Cardinal Newman vs. Hammond SCISA clash among this week’s must-see HS football games

Cortez Lane has played in his share of big games during his high school career.

As a sophomore at Camden, Lane played in the Class 3A championship game and then in the lower state semifinals last season. This year, the senior has some advice for his new team Cardinal Newman when it plays in one of the biggest games in quite some time.

The Cardinals play six-time defending SCISA champion Hammond on Friday. The game will be played at the Skyhawks’ Edens Stadium.

“Just keep your composure because the game could go any way,” said Lane, who leads the team with 1,028 all-purpose yards. “You just gotta take it play by play. You can’t get overwhelmed and you have to stay focused.”

Hammond (4-2) has been the standard in the S.C. Independent School Association for the past 20 years, winning 13 state titles since 2005, including the last six straight. The Skyhawks haven’t lost to a SCISA opponent in the regular season since First Baptist beat them, 7-6, in 2020.

No one on the Cards’ roster was born the last time the program defeated Hammond, 13-7, in 2001. Since then, the Skyhawks have 22 straight games in the series, all by more than double digits and with an average margin of victory of 33.1 points per game.

But with a revamped roster in coach Cory Helms’ second season, Cardinal Newman hopes it can end the more than two-decade losing streak. The Cardinals are 6-0, the best start in years, and have outscored opponents, 278-39.

“There’s definitely a lot of positive energy and a lot of buzz around the school, which is fun to be a part of,” Helms said. “They have gotten better each week and are a close team. … It has been pretty special to see.”

Helms tried to downplay the significance of this week’s game, saying there is still plenty left in the season and that there’s a chance the two teams might meet again in the playoffs.

But a win Friday over the Skyhawks would be a big accomplishment in the rebuilding process.

“You can’t let the moment get too big,” said Helms, a former University of South Carolina offensive lineman. “You’ve got to focus and play football. You can’t get to other stuff, the outside noise, and just got to go play football.”

Helms’ players said they are ready.

“Hammond has been dominating SCISA and has a lot of guys playing in college now. It would mean a lot to knock them off,” Lane said. “They are a great football team and well-coached, but we are too. And we are going to go at it on Friday.”

Hammond vs. Cardinal Newman is one of several big matchups in what arguably is one of the biggest weeks of football for Midlands teams. Here are some other games to watch for this week.

Games to Watch

Irmo (6-0, 1-0) at Ridge View (5-1, 1-0)

Winner of the game has an upper hand in Region 5-4A race. Both teams are ranked in the Class 4A poll, with Irmo at No. 3 and Ridge View No. 10. Irmo leads the all-time series, 15-5. Irmo QB AJ Brand has thrown for 1,359 yards and accounted for 27 touchdowns this season. Irmo RB Jaden Allen-Hendrix went over the 1,000-yard mark last week and leads the team with 1,025 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. Irmo is averaging 50 points a game on offense and is giving up 7.3 per contest. Ridge View QB Breylon Boyd has thrown for 1,122 yards and 10 TDs. Sophomore Jordon Gidron leads the team in receiving with 29 catches for 557 yards and 10 TDs. LB Myles Brown has 44 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions for the Blazers, who have won four straight games.

Dutch Fork (2-4, 0-0) at White Knoll (6-0, 1-0)

Dutch Fork leads all-time series, 19-2. White Knoll’s last win over DF came in 2009, a year before Tom Knotts took over the Silver Foxes’ program. White Knoll is ranked No. 6 in Class 5A and is looking for its first 7-0 start in school history. White Knoll QB Landon Sharpe has completed 73% of his passes for 1,365 yards and 15 TDs. Evan Henderson leads the Wolves with 28 catches for 469 yards and three touchdowns. Freshman Tiyon Fanning leads WK with nine rushing touchdowns. White Knoll’s defense is allowing just 161.7 yards and six points per game. Region opener for Dutch Fork, which hasn’t lost a region game since 2015 when it lost to Ridge View, 28-21. There is a chance DF quarterback Jon Hunt returns for the Silver Foxes against WK. Hunt has been out since the opener against Colquitt (Ga.). Sophomore QB Ethan Offing has thrown for 846 yards and seven touchdowns for DF. Deon Winsley leads DF in tackles with 42.5.

Lexington (5-1, 1-0) at River Bluff (4-2, 0-1)

Lexington leads the all-time series 6-3 and has won the last two against rival River Bluff. QB Taiden Mines has thrown for 788 yards and has seven total TDs. Brandon Cromer leads the Wildcats with 22 catches for 374 yards and two touchdowns. Montrell Byrd leads Lexington’s defense with 51 tackles, 11.5 for loss and five sacks. Byrd also had a defensive touchdown last week against Chapin. River Bluff was held to 78 yards of offense in a region-opening loss to White Knoll, last week. Quarterback Parker Murray has thrown for 944 yards and nine touchdowns. Receiver Stephen Collier leads the team with 27 catches for 414 yards and five touchdowns. Linebacker Hayden Cushman leads the team with 46 tackles, 7.5 for loss.

Midland Valley (6-0, 0-0) at Airport (5-2, 1-0)

Airport leads the all-time series, 25-11, but MV won last year, 38-19, to snap a six-game losing streak to the Eagles. Midland Valley’s six wins are the most since winning 10 in 2015, the year the Mustangs went to the state championship. Midland Valley RB Traevon Dunbar, a Shrine Bowl selection, has rushed for 1,273 yards and 14 TDs. Andon Hawkins leads MV with 83 tackles. Airport QB Jesse Ray Hoover has thrown for 798 yards and has 10 total touchdowns. Shiloh Perry leads the team with 35 catches for 433 yards and four touchdowns. Kelby Stroman leads the Eagles with four interceptions and Bryant Cherry has 89 tackles.

Saluda (5-1, 1-0) at Strom Thurmond (4-2, 1-0)

Battle of ranked teams in Class 2A with Saluda at No. 9 and Strom Thurmond No. 10. Strom Thurmond leads the all-time series, 42-14-3 but Saluda has won three of the last four, including last year’s 28-0 win in the playoffs. KenMane Brunson leads Saluda with 479 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. JT Lott leads the Tigers with 47 tackles. Strom Thurmond QB Quan Edmond has thrown for 1,176 yards and nine touchdowns. Shrine Bowl WR Braylon Staley leads the Rebels with 37 receptions for 638 yards and six touchdowns. Staley is a Tennessee commit but was offered by South Carolina on Wednesday night.

This Week’s Schedule

Thursday

Nation Ford at Blythewood

Friday

AC Flora at Richland Northeast

Batesburg-Leesville at Silver Bluff

Ben Lippen at Trinity Collegiate

Brookland-Cayce at Lower Richland

Buford at North Central

CA Johnson at Great Falls

Camden Military at Heathwood Hall

Cardinal Newman at Hammond

Darlington at Camden

Dutch Fork at White Knoll

Gilbert at Swansea

Gray Collegiate at Clearwater Academy (Fla.)

GSIC at Northside Christian

Holly Hill Academy at WW King

Irmo at Ridge View

Keenan at Columbia

Lexington at River Bluff

Lugoff-Elgin at Westwood

Mid-Carolina at Newberry

Midland Valley at Airport

Newberry Academy at Holy Trinity

Orangeburg-Wilkinson at Dreher

Pelion at Fox Creek

Richard Winn at Faith Christian

Saluda at Strom Thurmond

Spring Valley at Clover