After 7 weeks of a regular season sometimes interrupted by pandemic quarantines, the SC High School League will finally begin its football playoffs.

A total of 8 Chronicle Country teams made the post-season and will vie for a spot in the Weekend of Champions Dec. 5 at a site to still be determined.

There’s a bevy of storylines to follow the next month:

THE DRIVE FOR 5

Top-ranked, undefeated 4-time defending Class 5A champion Dutch Fork are 4 wins away from making SC High School League history. The quest starts with a familiar playoff foe in equally historic Summerville, a team it has defeated in all 5 playoff meetings and 6 times overall.

The undefeated Silver Foxes enter the post-season with a 46-game unbeaten streak, winners of 45 straight regular season games and a 20-game playoff streak. They will also enjoy homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

COLLISION COURSES

Both Gilbert and Gray Collegiate finished the regular season undefeated and, as region champion, will get at least 2 home playoff games. Traditional powers could stand in the way of their title dreams.

A 1st round win by the Indians could set up a 3rd meeting in the last 4 years against Dillon in round 2. The Wildcats have won both times at Gilbert.

Meanwhile, a run to the Class 2A Upper State final for the War Eagles could set up a rematch with topranked Abbeville. The Panthers won last year’s meeting 38-35 in Newberry and have outscored their 6 instate opponents 324-0.

Abbeville opens versus longtime rival Batesburg-Leesville on Friday.

CONTINUING MOMENTUM

Pelion, Irmo and River Bluff ended the regular season with confidence-building victories.

The Panthers’ 12-6 home win over Wade Hampton clinched their 1st Region 5-2A title since 2006.

Playing before a televised audience for the 2nd week in a row as part of the WACH 57 Sonic Friday Night Rivals Game of the Week, the Yellow Jackets rolled to a 36-14 win over Westwood to claim a playoff berth in Class 4A. They will open at Westside, whose head coach Scott Earley previously led the Chapin and Lexington programs.

This week, Brookland-Cayce will be in the WACH 57 Sonic Friday Night Rivals Game of the Week spotlight.

The Bearcats look to continue their streak of shutouts against a Camden team coming off a road victory against JF Byrnes.

Brookland-Cayce has outscored its last 2 opponents 75-0. This is the 1st meeting in 17 years between the 2 teams.

River Bluff hopes ‘3’ remains the magical number. The Gators defeated archrival Lexington for the 3rd straight year and look to go 3-0 in 1st round game under head coach C. Blair Hardin.

PLUS 1 GAMES

For teams who did not make the playoffs, the SCHSL has en abled it to schedule at least 1 more contest to end the season.

Chapin will travel to Mid-Carolina for the annual “Battle of the Bell” matchup, while Lexington will play host to Spring Valley.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Riley Myers (River Bluff) Myers rushed for a career-best 5

Myers rushed for a career-best 5 touchdowns and 140 rushing yards in the 35-10 victory.

GRIDIRON GIANTS

Jenavas Williams (Batesburg-Leesville) - 154 passing yards, 2 TD

Jayden Bradford (Chapin) - 192 passing yards, 1 rushing TD

Bennett Galloway (Chapin) - 110 rushing yards, 3 TDs

Sam Greer (Chapin) - 17 tackles

Conner Lehmann (Chapin) - 11 tackles, 2 sacks

Deedrik Starkes (Irmo) - 107 rushing yards, 3 TDs; 15 tackles

Jayon Chambers (Irmo) - 139 rushing yards, TD

Dylan Williams (Irmo) - 107 rushing yards

Dionta Sanders (Lexington) - 3 receptions, 92 yards, TD

Rhett Peeples (Lexington) - 9 tackles

Azwan James (Pelion) - 2 rushing TDs, 166 rushing yards.

Deshontez Gray (Pelion) - 10 tackles

THE 1,000-YARD CLUB

Running backs Colton Mason of Gilbert and KZ Adams of Gray Collegiate have each surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season. Adams leads with 1,312 yards, followed by Mason with 1,168 yards.

MILESTONES

Gilbert head coach Chad Leaphart is tied with Barry Harley for 2nd most wins in school history (47).

BY THE NUMBERS

Dutch Fork quarterback Will Taylor has thrown for 1,540 yards and 17 TDs. Teammate wide receiver Elijah Spencer has 32 receptions for 618 yards and 9 TDs. Antonio Williams has 519 kick returns yards and 2 touchdowns and 572 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns... Abbeville holds a 22-21 lead over Batesburg-Leesville in the all-time series and has won the last 4 meetings...Chapin leads Mid-Carolina 44- 16 in “The Battle of the Ball” series and have won the last 6 meetings. Linebacker Sam Greer has 99 tackles. His teammate wide receiver Zavier Short has 45 receptions for 638 yards and 5 TDs...2of the 8 playoff matchups are 1st time meetings (Irmo at Westside, Phillip Simmons at Pelion).

FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

(All games start at 7:30 pm)

Summerville at Dutch Fork

River Bluff at Fort Dorchester

Brookland-Cayce at Camden

Lake City at Gilbert

Phillip Simmons at Pelion

St. Joseph’s vs. Gray Collegiate

(at Midlands Sports Complex in West Columbia)

Irmo at Westside

Batesburg-Leesville at Abbeville