River Bluff’s football team will stay at home during the opening round of the playoffs. 

The Gators clinched second place in the 5A Region 3 standings with their 28-14 win over Lexington this past Friday, earning the team home-field advantage in its first postseason game. 

River Bluff’s win means the Gators finished the regular season 8-2 overall and 4-1 in region games. The one loss came against defending state champions Dutch Fork. 

“We’re trying to establish local dominance, and our guys took a huge step toward doing that tonight,” River Bluff head coach Perry Parks said. “We’re the kings of Lexington One, and it feels good.”

It was a gritty, penalty-filled affair as both teams went cold offensively for a good chunk of the game. The Gators jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the first quarter, and neither team scored again until River Bluff expanded its lead with just over a minute to go in the third. 

That touchdown broke the seal as both teams added another touchdown each in the fourth. 

“Every possession mattered in a game like that,” Parks said. “This is one of the best rivalries in the state of South Carolina.”

River Bluff quarterback Davis Taylor completed 10-of-19 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Darius Carter and Kingston Dunn were on the receiving end of Taylor’s passes. 

Together, the pair combined for nine catches and over 100 yards. Carter led the team in receptions, and Dunn led in yards. 

Caleb Pinkney took the majority of carries, rushing for 73 yards and a touchdown on 11 runs. Bubba Alexander also made his presence felt, averaging almost six yards per carry on seven attempts. 

On Lexington’s side, quarterback Easton Crocker was 14-of-22 for 133 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He went down with a lower-body injury early in the third quarter and was carried off the field in extreme pain. 

Despite this, he came out on the team’s next drive, toughed it out with limited mobility, and completed the game for the Wildcats. 

Shannon Lytes and Victor Kaczenski led the way for the skill guys. Lytes led all rushers with 122 yards on 18 carries. Kaczenski was Crocker’s top target, catching seven passes for 85 yards and a score.  

Lexington started off well, appearing to grab momentum early after a couple of big plays moved the team inside the River Bluff 25. 

However, a fumble recovered by River Bluff turned into six points from Pinkney as the Gators wound up throwing the first blow. 

Lexington responded to the Gator touchdown with one of its own, getting to the one-yard line before Crocker punched it in. 

The Wildcats had some trouble getting through the Gators' defensive line in short-yardage situations. It took the team four tries to gain the one yard needed to score. 

River Bluff continued the trend of early explosive plays, making a few more of its own and converting multiple third downs before capping the drive with another touchdown. This time on the connection from Taylor and Carter. 

After that drive, all scoring stopped for the next 24 minutes of game time. 

The team traded sloppy drives, punts and penalties until halftime and through most of the third quarter. 

River Bluff finally got things going again just before the fourth when Taylor hit a wide-open Dunn in the corner of the end zone on the second play of the drive.  The Gators were set up with great field position, getting the ball on Lexington’s 28  after a poor Wildcat punt. 

Now trailing by two possessions heading into the final frame, Lexington began to show a sense of urgency. 

The team got aggressive in its playcalling and pulled together one more scoring drive to keep the game close. 

Lexington moved the ball down to the one after some solid running from Lytes, but penalties backed the team up and forced the Wildcats into a fourth-and-goal situation 17 yards away. 

Crocker, still visibly showing pain in his foot, took the snap and launched a pass that found the hands of Kaczenski in the end zone. After a made PAT, Lexington was again down one possession with plenty of time to go. 

River Bluff got the ball back and put together a solid drive, but more importantly, a long drive. The Gators started their drive with over seven minutes on the clock and walked off the field with just over two left. 

Unfortunately for the team, the drive ended with zero points after a 49-yard kick try missed. 

After the miss, Lexington took possession and had the chance to be in control of the outcome of the game. 

Instead, Chance Bryant picked off a Crocker pass and returned it all the way to the end zone for a defensive touchdown. 

River Bluff was now up 14, and there were only 90 seconds left in the game. 

Given more time, maybe Lexington could’ve responded to River Bluff’s defensive score, but the Wildcats had no time. 

The team tried to move the ball, even pulling Crocker to give the backup quarterback a chance to pick up yards with his legs. It just wasn’t enough, and the clock hit zero.

With the results finalized, River Bluff finished the season second in the region and Lexington in third. 

The Wildcats conclude the second year of the Stewart Young era with a 6-4 regular season record, a three-game improvement over last season. Lexington will travel to Fort Mill this Friday, aiming to get its first playoff win under Young.

River Bluff improved its 2026 regular-season record by three games as well after going 5-5 in 2025. The next test for the Gators will be going on a deeper playoff run. 

The Gators advanced to the second round last season, losing a close one at home against Stratford. 

River Bluff will host Spartanburg this Friday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.