The 2026 high school football season is officially underway, and it was a memorable opening weekend for Kershaw County teams as Camden and Lugoff-Elgin picked up impressive victories, while North Central ran into a tough Dreher squad.
The weekend began Thursday night with Dreher rolling to a 56-13 victory over North Central. The Knights found themselves playing catch-up early as the Blue Devils’ offense proved too much to handle. Despite the loss, North Central showed determination throughout the contest and will look to regroup as they prepare for Andrew Jackson on Friday night.
On Friday night, the Lugoff-Elgin Demons thrilled the home crowd with a strong 41-25 victory over Chapin. The Demons’ offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 41 points in an impressive season-opening performance. Lugoff-Elgin controlled the pace of the game and used a balanced attack on both sides of the football to secure the win and begin the season 1-0. The victory gives the Demons plenty of momentum heading into next week’s rivalry showdown with Camden.
Camden capped off the weekend in impressive fashion Saturday night, traveling to Dillon and defeating the Wildcats 35-13. The Bulldogs showcased why they are once again expected to be among the top teams in class 3a, using a dominant performance on both offense and defense. Camden built control of the game early and never looked back, opening the season with a convincing road victory over one of South Carolina’s traditionally strong football programs.
With week one now complete, Camden and Lugoff Elgin both stand at 1-0, while North Central will look to bounce back after its season-opening setback.
The second week of the season promises even more excitement, highlighted by one of Kershaw county’s biggest rivalries as Camden travels to Lugoff Elgin in the annual battle between the bulldogs and the demons, while North central looks to get back on the winning track against Andrew Jackson kickoff in Kershaw is set for 7:30. Fans can hear all the action between Camden and Lugoff Elgin Friday at 7pm on Kool 102.7, and online at Kool1027.com.