By Thomas Grant Jr.
The Chapin High School football team is one of the remaining undefeated teams in the Lake Murray area.
The Eagles look to continue to “fly high” Friday as they venture into uncharted territory. For the first time in school history, they will pay a visit to John McKissick Field at Memorial Stadium to face Summerville in a matchup of unbeatens.
Chapin is coming off 42-37 shootout win over Newberry. Senior quarterback Brady Albro came off the bench after one quarter and threw for 275 yards and four touchdowns.
Wide receiver Khalen Bostick was responsible for two scores and had six receptions for 142 yards.
Albro did not start Thursday’s game at Cecil Woolbright Field. Brock Smith opened the game for the Eagles at quarterback and went 6-7 passing for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Albro finished the game with another four-touchdown passing performance to lead the Eagles to 4-0 for the first time since 2015. For the season, he’s completed 76-116 passes for 1,090 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Khalen Bostick caught two of the touchdowns and finished with six receptions for 142 yards. Cole Martin had 107 total yards and two touchdowns, rushing, and receiving, and is one of three players with 20 or more receptions.
The Green Wave (3-0) found themselves in a similar high-scoring battle against an area rival. They rallied from 11 points down to defeat Berkeley 41-35 behind two touchdowns each from quarterback Jaden Cummings and running back Jaiden Kelly-Murray.
Keshon Washington had 117 rushing yards and a touchdown.
“Summerville is a good football team,” Chapin head coach Ryan Cole said. “We will have to be disciplined defensively against them. It will be a total team effort to get the win.”
Both teams withstood offensive outbursts by their respective opposing quarterbacks. Newberry’s Kenton Caldwell had 377 total yards and four touchdowns and Berkeley’s Henry Rivers had 375 total yards and three scores.
Chapin is allowing 27.1 points per game while scoring 50 points a contest. Summerville has held its opponents to 23 points a game and is averaging 38.3 points on offense.
“The key to victory this week will be controlling the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball,” Cole said. “We must keep them off Brady and put pressure on their quarterback. I believe special teams will be critical this week as well.”
S.C. PREP FOOTBALL MEDIA POLL
Class 5A
1. Dutch Fork (18) (3-0)
2. Gaffney (1) (3-0)
3. Northwestern (4-0)
4. Summerville (3-0)
5. Irmo (4-0)
6. Sumter (4-0)
8. JL Mann (2-1)
7. Hillcrest (3-0)
9. White Knoll (2-1)
10. Boiling Springs (3-0)
Others receiving votes: TL Hanna, Spartanburg, Chapin, River Bluff, Blythewood, Greenwood
Photos by Ed Martin