Round Two of the playoffs.

[Rebel-Fan-74]

AAAA Division I
#1 Ft Dorchester #8 Summerville
Well, I don't know how much work GoBigGreen does in the work week during football season, but what ever that amount usually would be, cut it by at least half this week. And I am willing to bet that most Summerville folks are in the same boat, other than the coaching staff that is... They wanted this and when the brackets were revealed it was all they could do to focus on week one. Repeat games are always difficult to predict, especially in rivalry games. Three years in a row, the State Championship game was a repeat, twice Dorman-Byrnes and once Byrnes-Gaffney and all three times the game was won by the team who lost in the regular season. Leads me to think Summerville! However, in each case, above, the re-match was at a neutral field... so now we thinking Fort Dorchester. Lot of things working here, should be a great time in Dorchester County this week.

#13 Lexington #5 Hillcrest
CAN HILLCREST GET SOME RESPECT NOW? was the title of a thread over there. The answer, not yet. Maybe even not yet after Friday night! #13 Lexington will not help Hillcrest get the respect they want, even if they beat them pretty soundly. They are the #13 seed after all, so you are supposed to beat them! I can hear it now! To be honest, I think the Rams should get some respect, but until they beat someone that most folks know, I don't think many folks will respect Hillcrest. Now if they make it to Columbia, folks will still say "they had the easy bracket", so it may take winning State.... but then, "well the teams in the other bracket beat each other up and had nothing left for the final game"! Sorry, Rams, I'm guessing you will still be asking that even if you win it all.....

#2 Dutch Fork #10 Dorman
Dutch Fork got what they wanted, a chance to play Dorman again. Most folks that know me know that I don't have a lot of love for Dorman, respect, yes, love NO! But after what I've seen, Dutch Fork might want Dorman today, but they may not be saying that Friday night. Dorman is possibly the most complete team I saw all season. Solid on all aspects of the game, special teams to offense and defense and I'll be perfectly honest, I thought they should have beaten us. Now I'm taking nothing away from Dutch Fork, but they surely didn't look unbeatable for the most part of the season and I expect this one to be close and very hard fought game.

#3 Byrnes #6 Northwestern
These two started the year together, and now, one's season will end because of the other. Northwestern did not get off to a good start Friday, but once they woke up, they lit it up! I'm guessing the Week 11 thing was just a team that had nothing to play for.... Region was all wrapped up, seeding was set, etc... so they just didn't focus on Gaffney. Some how, I don't see that being an issue this week. I think they will be focused and ready! The Rebels need to be inspired and ready to go at game time. They need to play one of the best first half's they have played all year and not start the game flat. I'll be there, as usual, ready for a great game and that is just what I expect.


AAAA Division II
#16 River Bluff #9 York
Yeah, who had this match up? NO ONE! York thought they had played their final home game, but they get one more. I'm going out on a limb here and say River Bluff may have used up all the magic last week, but as I said in another thread, that is why we let them play. As best as I can remember, they are the first #16 seed to beat the #1 seed so they are on bonus time and could be playing like a team with nothing to lose.

#4 Westwood #5 Greenwood
Maybe the best team that no one knows anything about, Westwood. 11-1 and I cannot tell you anything about them! Nada. Zip, Zilch. Greenwood started 1-4 but look at the five teams they played! Dutch Fork, Dorman, Northwestern, Spartanburg, and Hillcrest all still playing football folks!!! If your team is out, this may be a good choice for you to attend Friday night!

#2 South Florence #7 North Augusta
I'll let SF Band Dad take this one...

#3 Stratford #6 Spartanburg
Spartanburg wants respect! Here is your chance. Go down to the lower state and come back with a win and you will have earned some respect. I would expect this to be a 42-40 kind of game. Both teams have the ability to put points on the board and while Chris Miller is a defensive coach, I don't know that they can put together the kind of "D" to shut down Stratford.

All in all, we've got some good match ups, so if your team is not playing Friday, there are some good alternatives for you if you are still in the football mode!

