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Updated high school football schedule, top Midlands games and this week’s predictions

lou bezjak
·6 min read
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With inclement weather in the forecast for Friday night, some Midlands high school football games are moving up a day earlier.

The National Weather Service predicts a 50% chance of rain Friday and Friday night in the Columbia area, with the forecast on weather.com calling for an 42% chance of rain.

Here are the games moved to Thursday. The rest of the schedule is listed down below:

Games moved to Thursday

Aiken at Lugoff-Elgin, 7 p.m.

American Leadership at Ridge Spring Monetta, 7:30 p.m.

Ben Lippen at Cardinal Newman, 7:30 p.m.

Brookland-Cayce at May River, 7 p.m.

Chester at Saluda, 7 p.m.

Columbia at Great Falls, 7 p.m.

Fairfield Central at Lewisville, 7 p.m.

Laurens Academy at Richard Winn, 6:30 p.m.

Mid-Carolina at North Central, 7 p.m.

Richland Northeast at Nation Ford, 7:30 p.m.

Swansea at Pelion, 7 p.m.

This Week’s Top Games

▪ Ben Lippen (2-1) at Cardinal Newman (1-2) (Thursday)

Players to Watch — BL: WR/DB Jamere Crooks, DL Kellen George; CN: RB Caleb Ford, OL Jack Laird

Notes: Ben Lippen has won six of the last eight in series but Cardinal Newman snapped a three-game losing streak to the Falcons with a 31-0 win last season. Cardinal Newman running back Caleb Ford leads the area with 767 yards rushing and six touchdowns. Drake Porter leads Ben Lippen with 42 tackles. Ben Lippen’s defense has two shutouts in its three games this season and has 11 sacks.

Prediction: Cardinal Newman

▪ Gray Collegiate (1-1) at Dutch Fork (2-0)

Players to Watch — GC: RB BJ Montgomery, DL Zeb Taylor; DF: QB Ethan Offing, DE/LB Josh Smith

Notes: First meeting between the two schools. Gray Collegiate’s non-region schedule is one of the toughest in the area, having already played Class 5A James Island and Baylor (Tenn.). Michael Boulware leads Gray with 27 tackles. Dutch Fork QB Ethan Offing committed to Clemson for baseball this week. Offing has 429 yards passing and six TDs this season. WRs Boykin Bickley and KJ Smith each have 3 TD catches for DF. Silver Foxes have outscored opponents, 62-7, this year.

Prediction: Dutch Fork

▪ Greenwood (1-1) at Lexington (3-0)

Players to Watch — G: QB Triston Lewis, LB Bryce Seaborn; L: LB Matthew McAulay, DL Artem Kalinkin

Notes: First meeting since 2009 between two teams. Greenwood leads the all-time series, 13-3. Lexington is looking for a 4-0 start for the second straight season. Lexington rallied from a 14-3 deficit to defeat Midland Valley, 25-14 last week.

Prediction: Lexington

▪ Lower Richland (2-1) at Batesburg-Leesville (2-0)

Players to Watch — LR: RB Jaylin Simmons LB Daniel Gee, BL: QB Tanner Watkins, RB Amadre Wooden

Notes: First meeting between two teams since 1963. B-L leads the all-time series, 4-0. Batesburg-Leesville is coming off one of its biggest wins in recent memory by defeating Class A No. 1 Abbeville last week. KD Whitt leads B-L with five touchdown catches. Amadre Wooden leads the team with 316 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

Prediction: Batesburg-Leesville

▪ Newberry (2-1) at Chapin (3-0)

Players to Watch — N: RB BJ Jones, LB Jared Acosta; C: QB Brady Albro, WR Stone Furrey

Notes: Newberry leads all-time series, 18-10, but Chapin has won the last three meetings between the two teams. Chapin QB Brady Albro has thrown for 815 yards and 10 touchdowns but is questionable for the game with an ankle injury. Brock Smith will start at QB if Albro is out. Chapin WRs Khalen Bostick and Stone Furrey have combined for almost 500 yards receiving and nine touchdowns this season

