Staff Writer
Looking at the South Carolina High School League's blank playoff brackets before the season, Lee Sawyer knew one thing: Strom Thurmond just had to find a way to win Region 3-AA.
The difference between first and second place was astounding. First earned guaranteed home games throughout the playoffs. Second got one home game.
That the Rebels went out and defeated five region opponents by an average of 33.2 points was "huge," Sawyer said.
"The only negative is we have to paint the field every week," the Rebels' coach said. "I'll gladly do that."
The Rebels (12-0) play host to unbeaten Pageland Central this week. Another win would allow them to play the Upper State finals at home.
Pageland Central, a Lower State finalist a season ago, features end Justice Cunningham , a 6-foot-4, 250-pound South Carolina recruit.
HELPING HAND: Burke County plans to leave for its playoff game against Cairo at 9 a.m. Friday, granting the team enough time for a pregame walkthrough at its coach's old high school.
The Bears will stop at Mitchell County -- it was called Mitchell-Baker High when coach Eric Parker went there -- which is about 25 miles from Cairo.
"It's going to kind of turn it into a shorter trip," Parker said.
Parker coordinated the stop through Mitchell County coach Dondrial Pinkins , a three-year letterman at quarterback for Lou Holtz 's South Carolina teams from 2002-04.
ROAD WARRIORS: By the time it boards buses bound for LaGrange this weekend, Thomson already will have traveled 432 miles during the playoffs, according to defensive coordinator John Barnett 's calculations.
That's because the Bulldogs were forced to go to Jackson twice last weekend. They already had arrived Friday when officials moved the game to Saturday because of inclement weather.
If anyone is prepared for this sort of thing, though, it's the Bulldogs. Thomson had one of the most travel-heavy regular seasons of any area team. Its five road games included trips to Liberty County (155 miles one way) and Statesboro (nearly 100 miles).
BREATHE EASY: Jefferson County didn't need a heart-stopping finish last week to earn its first-round playoff win, and that was fine with coach J.B. Arnold .
The Warriors' previous five playoff games under Arnold had been decided by an average of 9.6 points.
Last week, Jefferson County led Macon Northeast by three touchdowns until a late score made the final 24-12.
"I'm real encouraged by the fact we won our first-round game comfortable for once," Arnold said.
The easy wins likely end this week. Jefferson County will travel to Brooks County for the first meeting between the schools.
"They're the best team we've seen this year," Arnold said. "They've got some animals."
Brooks is 10-1 and has earned its most wins since 1998. Arnold said his team must be able to stop the run against a physical Warriors squad.
LOOKS FAMILIAR: Larry Campbell will coach his 500th game Friday when Lincoln County plays host to Eagle's Landing Christian.
Eagle's Landing Christian is a familiar milestone opponent for Campbell. The two schools' only previous meeting was in 2006, and the 34-0 Lincoln County postseason win was Campbell's 400th victory. The Red Devils went on to win the state title that year.
The school, located in Henry County outside Atlanta, is 9-2, and those nine wins are the second-most in school history, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association.
Reach Matt Middleton at (706) 823-3425 or matt.middleton@augustachronicle.com.
