Clinton High Football earned 8 first downs and won the Region Championship.
It was a unique Friday night experience – not that the Red Devils haven’t won Region Championships before, but this was its first back-to-back title run since 2006 and 2007. Rather, it was the way this title was won, with a grinding 14-6 victory over visiting Chester, the #7 ranked team in the state in the SC Media Football Poll. This season Clinton, coming off a 13-1 2022 season, was rated as high as #2 in this poll – that was before disappointing losses to Chapman and South Aiken.
The 2023 Red Devils are 11 points shy of an undefeated season – undefeated was where they were at this time last season when they humbled Chester, 48-20.
But this Red Devil team had been injury-bug-bitten, losing two games, and this Chester team was a year more experienced and victim of just one loss, to AAAA state-ranked South Pointe, of the Rock Hill/south Charlotte area.
This win, this 14-6 Clinton victory clawed out by the Red Devil defense, was an UPSET – unranked beating ranked, Clinton gave up 331 yards to its opponent, and still won (three interceptions and two blocked punts helped).
Now, everybody’s looking ahead to the playoffs (Clinton likely will host the loser of Palmetto vs Powdersville).
That would be a mistake. Clinton has one game left, and it certainly does not want to lose the momentum of breaking that two-game losing skid, with wins over Union County, Woodruff, and Chester, with a “let-down” against Emerald.
And, make no mistake, that 1-8 record does not define Emerald.
The Vikings this past weekend got their first taste of victory, and they undoubtedly loved it, with a two-touchdowns beatdown of Union County – that qualifies Emerald for the playoffs, as Union likely will end up as odd team out from Region 4. They can possibly improve from a 4 seed to a 3 seed by beating Clinton, for a second region win. They WANT to hang a 3rd loss on Clinton just for their competitive pride. Plus, get this: this season, Emerald lost to Ninety Six (now 8-1) by 1 point, lost to Hampton County by 3 points, lost to Saluda by 3 points, lost to Woodruff by 1 point.
They are an athletic team who has studied close losses and may have figured out that one play or two that could turn those into wins. Sometimes, when it comes to the playoffs, it’s better to be peaking at just the right time.
This Friday’s game is on enemy turf in Greenwood, same time, same channel.
– Vic MacDonald
Chronicle Editor has been covering the Red Devils since 2012
What Emerald says here.
SC Prep Football Media poll:
CLASS 3A 1. Daniel (18) (9-0) 2. Belton-Honea Path (2) (9-0) 3. Dillon (8-1) 4. Gilbert (9-0) 5. Chapman (8-1) 6. Crestwood (8-1) 7. Broome (8-1) 8. Clinton (7-2) 9. Chester (8-2) 10. Philip Simmons (8-1) Others receiving votes: Brookland-Cayce, Pendleton, Hanahan, Loris, Beaufort, Wren, Manning, Camden
Tickets on-line here.
Player of the Week
The Laurens County Touchdown Club is proud to announce that for games played on October 20th, the Player of the week is junior linebacker Brett Young of Clinton High School.
Young is a junior linebacker for Clinton High School as the Red Devils defeated #7 ranked Chester to win the AAA, Region IV Championship by a score of 14 – 6. Clinton High school will travel to Emerald High School in its regular season finale this Friday night.
Brett Young, a Clinton High School junior, had 10.5 tackles in a great Red Devil defensive effort and well as two tackles for loss, 3 quarterback pressures and 1 sack. Young and the defensive Red Devil squad held Chester to six points for the game after averaging over 36 points per game coming into the contest.
Clinton High School Head Football Coach Corey Fountain stated, “Brett is a difference maker on the football field! He is a student of the game and has a great work ethic! I’m proud of the way he attacks each day on and off the field.”
The Laurens County Touchdown Club will honor Brett on November 2nd at the bi-monthly Touchdown Club meeting. The meeting will be at noon at The Ridge in Laurens. Player of the Week awards this year is presented by Farm Bureau Insurance of Laurens County.
The November 2nd meeting will feature former Clemson University and Pittsburgh Steeler great Levon Kirkland. Kirkland currently is the Vice President of Development for the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame.
The Laurens County Touchdown Club meets every other Thursday throughout the football season at The Ridge located in Laurens at 301 Exchange Road and the public is invited. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $15. All meetings are at Noon with the food service line opening at 11:45 am.
On behalf of the Touchdown Club Board of Directors, I would like to thank each of you for your support. Congratulations to junior Brett Young of Clinton High School as the Laurens County Touchdown Club Player of the Week for October 20th.
Thanks and Best of Luck to all county teams this week,
Gene Simmons, President
Laurens County Touchdown Club
