Practices are over and the hill is painted.
Playoff football returns to Nixon Field on Friday.
The third-seeded Rebels return to action after a week off for a rematch against the sixth-seeded Hillcrest Rams in the 5A second round, with a spot in the Upper State semifinals hanging in the balance.
“There’s a sense of urgency and excitement,” Byrnes head coach Reggie Shaw said. “I always characterize it when you’re in the playoffs like the holidays starting early for coaches and players. Every Friday is Thanksgiving because we’re just thankful to have the opportunity to play again.”
The Rebels (8-2) were a team on a mission in Region I-5A play, going undefeated and winning every game by at least 21 points. The offense averaged over 49 points per game during that run, never scoring less than 42.
The defense was also impressive, holding region opponents to less than 16 points an outing.
Prior to region play, Hillcrest had a firsthand look at a Byrnes team dominating on both sides of the ball when they met on Oct. 2.
The Rebels piled up 471 yards on offense in that meeting, led by Tre Segarra’s 151 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Byrnes held Hillcrest to only 160 total yards and eight first downs for the game.
Despite that, Shaw said Hillcrest has improved dramatically down the stretch, with the Rams entering Friday’s contest on a four-game winning streak.
“They’ve made some really positive changes,” Shaw said. “Offensively, they’re running the ball really well now. They changed how they line up, they’re using more tight ends. Defensively, they’ve simplified things. They’re executing a lot better. They have a lot of talent, they’re a very dangerous team.”
Hillcrest increased its offensive output by nearly 16 points per game during their winning streak, including a 40-point output in its win over Chapin in the first round last week.
As always, the homefield advantage will be a big factor for Byrnes, and Shaw knows the noise and energy will be on display long before the ball is even kicked off.
“The Nixon Nuts and the Rebel Nation will show up,” he said. “They always do. It’s going to be a great playoff atmosphere. We want to put on a show for our crowd.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Duncan. The winner of Friday’s game will move on to play the winner of No. 2 Dutch Fork and No. 7 Fort Mill next week.
