By Thomas Grant Jr.
Since graduating from The Citadel, Dean Howell has built an impressive resume coaching football.
Starting as an assistant at Richland Northeast, he’s had three successful head coaching tenures at A.C. Flora, White Knoll and currently Northside Christian Academy.
Last Friday, he reached a career milestone while bringing the Crusaders within a victory of setting a single-season school record for wins.
The 28-20 win over Trinity Collegiate School was Howell’s 100th career win. It was also the seventh win of the season for the Crusaders, tying them with the 2017 team which was the SCISA 8-man runner-up.
With two games remaining following the bye, Northside Christian (7-1, 1-1) looks to secure a first-round home game in the Class 3A playoffs. A win Friday at Florence Christian would ensure the Crusaders would finish no lower than second place in Region 3-2A.
Home stretch
Given the uncertainty created by the rescheduling of games due to Hurricane Helene, the Region 4-4A standings have become topsy-turvy from top to bottom.
Two straight victories of 50 points by Gray Collegiate put it in a first-place tie with North Augusta entering Tuesday. After shutting out Airport 50-0 on Oct. 11, the War Eagles rolled past South Aiken 63-13.
Quarterback Tyler Waller was 10-11 passing for 192 yards and three touchdowns and B.J. Montgomery rushed for three scores.
Gray Collegiate (4-2, 3-0) played host Tuesday to Brookland-Cayce (2-5, 2-2). Tuesday’s matchup pits the War Eagles against their former quarterback Drevon Dopson.
Against Gilbert last Friday, he completed 14-16 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for three scores. It was not enough as Gilbert’s Cooper James threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Trevon Williamson and the go-ahead 2-point conversion pass to Connor Gooding with 49 seconds left to put the Indians ahead 50-49.
Brookland-Cayce had a potential game-winning field goal, but it missed as time expired.
Airport fared no better against North Augusta in a 56-8 home loss. The Eagles’ lone touchdown game was on a sack by inside linebacker Bryant Cherry that forced a fumble which was recovered and returned for a touchdown by outside linebacker Heath Bernhagen.
Airport (1-5, 1-2) travels to Graniteville to face Midland Valley in a must-win game for its playoff prospects. It then has a Saturday afternoon home game against Gilbert.
Idle week for Gators
River Bluff rebounded from a 35-14 loss to undefeated Gilbert with a 30-6 win over Chapin in The Swamp.
The Gators welcomed back starting quarterback Parker Murray. He threw for 114 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a score to lead the Gators (7-1, 2-1).
Hayden Myers rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown and the River Bluff defense had three interceptions, including one returned 26 yards for a touchdown by Griffin Lindler off Chapin backup Brock Smith.
River Bluff returns to action Nov. 1 at home against Dutch Fork.
Touchstone Energy Cooperative
Bowl announces team selections
Airport linebacker Montrelle Keys will join his head coach Shane Fidler on the South team competing at the Touchstone Energy Cooperative Bowl.
The game was moved to Dec. 21 but will still take place at Doug Shaw Stadium in Myrtle Beach. Athlete Stephen Collier and punter Tripp Bryant, both of River Bluff, will also play for the South. Fidler will serve as an assistant coach.
S.C. PREP FOOTBALL MEDIA POLLS
(Class 5A)
1. Dutch Fork (13) (7-0)
2. Northwestern (1) (9-0)
3. Gaffney (1) (6-0)
4. Summerville (8-0)
5. Irmo (8-0)
6. Sumter (8-0)
7. Spartanburg (5-1)
8. Hillcrest (5-1)
