High-octane Irmo moves on. Dutch Fork survives on road. Hammond back in title game

Irmo football’s potent offense delivered another masterful performance Friday night.

The Yellow Jackets used a variety of big plays to defeat Myrtle Beach, 55-24, in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs at WC Hawkins Stadium. Irmo goes to James Island next week in the third round for a rematch of last year’s postseason game, a win by the Islanders.

Quarterback AJ Brand threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score. Running back Jaden Allen-Hendrix ran for two touchdowns and caught a 57-yard TD.

Receiver Telvin Smith returned a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown and also caught a TD pass.

“We had a heck of a test tonight. Coach (Mickey) Wilson and that group came out with a good game plan,” Irmo coach Aaron Brand said. “But our horses were just too much for them tonight. When those 200-pounders in the backfield get going and get (Donovan) Murph over the top for the big plays and Telvin Smith on the wings, we are tough to beat.”

Irmo has 12 wins in a season for the first time since 2006. On Friday, they had four scoring plays of 50 yards or more in the game, with two coming in the final three minutes of the first half.

Brand connected with Murph on a 57-yard TD pass to put Irmo up 21-10 with 1:55 left in the second quarter.

After Irmo’s defense forced a three-and-out, Brand hit Allen-Hendrix on a swing pass out of the backfield that went 57 yards for the score and a 28-10 lead.

Brand finished 8-of-10 passing for 184 yards and also carried it 13 times for 128.

Myrtle Beach battled back in the third quarter. Quarterback Gibson Goodroe hit John Simmons for a touchdown to cut the lead to 28-17. But Smith took the ensuing kickoff back 94 yards for a touchdown to put Irmo back up 34-17.

On the Seahawks’ next possession, Malachi Washington took a hook-and-ladder for TD to trim the lead to 34-24 with 6:22 in the third quarter.

Myrtle Beach got it inside the 15-yard line at the beginning of the fourth quarter. But after a holding call pushed the Seahawks back, they missed a field goal.

Irmo marched it dowfield and Allen Hendrix scored on a 10-yard TD to make it 41-24 with 8:59 left.

“We had to find out who was going to show up when it got hard, and who was going to step up to the plate,” Allen-Hendrix said. “Defense stepped up at the end and showed up. Then the offense did what we had to do to close out the game.”

Hendrix with 267 all-purpose yards including 185 rushing yards on 14 carries. Smith had 133 all-purpose yards.

Irmo’s defense had five sacks and also picked off a pass.

Hammond headed to another title game

The Hammond Skyhawks are headed back to the SCISA Class 4A championship game.

Hammond used a big first half Friday to defeat Cardinal Newman, 33-14, at Edens Stadium. Hammond will play Laurence Manning for the state championship next Friday at Charleston Southern.

It was Hammond’s second win over Cardinal Newman this season and 24th straight over the Cardinals.

Hammond led 20-0 at halftime. Robert Malanuk had a TD pass, Kinson Holland a TD run and Bubba Alexander returned a fumble 51 yards for a score with 46 seconds left in the second quarter.

Cardinal Newman got it within 26-14 on Cortez Lane’s TD run with 3:59 left in the third quarter.

But the Skyhawks scored on a double reverse as Jack Croft hit quarterback Andrew Turner to make it 33-14 with 3:33 left.

Defending champs win on road

Elgin Sessions blocked a potential game-tying field goal as Dutch Fork defeated TL Hanna, 31-28, in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Dutch Fork will host Gaffney in the third round next week.

Backup quarterback Ethan Offing, starting in place of injured Jon Hunt, ran for 137 yards and a TD and rushed for 123 yards and a score for the Silver Foxes.’

Offing’s 2-yard run put the Silver Foxes up 31-28 with 8:11 left.

TL Hanna marched down on its next possession, chewing most of the clock and got it to the Dutch Fork 10, but Sessions blocked Walker Broome’s kick to preserve the win.

Deon Winsley had a 90-yard fumble return for a touchdown to put Dutch Fork up 10-0 in the first quarter.

KD Patterson rushed for 215 yards and two touchdowns and Josh Donald also had two TDs for TLH.

Camden, Gilbert set up all-Midlands matchup

There will be an all-Midlands showdown in the third round of the Class 3A Lower State playoffs.

Gilbert defeated Hanahan, 49-35, and Camden defeated Dillon, 35-21, both on the road, to set up next week’s game at Zemp Stadium.

The two teams met in the 2020 playoffs with Camden winning, 58-7.

In Camden’s win Friday, quarterback Grayson White threw two touchdowns, ran one in and also returned an interception for a touchdown.

In Gilbert’s win, freshman Trevon Williamson rushed for 312 yards, three touchdowns and Jaylen Jay had 141 yards and three scores. Drake Braddock had a TD pass to Krew Morris.

Around the Midlands

White Knoll 50, Fort Dorchester 7: Quarterback Landon Sharpe threw five touchdown passes as the Timberwolves (12-0) moved on to the third round of the 5A playoffs. White Knoll will host Sumter next week.

Five different Timberwolves caught touchdown passes: Tiyon Fanning, CJ Earl (2), Tyson Cox, Austin Cunningham and Evan Henderson. Cunningham also threw a TD pass.

Brookland-Cayce 34, Philip Simmons 13: The Bearcats won their 10th game for the first time since 2016 and moved on in the 3A playoffs. B-C faces Crestwood next week.

Gray Collegiate 62, Chesnee 14: The War Eagles rolled to the third round with a win over Chesnee. Gray will host Strom Thurmond next week. Quarterback Tyler Waller threw for two touchdowns and BJ Montgomery rushed for 150 yards and a TD. Dre Dopson had a TD pass.

Silver Bluff 22, Fairfield Central 21: Jordan Boyd had the game-winning interception return for a touchdown and the Bulldogs made the two-point conversion in the fourth for the win.

Strom Thurmond 53, Keenan 20: Quan Edmond threw four touchdown passes and Chris Barnes had two TD runs and a kickoff return for a score for Strom Thurmond.

South Florence 50, Richland Northeast 20: The Cavs’ season ended at the hands of the defending 4A champions.

Abbeville 41, Newberry 28: Jha’Louis Hadden ran for three touchdowns in Abbeville’s win over Newberry. Abbeville will host Silver Bluff next week. Kenton Caldwell had two touchdown passes and a TD run for Newberry.