Team Report: Socastee Braves
While Socastee missed out on the playoffs in Ben Hampton’s first season at the helm, the Braves were among the heaviest risers in the Pee Dee. The Ctrend developed early behind a number of players who got on the field…
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Continue ReadingWhile Socastee missed out on the playoffs in Ben Hampton’s first season at the helm, the Braves were among the heaviest risers in the Pee Dee.
The Ctrend developed early behind a number of players who got on the field early.
The Braves went 4-2, finished third in Region VI-5A (a spot that would have led to a playoff berth during a normal year) and put together their first winning season since 2015. It was long awaited, but we see no reason to believe another drought is coming.
A six-pack of rising seniors will all be influential in the quest to stay on the right side of the won-loss tally. Linebacker Luke Bozard (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) plays the old-school football player role very well, jumping in from time to time on offense at running back. Four lanky outside guys, Wesley Eason (6-foot-3, 200 pounds), Raymond Christian (6-foot-2, 190 pounds), John Douglas (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) and Israel Lewis (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) all catch passes, defend against them or both.
Receiver Javon Cola (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) isn’t quite as big, but he led the Braves in receptions and yards for a portion of last season; he missed the last game and a half with a minor injury. He has been pin-pointed early due to his ability to catch the ball in traffic and then let his vision get the extra yards, so the combination of him and Christian, specifically, gives whomever earns the quarterback job two very reliable targets next fall.
That last part is something Hampton wants to have sorted out soon.
In 2020, then-freshman Rocco Wojcik (5-foot-10, 155 pounds) came on and took some of the snaps away from original starter Jake Marlow (6-foot-3, 195 pounds). Those two and former JV starter Steven Greene (6-foot, 150 pounds) each bring different strengths to the table, and whomever wins the offseason competition will have some other pieces ready to go.