By MONTE DUTTON

Before this season, Jeff Fruster stepped down after 10 seasons as head football coach at Daniel High School. He won three state championships (2020, ’21, ‘’22) and six straight region titles (2019-24).

The new head man is Chris Stone, who came to Central from Walhalla. In two years with the Razorbacks, Stone went 4-6 and 6-6. Last year Walhalla won its first playoff game in 11 years.

In Stone’s absence, Walhalla is 0-4 and has twice given up 70 or more points, but Walhalla is not coming to Wilder Stadium on Friday night.

After a preseason controversy regarding a fight at a seven-on-seven tournament, there hasn’t been much fall-off. Daniel (2-1) has victories over Chapman (43-0) and J.L. Mann (31-14),and a loss to Stratford (42-26)..

Cliinton (2-2) scored 40 points on Chapman but gave up 34 in last week’s overtime victory.

Daniel, in Region 2-4A, was 11-2 last season. Over the years, the Lions have benefited from the presence of nearby Clemson University. Many sons of Clemson coaches have starred for Daniel, and it is not uncommon for talented prospects to relocated to the area because of its proximity to Clemson.

Sophomore quarterback Jace Grass has already thrown eight touchdown passes and completed two thirds of his passes.

Big plays are likely to be the determining factors. Clinton rushed for 379 yards against Chapman, led by Javen Cook’s 215. Containing Daniel’s pass game is a crucial consideration for the Red Devils. Another sophomore, Trey Wembley, is averaging 122.3 receiving yards.

The best way for the Red Devils to win is to contain the Daniel receivers. The best way for the Lions to win is slow down the Clinton rushers.

Cook averages 109.5 rushing yards a game and has seven TDs.

Clinton has two more non-region games – Daniel and at Union County next week – before opening its Region 1-2A at home against Liberty on Oct. 3.

The Lions have handled the Red Devils in the past three meetings: 21-14 in 2010, 31-7 in 2013, 52-7 in 2021 and 37-12 last year. Daniel and Clinton first played in 1953, and the Lions lead the series, 8-5.

Red Devil football goes on the air at WPCC (96.5 FM, 1410 AM, largetime.net) beginning at 7 p.m. “Saturday Morning Rewind” airs at 9 a.m., followed by a replay of the broadcast.

A week after an historic victory over longtime nemesis Richard Winn, Laurens Academy (4-0) matches W.W. King (4-0) in Batesburg.

Last week’s 36-22 victory broke a 15-game losing streak against the Eagles, who won three times against the Crusaders last season. The last was 43-6 in the SCISA eight-man state finals.

Laurens (0-4) takes a needed week off before visiting Lexington (1-3) next week. The Wildcats are also idle on Friday.

Presbyterian College (3-0) takes the favorite’s role for the second straight week after pulling upsets over Mercer and Furman to open the season.

The Blue Hose polished off Erskine, 42-14, in their first home game last week, amassing 545 net yards of offense. The Bluefield Rams (1-1) take on PC at Bailey Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

PC is 2-0 all-time against Bluefield with previous victories in 2014 and 2018.

Overheard on TV: “Rice can definitely smell blood in the water.” I fhought, ain’t nobody gonna like that rice.

For years, my site has been supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports). Every little bit helps.

Most of my books are available at Amazon.