Clinton High School’s football team takes a 3-1 record into Friday night’s game at Daniel.

Both the Red Devils (3-1) and the Lions (2-1) have one loss. Both are ranked prominently in the S.C. Media statewide polls, Clinton second in Class 2A and Daniel second in 4A.

When last they played, both were in 3A. Daniel, en route to a state championship, demolished Clinton, 52-7, on Nov. 11, 2022, in the third round of the 3A playoffs. No one has beaten the Red Devils so soundly since.

Daniel won another state title last year and is a combined 29-2 in the three seasons since. Clinton is 26-5.

The teams boast one common opponent, Chapman, which Clinton defeated, 49-27, and Daniel, 41-21. The Lions then defeated Stratford, 52-36, and fell to Class 5A’s eighth-ranked team, J.L. Mann, by a score of 18-13.

Thin are the ranks of fans and experts outside School District 56 who give the Red Devils of Corey Fountain much of a chance against the Lions of Jeff Fruster this time.

Fountain, after the Red Devils defeated Chapman, 49-27, on Sept. 12, said, “We’ve got to tie up loose ends. You can’t make mistakes against a team like Daniel, which has a prolific offense and is disciplined on defense.

“In all phases of the game, they’re really good.”

Javen Cook leads Clinton in rushing with 600 net yards and eight touchdowns in the first four games. Quarterback Tushawan Richardson has thrown for 207 yards and four touchdowns, three to Devin Swindler. Richardson has rushed for 259 yards.

Linebacker Brett Young averages nine tackles a game.

Sophomore Grayson Clary has thrown seven touchdown passes, completing 39/64 for 492 yards. Senior Jason Bish is his leading target with 12 receptions.

Tremaine Davis Jr., also a senior, leads Daniel with 224 rushing yards in three games.

Laurens Academy (3-2) is at home to take on King (1-3) at Todd Kirk Field.

Newberry Academy, which the Crusaders defeated, 42-25, won, 26-14, over the Knights of Batesburg last week.

LA’s Garrett Murphy is averaging 137.8 yards rushing per game for a total of 678. Ethan Collins has completed 56/85 passes for 720 yards for eight touchdowns. He has been intercepted five times.

Caleb Hardy has 29 catches for 249 yards and four scores.

The Crusaders’ leading tacklers — Garrison Vaughan, Anthony Candelas and Hardy – all average at least seven a game. Vaughan (4.0) and Murphy (3.0) lead in quarterback sacks.  

Laurens (0-4) has a week off that could hardly arrive at a better time. Last week, when the Raiders came up short to A.C. Flora, 20-17, they played without both quarterbacks, injured Will Thompson and J.T. Campbell, for the second week in a row.

At least one will be back when Laurens faces Lexington a week from Friday.

Freshman Jeep Patrick posted a top-20 finish as Presbyterian completed play in the Grover Page Classic at the Jackson (Tenn.) Country Club.

The Blue Hose finished in 11^th place with a two-round score of 584 (+8) after shooting 299 in the final round. Patrick finished tied for 17^th with a two-day score of 142 (-2).

Southern Illinois Edwardsville won the tournament with a two-round score of 559 (-17). SIU Edwardsville’s Brady Kaufman won the individual title with a two-day score of 133 (-11).

The Blue Hose return to the course in two weeks at the Ironwood Collegiate in Greenville, N.C., Sept. 30-Oct.1.

Clinton (1-1) blanked Fairfield Central, 6-0, on Tuesday, dropping only three games in the entire match.

SINGLES: Libby Dailey defeated Rayvin Trapp, 6 – 0, 6 – 0. Addy Derrick defeated Ari Weldon, 6 – 1, 6 – 0, Merin Orr defeated Roe Cameron, 6 – 0, 6 – 0. Deborah Goldman defeated Abeni Burrell, 6 – 0, 6 – 1. Kayleigh Lawson defeated Zara Burrell, 6 – 0, 6 – 0.

DOUBLES: Dailey & Derrick did not play. Abby McMurray & Savanna Fountain defeated Ninia Davis & Thiana McDougall, 6 – 0, 6 – 1.

The Red Devils host Columbia High on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Laurens Academy’s volleyball record is 14-3 after straight-set victories over Spartanburg Day and Batesville-Leesville. Newberry Academy visits on Thursday at 5. … Thornwell swept Ware Shoals after falling in straight sets to Abbeville and Green Upstate of Simpsonville.

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