Cardinal Newman-Hammond rematch highlights this week’s top area HS playoff games
Shortly after his team’s Oct. 6 game against Hammond, Cardinal Newman coach Cory Helms predicted it might not be the last time they faced the Skyhawks this season.
“Our goal is to meet with them again in the playoffs,” he said.
It turns out he was right. The second installment of Hammond-Cardinal Newman will take place Friday, with the winner going to the SCISA 4A football championship game next week at Charleston Southern.
Hammond defeated Cardinal Newman, 35-20, on Oct. 6 behind a strong running game that racked up 333 yards. Skyhawks linebacker Will McQueen sacked Cards quarterback Duncan Skehan six times.
Hammond has won 23 straight games over the Cardinals and is looking for its seventh straight state title game appearance.
The Cardinal Newman-Hammond matchup is one of a few rematches on tap in Friday’s area playoff action.
Dutch Fork plays TL Hanna in a rematch of the 2020 and 2018 Class 5A championship games. Camden and Dillon are meeting for the second-straight year in the playoffs.
Must-watch Midlands matchups
Dutch Fork (6-5) at TL Hanna (10-1): Rematch of 2020 and 2018 title games, both won by Dutch Fork. Winner faces the Gaffney-Clover winner next week. Running back Maurice Anderson leads Dutch Fork with 13 rushing touchdowns. Deon Winsley leads the Silver Foxes with 93 tackles and Peyton Betts has five interceptions. KD Patterson had three rushing touchdowns and Vashun Burton had a TD run last week in TL Hanna’s win over Fort Mill.
Fort Dorchester (7-3) at White Knoll (11-0): First matchup between the two schools. White Knoll set the school single-season record for victories last week against Cane Bay. The Timberwolves are looking to advance to the third round for just the third time in school history. White Knoll is looking to defeat to complete the sweep of Class 5A finalists from last year. The Timberwolves defeated Dutch Fork, 17-14, on Oct. 6. WK quarterback Landon Sharpe is completing 70% of his passes for 2,137 yards and 20 touchdowns. LB Jaiden Kimble has 86 tackles, six sacks and 18 tackles for loss.
Myrtle Beach (9-2) at Irmo (11-0): Second meeting between the two schools with Myrtle Beach winning 33-27 in 2012. The winner of the game faces the Sumter-Stratford winner next week. Irmo coach Aaron Brand won his 100th career game last week. Irmo’s 11 wins are the most in a season since 2010. Irmo quarterback AJ Brand has thrown for 2,440 yards and has 52 total touchdowns. The junior has just one interception in 202 attempts. Running back Jaden Allen-Hendrix has rushed for 1,783 yards and 22 touchdowns. Irmo’s defense is giving up just 153.2 yards and 5.9 points a game.
Camden (8-3) at Dillon (10-1): Third-straight year teams are meeting in the playoffs. Dillon won last year, 31-14, and Camden won, 13-7, in 2021. Dillon leads the series, 8-5. Winner of the game faces the Hanahan-Gilbert winner next week. Camden is averaging 41.4 points a game on offense. Camden QB/DE Grayson White has thrown for 2,865, has 41 total touchdowns and leads the team on defense with 11 quarterback pressures. Jaquarius Mayrant is Camden’s top receiver with 56 catches for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns. William Nash leads Camden with 150 tackles. Dillon RB Jamarion Fling has rushed for 1,450 yards and 31 touchdowns. Dillon offensive lineman and South Carolina commit Josiah Thompson is a Mr. Football finalist.
Gilbert (10-1) at Hanahan (7-4): Second meeting between the two schools. Hanahan won, 49-7, in 2012. Winner of the game gets the Dillon-Camden winner next week. Gilbert has won 10 or more games in five of Chad Leaphart’s eight seasons at the school. Freshman running back Trevon Williamson needs 43 yards for 1,000 rushing yards and leads the team with 16 touchdowns. QB Drake Braddock has thrown for 2,456 yards and 28 touchdowns. Wynn Meetze leads Gilbert with 124 tackles and four interceptions. Hanahan RB Keon Rivera has rushed for 1,820 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Philip Simmons (10-1) at Brookland-Cayce (9-2): First meeting between the two schools. Winner of the game gets the Beaufort-Crestwood winner next week. B-C is looking for its first 10-win season since 2016. B-C running back Deshaun Washington leads the team with 1,264 yards and 15 touchdowns. Bearcats quarterback Will Young needs eight yards for 1,000 yards rushing on the season and has 26 total touchdowns. Philip Simmons, which opened as a school in 2018, is a win away from tying its record for victories in a season. Philip Simmons has a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in KJ Asbury (1,917 yards, 26 TDs) and Sharod Williams (1,224 yards, 18 TDs)
Cardinal Newman (9-2) at Hammond (9-2): Winner advances to the SCISA 4A championship game against the Laurence Manning vs. Porter-Gaud winner on Nov. 17 at Charleston Southern. Hammond is a win away from its 17th 10-win season in the last 18 years. Hammond running back Manny Johnson needs 88 yards for 1,000 yards rushing on the season. Linebacker Will McQueen leads the Skyhawks with 17 sacks and 90 tackles. Cardinal Newman has nine wins for the first time since 1997 and is a win away from the school’s second 10-win season. Cardinal Newman running back Cortez Lane rushed for 260 yards and four touchdowns last week against Augusta Christian.
Midlands Playoff Schedule
Friday
All games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted
SCHSL
Class 5A
Dutch Fork at TL Hanna
Fort Dorchester at White Knoll
Class 4A
Richland Northeast at South Florence
Myrtle Beach at Irmo
Class 3A
Camden at Dillon
Gilbert at Hanahan
Philip Simmons at Brookland-Cayce
Class 2A
Newberry at Abbeville
Silver Bluff at Fairfield Central
Keenan at Strom Thurmond
Chesnee at Gray Collegiate
SCISA
Class 4A
Cardinal Newman at Hammond
Class 2A
Northside Christian at Bethesda Academy
8-Man
Jefferson Davis at Richard Winn
Saturday
Nation Home Schools Association
8-man
Providence Athletic Club vs. Tennessee Heat at Panama City, Fla, noon
