SCHSL and NCISAA playoff brackets released as games begin on Nov. 13

By Richard Walker

Four teams from Cherokee and York counties have qualified for the S.C. High School League football playoffs and three Charlotte private school powers have qualified for the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association football playoffs that begin next Friday.

In the SCHSL:
Gaffney (5-0) will make its 41st straight playoff appearance on Friday at home against Byrnes in an 5A Upper State quarterfinal; The Indians last missed the state playoffs in 1979.
Rock Hill Northwestern (5-0) hosts Hillcrest on Friday in another 5A Upper State quarterfinal; It is the Trojans’ 13th playoff berth in 14 seasons after a rare miss last fall.
Second-year school Catawba Ridge (5-1) will made its first playoff appearance in the 4A Upper State quarterfinal at Greer on Saturday.
And perennial power Rock Hill South Pointe (5-2) makes its 14th straight playoff appearance in Friday’s home Upper State quarterfinal against Greenwood; The Stallions missed the playoffs in their first year of 2006 but have been a regular ever since while also winning six state titles.

In the NCISAA:
Three-time defending state champion Charlotte Christian (4-1) is the No. 1 seed and hosts No. 4 Charlotte Country Day (2-3) in a semifinal on Friday; Christian is making its ninth straight playoff appearance and Country Day its fifth straight.
And No. 2 Charlotte Providence Day (4-1) hosts No. 3 Rabun Gap (6-1) in a semifinal on Friday; Providence Day is making its fourth straight playoff appearance.

Here’s a look at the full SCHSL bracket and the NCISAA pairings:

S.C. High School League Football Playoffs

First round games (on Nov. 13 unless noted)
Upper/Lower state semifinals (on Nov. 20)
Upper/Lower state finals (Nov. 27)
State finals (Dec. 4 or 5)

Class 5A
Ridge View at TL Hanna
Byrnes at Gaffney
Boiling Springs at Dorman
Hillcrest at Northwestern
Summerville at Dutch Fork
Carolina Forest at Goose Creek
Berkeley at Sumter
River Bluff at Fort Dorchester

Class 4A
Irmo at Westside
Catawba Ridge at Greer (Nov. 14)
Greenwood at South Pointe
Travelers Rest at AC Flora
West Florence at Beaufort
Myrtle Beach at South Aiken
James Island at North Myrtle Beach
May River at North Augusta

Class 3A
Wren at Fairfield Central
Woodruff at Palmetto
Powdersville at Chapman
Chester at Daniel
Aynor at Oceanside Collegiate
Brookland-Cayce at Camden
Lake City at Gilbert
Hanahan at Dillon

Class 2A
Batesburg-Leesville at Abbeville
Newberry at Chesnee
St. Joseph’s at Gray Collegiate
Christ Church at North Central
Andrews at Cheraw
Phillip Simmons at Pelion
Barnwell at Woodland
Andrew Jackson at Marion

Class 1A
C.A. Johnson at Southside Christian
Whitmire at Blackville-Hilda
Williston-Elko at Lamar
McCormick at Wagener-Salley
Baptist Hill at Carvers Bay
Allendale Fairfax at Lake View
C.E. Murray at Bamberg-Ehrhardt
Johnsonville at Whale Branch

NCISAA Division I football playoffs

Nov. 13 semifinals
No. 4 Charlotte Country Day (2-3) at No. 1 Charlotte Christian (4-1)
No. 3 Rabun Gap (6-1) at No. 2 Charlotte Providence Day (4-1)

Nov. 20 final
At highest remaining seed