Semifinal Thoughts
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2020 6:21 pm
CLASS 5-A STATE SEMI-FINALS
WINNER RATE LOSER RATE SPREAD
T.L. Hanna 230.7 Northwestern 227.4 2
Other than mikey, I don't think anyone was expecting this one. I saw T L Hanna once, but I didn't think they had the horsepower to knock off Gaffney..... but like my late wife used to say, "thinking" always got me in trouble. If this one was at Anderson I would probably say Doodles is right on the money; but is there really a home field advantage in 2020? The Trojans played toe to toe with Dorman, the team that most of us had penciled in to be in Columbia to face Dutch Fork, so I think {there I go again, thinking} I'm going to stick with the Northwestern Trojans for my first thoughts.
Dutch Fork 277.1 Sumter 248.5 14
Until otherwise notified, 74 is going to stay on the Dutch Fork pick. No disrespect to Sumter, because they may be the team that knocks off Dutch Fork. The key words are "may be" and it they had the Foxes in Sumter, I could possibly go up to "might be" or even "could be"; but while I think Home Field advantage in 2020 is not like it was in past seasons, I'm still going to stick with the Foxes.
CLASS 4-A STATE SEMI-FINALS
A.C. Flora 241.8 Catawba Ridge 203.6 19
Talk about coming on strong, how many of you even know where Catawba Ridge is located? The paint is still wet on the front door; but they already have a football team in the Upper State Championship. That's the good news, the bad news.... A. C. Flora is the team on the other side of the field. Doodles says 19 points - A C Flora defeated South Pointe last week 41-14 and during the season, South Pointe defeated Catawba by a score of 31-14.
North Myrtle Beach 229.3 Myrtle Beach 219.1 5
All you need to say - REMATCH. Just like Byrnes -vs- Dorman circa 2009-2010 & Gaffney -vs- Byrnes 2011, winning the first game was nice, but winning the REMATCH got you a ring. Just a few weeks ago, NMB won and won comfortably. But by now, that is almost as historical as the pyramids {or back when Slicker was a kid}. Both will be ready for the rematch and I expect this to be one of the best games of the week. We've all heard {and some of us have lived through re-2009/2010/2011 for me} the proverb: It's hard to beat a good team twice in the same season. It's hard, but not impossible. NMB will be ready.
CLASS 3-A STATE SEMI-FINALS
Daniel 265.5 Wren 261.8 2
I usually don't get involved in the 3A too often, but this one has the makings of a barn burner. For us older posters, Daniel conjurs up thoughts of a huge line and a solid QB and stud RB marching down the field.... and don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with power football and as a matter of fact; that kind of dominance can still work in High School football. Maybe it has gone out of style in college with even Alabama throwing the ball all over the place, but domination with a running game will open up passing lanes in High School. Daniel the first time around, and as mentioned above about beating a good team twice, I'm leaning more toward this being a re-peat as well.
WINNER RATE LOSER RATE SPREAD
T.L. Hanna 230.7 Northwestern 227.4 2
Other than mikey, I don't think anyone was expecting this one. I saw T L Hanna once, but I didn't think they had the horsepower to knock off Gaffney..... but like my late wife used to say, "thinking" always got me in trouble. If this one was at Anderson I would probably say Doodles is right on the money; but is there really a home field advantage in 2020? The Trojans played toe to toe with Dorman, the team that most of us had penciled in to be in Columbia to face Dutch Fork, so I think {there I go again, thinking} I'm going to stick with the Northwestern Trojans for my first thoughts.
Dutch Fork 277.1 Sumter 248.5 14
Until otherwise notified, 74 is going to stay on the Dutch Fork pick. No disrespect to Sumter, because they may be the team that knocks off Dutch Fork. The key words are "may be" and it they had the Foxes in Sumter, I could possibly go up to "might be" or even "could be"; but while I think Home Field advantage in 2020 is not like it was in past seasons, I'm still going to stick with the Foxes.
CLASS 4-A STATE SEMI-FINALS
A.C. Flora 241.8 Catawba Ridge 203.6 19
Talk about coming on strong, how many of you even know where Catawba Ridge is located? The paint is still wet on the front door; but they already have a football team in the Upper State Championship. That's the good news, the bad news.... A. C. Flora is the team on the other side of the field. Doodles says 19 points - A C Flora defeated South Pointe last week 41-14 and during the season, South Pointe defeated Catawba by a score of 31-14.
North Myrtle Beach 229.3 Myrtle Beach 219.1 5
All you need to say - REMATCH. Just like Byrnes -vs- Dorman circa 2009-2010 & Gaffney -vs- Byrnes 2011, winning the first game was nice, but winning the REMATCH got you a ring. Just a few weeks ago, NMB won and won comfortably. But by now, that is almost as historical as the pyramids {or back when Slicker was a kid}. Both will be ready for the rematch and I expect this to be one of the best games of the week. We've all heard {and some of us have lived through re-2009/2010/2011 for me} the proverb: It's hard to beat a good team twice in the same season. It's hard, but not impossible. NMB will be ready.
CLASS 3-A STATE SEMI-FINALS
Daniel 265.5 Wren 261.8 2
I usually don't get involved in the 3A too often, but this one has the makings of a barn burner. For us older posters, Daniel conjurs up thoughts of a huge line and a solid QB and stud RB marching down the field.... and don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with power football and as a matter of fact; that kind of dominance can still work in High School football. Maybe it has gone out of style in college with even Alabama throwing the ball all over the place, but domination with a running game will open up passing lanes in High School. Daniel the first time around, and as mentioned above about beating a good team twice, I'm leaning more toward this being a re-peat as well.
