Grand Strand/Pee Dee Spring Ball Storylines To Watch This May

With spring football launching next week, the Grand Strand and Pee Dee is chock full of storylines that we can't even begin to answer during offseason conditioning and even combines.   After a short acclimation period, though, the pads will go on, and we'll start getting clarity.   These storylines from the northeastern zone of South Carolina won't be mysteries for long.   IS MYRTLE BEACH READY TO BE A DEFENSE-FIRST TEAM?   Everyone who shows up to Myrtle Beach's spring practices or events better re-wire their brains. Because while the normally high-scoring Seahawks are loaded with experience this year, it's on the other side of the ball.   With respects to 1,500-yard tailback [player_tooltip player_id='402500' first='Malachi' last='Washington'], we're days away from seeing just how much firepower Myrtle Beach's defense possesses. The foundation is there.   In total, eight players with significant starts and playing time the last two seasons will be back in uniform. The list includes Derrell Holmes, [player_tooltip player_id='605530' first='Israel' last='Brown'], Shammond Sutton, [player_tooltip player_id='267459' first='Ricky' last='Escobar'] (who recently returned to full strength after a torn ACL), [player_tooltip player_id='395980' first='Ashton' last='Keith'], [player_tooltip player_id='1267229' first='Antonio' last='Brown'], Trace Bowers and Patrick St. John.    Tack on [player_tooltip player_id='771219' first='Elijah' last='Williams'] and Auntay Campbell, who all saw extensive time in the last three games of the year, and Myrtle Beach won't be need to drop 50 points a game to pick up a bunch of wins.    IS THERE ANOTHER LANORRIS?   Right about this time last year, we started seeing the writing on the wall. [player_tooltip player_id='146356' first='LaNorris' last='Sellers'] had gone from a promising South Florence quarterback overcoming an injury to one who was about to set the state's football scene on fire.    Is there a quarterback in this neck of the woods ready to do the same? It's highly doubtful, given that even many of the good ones don't have the pieces around them that Sellers did.    However, any number of players at several positions are primed to really make some headway in their own right, and, like Sellers, it will have to continue with a strong showing in May.   Wilson's [player_tooltip player_id='139297' first='Jyron' last='Waiters'] will be stepping out of the shadow of fellow receiver [player_tooltip player_id='336114' first='Zandae' last='Butler'] while getting a bigger workload in the Tigers' offense. West Florence linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='443495' first='Franklin' last='Emerson'] is back after a season-ending injury and will contend for the area's lead in tackles. And, if Conway is going to get back to a stage of relevance, it will most like be spurred by [player_tooltip player_id='208332' first='Devin' last='Grainger'], the second-ranked quarterback in the class.   THE REST OF REGION V-5A VS. SUMTER   As long as the Grand Strand's four Class 5A teams are paired up in a region with Sumter, everything they do is about seeing if they can do enough in the offseason to get through the Gamecocks come fall.   Don't believe us?   Over the course of the last 10 seasons, Sumter is 29-1 against Carolina Forest, Conway, Socastee and St. James, the other four squads in Region V-5A. (The lone Sumter loss was against Conway in 2017.)   We're not exactly sure if any of those teams have the pieces to do so in 2023, but the building blocks are certainly there. Socastee has a healthy quarterback in [player_tooltip player_id='139313' first='Rocco' last='Wojcik'], a dynamic receiver in [player_tooltip player_id='771237' first='Quadir' last='Scott'] and a tailback with loads of potential in [player_tooltip player_id='340389' first='Caden' last='O'Keefe'].   St. James signal caller [player_tooltip player_id='91513' first='Connor' last='Schwalm'], Ja'Saan Faulkner and Kiondre Haynes are all back for another season in Murrells Inlet. Conway has a new head coach in Josh Pierce but has one of the best quarterbacks in the state in Grainger.   Carolina Forest has traditionally had the best offensive line of those squads, and the Panthers will use the next few weeks to continue to develop that group around tackle Phil McLean. Considering this team also just lost a record-setting QB in [player_tooltip player_id='202739' first='Scott' last='Saylor'], a running game centered [player_tooltip player_id='272722' first='Zion' last='Gilbert'] and [player_tooltip player_id='267465' first='Kalil' last='Johnson'] will be even more important.   NEW FACES, OLD FACES   Two schools in the area put familiar faces in charge with Georgetown re-hiring all-time wins leader Bradley Adams Patrick Martin getting promoted at Green Sea Floyds.   However, while both of those might be a bit chaotic to start, three schools in the Grand Strand and Pee Dee who hired new coaches could make a splash right away.   Lamar (Stephen Burris) will bring back a pair of receivers in Travion McPhail and [player_tooltip player_id='997292' first='Tavis' last='Dolford'] and tight end Keaton Braddock, all of whom should get plenty of work in Burris' offense, while 2025 offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='762756' first='Kendall' last='Walton'] is ready to start making some waves in the recruiting circle.    Hannah-Pamplico (Trey Woodberry) will try to follow in Jamie Johnson's footsteps by getting the most out of all-state tailback [player_tooltip player_id='464882' first='Jamarcus' last='Williams'], who as a sophomore pumped out 2,006 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.   And longtime doormat Darlington has not only a proven winner in Jamie Johnson (hired away from Hannah-Pamplico) but some quality players in tailback [player_tooltip player_id='595712' first='Jamari' last='Wineglass'] (pictured), receivers Markis Wells and Maquavis Becote and quarterback Keenan Dubose ready to get some positive results under new leadership.

With spring football launching next week, the Grand Strand and Pee Dee is chock full of storylines that we can't even begin to answer during offseason conditioning and even combines.