Ridge View waited 19 years to celebrate another South Carolina high school football region championship.
The No. 25 Blazers made sure there was little doubt about the outcome Thursday night.
Ridge View scored on its first six offensive possessions and rolled past Gray Collegiate Academy 57-28, capturing the Region 5-5A championship for the first time since 2007.
The victory was Ridge View's sixth consecutive win and its fourth straight game scoring at least 40 points.
After falling out of the High School On SI South Carolina Top 25 earlier this season, the Blazers have returned to the rankings and are playing some of their best football with the playoffs approaching.
It was also the first region championship for head coach Derek Howard.
Here are five takeaways from Ridge View's statement victory.
1. Ridge View's Explosive Offense Is Hitting Its Stride
Ridge View wasted little time putting points on the scoreboard.
Quarterback Tre Howard connected with wide receiver Kanye Reed three times on the opening possession, with the third completion producing a touchdown at the 9:25 mark of the first quarter.
Gray Collegiate answered just 17 seconds later when quarterback Xavier Wright found C.J. Gleaton for a 75-yard touchdown.
But Ridge View responded immediately.
Khristian Jackson fielded the ensuing kickoff near his own 15-yard line and raced 85 yards for a touchdown, putting the Blazers back in front.
The fireworks continued when Ridge View capitalized on a Gray Collegiate turnover, setting up a 37-yard touchdown run by Chris Capers that extended the lead to 21-7.
Tre Howard finished with four touchdown passes, including two to Jackson.
The Blazers' ability to produce big plays through the air, on the ground and in the return game made them difficult to contain.
2. All-Star Talent Was on Display
Thursday's matchup featured several players selected for South Carolina's postseason all-star games.
Ridge View offensive lineman James Ross, a Shrine Bowl selection, did not play.
His Shrine Bowl teammate, wide receiver Khristian Jackson, made a major impact with two touchdown receptions and an 85-yard kickoff return for a score.
Quarterback Tre Howard, selected for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl, threw four touchdown passes.
Gray Collegiate's all-star selections included Shrine Bowl wide receiver Royce Williamson and offensive lineman Jack Armstrong, along with Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl running back Trevon Williamson.
The collection of talent helped make the region championship matchup one of the week's most intriguing games.
3. Ridge View's Defense Delivered Key Plays
The Blazers' offense attracted most of the attention, but their defense helped create scoring opportunities.
Ridge View forced two turnovers, including an interception that set up Capers' first-quarter touchdown run.
Linebacker Raymond Jones also intercepted a pass and returned it for an apparent touchdown, although the score was nullified by a penalty.
Jones has emerged as one of the defensive leaders during Ridge View's winning streak.
Howard also praised defensive linemen C.J. Stokes and Garrison Makorav, along with Kingston Lucas in the secondary.
"They're playing a lot of reps and they're not backing down," Howard said of his defensive linemen.
Gray Collegiate found some success offensively, including two rushing touchdowns by Spencer Bobian Jr., but the War Eagles could not consistently slow Ridge View's attack.
4. Derek Howard Believes Ridge View Can Compete for a State Championship
Ridge View's road to the region championship began with a challenging non-region schedule.
Bad weather forced the cancellation of the Blazers' season opener against defending Class 4A champion South Pointe.
Their matchup with four-time defending Class 5A champion Dutch Fork was also affected by weather, with Ridge View playing only two quarters in a 35-13 loss.
The Blazers later suffered a 24-17 defeat to Oceanside Collegiate Academy.
Since then, Ridge View has won six consecutive games, including victories over ranked opponents Rock Hill and Sumter.
Howard believes the difficult early schedule helped prepare his team for the challenges ahead.
"I think this team is a state championship caliber team," Howard said. "I think they've got an opportunity to play with anybody that lines up across from them and the best thing about it is they've seen everybody."
The Blazers are now beginning to resemble the team Howard envisioned entering the season.
5. Playoff Seeding Is the Next Challenge
With the Region 5-5A championship secured, Ridge View can turn its attention to the Class 5A playoffs.
The Blazers are competing for favorable positioning in the Lower State bracket, with Carolina Forest among the teams affecting the race for the No. 3 seed.
Gray Collegiate has completed its regular season and is also expected to compete in the Lower State bracket.
South Carolina is using RPI ratings to determine playoff seedings across all classifications this season, adding another layer of intrigue as teams await their postseason assignments.
For Ridge View, however, the immediate accomplishment is already significant.
The Blazers have ended a 19-year region championship drought, returned to the state rankings and built a six-game winning streak.
Now they will try to carry that momentum into the postseason.
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