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GAFFNEY, S.C. — For the first time ever, the Freedom High School football team will play a game outside the state of North Carolina.

In a contest filling the void left by Patton High School’s decision not to field a varsity program this fall, the Patriots will hit the road and travel across state lines to play at Gaffney High School, in South Carolina, which also is Freedom’s first non-North Carolina opponent in program history.

Unlike many other area contests, the game is unlikely to be moved up due to incoming tropical rain. Freedom athletic director Rob Scott said Tuesday afternoon there had been no discussions on rescheduling the contest and that Gaffney has artificial turf.

Regardless of the weather or field conditions, it’s sure to be a tough test as the Indians are 18-time state championships and enter the game 2-0.

Gaffney, which claims South Carolina state championships in 1927-29, 1931, 1934, 1960-61, 1963-65, 1985, 1992, 1997, 2003, 2005-06, 2012 and 2021, won at Greenville’s J.L. Mann 42-40 in overtime to open the season on Aug. 30 and followed it up with a 54-14 home win over Greenville High on Sept. 6.

In the win over J.L. Mann, junior quarterback Jayvon Gilmore completed 15 of 30 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, connecting with receivers Jamarcus Smith (6-174-1), Chas Smith (2-34-1), Shane Davidson (1-28-1), Jaiden McDowell (4-28) and Brady Smith (2-13). On the ground, the Indians were led by McDowell (10-35-1) and Andrew Ruppe (5-33-2).

Gilmore, an Arkansas commit who measures in at 6-5, 195 pounds, also was outstanding versus Greenville, finishing 24 of 27 for 334 yards and four TDs, again with no interceptions, connecting with Jamarcus Smith (9-118-1), Davidson (4-87-2), Trason Smith (5-48), Chas Smith (2-35-1), Xzorion Lenair (2-9) and Brady Smith (1-9). The ground game was improved with Aaron Littlejohn (8-78), Trason Smith (3-47), Chas Smith (10-46-1), Gertavious Harris (12-41-1), Gilmore (5-20-1) and Ruppe (1-5-1) leading the way.

The Patriots (2-1) have a standout quarterback of their own, however, as junior Kaden Davis has thrown multiple touchdowns in each of Freedom’s three games so far this fall.

He threw a pair of TDs in a season-opening loss to Bunker Hill 35-28, two more in a Fat Friday 50 victory at home versus East Burke 12-7 in Week 2, and threw three TDs and scored one more on the ground in a 26-7 road-opening win at Forestview last week.

Tiras Walker has been the top target so far, catching four TDs, but Kobe Johnson, last year’s leading receiver, finally got established on the offensive side of the ball with a long touchdown reception against the Jaguars.

Freedom will need all of its offensive firepower plus another strong effort from a defense that has allowed just one TD in the past two games to keep up with the Indians.

Prediction: Gaffney.

Draughn (1-2) at Chase (0-2)

Along with several others, this contest in Henrietta has been moved up to Thursday with a kickoff time of 7 p.m. for two teams in need of a rebound.

The Wildcats started off with a tough 44-0 home loss to Hunter Huss, took a step in the right direction with a 48-12 home win over the Greenville Hurricanes in Week 2, then lost a tough rivalry game versus an extra-motivated East Burke squad 12-7 last week.

The Trojans are coming off a bye, but were outscored 103-0 through the first two weeks with a 54-0 home loss to still-undefeated Mountain Heritage and a 49-0 road loss at Stuart Cramer, which is 0-2 in its other two games.

DHS is still working out some of the kinks with a quarterback rotation of Kayden Lytle and Sterling Radabaugh, though the two have combined to account for five touchdowns over the past two weeks. Lytle threw three TDs against the Hurricanes, including one to Radabaugh, while Radabaugh ran for scores in both contests.

The defense has been fairly strong since the Week 1 rout by the Huskies, holding the Hurricanes and Cavaliers both to two touchdowns and tallying six interceptions, including five (two returned for TDs) against the Hurricanes.

Chase only amassed 28 yards of offense against the Cougars but fared a bit better against the Storm as dual-threat QB Zac Frashier completed 4 of 11 passes for 51 yards and ran 16 times for 77 yards. Sophomore QB Darin Tipton was 6 of 11 for 84 yards. Devin Mosley (6-53), Neal Hines (1-43) and Landon Barnes (2-35) led the receiving corps in the latter game.

Prediction: Draughn.

East Burke bye week

The Cavaliers (1-2) are on a bye this week. They return to action with their Catawba Valley 2A Conference-opener at Maiden on Sept. 20 in their second game under interim head coach Allen Wittenberg.