State football championship games back on TV
After a three-year absence, the South Carolina High School football state championships will return to televisions across the Palmetto State.
Saturday’s Class 3A, 4A and Class 5A games will be carried on Sinclair Broadcasting stations, including the Lowcountry on Savannah’s Fox 28 or Comet 28.2. It’s the first time since 2013 when Time Warner Cable televised the state title games.
The Class 4A and 3A games will be shown on Fox 28, while the Class 5A game between Dutch Fork and Boiling Springs will be on Comet 28.2. Columbia’s WACH Fox 57 is originating the broadcasts; all three games will be streamed online at WACH.com.
Friday’s Class A and 2A championships at Benedict College will be online only at NFHSnetwork.com for a $9.99 fee.
“Sinclair Broadcasting is very proud, to be airing the South Carolina state high school championships, for the first time in history,” WACH Fox general manager Greg Conner said. “Airing the state championships is a natural extension of our regular season coverage of high school football.
“It will be a special day for the participating teams in making memories of a lifetime.”
Other Sinclair stations carrying Saturday’s games include WWMB CW 21 (Florence/Myrtle Beach), WCIV My TV (Charleston) and WYWA (Spartanburg/Greenville).
Conner said an independent company will produce the games, with WACH Fox supervising. Starting next year, WACH Fox will produce the games.
The company also will broadcast the SCHSL state basketball championships in Columbia on March 3-4.
WACH Fox Sports Director Corey Miller, a former Gamecock standout who played in the NFL for eight seasons, will handle play-by-play for the Class 3A and 5A games with former Gamecocks quarterback Syvelle Newton handling color commentary. Matt Dowell and Stacey Hough will be sideline reporters.
The Class 4A game will be done by Charleston’s Darren Goldwater (play-by-play), Dean Stephens (color commentary) and Brodie Hart (sideline reporting).
This story was originally published December 13, 2016 at 9:48 AM with the headline "State football championship games back on TV."