Get ready for the Region 6-4A rumble

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When Beaufort High reentered the reconfigured Region 6-4A this fall, the prevailing opinion was that the Eagles would be the favorite, having played for a Class 4A state title in 2021 before a two-year stint in Class 3A that included a state championship. But with region play kicking off this week, the prevailing opinion has shifted, if there is one at all.

While Beaufort has limped through the early season with several starters including star quarterback Samari Bonds and electric receiver Amare Patterson nursing injuries, new challengers have emerged, creating a level of parity that should add to the drama every Friday night.

May River surged into the top five in the Class 4A rankings last week after moving to 4-0 with a dominant win over Brookland-Cayce, and the resurgent Sharks and their punishing ground game and workmanlike defense had become the darlings of the Lowcountry, until Friday.

Hilton Head High asserted itself as a legitimate contender with an eye-popping 35-14 rout of previously unbeaten Hampton County, which had held the top spot in Class 2A, capping off a 4-1 non-region slate in which the Seahawks showcased a wealth of offensive weapons and posted two shutouts and two more dominant defensive performances.

But don’t count out Bluffton, which bounced back from back-to-back losses to beat up on former region rival Lucy Beckham in a 31-17 win as quarterback Aedan McCarthy regained his early-season form. Nor should you sleep on Bishop England, the new kids on the block are 3-1 with a win over Philip Simmons, which beat Beaufort, or Colleton County, which showed signs of life against Stall and could cause trouble after a quarterback change has sparked the offense.

The first big showdown comes Sept. 27 with the Bridge Bowl at Bluffton, where the Bobcats’ high-flying offense squares off with the Seahawks’ stingy defense and the one-two punch of Troy Timko and Thaddeus Czarnecki out of the backfield, and the gauntlet concludes Nov. 1 with a Bluffton vs. May River showdown that could carry higher stakes than any previous meeting between the rivals. Buckle up, because it’s going to be a wild ride.

Rivalry renewed in Jasper County

For the past 12 years, Jasper County fielded just one public school sports program, but the Ben Riley Classic will return Friday when Hardeeville hosts Ridgeland in the first head-to-head meeting on the gridiron since 2012. Both teams won their openers before struggling through the remainder of their non-region schedules against larger schools, but the Jaguars picked up a win by forfeit over Burke last week. Ridgeland has won three of four all-time meetings.

Eagles stumble, big game looms

Perennial SCISA 4A power Hammond made quick work of HHCA in a 55-21 rout Friday, as Andrew Turner went 13-of-17 for 301 yards and four TDs and added a rushing score en route to a 55-0 halftime lead. The Skyhawks frustrated Reid McCollum, who was 9-of-22 for 173 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and was held to negative rushing yardage. Harrison Arnholt and Harry Cunningham caught TD passes, and Kres Langhals added a rushing score for the Eagles.

The stress test should help HHCA (3-2) prepare for a key region matchup against Pinewood Prep at home Friday. The winner becomes the frontrunner for the region title and a top seed in the SCISA 3A playoffs.

Stingrays make history

Cross Schools made long-awaited history on Friday night, securing the program’s first-ever varsity win in a dominant 62-28 triumph over Conway Christian. Jose Gabriel Garcia delivered a memorable performance to lead the way, finding the end zone four times while adding three tackles for loss and recovering an onside kick. Luke Fulda caught a pair of touchdown receptions with another score on the ground, and Will Bender excelled on defense and special teams with a blocked punt and a fumble recovery.

It was the Stingrays’ first win after 23 losses to begin the program’s varsity history. This is Cross’s first season playing SCISA 8-man football.

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and is the founder of Lowco Sports. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.

