HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

This past Saturday saw a rare occurrence of two of the oldest All-Star games for high school football seniors take place on the same day.

Because of Hurricane Florence, the annual Shrine Bowl game between North and South Carolina in Spartanburg and Touchstone Energy Cooperatives North-South Classic in Conway occurred within an hour of each other.

The 69th annual Touchstone Energy Cooperatives North-South Classic kicked off at noon and featured former River Bluff assistant and Barnwell head coach Dwayne Garrick leading the South with head coaches Tom Knotts (Dutch Fork) and Chad Leaphart (Gilbert) and assistants Mitch Strange (Chapin) and David Smith (Pelion) on his staff. The South roster included quarterback Reed Charpia (Brookland-Cayce), linebacker James Wells (Chapin), wide receiver Gage Zirke and linebacker Jordan Springs (both of Dutch Fork), linemen Darrius Bell and Jacob Burgess (both of Gilbert) and linebacker George Storm (Pelion).

Wide receiver Josh Doctor of Gray Collegiate was the lone North representative from Lexington County. The North saw its 3-game winning streak snapped as the South prevailed 13-10 in a contest which featured 8 turnovers.

The 82nd annual OrthoCarolina Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas kicked off at Gibbs Stadium on the campus of Wofford College. Among the local players competing for the Sandlappers were defensive end Dallaz Corbitt of Gray Collegiate, offensive lineman Kameron Stewart and safety Hugh Ryan of 3-time Class 5A champion Dutch Fork and linebacker and Clemson University commit Greg Williams of Swansea.

Ryan finished with 9 tackles and a sack and Williams had five tackles and a sack in the 10-10 tie, the first such outcome for this contest in 70 years.