[trojangrad78]

This is going to be a hum-dinger of a weekend for games!!!!!

Analysis says:
#3 Byrnes #6 Northwestern
These two started the year together, and now, one's season will end because of the other. Northwestern did not get off to a good start Friday, but once they woke up, they lit it up! I'm guessing the Week 11 thing was just a team that had nothing to play for.... Region was all wrapped up, seeding was set, etc... so they just didn't focus on Gaffney. Some how, I don't see that being an issue this week. I think they will be focused and ready! The Rebels need to be inspired and ready to go at game time. They need to play one of the best first half's they have played all year and not start the game flat. I'll be there, as usual, ready for a great game and that is just what I expect.

Personal Ramblings
Byrnes's offense keeps the NW defense spread all over the field. Over time, the success at passing opens up the rushing and NW just cannot stop them. Game ball to Byrnes's offensive line.

[Redhawks]

I'd be glad to tell you all about my Redhawks.

Of our 11 regular season games, we held our opponents to one touchdown or less in 8 games. And we only gave up more than two touchdowns once - to Dutch Fork. We've shut out three of our opponents, including River Bluff and Spring Valley, and held Lexington to only 7 points. We also held Keenan, who's 1 game away from their state championship, to one touchdown. We average about 33 points per game while only allowing 9. Our defense is the highlight of this team, and our offense is lead by our junior running back Andrew Plante. We swept every time in Richland 2 and our only loss was to Dutch Fork. Also, a lot of our opponents points came in garbage time.

[DeCav]

I'd be glad to tell you all about my Redhawks.

Of our 11 regular season games, we held our opponents to one touchdown or less in 8 games. And we only gave up more than two touchdowns once - to Dutch Fork. We've shut out three of our opponents, including River Bluff and Spring Valley, and held Lexington to only 7 points. We also held Keenan, who's 1 game away from their state championship, to one touchdown. We average about 33 points per game while only allowing 9. Our defense is the highlight of this team, and our offense is lead by our junior running back Andrew Plante. We swept every time in Richland 2 and our only loss was to Dutch Fork. Also, a lot of our opponents points came in garbage time.

Welcome to the board! Sounds like Greenwood is going to have their hands full

[SF Band dad]

#2 South Florence #7 North Augusta
I'll let SF Band Dad take this one...

• CAN SO-FLO GET SOME RESPECT NOW? The answer, not yet. Maybe even not yet after Friday night!

Blythewood only had a single win against a team with a winning record, Spring Valley (6-5). If SF hadn't defeated them convincingly it would have been considered another under-achieving performance by the Bruins. (See: Carolina Forest, West Florence) SF's only loss came in week 0 at the hands of Fort D who ended the season as the #1 seed in Div I.

After a long drought SF has made the playoffs for the last 6 years. The last two seasons have held a lot of "firsts": an undefeated regular season, back-to-back region titles. But they have never made it past the 2nd round in the playoffs.

I don't know much about N. Augusta this year, their non-region schedule doesn't give us many clues to their strength or weakness: Ridge View (3-8), two 3A opponents, a good 2A, and 2 Georgia schools (4A, 3A sized, both 6-4). Region 5 has been an enigma this year with 4 teams in a knot all fighting for those top three slots.

NA and SF appear to be fairly evenly matched, both have stingy defenses, both teams have out-scored their opponents 2:1.
I expect the team with the best defensive performance will win the game. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a low-scoring affair with the outcome decided by one or two big plays.

[Carolina Cavalier]

SF Band Dad I think you have a good idea about NA. You say SF gets no respect, if anybody doesn't get any respect its NA. Most folks don't even know we exist until the playoffs every year. I will say the two Ga. schools are pretty good. Class AAAA Burke County can compete heads up with anybody in SC. They were Ga. AAAA state champs in 2012 and still very good. Lakeside in Evans, Ga is a class AAAAA school that is solid also. NA is 10-2 losing to White Knoll on a late field goal 13-10 and blew a 17-3 halftime lead to River Bluff eventually losing 20-17 in overtime. River Bluff tied the game with less than a minute to go as a result of a NA turnover. River Bluff is a well coached solid team as we all know especially after knocking off GC last Friday. I think you are right that this game will be decided by the defensive side of the ball. NA has been solid on defense. NA's problem has been inconsistent play, poor execution, turnovers, and penalties on offense. They have played much better the last three games. SF is going to be a tough challenge. If NA can cut out the problems that have plagued them all season they may have a chance. An interesting point, the team that has knocked NA out of the playoffs the last two years has gone on to win the state championship. If SF wins which I hope they don't it will be a good omen for them. Looking forward to a good game.