LOWCO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STANDINGS

SCHSL 6-4A REGION  OVERALL

May River 0-0 4-0

Hilton Head 0-0 4-1

Bishop England 0-0 3-1

Bluffton 0-0 3-2

Colleton Co. 0-0 1-3

Beaufort 0-0 1-4

SCHSL 6-3A REGION   OVERALL

Orangeburg-Wilkinson 0-0 4-1

North Charleston 0-0 4-1

Battery Creek 0-0 2-3

Hanahan 0-0 2-3

Oceanside Collegiate 0-0 2-3

SCHSL 5-2A REGION   OVERALL

Hampton Co. 0-0 4-1

Barnwell 0-0 4-1

Whale Branch 0-0 2-3

Lake Marion 0-0 2-3

Edisto 0-0 2-3

SCHSL 4-1A REGION   OVERALL

Bamberg-Ehrhardt 0-0 3-2

Ridgeland 0-0 2-3

Hardeeville 0-0 1-4

Denmark-Olar 0-0 1-4

Allendale-Fairfax 0-0 0-5

SCISA 1-3A REGION   OVERALL

HHCA 0-0 3-2

Pinewood Prep 0-0 3-2

Palmetto Christian 0-0 2-3

First Baptist 0-0 1-4

John Paul II 0-0 0-5

SCISA 1-2A REGION   OVERALL

Pee Dee Academy 2-0 5-0

Bethesda Academy 1-0 4-2

Dillon Christian 0-0 1-2-1

Hilton Head Prep 0-1 1-2

St. John’s Christian 0-1 1-5

Christian Academy (MB) 0-1 0-3

SCISA 2-1A REGION   OVERALL

Thomas Heyward 2-0 4-1

Beaufort Academy 1-0 4-2

Colleton Prep 1-1 4-2

Faith Christian 1-1 1-4

Patrick Henry 0-1 2-3

Andrew Jackson Acad. 0-2 0-4

SCISA 8-Man II OVERALL

Cathedral Academy 6-0

Jefferson Davis 5-1

Holly Hill Academy 4-1

The King’s Academy 2-3

Cross Schools 1-4

Conway Christian 0-5

WEEK 4 (9/13)

SCHSL

May River 35, Brookland-Cayce 13

HHIHS 41, Hardeeville 8

Woodland 42, Whale Branch 13

Goose Creek 27, Beaufort 12

Hampton Co. 50, Bluffton 36

Colleton Co. 50, Stall 0

Battery Creek 41, Bethune-Bowman 0

Manning 35, Ridgeland 0

SCISA

HHCA 42, John Paul II 13

Bethesda Academy 42, Hilton Head Prep 12

Dorchester Academy 19, Patrick Henry 13

Williamsburg Academy 28, Thomas Heyward 26

Beaufort Academy 35, Lee Academy 20

Holly Hill Academy 49, Cross Schools 6

WEEK 5 (9/20)

SCHSL

Beaufort 34, Battery Creek 7

Hilton Head 35, Hampton Co. 14

Bluffton 31, Lucy Beckham 17

Philip Simmons 43, Whale Branch 7

Lee Central 42, Hardeeville 7

SCISA

Hammond 55, HHCA 21

Bethesda Academy 30, Patrick Henry 7

Dorchester Academy 16, Beaufort Academy 6

Colleton Prep 26, Clarendon Hall 0

Cross Schools 62, Conway Christian 28

WEEK 6 (9/27)

SCHSL

Hilton Head (4-1, 0-0) at Bluffton (3-2, 0-0), 7:30pm

May River (4-0) at Georgetown (2-2), 7:30pm

Stratford (1-3) at Colleton Co. (1-3), 7:30pm

Whale Branch (2-3) at Battery Creek (2-3), 7:30pm

Christ Church (1-3) at Hampton Co. (4-1), 7:30pm

Ridgeland (2-3, 0-0) at Hardeeville (1-4, 0-0), 7:30pm

SCISA

Pinewood Prep (3-2, 0-0) at HHCA (3-2, 0-0), 7:30pm

Augusta Eagles (3-3) at John Paul II (0-5), 7pm

Dillon Christian (1-2-1, 0-0) at Hilton Head Prep (1-2, 0-1), 7:30pm

Patrick Henry (2-3, 0-1) at Faith Christian (1-4, 1-1), 7:30pm

Colleton Prep (4-2, 1-1) at Beaufort Academy (4-2, 1-0), 7:30pm

Thomas Sumter (0-4) at Thomas Heyward (4-1), 7:30pm

Cross Schools (1-4) at Jefferson Davis (5-1), 7:30pm

WEEK 7 (10/4)

Bluffton at Beaufort, 7:30pm

Hilton Head at Bishop England, 7:30pm

May River at Colleton Co., 7:30pm

North Charleston at Battery Creek, 7:30pm

Hampton Co. at Edisto, 7:30pm

Hardeeville at Bamberg-Ehrhardt, 7:30pm

Denmark-Olar at Ridgeland, 7:30pm

HHCA at Palmetto Christian, 7:30pm

John Paul II at First Baptist, 7pm

Hilton Head Prep at Pee Dee Academy, 7:30pm

Patrick Henry at Thomas Heyward, 7:30pm

Cross Schools at The King’s Academy, 7:30pm