Newberry @ Chesnee: AA 1st Round

[bigdog2003]

Newberry wrapped up the 2 seed in region 3 Friday night, and will travel to Chesnee this week for the first round of the playoffs. This is only the 2nd meeting between the schools, with the first being 10 years ago in the first round of the playoffs. Chesnee won that game 27-20. That game ended Phil Strickland's first season in Newberry with a 4-7 record. Since then, the Bulldogs have gone 84-36 winning 2 Upper State Championships. After 2 down seasons, at least by Newberry standards, where the Bulldogs went 12-11, they are 3-1 on the season. Their only loss is a 34-28 to Gray Collegiate after not playing for 28 days. Chesnee has gone 64-49 since that matchup in 2010 and have had some solid seasons, including going 32-6 from 2012-2014. Chesnee is 6-1 on the season, suffering their first loss last week to 3A Woodruff 49-28.

I don't know much about Chesnee. I was told they run the ball a lot and run a Wing-T type offense. I know Newberry will look to establish the run, and get the ball outside to WR Zach Chalmers. The 6'4 JR has 10 D1 offers, and is a tough matchup.

The winner of this game will face the winner of Batesburg @ Abbeville in round 2.

Newberry Offense: 28.8 ppg
Newberry Defense: 18.3 ppg

Chesnee Offense: 37.7 ppg
Chesnee Defense: 23.6 ppg

[96fanatic]

Chesnee has a pretty good offensive team.
their defense not so good.96 is pitiful and
had almost 400 yards on offense against them.
Chesnee had 600 yards against 96.i think
Newberry will win in what should be a good game.
GO GET'EM BULLDOGS!

[racincowboy02]

It is amazing what the right coaches can do for a program. Newberry got probably one of the best and probably the most underrated coach in all of SC and then Chesnee has made a big turn around too with that coaching staff. I can remember when Chesnee was not that good and would struggle to beat Blacksburg but now look at what they are doing.

I will have to take Newberry in this one though to come up 26 to hwy 221 and beat the Eagles in a close ball game

[bigdog2003]

It is amazing what the right coaches can do for a program. Newberry got probably one of the best and probably the most underrated coach in all of SC and then Chesnee has made a big turn around too with that coaching staff. I can remember when Chesnee was not that good and would struggle to beat Blacksburg but now look at what they are doing.

I will have to take Newberry in this one though to come up 26 to hwy 221 and beat the Eagles in a close ball game

Sam Baird did some good things while coaching at Newberry from 1989-2009, but Coach Strickland has taken it to another level.

Coach Baird went 162-87 (7.7-4.1 average) in 21 seasons, had 5 seasons of 10 or more wins, won 9 region championships, played for 2 lower state championships, won the 1 upper state championship they played for before losing the state championship to Cheraw in 2006 28-24 in a game that still stings for how it ended. The 2 lower state losses were to Manning in 98, and a loaded Camden team in 01 who won state.

Coach Strickland is 88-43 (8.5-4.2 average before this year) in his 11 season, has won 1 region championship, has 5 seasons of 10 or more wins, has played for 4 upper state championships, winning 2 before losing to Dillon for the state championship, losing the other 2 upper state games by a combined 14 points. Once to Fairfield in 12, and once to Chapman in 16 who went on to win the state championship.

[mikey]

It is amazing what the right coaches can do for a program. Newberry got probably one of the best and probably the most underrated coach in all of SC and then Chesnee has made a big turn around too with that coaching staff. I can remember when Chesnee was not that good and would struggle to beat Blacksburg but now look at what they are doing.

I will have to take Newberry in this one though to come up 26 to hwy 221 and beat the Eagles in a close ball game

Sam Baird did some good things while coaching at Newberry from 1989-2009, but Coach Strickland has taken it to another level.

Coach Baird went 162-87 (7.7-4.1 average) in 21 seasons, had 5 seasons of 10 or more wins, won 9 region championships, played for 2 lower state championships, won the 1 upper state championship they played for before losing the state championship to Cheraw in 2006 28-24 in a game that still stings for how it ended. The 2 lower state losses were to Manning in 98, and a loaded Camden team in 01 who won state.

Coach Strickland is 88-43 (8.5-4.2 average before this year) in his 11 season, has won 1 region championship, has 5 seasons of 10 or more wins, has played for 4 upper state championships, winning 2 before losing to Dillon for the state championship, losing the other 2 upper state games by a combined 14 points. Once to Fairfield in 12, and once to Chapman in 16 who went on to win the state championship.

I can only dream about what Strickland would have done at Gaffney had the idiots here not run him off.... Damn shame...

[racincowboy02]

It is amazing what the right coaches can do for a program. Newberry got probably one of the best and probably the most underrated coach in all of SC and then Chesnee has made a big turn around too with that coaching staff. I can remember when Chesnee was not that good and would struggle to beat Blacksburg but now look at what they are doing.

I will have to take Newberry in this one though to come up 26 to hwy 221 and beat the Eagles in a close ball game

Sam Baird did some good things while coaching at Newberry from 1989-2009, but Coach Strickland has taken it to another level.

