SC playoff preview: Hammond eyes another title. Dutch Fork and Gaffney collide

Hammond began its season with questions at quarterback. Three months later, the Skyhawks are secure at quarterback and are back in a familiar place: playing for a state title.

Hammond will go for its seventh-straight SCISA championship and 21st in program history Friday when it takes on Laurence Manning at Charleston Southern.

“I am just proud of these boys regardless of what happens,” Hammond coach Jon Wheeler said this week, after “starting out of the gate with Prince Avenue (Ga.) and Gray Collegiate and them just taking it to us. But we handled the adversity, looked ourselves in the mirror and said we gotta get a lot better. They handled it like men and bounced back from that adversity.”

During the team’s 1-2 start, Wheeler said they were still trying to figure things out with an offense that uses multiple QBs in a single game. Offensive coordinator GA Mangus, the former South Carolina assistant, was rotating quarterbacks every other play at times. There were some games in which Hammond played as many as four quarterbacks.

Hammond played two QBs last week, Robert Malanuk and Andrew Turner, in its 35-20 win over Cardinal Newman.

“They set the example, each day not having an ego and who is the starter,” Wheeler said of his quarterbacks. “Coach Mangus has done a good job with all of them. Not many people say we’ve got four quarterbacks and can manage a football game. Tip your hat to the guys and for Coach Mangus to get them all ready to play.”

With the QB situation in flux, the Skyhawks have relied on a powerful running game and offensive line. Junior Manny Johnson went over the 1,000-yard mark last week and Kinson Holland is closing in on 1,000 yards and leads the team with 10 rushing touchdowns.

Defensively, Hammond has allowed just 200 yards twice over its final nine games. The Skyahwks have 56 sacks, led by senior Will McQueen’s team-high 19.

“Eleven dogs to the ball. That’s our motto,” McQueen said. “We all kind of get to the ball, back each other up. … We are brothers out there on the field.”

Midlands playoff matchups this week

Class 5A

▪ Gaffney (9-3) at Dutch Fork (7-5)

Matchup of two of the premier programs in Class 5A. Winner faces the JL Mann-Hillcrest winner in the upper state final next week. Third straight year these teams have met in the postseason. Dutch Fork won last season, 51-28, on its way to its seventh title in eight seasons. Gaffney defeated the Silver Foxes, 22-19, to win the 2021 state championship, the 18th in program history. Dutch Fork has won five straight games after a 2-5 start. Dutch Fork QB Jon Hunt missed last week’s game with a hamstring injury; his status for this week is unknown. Sophomore Ethan Offing accounted for 360 yards of offense and two TDs in his place. The Silver Foxes are balanced on offense, averaging 169.8 rushing and 162.2 passing. Deon Winsley leads the team in tackles with 101 and had a 90-yard fumble return for touchdown last week against TL Hanna. Gaffney QB Riley Staton, who played at Gray Collegiate the last two years, has thrown for 2,683 yards and 28 touchdowns. Sophomore Jaden McDowell has rushed for 1,282 yards and 13 touchdowns.

▪ Sumter (9-3) at White Knoll (12-0)

Winner gets the Summerville-Carolina Forest winner next week. White Knoll is making its first state quarterfinal appearance since 2016. Sumter leads the all-time series, including a 28-8 win in the 2021 playoffs. Sumter is 1-3 in its last four quarterfinal games. White Knoll QB Landon Sharpe has accounted for almost 2,700 yards of offense and 33 touchdowns. Timberwolves have outscored opponents 425-71 this season. John Peeples leads Sumter in rushing yards and TDs. Linebacker Jaiden Kimble leads WK with 27 quarterback pressures. Lincoln Illunga leads the Wolves with nine sacks.