[Redhawks]

What do you all know about Greenwood?

[GoBigGreen]

AAAA Division I
#1 Ft Dorchester #8 Summerville
Well, I don't know how much work GoBigGreen does in the work week during football season, but what ever that amount usually would be, cut it by at least half this week. And I am willing to bet that most Summerville folks are in the same boat, other than the coaching staff that is... They wanted this and when the brackets were revealed it was all they could do to focus on week one. Repeat games are always difficult to predict, especially in rivalry games. Three years in a row, the State Championship game was a repeat, twice Dorman-Byrnes and once Byrnes-Gaffney and all three times the game was won by the team who lost in the regular season. Leads me to think Summerville! However, in each case, above, the re-match was at a neutral field... so now we thinking Fort Dorchester. Lot of things working here, should be a great time in Dorchester County this week.
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LOL R74. Yes I know it is only Monday but it feels like it should be at least Thursday by now. This day is dragging by and something tells me the entire week is going to creep by this way. Even before the official brackets were revealed, I was hoping an early projection you had out would hold. I absolutely wanted a rematch with Fort D. Summerville is back to full strength unlike in our regular season matchup with the Patriots. We have all of the pieces to the puzzle for a deep playoff run and simply need the game plan to put it all together. Make no doubt this is going to be one heck of a game. Whoever wins I expect it to be by less than a touchdown. Fort has the best defense we have faced all year. We will have a play a great game to come out on top. But Summerville is peaking at the right time and has the revenge factor working for it as well as the fact that this is the playoffs. Lose and go home. Fort D and Summerville are arch rivals with one ending the other's season this Friday. This is going to be a WAR!!!!

[bruindad79]

AAAA Division I
#1 Ft Dorchester #8 Summerville
Well, I don't know how much work GoBigGreen does in the work week during football season, but what ever that amount usually would be, cut it by at least half this week. And I am willing to bet that most Summerville folks are in the same boat, other than the coaching staff that is... They wanted this and when the brackets were revealed it was all they could do to focus on week one. Repeat games are always difficult to predict, especially in rivalry games. Three years in a row, the State Championship game was a repeat, twice Dorman-Byrnes and once Byrnes-Gaffney and all three times the game was won by the team who lost in the regular season. Leads me to think Summerville! However, in each case, above, the re-match was at a neutral field... so now we thinking Fort Dorchester. Lot of things working here, should be a great time in Dorchester County this week.

All in all, we've got some good match ups, so if your team is not playing Friday, there are some good alternatives for you if you are still in the football mode!

This one I feel like will be "worth the price of admission"!!!! It's gonna be a slug fest from kickoff to the final tic of the clock. It has a SF vs WF feel to it. If we weren't playing Friday night, I'd be taking a trip to Summerville to see this one. Good luck to both teams, this one is gonna be "sloberknocker"!

[mikey]

Yea that one should have a great atmosphere..and it gonna be cool outside for low country standards...who ever runs the ball best..wins....Fort D put's that Bryant ( think that's his name) kid in as a blocking back..Look out Summerville...I mean I only know of Fort D from listening on the radio the other night...Even from listening on the Radio..I could tell that kid made a big difference in the second half....and as far as I know he never touched the ball...

Summerville....got no idea what y'all got...I know y'all traditionally like to run.....is that big time OL back for this game ? I remember him getting injured a few weeks back....

Should be a great game....wish it was on TV like the playoff games are in some other states...good luck to both teams...