Midlands HS football: Best Week 3 games, schedule, predictions, new power rankings

The third week of the 2024 regular season is here for high school football. Below is a look at this week’s top games in the Midlands, predictions for winners and this week’s updated local team power rankings.

Batesburg-Leesville (1-0) at Abbeville (2-0)

Players to Watch: RB Amadre Wooden, QB Tanner Watkins; A: QB Demarcus Leach, DT AJ Speech

Notes: First meeting between the two teams since 2020. B-L leads the all-time series, 26-25-1, but hasn’t beat the Panthers since 2014. B-L’s Amadre Wooden rushed for 198 yards and three scores last week against Wagener-Salley. B-L held Wagener-Salley to 36 yards of offense last week. Abbeville is unanimous No. 1 selection in Class A in the latest S.C. statewide Prep Media Poll. Abbeville QB/DB Demarcus Leach is a South Carolina commitment and had five total touchdowns last week against Powdersville. Leach went 10-for-11 passing for 147 yards and rushed for 117 yards in the 53-43 win.

Prediction: Abbeville

Clinton (1-1) at Newberry (2-0)

Players to Watch — C: RB Javen Cook, OL Tre Aiken; TE Jamel Howse, RB BJ Jones

Notes: Two teams have met every year since 1974, except for the COVID year in 2020 when teams played just region opponents. Clinton leads the all-time series, 54-34, and has won three straight against the Bulldogs. Clinton OL Tre Aiken is a Division I prospect and has several Power 4 offers. Newberry is 2-0 for the first time since 2017. The Bulldogs moved into 3A rankings this week at No. 10. Clinton is ranked No. 3 in 2A. Newberry running back BJ Jones has five touchdowns in first two games.

Prediction: Clinton

Dutch Fork (1-0) at Ridge View (1-1)

Players to Watch — DF: WR Boykin Bickley, LB Josh Smith; RV: QB Tre Howard, WR Jordon Gidron

Notes: First meeting since 2015 when Ridge View defeated Dutch Fork, 28-21. The all-time series is tied 9-9. DF’s Boykin Bickley had eight catches for 120 yards and two TDs last week. The Silver Foxes’ defense held Spartanburg to 130 yards and had five sacks. Ridge View quarterback Tre Howard has thrown for 579 yards and five touchdowns in two games this season. RV receiver Khristian Jackson had three TD catches last week in a loss to Northwestern.

Prediction: Dutch Fork

Hartsville (0-0-1) at Camden (1-1)

Players to Watch — H: RB Hakeem Watters, DB Da’Marion Coe; C: WR/DB JoJo Crim, TE/DL Tanner Bracey

Notes: One of longest-running series in the state. This is the 94th all-time matchup with Camden leading 46-45-2. Hartsville has won four of the last six in the series, including last year’s 55-21 win. Hartsville’s opener last week against Carolina Forest was called early in the fourth quarter because of weather with the game tied, 27-27. Tanner Bracey leads Camden in quarterback sacks with 2.5 and tied for team lead in pressures with four.

Prediction: Hartsville

Irmo (2-0) at Butler (NC) (2-0)

Players to Watch — I: QB AJ Brand, WR Donovan Murph; QB Zach Lawrence, RB Jayden Williams

Notes: First meeting between the two schools. Both quarterbacks are college commits with Irmo’s AJ Brand committed to Virginia Tech and Butler’s Zach Lawrence committed to UMass. Irmo has won 14 straight regular-season games dating back to 2022. Irmo WR Donovan Murph picked up offers from Ohio State and Georgia this week. Murph visited OSU for the Akron game on Aug. 31.

Prediction: Irmo

White Knoll (1-1) at Brookland-Cayce (0-1)

Players to Watch — QB Landon Sharpe, DL, Tyronne Jennings; RB/WR Amarii King, RB Jvonn Edwards

Notes: First meeting between two schools since 2019. White Knoll leads the series, 8-2. The Timberwolves blew a 20-point lead to Sumter last week and lost in overtime, 43-40. The loss snapped the school’s 12-game regular-season winning streak dating back to last season. Connor Burgess and Josue Esiki led WK with 20 tackles each. WK quarterback Landon Sharpe has 403 yards of total offense and five touchdowns this season. The Wolves’ Caleb Geronomi leads team with 12 catches and 155 yards. B-C’s Amarii King was moved to running back last week with quarterback Dre Dobson still sidelined. King rushed for 142 yards in loss to River Bluff.

Prediction: White Knoll

Game schedule, predictions

(Winner picks in bold face caps)

Battery Creek at KEENAN

BRANCHVILLE at American Leadership

BLYTHEWOOD at Fort Mill

CA Johnson at FAIRFIELD CENTRAL

Calhoun County at LOWER RICHLAND

CHAPIN at Spring Valley

Christ School (NC) at AC FLORA

DREHER at Lakewood

EAU CLAIRE at Greenwood Christian

Florence Christian at HEATHWOOD HALL

LEXINGTON at Midland Valley

LUGOFF-ELGIN at Darlington

Newberry Academy at WARDLAW

North Central at COLUMBIA

Orangeburg-Wilkinson at AIRPORT

Porter-Gaud at HAMMOND

PROVIDENCE ATHLETIC CLUB at Augusta Eagles

RICHARD WINN at WW King

RIVER BLUFF at Nation Ford

Wagener-Salley at SWANSEA

Westwood at RICHLAND NORTHEAST

Whitmire at MID-CAROLINA

Wilson Hall at BEN LIPPEN

Last Week: 28-5

This Season: 51-9

Midlands Power Rankings

Here are the area’s power rankings as determined 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 (1-0)

• Last Week’s Ranking: 1

• Last Week: Defeated Spartanburg, 24-7.

• This Week: at Ridge View

2. Irmo (2-0)

• Last Week’s Ranking: 2

• Last Week: Defeated Byrnes, 35-27.

• This Week: at Butler (NC)

3. Lexington (2-0)

• Last Week’s Ranking: 10

• Last Week: Defeated North Augusta, 20-19.

• This Week: at Midland Valley

4. White Knoll (1-1)

• Last Week’s Ranking: 3

• Last Week: Lost to Sumter, 43-40 (2 OT).

• This Week: at Brookland-Cayce

5. Camden (1-1)

• Last Week’s Ranking: 9

• Last Week: Defeated Lugoff-Elgin, 31-13.

• This Week: vs. Hartsville

6. Hammond (2-0)

• Last Week’s Ranking: 8

• Last Week: Defeated Pinewood Prep, 48-14.

• This Week: vs. Porter-Gaud.

7. Chapin (2-0)

• Last Week’s Ranking: NR

• Last Week: Defeated AC Flora, 63-21.

• This Week: at Spring Valley

8. Gray Collegiate (1-1)

• Last Week’s Ranking: 5

• Last Week: Lost to Baylor (Tenn.), 41-7.

• This Week: Off

9. Ridge View (1-1)

• Last Week’s Ranking: 4

• Last Week: Lost to Northwestern, 45-27.

• This Week: vs. Dutch Fork

10. (tie) River Bluff (2-0)

• Last Week’s Ranking: NR

• Last Week: Defeated Brookland-Cayce, 41-21.

• This Week: at Nation Ford

10. (tie) Richland Northeast (2-0)

• Last Week’s Ranking: NR

• Last Week: Defeated Crestwood, 36-32.

• This Week: vs. Westwood

Dropped out: AC Flora, Brookland-Cayce

Others considered: Blythewood, Newberry, Keenan, Ben Lippen