By CT McDonald
Local teams are active this week — without the threat of a tropical storm interrupting their schedules.
DUTCH FORK
After last week’s vacant date, Dutch Fork’s varsity football team will be back at it this week in its first Region 4-5A game of the season.
The Silver Foxes (5-1, 0-0) will be at home against White Knoll (6-1, 0-1) at 7:30 pm Friday.
Dutch Fork lost its first game of the season two weeks ago against St. Frances Academy, and White Knoll lost its first game of the season last week in a region matchup with River Bluff.
With their wins last week, Lexington’s Wildcats and River Bluff’s Gators began region play out front at 1-0, while Chapin’s Eagles and the Timberwolves start at 0-1. The Silver Foxes will record a region game this week while Chapin has a week off.
River Bluff and White Knoll are the only two Region 4-5A teams at 6-1 overall, with Dutch Fork and Lexington at 5-1 overall and Chapin at 3-4.
Except for the Eagles, the region numbers will be adjusted after Friday’s games with the remaining four conference opponents going head-to-head in the second week of region competition.
IRMO
Irmo finished on the wrong end of the region opener against Richland Northeast last week to record only its second varsity football loss of the season.
The Yellow Jackets settled at 4-2, 0-1 after the 20-14 loss to the Cavaliers (2-4, 1-0) in the Region 5-4A opener.
Irmo returns home Friday to take on the Ridge View Blazers (5-1, 1-0), who beat Lugoff-Elgin last week in their first region game.
With six teams in the region, three are now at 1-0 and three are 0-1. That balance is likely to change after this week’s games.
The Yellow Jackets — while standing at 0-1 in the region after last week’s closing-minutes-loss — are at 4-2 overall, just behind A. C. Flora (6-0, 1-0), Ridge View (5-1, 1-0). Lugoff-Elgin (3-3 overall), Richland Northeast and Westwood (1-5) complete the region.
There is a slate of competitive region games just ahead.
CHAPIN
Chapin is now at 3-4, 0-1 after the 25-7 region loss to Lexington last week, which capped off three difficult losses to three strong opponents: Brookland-Cayce, A. C. Flora and the Wildcats.
The Eagles will have a bye week this week and return to action next week at Dutch Fork.
