It’s fitting that D.W. Daniel and Abbeville are the only teams around our area still standing because they have so much in common.

Not many are surprised that they won their respective regions, haven’t been tested since September, and heck, they’re even led by junior stars mature beyond their years.

They’re coached by laid back, easy going guys who are more prone to show their dimples, than make a short cut in preparation, or rub anyone the wrong way. Except the other team for 48 minutes each week. Coincidentally, they’re both long-time defensive coordinators who took over five years ago or less for state title-winning coaching legends.

They each have long home winning streaks (Daniel’s is 15 games, Abbeville’s 14), have overpowering units (Daniel’s scoring defense, Abbeville’s rushing offense), and are trying to overcome last year’s third-round disappointments.

Daniel’s charged with beating an upstart Lugoff-Elgin team that finished third in its region, but has won two road games — including at Greer, a popular pick to at least reach Death Valley — to arrive in the third round brimming with confidence.

“They’ve already beat two good teams away, at their home field,” Daniel senior linebacker Wynton Botchway said. “So they might not have a lot of talent, but they have a lot of heart, a lot of willpower to go out there and win,”

Lugoff-Elgin, though, with its huge offensive line, will try to follow up on its 49- and 43-point efforts so far in the playoffs against Daniel’s stingy D.

The Lions, who made their name with interceptions (29 last year, 22 so far this season), have turn on the heat lately on the defensive front with 25 sacks on the season.

While Lugoff can run the spread offense and produce big plays, this game will be won or lost by how Daniel handles the biggest offensive line it’s faced all season.

Coach Randy Robinson said his front seven would need textbook technique.

“People stand up, and they’re just rolling them out of there,” Robinson said.

Abbeville, meanwhile, is figuring out a way to beat Woodruff without needing two fake punts like it did in Week 3.

Now that the transition is complete from Toquavius Gilchrist to Dureal Elmore and Jermaine Thackson, the Panthers’ leadership could be tested the same way it was last week.

Abbeville’s needed big third-quarter plays two straight weeks to come from behind against Chesnee and Mid-Carolina. It was Elmore running behind right guard D’Aaron Morton, the most experienced lineman, who grabbed the momentum from Mid-Carolina.

“You get down the other night like we did, a lot of football teams crumble in that situation,” Abbeville coach Jamie Nickles said. “I told our kids, ‘That was our finest moment of the season, not necessarily that we were playing good football, but we stuck together and found a way to win.’”

With Daniel and Abbeville both getting a second straight chance to play for the Upper State championship, do they have any more finest moments in them for this season?