Top Spring Football Storylines For Midlands Teams
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On May 1, soccer teams will find themselves sharing the field full time once again with its football breathen. The start of spring practice provides an early glance of what to expect in the fall. Teams will hold as many…
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Continue ReadingOn May 1, soccer teams will find themselves sharing the field full time once again with its football breathen.
The start of spring practice provides an early glance of what to expect in the fall. Teams will hold as many as 15 practices before the spring football game where fans can begin answering questions about their respective teams.
Here are some storylines to follow among Midlands teams this May:
1. Dutch Fork looks to continue dynasty
Silver Foxes head coach Tom Knotts does not believe in taking a long “break” following another championship season. Just a week after reclaiming the Class 5A title, the junior varsity and varsity players were back in the weight room working on their quest for the program’s seventh state title in eight years.
The biggest challenge will be replacing top contributors from a senior class which posted a 50-2-1 record in four seasons. This group includes some of the top 2023 players as ranked by South Carolina Prep Redzone:
- Running back Jarvis Green Jarvis Green 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Dutch Fork | 2023 State SC
- Defensive back Landon Danley Landon Danley 6'2" | 190 lbs | DB Dutch Fork | 2023 State SC
- Linebacker Chandler Perry Chandler Perry 5'9" | 200 lbs | LB Dutch Fork High | 2023 State SC
- Quarterback Aliam Appler Aliam Appler 6'4" | 205 lbs | QB Dutch Fork | 2023 State SC
The group of returning seniors include defensive back Tyler Jones Tyler Jones 6'3" | 200 lbs | DB Dutch Fork | 2024 State SC , defensive lineman Terrance Wells Terrance Wells 6'3" | 230 lbs | DL Dutch Fork | 2024 State SC and wide receiver Jacob Hamilton Jacob Hamilton 5'9" | 180 lbs | WR Dutch Fork | 2024 State SC . As seen at the recent Palmetto Combines held in April, the Silver Foxes have players ready to take up the leadership mantle. Rising juniors Elijah Sessions, defensive lineman Josh Smith and running back KJ Smith KJ Smith 5'7" | 170 lbs | ATH Dutch Fork | 2025 State SC were among the award winners at the underclassmen combine held at Woodland High School.
The one area which remains a question mark is at quarterback with only two players listed on the roster
2. New coaches with proven talent
The Midlands saw its share of coaching changes during the off-season. Lexington (Dustin Curtis), Blythewood (James Martin), Spring Valley (Nygel Pearson) and Airport (Shane Fidler) get an opportunity to put their offensive and defensive schemes in place.
Fortunately for the Wildcats and Bengals, each returns two rising senior quarterbacks. Lexington’s Taiden Mines threw for 2,240 yards and 23 touchdowns, but will look for new targets with the graduation of Jarrod Mewborn and Kamadi Maxwell Kamadi Maxwell 5'11" | 165 lbs | WR Lexington | 2023 State SC . The same is true for Blythewood’s Harrison Collins Harrison Collins 6'3" | 220 lbs | QB Blythewood | 2024 State SC who led his team to the region title last year.
3. Junior quarterbacks on display
Rising juniors Will Wilson Will Wilson 6'1" | 220 lbs | QB Richland Northeast | 2025 State SC of Richland Northeast and AJ Brand AJ Brand 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Irmo | 2025 State SC are already receiving national offers. Wilson has offers from Arkansas, Cincinnati, Duke, N.C. State, Penn State and Virginia Tech and will participate in a workout April 27 on campus before Wake Forest scouts. Fresh off winning a state title in boys basketball, Brand already has offers from Charlotte and the University of South Carolina.
Another rising junior quarterback who looks to improve his stock is White Knoll’s Landon Sharpe Landon Sharpe 5'11" | 180 lbs | QB White Knoll | 2025 State SC . He threw for 2,208 yards and 25 touchdowns last season in leading White Knoll to a 7-4 record, which including a school-record 6-0 start. In the same region, River Bluff’s Parker Murray Parker Murray 6'1" | 185 lbs | QB River Bluff | 2025 State SC threw for 1,178 yards and 14 touchdowns last season in leading the Gators back to the post-season.