Coach Baird went 162-87 (7.7-4.1 average) in 21 seasons, had 5 seasons of 10 or more wins, won 9 region championships, played for 2 lower state championships, won the 1 upper state championship they played for before losing the state championship to Cheraw in 2006 28-24 in a game that still stings for how it ended. The 2 lower state losses were to Manning in 98, and a loaded Camden team in 01 who won state.

Coach Strickland is 88-43 (8.5-4.2 average before this year) in his 11 season, has won 1 region championship, has 5 seasons of 10 or more wins, has played for 4 upper state championships, winning 2 before losing to Dillon for the state championship, losing the other 2 upper state games by a combined 14 points. Once to Fairfield in 12, and once to Chapman in 16 who went on to win the state championship.

Please don't think I was bashing any other coach that has every coached @ Newberry cause that wasn't the case I just find it very interesting that Strickland came to Gaffney and did very well here going back to back state championships and then the freaking school board and drunk superintendent from that time ran him off because he was a straight shooter and he told them like it was. I can only imagine like you Mikey what kind of legacy and what kind of run Gaffney would have been on or would be on had he not been run off and gotten to stay and do what he does best and especially if he woulve been able to keep Lawson as the OC

[bigdog2003]

It is amazing what the right coaches can do for a program. Newberry got probably one of the best and probably the most underrated coach in all of SC and then Chesnee has made a big turn around too with that coaching staff. I can remember when Chesnee was not that good and would struggle to beat Blacksburg but now look at what they are doing.

I will have to take Newberry in this one though to come up 26 to hwy 221 and beat the Eagles in a close ball game

Sam Baird did some good things while coaching at Newberry from 1989-2009, but Coach Strickland has taken it to another level.

Coach Baird went 162-87 (7.7-4.1 average) in 21 seasons, had 5 seasons of 10 or more wins, won 9 region championships, played for 2 lower state championships, won the 1 upper state championship they played for before losing the state championship to Cheraw in 2006 28-24 in a game that still stings for how it ended. The 2 lower state losses were to Manning in 98, and a loaded Camden team in 01 who won state.

Coach Strickland is 88-43 (8.5-4.2 average before this year) in his 11 season, has won 1 region championship, has 5 seasons of 10 or more wins, has played for 4 upper state championships, winning 2 before losing to Dillon for the state championship, losing the other 2 upper state games by a combined 14 points. Once to Fairfield in 12, and once to Chapman in 16 who went on to win the state championship.

Please don't think I was bashing any other coach that has every coached @ Newberry cause that wasn't the case I just find it very interesting that Strickland came to Gaffney and did very well here going back to back state championships and then the freaking school board and drunk superintendent from that time ran him off because he was a straight shooter and he told them like it was. I can only imagine like you Mikey what kind of legacy and what kind of run Gaffney would have been on or would be on had he not been run off and gotten to stay and do what he does best and especially if he woulve been able to keep Lawson as the OC

Didn't take it as bashing at all. We have been lucky that the last 2 coaches at Newberry have both been really good. I kind of feel bad for whoever the next guy is. When you have 2 head coaches over a 30+ year stretch that win and put you in positions for postseason success, you get spoiled. We are still looking for that first state championship, but after so many close calls, it will be sweeter when the day finally comes.

[Ddub14]

I’m kind of shocked Newberry has never won state. I would’ve lost a bet on that one with the amount of success y’all have had over the years . Even before Baird that 95 team y’all had was an awesome team and was the toughest Daniel faced in the playoffs that year on its way to a state title. It will happen , just keep plugging.

[bigdog2003]

I’m kind of shocked Newberry has never won state. I would’ve lost a bet on that one with the amount of success y’all have had over the years . Even before Baird that 95 team y’all had was an awesome team and was the toughest Daniel faced in the playoffs that year on its way to a state title. It will happen , just keep plugging.

Baird was head coach in 95. His first season was 89. We have had some very good teams over the years, but for one reason or another it has never ended with a state title. Heck, some of our best teams didn't even make it to the upper or lower state championship games.

[Wolverine_Legend]

Newberry wins easily.

Chesnee runs the triple option and want badly to be like Abbebville. They are not. Their head coach, Clay Lewis, won two state titles in NC with the triple option, but doesn't have the stable of elite athletes Abbeville has to make it work. I will say this much, should Chesnee somehow win this game then their second round game against Abbeville might have folks back home at the dinner table by 9 PM as fast as that game will go.

Chesnee essentially has four players you need to account for. Their QB #1 (Nyquille O'Fair) is a good athlete and can run, but not much of a passer. He also plays DB on defense. They have two decent wingbacks in #5 (Bryson Thompson) and #6 (Praise Edrington). Their fullback is probably pound for pound their best runner, #12 (Camden Burns) and he is 6'0" 200 so a tough guy to bring down. They don't throw it much and their two best options there are TE #17 (Cole Hoskyns) and WR #11 (K.J. Valentine). Hoskyns is a big dude at 6'3" 240 and also plays defensive end. He is by far their best defender.

Woodruff let Chesnee hang around until halftime last week then just walked off and left them easily after halftime. Chesnee was 6-0 playing terrible competition and they looked downright slow against Woodruff's offense. I don't see them fairing any better against a much-improved Newberry team.

Newberry 38
Chesnee 21