By MONTE DUTTON

With two games remaining, Clinton (5-2, 2-0) is alone at the top of the Region 1-2A football standings, having shoved Landrum out of the S.C. Media top 10 with a 56-22 thump last week.

The Red Devils’ hopes for a state title in their first season in Class 2A likely hinge on staying healthy. With a few exceptions, so far, so good.

Next up, at Wilder Stadium on Friday night, is Blacksburg (3-5, 0-2), which shut out a school known as Bonnie Cone Academy of Huntersville, N.C., by a score of 58-0 last week.

In terms of common opponents, Chesnee defeated Blacksburg, 28-25. Clinton won against the Eagles, 46-21. Landrum defeated the Wildcats, 28-6. As noted above, the Red Devils defeated the Cardinals, 56-22.

Neither Clinton nor Blacksburg has yet played Liberty, which Blacksburg plays Nov. 1 and Clinton Nov. 8. The Red Devils are idle on Nov. 1.

Clinton ranks fourth in the Class 2A, behind Batesburg-Leesville (5-0), Saluda (4-0) and Hampton County (5-1).

On WPCC after the Landrum game, Clinton head coach Corey Fountain called for fans to fuel the Red Devils’ surge.

“It’s going to be homecoming and senior night,” he said. “We need a big crowd. I felt like [Oct. 11] we didn’t have the crowd we normally have. It’d be great for [the fans] to come out and support our guys.

“Don’t listen to it at home. Listen to it on the radio at the game. Have your headsets and sit in the stands with your hand warmers.”

Denari Lee-Jackson and Nehemias Fernandez

Laurens (1-6, 1-1 Region 1-4A) has the unenviable task of taking on top-ranked Westside (6-0, 2-0) at K.C. Hanna Stadium.

The teams’ only common opponent is Belton-Honea Path, which defeated the Raiders, 55-6, and fell to the Rams, 55-14.

Laurens’ playoff hopes hinge on the outcome of the final games, at Emerald on Nov. 1 and at home versus Fountain Inn on Nov. 8.

Laurens Academy (6-2, 3-0 SCISA 8-man Region 1) is also at home, albeit against powerful Richard Winn (7-0, 4-0), which defeated the Crusaders, 56-20. This one counts in the region standings.

Winn senior quarterback Charlie Bonds averages 99.4 yards rushing. He has thrown 12 touchdown passes and rushed for 11.

Garrett Murphy is averaging 173.4 yards rushing for the Crusaders with 19 touchdowns. Quarterback Ethan Collins, a sophomore, has thrown 14 touchdown passes.

The Eagles have won 13 straight games against LA, dating back to the Crusaders’ 25-12 victory on Sept. 4, 2009.

Presbyterian College (2-6, 0-4) makes another bid for a breakthrough in DeLand, Fla., where the Blue Hose face Stetson (2-4, 0-2) on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Surely the Blue Hose are due. They’ve lost in overtime twice in the last three weeks and by a touchdown in the other game.

This could be the week. Stetson’s victories were over Ave Maria, 41-3, and Warner, 35-0. The Hatters have lost four straight games and the Blue Hose five. PC’s wins were against Erskine, 31-14, and Virginia of Lynchburg, 52-0.

Davidson defeated Stetson, 70-48, last week while Drake was edging Presbyterian, 19-16, in overtime.

Chris Boyd

Chris Boyd had one versatile night in Clinton’s 56-22 Region 1-2A victory at Landrum on Friday night.

A junior, Boyd returned a kickoff 71 yards for a touchdown. As a wide receiver, he caught five passes for 80 yards and another score. At defensive back, Boyd made six solo tackles and broke up two passes.

As a result, Boyd is Laurens County Player of the Week, as selected by the county Touchdown Club and presented by Farm Bureau Insurance.

Corey Fountain, head coach of the 5-2 Red Devils, stated, “Chris works hard every day and is the ultimate competitor on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. His work ethic on the practice field translates to his play on the field.

“He gives everything he has every time he steps onto the field. He is not only a great player but a great person.”

The next meeting of the Laurens County Touchdown Club is Oct. 31 and features Charlie Wentzky, deputy commissioner of the S.C. High School League responsible for football operations.

The next meeting begins at noon a week from Thursday at The Ridge in Laurens.

This week’s games are Blacksburg at Clinton, Westside at Laurens and Richard Winn at Laurens Academy.

Laurens Academy (28-3) won its third consecutive SCISA 2A state volleyball  championship on Monday, dominating The King’s Academy (of Florence) by a score of 3-0 (25-10, 25-14, 25-19) at Cardinal Newman in Columbia.

Seniors Olivia Suttles, Maggie Collins and Cadie Wilson went out as champions.

Entering the state tournament, MaxPreps ranked the Crusaders as the 17^th-ranked volleyball team in the state, crossing all classifications and governing bodies.

Laurens picked up another Region 1-4A girls’ tennis victory on Monday, dominating Westside, 6-0, in Anderson.

The Raiders take a 7-7 record (5-3 region) into Thursday’s non-region match at home against Powdersville at 4:30.

Wellpilgrim.com is trying its best – translation: I’m trying – to describe the highs and lows and avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Highs and lows are inevitable because all the games have a loser and a winner, and  Wellpilgrim.com is trying its best – translation: I’m trying – to describe the highs and lows and avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

Highs and lows are inevitable because all the games have a loser and a winner, and when it’s done, they are the same number.

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