4. Ridge View motivated after abrupt end to season
The Blazers appeared headed to a Region 4-4A title and possible long playoff run. Instead, a ruling by the S.C. High School League resulting in the forfeiture of eight wins and exclusion from the post-season crushed those hopes.
The pain of missing the playoffs have been replaced by a deep hunger to take care of unfinished business in 2023. This is especially true for the returning seniors, including quarterback Breylon Boyd Breylon Boyd 6'0" | 205 lbs | QB Ridge View | 2024 State SC , tight end Kenneth Boyd and linebacker Myles Brown.
“I think our kids are excited about having the opportunity to start back again playing the game that they love,” head coach Derek Howard said. “But, we’re extremely patient. Half the team is participating in spring sports, be it soccer or baseball or track. So, we’re going to allow those young men to finish their season on a high note and whenever we get them, we’ll get them as we make our move into spring ball.”
5. Running backs to watch
The Midlands produced some of the leading rushers in Markel Townsend Markel Townsend 5'8" | 170 lbs | RB AC Flora | 2023 State SC (A.C. Flora), Jonah Norris (Lexington), Cooper Johns Cooper Johns 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB River Bluff | 2023 State SC (River Bluff) and Jaden Allen-Hendrix Jaden Allen-Hendrix 6'2" | 230 lbs | RB Irmo | 2024 State SC and Alias Graham-Woodberry Alias Graham-Woodberry 5'9" | 165 lbs | RB Gilbert | 2023 State SC (both of Gilbert). This year, only Allen-Hendrix returns and he’s expected to provide an even more explosive dimension at Irmo. The Falcons’ backfield is one to watch with Noah Kelson, who rushed for 351 yards in the first four games before suffering a season-ending fractured thumb, and Aiden Mosley Aiden Mosley 5'11" | 175 lbs | RB AC Flora | 2025 State SC .
While Allen-Hendrix is out of Region 5-3A, De’Shaun Washington of Brookland-Cayce makes his return. He was part of a potent Bearcats’ rushing attack which returns three seniors on the offensive line. There’s also Lower Richland’s Lamarion Pearson Lamarion Pearson 5'8" | 170 lbs | RB Lower Richland | 2024 State SC , who had six 100-yard games in 2022.
Gray Collegiate Academy also has a potential 1,000-yard backfield with the due of B.J. Montgomery and Caleb Ford Caleb Ford 5'10" | 215 lbs | RB Cardinal Newman | 2025 State SC . They both rushed for over 700 yards and combined for 16 touchdowns and will be leaned upon as the War Eagles look for a starter to replace quarterback Riley Staton Riley Staton 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Gaffney | 2024 State SC (now at Greenville).
6. Midlands’ Linemen to Watch:
Airport – Dylan Barbrey Dylan Barbrey 6'6" | 270 lbs | OL Airport | 2024 State SC
Blythewood – Edward Robinson Edward Robinson 6'0" | 230 lbs | DL Blythewood | 2024 State SC
Brookland-Cayce – Kamden Sox Kamden Sox 6'4" | 290 lbs | OL Brookland-Cayce | 2024 State SC
Chapin – Hayden Burriss Hayden Burriss 6'3" | 220 lbs | DL Chapin | 2024 State SC
Gilbert – Kelvin Blackwell and Caleb Strese Caleb Strese 6'3" | 210 lbs | DL Gilbert | 2024 State SC
Irmo – Elijah Williams Elijah Williams 6'5" | 270 lbs | OL Irmo | 2024 State SC
Lexington – Montrell Byrd Montrell Byrd 6'1" | 185 lbs | LB Lexington | 2024 State SC
Lower Richland – Dakarai Sumter Dakarai Sumter 6'8" | 320 lbs | OL Lower Richland | 2024 State SC
River Bluff – Kaleb Long