9. JL Mann (4-2)
10. Greenwood (5-1)
Others receiving votes: TL Hanna, River Bluff, Boiling Springs; Catawba Ridge; Ashley Ridge
(Class 4A)
1. Westside (15) (6-0)
2. Daniel (5-1)
3. South Pointe (6-2)
4. South Florence (6-2)
5. Hartsville (6-1-1)
6. May River (6-1)
7. North Augusta (5-1)
8. Wren (5-1)
9. Seneca (6-1)
10. AC Flora (7-2)
Others receiving votes: Gray Collegiate, Bishop England, Greer, Hilton Head Island, Camden
RPI RATINGS
CLASS 5A
DIVISION I
(Upper State)
1.Dutch Fork, 7-0, 0.86087; 2. Spartanburg, 5-1, 0.76781; 3. River Bluff, 7-1, 0.72538; 4. JL Mann, 4-2, 0.66235; 5. Lexington, 5-3, 0.64531; 6. Clover, 5-3, 0.60734; 7. Boiling Springs, 4-2, 0.60139; 8. Rock Hill, 5-4, 0.57314; 9. Dorman, 4-3, 0.56499; 10. Byrnes, 3-4, 0.52052; 11. Mauldin, 2-4, 0.41258; 12. Wade Hampton, 0-6, 0.17074
(Lower State)
1.Summerville, 8-0, 0.79069; 2. Sumter, 8-0, 0.74651; 3. Ridge View, 5-3, 0.63881; 4. Ashley Ridge, 6-2, 0.63079; 5. James Island, 5-3, 0.57895; 6. Blythewood, 6-3, 0.56058; 7. Carolina Forest, 3-3-1, 0.52872; 8. Fort Dorchester, 4-4, 0.52571; 9. West Ashley, 4-4, 0.47613; 10. Wando, 4-4, 0.45429; 11. Stratford, 3-5, 0.42382; 12. Cane Bay, 1-7, 0.30809; 13. Spring Valley, 0-8, 0.30585; 14. Stall, 0-7, 0.24833
DIVISION II
(Upper State)
1.Northwestern, 9-0, 0.82229; 2. Gaffney, 6-0, 0.80629; 3. TL Hanna, 4-2, 0.67951; 4. Hillcrest, 5-1, 0.65930; 5. Greenwood, 5-1, 0.65781; 6. Riverside, 4-2, 0.59312; 7. Catawba Ridge, 6-2, 0.59123; 8. Indian Land, 4-4, 0.46743; 9. Eastside, 3-3, 0.46499; 10. Woodmont, 1-5, 0.37202; 11. Nation Ford, 1-7, 0.36834; 12. Greenville, 1-5, 0.35714; 13. Fort Mill, 1-6, 0.33609; 14. Easley, 1-5, 0.31893
(Lower State)
1. Irmo, 8-0, 0.82475; 2. Chapin, 4-4, 0.59659; 3. White Knoll, 4-4,0 .58702; 4. West Florence, 5-3, 0.58215; 5. Goose Creek, 5-3, 0.57984; 6. Westwood, 5-3, 0.54921; 7. Myrtle Beach, 4-3, 0.53118; 8. Berkeley, 4-4, 0.51632; 9. Lucy Beckham, 4-4, 0.46824; 10. Lugoff-Elgin, 3-6, 0.44219; 11. Socastee, 2-5, 0.39237; 12. North Myrtle Beach, 2-5, 0.37765; 13. Conway, 1-6, 0.31762; 14. St. James, 0-7, 0.22908
CLASS 4A
(Upper State)
1.Westside, 6-0, 0.85988; 2. Daniel, 5-1, 0.66893; 3. South Pointe, 6-2, 0.66838; 4. Wren, 5-1, 0.66259; 5. Seneca, 6-1, 0.64605; 6. AC Flora. 6-2, 0.63390; 7. Richland Northeast, 6-2, 0.60344; 8. Greer. 4-3, 0.60341; 9. Camden, 5-3, 0.59769; 10. Fountain Inn, 4-3, 0.59006; 11. Pickens, 3-3, 0.50695; 12. Emerald, 3-4, 0.46017; 13. Lancaster, 3-5, 0.44490; 14. Dreher, 3-5, 0.42670; 15. Blue Ridge, 3-3, 0.40961; 16. Berea, 2-4, 0.39117; 17. Laurens, 1-6, 0.37433; 18. York, 2-6, 0.36708; 19. Travelers Rest, 1-5, 0.30422; 20. Southside, 0-7, 0.16575
(Lower State)
1.North Augusta. 5-1, 0.70644; 2. Hartsville, 6-1-1, 0.67533; 3. Bishop England, 6-2, 0.67431; 4. South Florence, 6-2, 0.66678; 5. May River, 6-1, 0.66658; 6. Gray Collegiate, 4-2, 0.63652; 7. Hilton Head Island, 5-2, 0.59178; 8. Bluffton, 5-2, 0.56320; 9. Darlington. 4-4, 0.52176 ; 10. Gilbert, 3-3, 0.50498; 11. Crestwood. 3-5, 0.49098; 12. Lower Richland, 5-4, 0.48594; 13. South Aiken. 2-4, 0.46108; 14. Beaufort, 2-6, 0.40074; 15. Lakewood, 2-6, 0.39034; 16. Midland Valley, 2-5, 0.37369; 17. Brookland-Cayce, 2-5, 0.37010; 18. Airport, 1-5, 0.36514; 19. Colleton County, 1-7, 0.30139; 20. Wilson, 1-8, 0.29884; 21. Aiken, 0-6, 0.15877
Read more at: https://www.thestate.com/sports/high-school/article294221139.html#storylink=cpy
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
(Friday’s Games)
All Games at 7:30 p.m.
Aiken at Gray Collegiate
Brookland-Cayce at North Augusta
(Saturday’s Games)
Gilbert at Airport noon
Photos courtesy of Northside Christian Academy
