Even in a football region as loaded at Region 5-AA, there was one game to circle before the season started as the one to watch: Barnwell at Batesburg-Leesville.
That had to be it. After all, it was a rematch of last year's Lower State championship game, a thriller in Barnwell that the visitors won to get revenge for the regular season matchup.
Friday's game, though, certainly didn't start out like the classic it was predicted to be, with Batesburg-Leesville storming out to a big lead over second-ranked and undefeated Barnwell. The Warhorses needed an answer – and fast.
"I mean, someone had to score. So I guess it was me," said Barnwell senior running back Mykal Lee before pausing to laugh. "I had to step up for my teammates."
Lee answered the call, rushing for 183 yards and two scores on 23 carries to help the Warhorses come back from a 21-point deficit for a 44-41 win. His stats alone were enough to earn him consideration for Aiken Standard Player of the Week – his role in a high-profile, thrilling victory sealed the deal.
Six games into the season, most indications were that Barnwell was the class of the region. But Batesburg-Leesville, even at 3-3 and with a new head coach, wasn't to be counted out – especially as long as Bishop Cannon was still quarterback. The Panthers proved that by taking a 21-0 lead a little more than midway through the first quarter.
Lee got Barnwell on the scoreboard with a 5-yard touchdown run, one he helped set up with a couple of big gainers – one a punishing run right through the heart of the Batesburg-Leesville defense, the other a quick burst through the right side – that showcased his combination of power, speed and vision.
Still, the Panthers weren't slowing down at all offensively. Cannon's second touchdown pass of the game made it 34-13 late in the first half, and the scoreboard showed that Barnwell was in a whole lot of trouble.
Though Barnwell's first few offensive series didn't result in very many points, the Warhorses were still setting the foundation for their comeback. Lee explained that most of the Panthers' defenders also played on offense, so they got started early with the run game to tire them out.
The plan worked. Barnwell scored 31 consecutive points to take the lead, and Lee's 52-yard touchdown run was the go-ahead score. Just like his earlier run through the right side, the 6-foot-2, 230-pounder followed behind his blockers until he saw an opening and then accelerated right through the gap. He went untouched.
The win preserved Barnwell's perfect record, and the Warhorses will likely remain No. 2 when the next state media poll is released. Most importantly, they're still atop the region – and they got a nice bit of revenge for last year's loss.
"Losing Lower State last year was a very hard game to overcome, so we practiced hard every day," Lee said. "And then it was game time, and we had to do what we had to do to take the win."
Tough region games against Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Silver Bluff remain for Barnwell, and the Lower State playoffs could play out as the Region 5-AA Invitational like they did last year. The Warhorses are eyeing another lengthy season, and Lee's looking to just keep riding the wave.
"Nothing but wins, hopefully, to get that ride to the state championship," he said.
