Playoff picture remains rather murky heading into season’s final week

Simply put … this is truly where the rubber meets the road.

Every team across the Palmetto State has a similar goal – to win a state title. Before reaching that point, though, one’s top priority is merely to qualify for the tournament.

With the final week of the regular season upon us, six teams on the Grand Strand have already qualified for the postseason. A few more have the opportunity to do the same on Friday night.

Unfortunately, until those games are played, the playoff picture remains a tad murky for some.

REGION VI-5A

Who’s in: Sumter clinched the Region VI-5A title last week with its 41-10 win over West Florence. Even if the Gamecocks lose Friday night at Carolina Forest, the league crown is theirs by virtue of a 48-41 triple-overtime victory over Conway last month. The Tigers have also punched their ticket to the playoffs, though their official finish in the conference standings is uncertain.

What’s left to figure out: Three teams – Carolina Forest, South Florence and West Florence – in Region VI-5A still have a shot at earning the final two playoff spots allotted to the league. Also at stake is playoff seeding.

A Conway win delivers it the region’s No. 2-seed. Should it fall to South Florence, the Bruins would claim the spot and the two home playoff games that come with it.

Seems simple, right? Not so fast.

A few plot twists can change the entire situation, forcing tiebreakers to come into the equation.

In Region VI-5A, a three-way tie is broken based on defensive points allowed in games between those teams. With this in mind, here are a couple of scenarios:

▪ If South Florence defeats Conway and Carolina Forest downs Sumter: South Florence clinches the No. 2 spot in Region VI-5A. Conway is assured of the No. 3 position in the league with a loss, only if it gives up less than 45 points in its season finale with the Bruins. Carolina Forest at worst would clinch a playoff berth.

▪ Should South Florence and Carolina Forest lose, and West Florence defeats Socastee: Conway claims the region’s No. 2 seed. Based on the league’s tiebreaker sequence, West Florence would claim third place while South Florence takes the conference’s final guaranteed playoff berth. This would put Carolina Forest’s fate in the hand of the S.C. High School League (SCHSL), deciding from a pool including the No. 6 team in Region V-5A – Irmo – and the seventh-place team from Region VII-5A.

▪ If South Florence defeats Conway, Sumter downs Carolina Forest and West Florence beats Socastee: South Florence claims the No. 2 spot in the league, with Conway taking third. Carolina Forest earns the final playoff spot allotted to the league based on its 28-16 victory over West Florence earlier this season.

REGION VII-4A

Who’s in: All four playoff spots in the league are sewn up as Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Marlboro County and Wilson are bound for the postseason.

What’s left to figure out: How exactly will Region VII-4A play out? A Myrtle Beach win combined with a North Myrtle Beach victory easily charts the picture, with the Seahawks and Chiefs taking the league’s top two spots and Marlboro County and Wilson claiming the final two.

A Seahawks loss, however, could create a logjam at the top.

▪ Marlboro County defeats Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach beats Wilson: The outcome is determined solely based on defensive points allowed. North Myrtle Beach has given up 57 total points in games with Myrtle Beach and Marlboro County. To this point, the Seahawks have yielded only 23 points – coming in its win over North Myrtle Beach – while the Bulldogs allowed 35 points against the Chiefs.

Three things must happen for Marlboro County to put itself in a good position to win the league crown:

▪ Defeat Myrtle Beach by 12 points or more;

▪ Hold the Seahawks under to 22 points or less;

▪ And score 35 points or more in the game.

Anything less than those magic numbers gives Myrtle Beach a region title in the event of a loss.

North Myrtle Beach’s best shot at a region title is a Bulldogs win in a high-scoring affair. Myrtle Beach hanging at least 23 points on Marlboro County would earn the Chiefs second place in any tiebreaker scenario. If combined with the Bulldogs scoring 35 or more, North Myrtle Beach would win the league crown.

▪ Myrtle Beach beats Marlboro County, Wilson downs North Myrtle Beach: Such would create a three-way tie for second place. North Myrtle Beach has the upper hand, having given up only 14 points in its game with Marlboro County. In its games with the Chiefs and Wilson, the Bulldogs have yielded 56 total points. In this case, North Myrtle Beach would have to lose by 19 or more and have the Tigers score 42 points in Friday’s game. Wilson would also have to limit the Chiefs to less than 23 points.

REGION VI-3A

Who’s in: Dillon, Lake City, Georgetown and Loris have clinched the league’s four playoff bids.

What’s left to figure out: Dillon has won the Region VI-3A title, with Lake City earning the conference’s No. 2 seed by virtue of its overtime win last week at Georgetown.

Fortunately, all that is left to figure out is which team will occupy the Region VI-3A’s No. 3 spot, Georgetown or Loris? The teams meet on Friday night.

REGION VII-2A

Who’s in: Carvers Bay, Andrews, Latta

What’s left to figure out: Carvers Bay is off this week, having earned at least a share of the league title last week in its win over Mullins. The Bears can win the region crown outright if both Andrews and Latta lose on Friday night. However, they can also win the title if both teams win, or if Andrews wins and Latta loses.

Should Latta win and Andrews falls, the conference crown belongs to the Vikings.

