebackers made sure any positive gains were minimal. Malik Mozone returned two fumbles for touchdowns, and Hiszari Gantt ran back a punt for a score. The Bulldogs will need a similar performance to slow down a Fairfield Central offense that was perfect last week in a 48-7 win over Liberty. Sophomore quarterback Cameron McMillon went 15-for-15 passing for 284 yards and three touchdowns, and the run game generated 231 yards and three touchdowns on only 20 carries. Silver Bluff will have to put together a defensive effort the Bulldogs know they're capable of producing, and the offense is going to have to do its part to help out. The Bulldogs will need to get the run game going to string together first downs, in turn keeping the Griffins' explosive offense on the sideline.
Class AA Lower State
Barnwell (7-4) at Marion (10-1)
Last time they played
Barnwell defeated Marion 51-40 on Nov. 5, 2021 in the first round of the Class AA playoffs.
Keys to the game
Barnwell put together the winning formula of strong rushing attack and stingy defense in last week's 35-8 win over Lake Marion, and the Warhorses will look to do the same this week against a Marion team with plenty of size, speed and athleticism. Quarterback Cameron Austin rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns, and Jaquan Peeples ran for 117 yards and two more scores in last week's win, with Nehemiah Brown adding 54 yards and a score of his own. The offensive line will face a big test from Marion's defensive front. The Swamp Foxes have only allowed 14 total points in their last four games, and the offense has made plenty of the kind of big plays Barnwell didn't allow last week. Marion's Gabriel Cusack went 7-for-12 passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 48-0 win over Central, and 10 different Swamp Foxes carried the ball for a total of 290 yards and four touchdowns. Barnwell's defense will have to find a way to slow that down.
Class A Upper State
Wagener-Salley (7-3) at Blackville-Hilda (9-2)
Last time they played
Blackville-Hilda defeated Wagener-Salley 34-8 on Sept. 22, 2023.
Keys to the game
There are no secrets here between these Region 4-A rivals, and both sides have had time since then to make the necessary adjustments to come out on top. Both teams have won four of their last five games since that night, so both will be coming into this game with plenty of confidence. They key in this game will be to win the physical battle. Wagener-Salley's run game is a tricky one to stop and can also take a lot of time off the clock, which means less time Blackville-Hilda will have with the ball. The Fighting Hawks will have to make each possession count, and they'll need their defense to get the necessary stops to keep the War Eagles from chewing up too much time. Blackville-Hilda rushed for 237 yards on 25 carries in the previous meeting, and the Fighting Hawks have 2,933 rushing yards for the season, so the War Eagles will have to be sure tacklers to keep short gains from turning into big ones.
