Related Articles
THE TEAMS
The 5A classification is not difficult to figure out. Dutch Fork is the team that we look at in the Midlands with the best chance at making it all the way in this classification; but it is not as sure a bet as years past. For the first time in years, the Silver Foxes look human and there are teams, namely Gaffney, who took a hit from 4A South Pointe in their opener, and Fort Dorchester, who are very strong this season. Dutch Fork has to get more explosive plays on offense to compete with those two. Their out of region schedule is not overwhelming so it will give them some time to iron out kinks and develop some dyanmic element to their offense.
Sumter and Lexington are my next two teams and honestly, I can’t decide who I like as the better at this moment. Sumter is breaking in a new quarterback, Pate Merchent, who has the ability to be a very good player for the Gamecocks. Their defense is strong but they will miss Montique Rhame, who transferred to Manning two weeks ago. We will see just how good they can be this week against a dangerous Ridge View team. Lexington, well, I
still think they can be the most exciting offense in the Midlands 5A, but silly mistakes and turnovers have to be cut down. They lost a game to West Florence by 3 that they should have won by two scores. They have the offensive skills to be very good and WR Kamadi Maxwell is as good as any reciever in the Midlands. Yeh, I said that. They lack speed in the secondary on defense and that is going to make it cruicial that the first two thirds of their defense play lights out.
River Bluff, to me, is a team that has potential to finish as high as third in their region. I’m convinced they have a couple of key components on offense that can make them very explosive. They are solid at quarterback, have a lethal threat at wide receiver, and have a rotation of running backs that make their ground game their strength. Defensively, they are blue collar, nothing flashy but just getting the job done. I really like the play of their defensive front and linebackers. It is really difficult to tell how good they are because the Lugoff-Elgin team they beat is simply not very good so I haven’t seen them tested.
Spring Valley has some good components to their offense but they must generate more production offensively than they did against Westwood if they are going to be considered a contender in the playoffs. I think they are strong enough to win their region, depending on how good Rock Hill can become. There is no doubt their preferred method of moving the football is on the ground but they will need to develop the passing game at least to the extent of being balanced. Their defense is solid. led by guys like David Wilson, who had 12 tackles this past week.
White Knoll is an improved team but that does not always equate into victories. I feel they don’t have an established identity on offense and that needs to happen. Somone needs to step up and show THIS is how we will move the ball first. Defensively, they have some very good pieces and I believe will get better as the season rolls on. We will get a good evaluation of them and Spring Valley when the two clash this week.
Chapin lacks possession of a dynamic player on either side of the football. That is not to say they don’t have talented players. I think their defense played well against a shakey Irmo offense this past week. I was impressed by the play of Nolan Beerman and Tanner Short on both sides of the football. But the team I watched Friday night will struggle to win in region play this year.
Blythewood is a mystery to me. They have the athletes to compete with any team in the Midlands 5A but for some reason, they struggle with that. I really like the make up of this team’s defense. They played well against an explosive Ridge View offense last week. But they are still not where they need to be to compete for a playoff spot in their region.
THE IMPACT PLAYERS
Montrell Byrd, DE, Lexington
Kamaid Byrd, WR, Lexington
JVon Mack, DB, Dutch Fork
Chandler Perry, LB, Dutch Fork
David Wilson, LB, Spring Valley
Jonas Wilson, DL, Spring Valley
Jesse Ross, RB, White Knoll
John Peeples, RB, Sumter
Pate Merchent, QB, Sumter
Jamal Taylor, LB, Sumter
Harrison Collins, QB, Blythewood
Josh Gary, WR, Blythewood
