The road to a South Carolina high school football state championship continues this Friday night, November 13, as all three Kershaw County teams return to action in the second round of the playoffs following first-round byes.
North Central, Lugoff-Elgin, and Camden each earned an extra week of preparation after impressive regular-season performances. Now, with the postseason heating up, all three teams are looking to take another step toward bringing a state championship back to Kershaw County.
Lugoff-Elgin and Camden will enjoy home-field advantage Friday night, while North Central will hit the road for a challenging postseason matchup.
NORTH CENTRAL KNIGHTS AT HAMPTON COUNTY HURRICANES — CLASS A
The North Central Knights will travel to Hampton County Friday night looking to keep their championship hopes alive.
North Central earned a first-round bye after putting together an impressive regular season and will now face a Hampton County program with a strong tradition of postseason success.
One player to watch for the Knights is Tek Boyd, who has recorded six receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown this season. Boyd gives North Central a receiving threat capable of making big plays when the Knights need them most.
For North Central, establishing its offense early and limiting mistakes will be especially important on the road. The Knights will also need a strong defensive performance against a Hampton County team that will have the advantage of playing in front of its home crowd.
With a trip to the next round on the line, North Central will be looking to prove it belongs among the top teams in Class A.
CONWAY TIGERS AT LUGOFF-ELGIN DEMONS — CLASS AAAA
The Lugoff-Elgin Demons will welcome the Conway Tigers to Lugoff-Elgin Stadium Friday night for a second-round Class AAAA playoff showdown.
Under head coach Jarvis Littlejohn, the Demons have enjoyed an outstanding season, capturing the Region 4-AAAA championship and earning a first-round bye.
Lugoff-Elgin closed out the regular season with a convincing 42-13 victory over Lancaster, securing the region title and home-field advantage for the second round.
The Demons have shown throughout the season that they can compete against quality opponents, picking up important victories over Camden, Westwood, A.C. Flora, and Richland Northeast.
Conway enters Friday night’s contest after advancing through the opening round of the playoffs and will be looking to end Lugoff-Elgin’s championship hopes.
For the Demons, the key will be continuing the physical style of football that helped them capture the region championship. Strong defensive play, protecting the football, and taking advantage of scoring opportunities will be critical against a Conway team looking to pull off the road upset.
With home-field advantage and an extra week to prepare, Littlejohn and the Demons will be looking to continue one of the program’s most successful seasons in recent years.
A victory Friday night would send Lugoff-Elgin into the third round of the Class AAAA state playoffs. You can listen to Lugoff Elgin take on Conway Friday night starting at 7pm on 98.7FM Carolina Country Classics.
CRESTWOOD KNIGHTS AT CAMDEN BULLDOGS — CLASS AAA
The Camden Bulldogs will be back in action Friday night when they welcome the Crestwood Knights to historic Zemp Stadium for a second-round Class AAA playoff matchup.
Camden enters the contest riding plenty of momentum after closing out the regular season with an impressive 69-27 victory over Airport.
Head coach Brian Rimpf, who was recently named the Region 4-AAA Coach of the Year, has guided the Bulldogs to another region championship and a first-round playoff bye.
The Bulldogs have been especially dangerous offensively, demonstrating their ability to put points on the scoreboard in a hurry.
Crestwood comes into Friday night’s matchup after advancing past Aynor in the opening round of the playoffs. The Knights will be looking to slow down Camden’s explosive offense and pull off an upset on the Bulldogs’ home field.
For Camden, the key will be continuing its offensive production while tightening things up defensively. Limiting big plays and controlling the line of scrimmage will be important against a Crestwood team that has already picked up a postseason victory.
Playing at Zemp Stadium should provide an added advantage for the Bulldogs, who will be looking to use their home crowd’s energy to help push them into the third round. Camden at home in the playoffs since 2019 are 13-1 with the lone loss comming against Dillon. You can listen to Camden take on Crestwood Friday night starting at 7pm on Kool 102.7.