Prediction: Chapin

▪ Ridge View (1-2) at Camden (2-1)

Players to Watch — RV: WR Jordan Gidron, WR Khristian Jackson; C: WR/DB Tylin Drakeford, WR/DB Jojo Crim

Notes: First meeting since 2005 between the two teams. RV leads the series, 3-1. Game is Sonic WACH Fox Game of the Week. RV receiver Jordon Gidron is ranked the No. 1 prospect in the state for Class of 2026 by 247Sports. RV quarterback Tre Howard has thrown for 779 yards this season. Camden’s Tylin Drakeford has caught a TD pass, ran for one and threw one this season. Tanner Bracey leads Camden with 3.5 sacks and 5.5 QB pressures.

Prediction: Camden

▪ River Bluff (3-0) at Gilbert (1-1)

Players to Watch — RB: QB Parker Murray, WR/DB Stepehen Collier; G: RB Trevon Williamson, DB Wynn Meetze

Notes: First meeting since 2019 between two Lexington County schools. RB leads the all-time series, 4-2. RB quarterback Parker Murray has thrown for 690 yards and seven touchdowns. Aaron Griffin leads the Gators with 22 catches for 302 yards and two TDs. Blaine Felder leads RB with 33 tackles. Wynn Meetze leads Gilbert with 23 tackles and Gray Gunter has 18 tackles, five quarterback pressures and three for loss.

Prediction: River Bluff

Schedule, game predictions

(Winner picks in bold face caps)

—Thursday—

Aiken at LUGOFF-ELGIN

American Leadership at RIDGE SPRING MONETTA

Chester at SALUDA

COLUMBIA at Great Falls

Laurens Academy at RICHARD WINN

Mid-Carolina at NORTH CENTRAL

RICHLAND NORTHEAST at Nation Ford

SWANSEA at Pelion

—Friday—

Andrew Jackson Academy at NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN

BLYTHEWOOD at Keenan

BROOKLAND-CAYCE at May River

CHESTERFIELD at CA Johnson

FAIRFIELD CENTRAL at Lewisville

HAMMOND at Heathwood Hall

IRMO at Carolina Forest

Laurens at AC FLORA

Newberry Academy at WW KING

PROVIDENCE ATHLETIC CLUB at Carolina Wildcats

Spring Valley at CATAWBA RIDGE

Westwood at AIRPORT

WILLISTON-ELKO at Eau Claire

Last Week: 23-6

This Season: 74-15

Midlands Power Rankings

Here are the area’s power rankings by The State Newspaper’s Staff. A look at the top 10 teams in the area and those just on the outside.

1. Dutch Fork (2-0)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: 1

  • Last Week: Defeated Ridge View, 38-0

  • This Week: vs. Gray Collegiate

2. Irmo (3-0)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: 2

  • Last Week: Defeated Butler (NC), 35-34 (OT)

  • This Week: at Carolina Forest

3. White Knoll (2-1)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: 4

  • Last Week: Defeated Brookland-Cayce, 49-19

  • This Week: Off

4. Camden (2-1)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: 5

  • Last Week: Defeated Hartsville, 22-14

  • This Week: vs. Ridge View

5. Lexington (3-0)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: 3

  • Last Week: Defeated Midland Valley, 25-14

  • This Week: vs. Greenwood

6. Hammond (3-0)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: 6

  • Last Week: Defeated Porter-Gaud, 28-15

  • This Week: vs. Heathwood Hall

7. Chapin (3-0)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: 7

  • Last Week: Defeated Spring Valley, 49-14

  • This Week: vs. Newberry

8. Gray Collegiate (1-1)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: 8

  • Last Week:Off

  • This Week: at Dutch Fork

9. River Bluff (3-0)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: T-10

  • Last Week: Defeated Nation Ford, 35-30

  • This Week: at Gilbert

10. Richland Northeast (3-0)

  • Last Week’s Ranking: T-10

  • Last Week: Defeated Westwood, 25-0

  • This Week: at Nation Ford

Dropped out: Ridge View

Others considered: Batesburg-Leesville, Blythewood, Keenan