By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
The Whale Branch Warriors are back in the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season, but after six straight seasons seeing at least the second round, Jerry Hatcher’s team is trying to snap a streak of two consecutive playoff defeats.
The good news for the Warriors is they won’t see Lake View on the other sideline this time around.
Whale Branch (4-5) opens the Class 2A playoffs at home against Kingstree on Friday, and despite a lackluster regular season by Seabrook standards, the Warriors rallied in region play and find themselves in a favorable matchup with the visiting Blazers.
The Warriors were perennial fixtures in the second round and beyond from 2014 through 2021, but they lost 43-21 at Lake View two years ago, and the Gators stunned them 33-28 in Seabrook to facilitate another early exit a year ago.
Whale Branch’s defense turned in one of its best efforts of the season in a 21-14 loss to region champion Barnwell to end the regular season. The Warriors need the defense to show up again Friday, because they’ve had trouble generating much offense outside of designed runs from quarterback Jermon Bowers.
The Blazers (4-6) started 0-4 but won four of their last six with the two losses coming by six points each, and they’ve scored 36 or more points four times in their last six contests.
Eagles, Dolphins face tough draws
Battery Creek locked up its Class 3A spot long ago, while Beaufort High was one of the last at-large teams in the Class 4A bracket, and both face uphill climbs in Friday’s first round.
The Dolphins (3-6) have struggled since losing quarterback Chase Olsen to a broken collarbone for the second straight season, and they have a tough task at Dillon (8-2), which has won four straight.
The Eagles’ season hasn’t gone as expected, derailed by injuries and inconsistent play, but Beaufort (2-8) gets a chance to salvage something — albeit a longshot. The Eagles travel to top-seeded Hartsville (8-1-1) for Friday’s first round.
Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette for 6½ years. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.
