By Thomas Grant, Jr.
Northeast teams came up with winning performances to open the S.C. High School League playoffs.
Richland Northeast, Ridge View, and Westwood were all victorious in their first-round matchups.
The Cavaliers were the lone road team and stunned higher seed Seneca 22-20 on the road in the Class 4A playoffs. Now fully healthy, Shrine Bowl quarterback Will Wilson completed 18-26 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown and 198 rushing yards and two scores.
Richland Northeast quarterback Will Wilson with the handoff.
“I always say this — when I’ve got No. 1, I’ve got a chance,” Richland Northeast coach Walt Wilson told Seneca Today about his son. “I just believe things happen for reasons, and we were blessed.”
Wilson’s play helped Richland Northeast embark upon time-consuming scoring drives against the Bobcats. The Cavaliers opened the game with an 18-play, 80-yard scoring drive which took 9 minutes and 10 seconds off the game clock and ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Wilson and 2-point conversion.
Richland Northeast also got eight receptions for 112 yards from Blake Betette and Isaiah Small had a 17-yard touchdown reception.
Richland Northeast heads back on the road for the second round. This time, it’s to face a Daniel team that won three state titles in Class 3A the last four years and moved up a classification this year. The Lions (10-1) roared past Dreher 45-14 in the opening round.
In Class 5A Division I, Ridge View defeated a Northeast rival to advance to the second round. The Blazers defeated Spring Valley 55-24 to hand the winless Vikings their 24th consecutive loss.
Quarterback Tre Howard returned to action to threw for 216 yards and a touchdown. Spencer Bobian rushed for 163 total yards and two touchdowns and linebacker Markeith Thomas had eight tackles and one of his team’s three interceptions.
Ridge View (7-4) earned a second home playoff game. It will face Cane Bay (3-7), which had a first-round bye after ending the season with a 28-23 win over Berkeley.
Speaking of the Stags (5-5), they will play host to Westwood coming off a bye in the second round of the Class 5A Division II playoffs. The Redhawks (6-5) defeated Socastee 34-14 at home.
Cameron Bennett returned a kickoff for a touchdown and also caught one of Carter Carrington’s two touchdown passes. Jayce Rios had a fumble recovery for a touchdown and Quentin McGill rushed for a score.
The other Northeast team whose season ended last Friday was Blythewood. A late rally sparked by quarterback Johnny Collins came up short in a 31-28 loss to Clover.
Collins completed 15-28 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns, two to Benjamin Hendrix. Carter Coleman and 104 kick return yards, including one for a touchdown, and had 86 rushing and receiving yards.
Blythewood finished the season at 6-5.
FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
(All Games at 7:30 p.m.)
Cane Bay at Ridge View
Richland Northeast at Daniel
Westwood at Berkeley
