10 Non-Region South Carolina high school football games to watch in 2024

Intriguing match-ups abound as South Carolina high school football teams step outside their regions

Quarterback AJ Brand, a Virginia Tech commit, will lead Irmo against Oceanside Collegiate in a 2024 season-opening non-season clash on Aug. 23. /

Every year there are intriguing non-region football games, often between teams from neighboring states. Here is a look at what look like 10 big-time matchups in 2024.

1. Oceanside Collegiate Academy at Irmo – Aug. 23

Oceanside Collegiate will hit the road and face Irmo in a non-region South Carolina high school football battle on Aug. 23, 2024. / Oceanside Collegiate football.

This is a high-powered match-up to start the season. Oceanside won the 2023 Class AA state championship and is now in Class AAA due to the South Carolina High School League’s multiplier for charter schools. Quarterback Aiden Manavian led the Landsharks to the state title in his freshman season after becoming the starter during the playoffs. … Irmo features Virginia Tech commit A.J. Brand at quarterback and four-star receiver Donovan Murph. The Yellow Jackets reached the Class AAAA semifinals.

2. Creekside (Ga.) at Westside – Aug. 24

Westside quarterback Cutter Woods, coming off an 1,100-yard passing season, will lead his reigning state champion Rams as they kickoff the 2024 season with a visit from Creekside, the Class AAAAA runner-up in Georgia last season. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

What a way for Westside, the reigning Class AAAA state champion to open the season. Creekside went 13-2 and was the Georgia AAAAA runner-up in 2023. The Seminoles did graduate many standout players, so it will be interesting to see what they have. … Westside is still loaded. The Rams are led by South Carolina commit quarterback Cutter Woods and 1,100-yard running back Sharode Richardson.

3. Berkeley at Winter Park (FL) – Aug. 29

The Berkeley Stags will head to Florida at the end of August against Winter Park of the Sunshine state. / Berkeley Stags Sports

Berkeley quarterback Henry Rivers was a star from day one at Berkeley as a freshman last season and recently received his first offer from The Citadel. Wide receiver Kevin Boone has committed to Charleston Southern. The Stags lost to Summerville in the second round of the AAAAA playoffs. Winter Park was 9-1 last season and won the district championship.

4. Asheville School (NC) at Christ Church Episcopal – Aug. 30

Christ Church's Tucker Hendrix (17) passes the ball off to Christ Church's Dashun Reeder (9) during a game against St. Joseph's on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. He and the Cavaliers are slated to face North Carolina's Asheville and its star quarterback Ricky Tolbert on August 30th. / MCKENZIE LANGE/ Staff / USA TODAY

This matchup features Asheville School quarterback Ricky Tolbert, who is ranked No. 2 in Western North Carolina. Tolbert helped lead the Blues to the NCISAA Division II state championship. Christ Church has won back-to-back Class A state championships. The Cavaliers return quarterback Tucker Hendrix and wide receiver Jackson Repp, who has 13 college offers.

5. Calvary Day (Ga.) at Oceanside Collegiate – Aug. 30

Calvary Day was the Georgia Class AAA state runner-up as Oceanside brings in another high-quality opponent.

6. South Florence at Summerville – Aug. 30

South Florence, which fell to Westside in SCHSL AAAA state championship game, will travel to AAAAA state semifinalist Summerville in late August. / ALEX HICKS JR./STAFF / USA TODAY NETWORK

South Florence fell by two points to Westside in the state championship game. The Bruins are led wide receiver Jayden Sellers, a South Carolina commit. Summerville was 13-1 last season, falling to White Knoll in the AAAAA semifinals. The Green Wave return Dartmouth commit Jaden Cummings at quarterback.

7. Greenville at Gaffney – Sept. 6

Gaffney running back Jaiden McDowell (2), who rushed for 1,900 yards in 2023, will lead the Indians when they host Greenville on Sept. 6th. / ALEX HICKS JR./SPARTANBURG

Greenville lost in overtime to Westside in the AAAA semifinals. Gaffney was 9-4 and reached the third round of the AAAAA playoffs. The Indians are led by tailback Jaiden McDowell, who had nearly 1,900 total yards last season.

8. Prince Avenue Christian (Ga.) at Westside – Sept. 20

Georgia Class A state champion Prince Avenue Christian, led by 4-star defensive lineman Christian Garrett (55), will travel to South Carolina to challenge Westside on Sept. 20th. / Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s safe to say that Westside doesn’t duck anyone. Prince Avenue Christian is the reigning Class A state champion and has won three Georgia High School Association titles in the last four years. The Wolverines lost their quarterback to Georgia Tech but they still have four-star lineman Christian Garrett and a pair of excellent receivers in sophomore Hudson Hill and junior C.J. Dockery.

9. Gray Collegiate Academy at Dutch Fork – Sept. 13

Class AAAAA state champion Dutch Fork will play host to Gray Collegiate Academy on Sept. 13th in a battle of South Carolina powers. / ALEX HICKS JR./SPARTANBURG

Gray is coming off a state runner-up finish to Oceanside Collegiate. The War Eagles return plenty of talent, including quarterback Tyler Waller and tailback B.J. Montgomery, as they move to Class AAAA. And they’re taking on the state’s premier program in Dutch Fork, which is coming off yet another AAAAA state championship.

10. Westside at Weddington (NC) – Sept. 27

Weddington' High, the reigning North Carolina Class 4-A state champions, will host Westside on Sept. 27th. / KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK

Here’s another state champion vs. state champion battle. Weddington is the reigning North Carolina 4-A state champion. The Warriors lost a lot of talent to graduation on offense but the defense should still be loaded.