Also to be determined is what team will claim the league’s final playoff spot. With a win over a winless Kingstree squad, Mullins can punch its ticket. Should the Auctioneers stumble, Marion can make its way into the postseason with a win over Andrews.

REGION VI-A

Who’s in: Lake View, Hannah-Pamplico and Hemingway have earned playoff spots

What’s left to figure out: The large share of matters has been decided in Region VI-A, with Lake View and Hannah-Pamplico meeting on Friday night in a winner-take all league title game. Hemingway has already sewn up third place.

In an effort to decide which will claim Region VI-A’s final playoff spot, Green Sea Floyds travel to East Clarendon.

GOING OUT WITH A BANG

Never did Caleb Jenerette believe he was made to play quarterback, rather finding himself at the position based on necessity.

“It was often a joke that I was the best tight end playing quarterback in the area,” he said.

A returning starter under center for Aynor, he was looked to as a leader for the team in its first season in Class 3A. Unfortunately, the senior signal caller’s season has largely been limited, the result of a nagging labrum injury suffered during last basketball season.

But where some would find only negatives, Jenerette found a redeeming quality in the midst of such frustration.

“I figured I would have been right, given the amount of time I was away … but it just never got right,” he said. “But sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with it. And thankfully, it has allowed me to enjoy these final few weeks of the football season.”

Having found their quarterback for the future in sophomore Spencer Sarvis, Blue Jackets head coach Jody Jenerette – more importantly, Caleb’s uncle – found a perfect way to reintroduce his nephew back to the team’s offensive game plan.

Allowing him to line up at a variety of positions on the field, it has provided the Aynor senior standout many different avenues to contribute.

Since adopting his new role, Jenerette has 341 total yards and five touchdowns over the past two games. Much of that effort came in last week’s contest against Waccamaw, where he had 22 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns and four receptions for 91 yards and two more, helping the Blue Jackets earn a hard-fought win.

“You always pray for big nights like that. That’s what the long hours in the gym are for,” he said. “Opportunities to make a couple plays to help these seniors not go out with such a bad taste in their mouth. But I can’t do anything if my offensive line isn’t blocking like they were, or if my quarterback Spencer Sarvis wasn’t placing balls in perfect spots.”

A dream of his to play for the hometown Blue Jackets, he will don the blue and white for the last time this Friday night against perennial powerhouse Dillon. Jenerette expects a range of emotions as the clock draws closer to all zeroes, but most of all he will be chock full of pride for even having the opportunity in the first place.

“There will be tears, for sure,” he said. “It will be fun, interesting for sure. … Being able to play for my uncle, who means everything to me, has been an honor and a privilege. He stepped in in a difficult situation, and I’m proud to have him be such a big part of my life. The conversations we have on and off the field are things I’ll always remember.

“They are things you don’t want to let go of, but have to. But you can take the memories, and it has been a great four years.”

CAROLINA FOREST’S MOSS: ‘IT FELT LIKE HOME’

Notoriety, pride and tradition certainly have their place in the lexicon of college recruiting.

Not often enough, however, does anyone beg the question whether a certain school and its athletic program are the right fit.

For Carolina Forest basketball standout Duane Moss, finding a place that felt like home was priority No. 1. And when he found that place, there was no way he was letting go.

Among the state’s top hoops prospects in the Class of 2019, Moss verbally committed last week to Youngstown State University. Recruited by more than a dozen schools, he trimmed his list to the Ohio school and Northern Iowa before opting to take the Penguins up on their offer.

“I really liked (Youngstown State and Northern Iowa), but at the end of the day Youngstown State felt more like home,” he said. “There was more of an opportunity for me to come in and contribute right away, and it also felt just right.”

Initially, Moss planned to wait until the spring to make his college intentions known. But advised by family and close friends that such opportunities may not exist if he chose to do so, the Carolina Forest basketball standout altered his recruiting strategy.

“The more I looked into the risk of waiting, the more I started to lean toward the early signing period to make a decision,” he said.

Moss’ parents were the first to learn of his plans, followed shortly after by Carolina Forest boys basketball coach Dennis Brunson.

“(Brunson) wanted to double check with me and make sure if I was 100 percent secure with my decision,” Moss said. “Once I told him where I stood, he agreed with me and felt I was making the choice for all the right reasons.”

Though undecided about a major, Moss said he is interested in taking courses focusing on health sciences and physical therapy. More importantly, it is a place he believes one can thrive both athletically and educationally.

“Walking the campus, everyone knew who everyone was,” he said. “Similarly, the coaching staff is able to connect with players on a personal level. They had a system and program that suited what I was looking for – both from a basketball standpoint and school-wise.”

Now that his decision out of the way, Moss can now focus on the task of leading the Panthers to another deep run through the playoffs.

Last season, Moss averaged just shy of 14 points and seven rebounds per game. The Panthers finished 18-8, earning a share of the Region VI-4A title, making it to the Lower State semifinal round before bowing out to Irmo.

With several veterans returning, the Carolina Forest standout believes the team has what it takes to go to the next level.

“Last year, we showed people we are for real,” Moss said. “Making it to the Lower State final four, everyone was able to jump on board.

“This mission really means a lot to us, and a lot of other people who are fans of Carolina Forest. Hopefully, we can get it done.”

This story was originally published November 8, 2016 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Playoff picture remains rather murky heading into season’s final week."