Grand Strand/Pee Dee Spring Ball Storylines To Watch This May
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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…
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Continue ReadingWith 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 Malachi Washington Malachi Washington 6'2" | 185 lbs | DL SC , 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, Israel Brown Israel Brown 5'11" | 165 lbs | DB Myrtle Beach | 2025 State SC , Shammond Sutton, Ricky Escobar Ricky Escobar 5'10" | 200 lbs | LB Myrtle Beach | 2024 State SC (who recently returned to full strength after a torn ACL), Ashton Keith Ashton Keith 5'10" | 215 lbs | LB Myrtle Beach | 2025 State SC , Antonio Brown, Trace Bowers and Patrick St. John.
Tack on Elijah Williams Elijah Williams 6'5" | 270 lbs | OL Irmo | 2024 State SC 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. LaNorris Sellers LaNorris Sellers 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB South Florence | 2023 State SC 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 Jyron Waiters Jyron Waiters 5'11" | 180 lbs | WR Wilson | 2024 State SC will be stepping out of the shadow of fellow receiver Zandae Butler Zandae Butler 6'1" | 195 lbs | WR Wilson | 2023 State SC while getting a bigger workload in the Tigers’ offense. West Florence linebacker Franklin Emerson Franklin Emerson 6'0" | 220 lbs | ATH West Florence | 2024 State SC 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 Devin Grainger Devin Grainger 6'1" | 170 lbs | QB Conway | 2024 State SC , 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 Rocco Wojcik Rocco Wojcik 5'11" | 165 lbs | QB Socastee | 2024 State SC , a dynamic receiver in Quadir Scott Quadir Scott 6'1" | 170 lbs | ATH Socastee | 2024 State SC and a tailback with loads of potential in Caden O’Keefe Caden O’Keefe 5'7" | 170 lbs | RB Socastee | 2024 State SC .
St. James signal caller Connor Schwalm Connor Schwalm 5'11" | 205 lbs | QB St. James | 2024 State SC , 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 Scott Saylor Scott Saylor 6'1" | 200 lbs | QB Carolina Forest | 2023 State SC , a running game centered Zion Gilbert Zion Gilbert 6'0" | 195 lbs | RB South Florence | 2025 State SC and Kalil Johnson Kalil Johnson 5'7" | 160 lbs | RB Carolina Forest | 2024 State SC 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 Tavis Dolford Tavis Dolford 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Lamar | 2024 State SC and tight end Keaton Braddock, all of whom should get plenty of work in Burris’ offense, while 2025 offensive lineman Kendall Walton Kendall Walton 6'5" | 290 lbs | OL Lamar | 2025 State SC 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 Jamarcus Williams Jamarcus Williams 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Hannah-Pamplico | 2025 State SC , 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 Jamari Wineglass Jamari Wineglass 5'9" Darlington | 2024 SC (pictured), receivers Markis Wells and Maquavis Becote and quarterback Keenan Dubose ready to get some positive results under new leadership.