The Story Of One Crazy Region

You couldn’t ask for a stranger scenario in Region 3-3A than what’s unfolded so far.

Each of Clinton’s three region games has been decided by one point. They’re one of three teams that’s 1-2 in the region.

Union County won its first two games by seven points each then lost to Chapman by two. They’re one of the three teams that’s 2-1.

Greer again had a barn-burner against Clinton and won in overtime for one of those one-point Clinton losses. The Yellow Jackets blew-out Chapman the week before after falling to Union Co. to open region play. That’s the same Union Co. team that dropped the aforementioned two-pointer to Chapman.

You could say Blue Ridge is sitting in the driver’s seat. Although they lost to Clinton (by a point, of course) they still play Greer and then Union Co., their fellow 2-1 teams. Win both and they control their own destiny for the region championship.

Overall, no team has won more than five or less than three.

A crazy year, indeed. The final two weeks of the regular season should be fun to watch because it could come down to six teams battling for four playoff spots on the final night.

The Dorman at Byrnes game Friday night no doubt is the marquis match-up of the season in the area and the state, for that matter.

What I wonder though is how can Byrnes take any game more seriously than the one it played at number one St. Thomas Aquinas earlier this month?

They do have the motivation of last year’s regular season loss to the Cavaliers although they avenged it in the playoffs on their way to the state championship.

While Marcus Lattimore is clearly the best player on either side going into the game Dorman junior wide receiver Charon Peake will likely get some notice as the lanky (6’4”) player has made some stunning catches this season and, most importantly, pretty much pulls in everything within reach.

Here’s to wondering if last Saturday afternoon’s decisive Clemson win will turn the Tigers season in a positive direction and if Saturday night’s tough loss at Alabama will send USC the other way.

While this weekend’s games are the next tests I think the one that will tell what kind of finish South Carolina has will actually come the following week at Tennessee, where a win will show the program has truly made an improvement in terms of being resilient.

For Clemson, I think the early November Florida State game is vital because that’s a team you have to beat on your home field in a season when they’re down. Even with a loss at Miami this Saturday, Clemson could still win the less-than-stellar ACC Atlantic with a 5-3 record in the conference.