Greer beat Pickens (42-20) which is Blue Ridge's opponent Friday and Southside fell to the Tigers (31-0) last week.
GREER (6-2, 4-1) at SOUTHSIDE ACADEMY (3-2, 4-4)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
LAST WEEK:
Greer beat Pickens 42-20 to stay on track for a showdown with Blue Ridge in Week 10 that may decide the conference championship. Blue Ridge 31-0 shut out Southside.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
“As far as athletes (Southside) is much better than what we’ve seen. They have a scheme and they are following that scheme. Their defense presents a good challenge.”
Will Young, Greer Head Coach.
THE RUNDOWN:
Southside is similar to Pickens in that both teams are going with the youth movement. Southside has a dozen seniors on the roster but has a freshman quarterback in Juwan Prince and sophomore running back Luttrell Dallas. Greer can boast the same story but its skill players have been remarkably productive – running back Quez Nesbitt (1,608 yards rushing, 23 TDs), quarterback Josh Gentry (64 completions/ 122 attempts, 1,118 passing yards and 11 TDs) and linebacker John Hicks (team leading 85 individual tackles and 45 assists, 9 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 3 fumbles recovered and 2 interceptions).
Greer is scoring an average 47.9 points a game to Southside’s 13.3. Defensively, both teams are virtually equal giving up points with Greer at 19.1 allowed per game and Southside giving up 13.3.
PICKENS (4-4, 3-2) at BLUE RIDGE (8-0, 5-0)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
LAST WEEK:
No. 6-ranked Blue Ridge recorded its second straight shutout, a 31-0 victory over visiting Southside. With no answer for Greer RB Quez Nesbitt, Pickens was overwhelmed by the Yellow Jackets, 42-20.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
“(Pickens) reminds me a lot of us – they're play tough, hard-nosed football and they play well together.”
Blue Ridge defensive coordinator Mark Razzano.
THE RUNDOWN:
Eight weeks into the season, Blue Ridge finally got noticed in the Class 3A media poll. The unbeaten Tigers entered the poll for the first time this season at No. 6. Pickens was among the several teams atop Region II-3A earlier this season, but have since dropped conference games to Greenville and Greer. The Tigers' defense has not allowed a score over the last 10 quarters. A win over Pickens would set up a showdown for the conference title for the Tigers as they close out the regular season against rival Greer.
GAFFNEY (5-3, 3-1) at RIVERSIDE (0-4, 1-7)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
LAST WEEK:
Gaffney is coming off of a 22-18 upset of then top-ranked Byrnes at The Reservation. Riverside dropped a Region II-4A contest at Mauldin, 35-6, giving up 21 fourth-quarter points.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
“We're still working hard to get better. We had a flu bug going around, so we had a lot of sophomores playing (against Mauldin) and I was impressed with what they did."
Riverside head coach Steve Eoute.
THE RUNDOWN:
With Gaffney coming off its biggest win of the season, Riverside is still looking for a win – any win – after losing six straight games since a Week 2 win over Woodmont. The Warriors stayed close with Mauldin for three quarters a week ago, but it will be tougher this week. Gaffney QB Shaq Davidson threw for 116 yards and ran for 155 more against Byrnes and keys the Indians' spread offense.