Stakes are raised as Bluffton seeks big finish at Wade Hampton

For a Lowcountry football fan, you couldn’t ask for a better Region 8 showdown on the final Friday of a redrawn regular season: unbeaten Bluffton vs. Wade Hampton, winner takes the crown and home field for as long as they stay in the Class 3A Lower State playoffs.

Bobcats coach Ken Cribb would just as soon have played it in its original spot on the schedule.

“I’d rather have gotten it out of the way,” Cribb said. “It’s at their place, for a region championship, on their home field. And now they’ve had four weeks to prepare.”

The schedule originally had Bobcats (9-0, 3-0 region) and Red Devils set to square off with three weeks left in the season, but that was before Hurricane Matthew shook things up. The two weeks of interruption were moved to the end of the schedule, creating the final showdown.

“It’s been a long wait to get to this game,” Cribb said.

And those four weeks of preparation? That’s a byproduct of Wade Hampton’s scheduled open date the weekend Matthew hit — preceding Bluffton.

That essentially left the Red Devils (7-2, 3-0) able to focus on the Bobcats for two weeks in early October — and when those weeks were moved to the end of the schedule, pick up where they left off starting again last week.

“They should be ready,” Cribb quipped. “We do a lot, though, so I’m sure their coaches appreciate the extra time. It’s definitely to their advantage, no doubt about that.”

The Bobcats, entrenched at No. 2 in the Class 3A rankings since September, have thrown a lot of weapons at some overmatched opponents in recent weeks. Eight different Bluffton players found the end zone in last week’s 77-0 romp over Battery Creek, including three from running back I’kiem Jefferson.

Jermaine Patterson has settled in as the starter at quarterback, putting the Bobcats into more of a read-option look. Patterson also threw for two TDs last week before giving way to Hunter Eldridge, more of a classic passer.

“Those two kids are playing off the chart,” Cribb said. “Sometimes one is better out the gate and the other’s better coming in (later). Right now this seems to be working well for us.”

The Bluffton defense also has been in top form, giving up a combined 85 yards of offense to Ridgeland-Hardeeville and Battery Creek. That figures to be tested now by a Wade Hampton offense that has topped 40 points in each of its past five games.

Quarterback Deon Singleton has hit his stride in recent weeks, like Patterson a dual threat with both his legs and arm.

Cribb also issued a plea for Bluffton fans to hit the road Friday night, recalling days not so long ago when similar support helped spur the Bobcats to three straight trips to the Lower State final and beyond.

“I’d just ask the Bobcat Nation to get in their vehicles,” Cribb said. “Let’s go to Hampton and win the region championship. We need to get our swagger back. In 2010, ’11, ’12, we carried a lot of people to (road) games. We need that Bobcat Nation to go and cheer those guys.”

This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Stakes are raised as Bluffton seeks big finish at Wade Hampton."