High School

10 South Carolina high school football games to watch this August

The South Carolina high school football regular season kicks-off on August 23rd

Mike Duprez

Belton-Honea Path running back Marquise Henderson (3) will go head-to-head with one of South Carolina's other top high school backs – Broome's Jaylen McGill – when the two teams clash on Aug. 23rd.
Belton-Honea Path running back Marquise Henderson (3) will go head-to-head with one of South Carolina's other top high school backs – Broome's Jaylen McGill – when the two teams clash on Aug. 23rd. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The teams are practicing with full pads, they’re playing in scrimmages and participating in dress rehearsal jamborees. 2024 kickoff off on Aug. 23 and here are 10 games to watch over the rest of August.

1. Christ Church Episcopal at Hammond School – Aug. 23

Hammond tight end Mike Tyler.
Highly recruited tight end Mike Tyler and the Hammond Skyhawks will host Christ Church in a heavyweight South Carolina high school football season opener on August 23rd. / The State

Here’s a matchup of two reigning state champions. Christ Church won the last two South Carolina High School League Class A state championships before moving up to Class AAA. The Cavaliers have a terrific quarterback-wide receiver tandem in Tucker Hendrix and Jackson Repp. Hammond is the gold standard program in the South Carolina Independent School Association. The Skyhawks have won seven consecutive state championships. Hammond tight end Mike Tyler has 23 college offers.

2. Oceanside Collegiate Academy at Irmo – Aug. 23

Irmo quarterback AJ Brand.
Irmo quarterback AJ Brand is set to welcome in Oceanside Collegiate in for the 2024 season opener on Aug. 23rd. /

Oceanside won the 2023 Class AA state championship and moved up to Class AAA with realignment. The Landsharks have never shied away from tough competition and they’re taking on a Class AAAA powerhouse to begin the season. They will be tested by Irmo quarterback A.J. Brand, a Virginia Tech commit.

3. Broome at Belton-Honea Path – Aug. 23

This game matches up two of the state’s best running backs – Marquise Henderson of Belton-Honea Path and Broome’s Jaylen McGill.

4. James Island at Gray Collegiate Academy – Aug. 23

Gray Collegiate linebacker Michael Boulware Jr.
Linebacker Michael Boulware Jr. and Gray Collegiate will welcome in James Island for a battle of two newly reclassified Class AAAA teams in the season opener on Aug. 23. / Gray Collegiate Football

Gray Collegiate makes the big jump from Class AA to Class AAAA. The War Eagles were runner-up to Oceanside in Class AA and still have a loaded team. James Island moves to Class AAAA after going 12-1 in Class AAAA last season.

5. Northwestern at Hough (N.C.) – Aug. 23

Quarterback Finlay Polk leads the Trojans into this Charlotte area interstate matchup. Northwestern was 11-2 last season. Hough was also 11-2.

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

Westside coach Brian Lane.
Westside head football coach Brian Lane is preparing his team for a season-opening battle with Georgia power Creekside on Aug. 24th. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Westside won the 2023 Class AAAA state championship and the Rams are loaded for another title run behind quarterback, a South Carolina commit. Rams picked a good one to start off with. Creekside went 13-2 last year and was the Georgia Class AAAAA runner-up.

7. Dutch Fork at Spartanburg – Aug. 30

Dutch Fork is chasing a three-peat in Class AAAAA. The Silver Foxes have won seven of the last Class AAAAA state championships under the guidance of superstar coach Tom Knotts. Spartanburg is expected to be much improved over 2023.

8. Asheville School (N.C.) at Christ Church Episcopal – Aug. 30

Quarterback Ricky Tolbert leads the Blues in this interstate matchup with the Cavaliers.

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

The Landsharks bring in more tough competition. Calvary Day was 13-1 and reached the Georgia Class AAA semifinals in 2023.

10. South Florence at Summerville – Aug. 30

South Florence football
Two teams that got close to state titles last fall will provide each other with an early season test when South Florence rolls into Summerville on Aug. 30th. / ALEX HICKS JR./STAFF / USA TODAY NETWORK

South Florence had its 29-game winning streak snapped in the Class AAAA state championship game. The Bruins will contend again this year. Summerville is coming off a 13-1 season and appearance in the Class AAAAA semifinals.

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Mike Duprez
MIKE DUPREZ

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.

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