By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
The full deluge is still a week away, but worry not — you won’t have to endure another Friday without high school football for quite some time.
A smattering of SCISA schools will tee it up Friday night, ending the long wait to return to the gridiron. Among them are a pair of Lowco-on-Lowco classes, as Beaufort Academy travels to Hilton Head Prep for a matinee matchup in Sea Pines, and John Paul II hosts Colleton Prep for the nightcap in Hardeeville.
Hilton Head Christian Academy will open its season with a tough test at Porter-Gaud, and Cross Schools kicks off the 8-man season at The King’s Academy.
Here’s a closer look at the matchups on this side of the Broad River.
Colleton Prep at John Paul II, 7 p.m.
The Golden Warriors hit the field this fall with a revamped roster, as only three starters return from what was ultimately a disappointing campaign. One of the returners, though, is quarterback Alan Wolf, who has developed into a legitimate dual-threat and has some talented, if young and inexperienced, weapons around him.
JPII’s defense might have its hands full, though, as the War Hawks return nearly all of their offensive production, including their own dual-threat quarterback in Cale Owens. The Golden Warriors were overmatched in their scrimmage with Beaufort Academy last week, and the Eagles appear to be one of the frontrunners in SCISA 1A — along with Colleton Prep.
This is a game JPII circled ahead of the season as a potential win, but the Golden Warriors will need to give their best performance to pull it off, and that might be too much to ask of an inexperienced squad this early in the season.
Beaufort Academy at Hilton Head Prep, 5 p.m.
Last year’s clash on Lady’s Island was a mismatch with BA rolling to a 36-7 win after a sluggish start, and this one is likely to unfold similarly.
The Eagles have seen a ton of talent graduate over the past two years, including quarterback Dietrich Shuford last spring, but they still have one of the most dominant running backs in SCISA in Nych Underwood, and there’s plenty of talent around him. Devin Fripp is a constant big-play threat on both sides of the ball, and Keeler Dineen and Tres Delaney are back to anchor the defense along with Whale Branch transfer Rahiem Saunders, who will make an impact in the trenches.
The Dolphins are entering their second year under coach Doug McFadden and showed massive improvement a year ago, but with low numbers and limited depth, they’re not likely to hang with the Eagles past halftime.