▪ Irmo (12-0) at James Island (12-0)

Matchup of two of the four remaining unbeaten teams in Class 4A. Winner gets South Florence-Lancaster winner in 4A state semifinal. Rematch of last year’s second-round game won by James Island, 24-22, on a last-second field goal. Irmo is looking for its first state quarterfinal win since 2010. Irmo quarterback AJ Brand needs 84 rushing yards for 1,000 on the season. The junior has thrown for 2,624 and accounted for 56 total touchdowns. Running back Jaden Allen-Hendrix needs 32 yards for 2,000 rushing yards on season. The Gilbert transfer has 28 total touchdowns. Donovan Murph has a team-high 52 catches for 992 yards. Chris Glover leads James Island with 86 tackles. Three different James Island players have at least three interceptions.

▪ Gilbert (11-1) at Camden (9-3)

Second meeting between the two schools. Camden won the other matchup, 58-7, in the 2020 3A Lower State championship. Winner advances to 3A Lower State championship against Crestwood vs. Brookland-Cayce winner. Camden QB Grayson White has thrown for 3,085 yards and accounted for 44 touchdowns. Ja Mayrant leads Bulldogs with 60 catches for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns. Camden has won 10 of its last 11 home playoff games. Freshman Trevon Williamson leads Gilbert with 1,269 yards and 19 touchdowns. Backfield mate Jaylen Jay needs 25 yards for 1,000 on season. QB Drake Braddock has thrown for 2,519 yards, 29 touchdowns and receiver Krew Morris has 785 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Gilbert is 4-4 all-time in third-round playoff games.

▪ Crestwood (11-1) at Brookland-Cayce (10-2)

Crestwood leads the all-time series, 2-0. B-C has the most wins in a season since winning 12 in 2016. The Bearcats are looking for their first state semifinal appearance since 2017. B-C has a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in QB Will Young (1,069) and RB Deshaun Washington (1,488) and is averaging 265.5 yards on the ground. Crestwood is making its first third-round appearance since 2008. Crestwood Shrine Bowl QB Javion Martin has thrown for 2.388 yards and has 32 total touchdowns. Running back Azarian Yates has rushed for 1,309 yards and 27 touchdowns.

▪ Strom Thurmond (10-2) at Gray Collegiate (13-3)

First meeting between two teams. Winner gets the Abbeville-Silver Bluff winner in the 2A Upper State final next week. Gray is 2-1 all-time in third-round playoff games. Gray running back BJ Montgomery needs 101 yards for 1,000 yards rushing on the season. Jamarious Lockett leads the War Eagles with 39 catches for 823 yards and 10 touchdowns. Zai Offord and Rilan Cunningham lead the War Eagles with four interceptions each. Tennessee commit Braylon Staley leads Strom Thurmond with 60 catches for 1,107 yards and 14 TDs. QB Quan Edmond has thrown for 2,228 yards and 27 touchdowns.

SCHSL Playoff Schedule

All Games at 7:30 p.m.

Class 5A

Upper State

Gaffney at Dutch Fork

Hillcrest at JL Mann

Lower State

Sumter at White Knoll

Summerville at Carolina Forest

Class 4A

Upper State

Greenville at Northwestern

Westside at Midland Valley

Lower State

Lancaster at South Florence

Irmo at James Island

Class 3A

Upper State

Chester at Daniel

Clinton at Belton-Honea Path

Lower State

Gilbert at Camden

Crestwood at Brookland-Cayce

Class 2A

Upper State

Silver Bluff at Abbeville

Strom Thurmond at Gray Collegiate

Lower State

Andrew Jackson at Hampton County

Barnwell at Oceanside Collegiate

Class A

Upper State

Blackville-Hilda at Christ Church

St. Joseph’s at Southside Christian

Lower State

Johnsonville at Lamar

Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Cross

SCISA playoffs, state championships

Friday

Class 4A Championship

Hammond vs. Laurence Manning at Charleston Southern, 7 p.m.

8-man

Jefferson Davis vs. Holly Hill at Calhoun Academy, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Class 2A Championship

Williamsburg Academy vs. Bethesda at Charleston Southern, noon

Class 3A Championship

Hilton Head Christian vs. Wilson Hall at Charleston Southern, 3:30 p.m.

Class A Championship

Lee Academy vs. Patrick Henry at Charleston Southern, 7:30 p.m.