Realignment Breakdown: Who’s New In Region II-5A

Photo: Prep Redzone

Jed Blackwell March 18, 2022 @ 10:25 AM

Every two years, the process by which South Carolina schools are divided for athletic competition is sometimes seen as a dirty word. Realignment. In the 2022-2023 school year, the SCHSL’s most recent realignment will go into effect, and will impact almost every region in the Upstate in one way or another. Over the next several days, we’re going to take a look at which regions will see the most movement and player impact as a result of realignment. We’re starting at the very top, with Region II-5A. This region is the basic skeleton of the old powerhouse Region II-4A, which dominated the state’s biggest classification for 30 years. Two longtime region teams are back this season, as Gaffney and Boiling Springs move back in to join Byrnes, Dorman, and Spartanburg. What do the newcomers bring? Well, for starters, Gaffney is the defending, undefeated Class 5A champion, having ended Dutch Fork’s unbeaten streak (and streak of state titles) last December. The Indians lost the vast bulk of their rushing attack to graduation, but have plenty of offensive firepower returning. Duke commit [player_tooltip player_id="89340" first="Grayson" last="Loftis"] is first on the list, after putting up more than 2,100 yards and 21 touchdowns a year ago. He’s joined on that side of the ball by receiver DeShun Corry and athlete Edward Jeffries, both of whom are explosive offensive weapons. Defensively, the Indians are loaded. [player_tooltip player_id="268582" first="Brayshawn" last="Littlejohn"] brings back 87 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks. Defensive end Nathan Johnson is a massive presence at 6-6, rising junior Clay Putman played well beyond his years at DL, and Kaliber Hoey was responsible for 48 stops and a team-high four interceptions as a junior. Boiling Springs will come back to the region with a new coach in Matt Reel, formerly at North Myrtle Beach. The Bulldogs will look to bounce back from a tough year, and they've got some nice pieces to build around. Kam Williams and Carmelo Martin are both strong all-purpose backs. Williams had 149 carries for 743 yards and 5 TDs, topping 200 yards in two separate games. He added 21 catches for 185 yards. Martin, meanwhile, had 568 yards and 9 TDs on just 67 carries, averaging 8.5 yards a pop. He added 8 catches for 121 yards and another score. Both are rising seniors, and will be counted on to contribute heavily for Boiling Springs. Defensively, DE Calvin Jackson was a bright spot in his sophomore year, notching 29 tackles and 11 tackles for loss in 10 games. Safety/LB Luke Compton was also a leader defensively, with 32 tackles.