Friday’s 5 to Watch: Bridge Bowl tuneups and JP2’s quick turnaround

OK, back to normal.

Well, maybe except for John Paul II, which might just now be getting the soreness out after Monday’s storm-delayed clash against Palmetto Christian. One good thing about young players, though, is that they bounce back faster than the rest of us.

If you’re looking for a front-and-center matchup on the Friday night slate, well, let’s say there are better weeks. The good news is that Friday night gives us a slate of live football as opposed to reruns of “Friday Night Lights.”

1. Barring a major upset, both Bluffton and Hilton Head Island will take unbeaten records into next week’s Bridge Bowl.

Whether by design or coincidence, the Bobcats and Seahawks managed the equivalent of South Carolina (and other SEC teams) scheduling the likes of Western Carolina and Chattanooga before their big rivalries.

Bluffton (3-0), now up to No. 2 in the South Carolina Prep Media Poll’s Class 3A rankings, takes on a New Hampstead squad that’s in its third year as a varsity program and has already lost to two smaller Savannah rivals whose combined enrollment falls short of NHHS. The Phoenix did win last week, though.

Hilton Head Island (2-0) gets May River, which is still looking to find some type of traction after a storm-delayed home inaugural that ended in a 41-7 loss to Whale Branch. For those seeking any sort of Bridge Bowl barometer, recall that Bluffton pasted 77 points on the Sharks two weeks ago.

Despite winning their first two games by a combined 98-11, the Seahawks have yet to receive a single vote in the S.C. Prep Media balloting for Class 4A.

2. Momentum will be a central theme when Whale Branch visits Beaufort.

The Warriors will seek to stay on the roll they established in their visit to May River, while the Eagles look to regain what they lost when they surrendered four unanswered Bluffton touchdowns in the final three quarters last Saturday.

“We’ve just got to go back to work,” Beaufort coach Mark Clifford said following that 35-14 loss. “Patch things up and pick up where we left off.”

After averaging 298 yards rushing in a 2-0 start, the Eagles managed just 159 against Bluffton. Both Omar Cummings and Kyleik Middleton were held under 15 yards.

Whale Branch, meantime, went to May River shorthanded by injury and still filled a bunch of different TD categories — three rushing and one each via passing, interception and blocked kick.

3. John Paul II and Hilton Head Prep enter their clash at opposite extremes of the rest spectrum.

As mentioned above, John Paul II players head to Prep on three days’ rest and/or practice since their loss to Palmetto Christian. The Dolphins, meanwhile, haven’t played in 14 days after the fortune of an open date during Tropical Storm Hermine.

Prep coach Dave Adams, though, noted that days of rest didn’t necessarily mean extra days to sharpen things up. “This far into it,” he said, “it’s not too bad to take a few days off.”

The Dolphins are thin in the trenches with Davis Puckey (knee) and Trey Speer (finger) requiring surgery. Also, running backs Rodney Sturgis and Mac Orie will be game time decisions.

4. It’s Hall of Fame Night at Hilton Head Island, where the shrine’s founder is among the honorees.

That would be former athletics director Greg Elliott, who also led Hilton Head basketball to two region basketball titles and five other playoff appearances. He’s one of seven Seahawk standouts to be honored.

The remaining lineup: James Franklin (football/track, 1988-91), Brett Sylvia (soccer, 1990), Brittany Dabule (golf/softball, 2001-05), Ikeiylah Brown (track/basketball, 2004-06), Greg Harrison (baseball, 2007-09) and longtime coach Bob Arundell.

5. On the next-level front, Saturday puts three former area standouts on the same field when Furman visits The Citadel.

Citadel cornerback Dee Delaney (Whale Branch) was an all-Southern Conference selection last year, while Kyle Weaver (Hilton Head Christian) has made 26 consecutive starts on the offensive line. Furman receiver J.D. Tuten (Thomas Heyward) made his first college start vs. Michigan State.

That number could grow, too, if Citadel’s Trey Nelson or Max Ford (both Whale Branch) or Furman’s Brad Meccariello (HHCA) get into the game.

This story was originally published September 8, 2016 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Friday’s 5 to Watch: Bridge Bowl tuneups and JP2’s quick turnaround."