2023 Spring Football Lowcountry Storylines

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The success we see on Friday nights in the fall is built in the spring. And this week, a pivotal stretch of practice and work is on tap for the Lowcountry's brightest stars. With a team preparing to defend a state championship amongst other squads looking to break through for a memorable year of their own, the storylines this spring are plentiful throughout the Lowco. Let's run through a few before a busy week of spring ball commences on Monday.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Can the Beaufort Eagles run it back?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bryce Lybrand's Eagles reached the top of the mountain in an unforgettable 2022 season culminating in the program's first state championship in over 70 years. But the challenge of defending that title will be quite a tough task. With the loss of stud running back duo <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='336146' first='Kacy' last='Fields']</strong> and versatile Swiss Army knife <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='336140' first='Colton' last='Phares']</strong>, the Eagles will have to rely on the passing game a little bit more this time. It will be up to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1254143' first='Samari' last='Bonds']</strong> to improve on the crisp throwing mechanics we saw at points last year alongside the power and swiftness of rising senior <strong>Caleb Ulmer </strong>who should have a workhorse-like role next year. <strong>Will Codding </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='997373' first='Dom' last='Camacho'] </strong>could be names to watch out for on a defense that will lose a lot in the secondary. Expect some growing pains early for the Eagles next year, but we could see a team in the end that will fight and claw to make some more postseason magic.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Can John Paul II quarterback Christian Tilton rise to a new level next year?&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What's in store next for the sensational John Paul II rising senior? <strong>Christian Tilton</strong>'s eye-popping athleticism at quarterback led one of the most underrated offenses in SCISA 3A last year, and he'll be back under the direction of a new head coach. Shayne Milligan will look to use his offensive prowess from over in North Carolina to further enhance Tilton's production. If he can take another step forward with his arm and if Milligan can insert new reads or looks on top of the senior's lethal rushing attack, this John Paul II offense could be a handle to stop in 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What will the May River Sharks look like under their new head coach?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After building the program from the ground up starting in 2016, longtime head coach Rodney Summers has moved on from the Sharks. He's turned the reins over to Richard Bonneville, who has been with the program as an offensive coordinator. The Sharks will have to build up more depth at linebacker and corner with the losses of the reliable <strong>Darrion Perry</strong> and <strong>Thomas Raisch</strong>. Bruising power runner <strong>Jaiden Jones</strong> is gone, making the job even more important for returning offensive linemen <strong>William Bonneville</strong> and <strong>Beau Gwynn</strong>. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360121' first='Tanner' last='Macy'] </strong>wasn't tasked with throwing the football much last year, but he's a solid game manager who has quick feet and strong recognition skills in the pocket. Spring ball will be a big opportunity for some younger players to prove themselves on a team with lots of room to grow.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who will shine for Hampton County in year one?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was the end of an era this past year over in Hampton County, and this fall will usher in a dawn of a new one. After strong seasons in 2022 from both Estill and Wade Hampton, the two schools will join forces this fall to become the Hampton County Hurricanes. And we expect several of last year's' stars on both squads to shine in this new setting. With the one-two punch of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='239076' first='Zion' last='Dobson']</strong> and <strong>Jamil Bobean </strong>expected to anchor the backfield alongside the excellent blocking of&nbsp; <strong>De'Montay Mathis</strong>, we could see some big things from the ‘Canes offense this spring. Explosive linebacker <strong>Mandrell Sanders</strong> and beastly defensive end <strong>Kavon Chisholm</strong> highlight what could be a star-studded front.&nbsp; We can't wait to follow the start of a new program with some big-time potential.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What will we see from the star-studded [player_tooltip player_id='448980' first='Shaikh' last='Thompson'] this year?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a breakout junior season in 2022, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448980' first='Shaikh' last='Thompson']</strong> is unequivocally one of the Lowcountry's stars to watch this fall. A powerful presence on BJ Payne's defensive line, Thompson's strength and footwork were especially noticeable this past year in a brilliant campaign. He then backed it up with a ridiculously impressive performance in this past month's Palmetto Combine series, taking home an MVP award. His athleticism should only improve heading into a senior year where he could turn a lot of heads and continue a tradition of star defensive players coming out of the island.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What can Hayden Gregory do for an encore in year two with Bluffton?</strong><br>It was a tremendous first season for Bluffton coach Hayden Gregory, who guided the Bobcats to a first-round victory in the SCHSL 4A postseason. Gregory will return star linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208337' first='Jeremiah' last='Curry'] </strong>for his senior season but will lose some dynamic playmakers at the skill positions in <strong>Jaylin Linder </strong>and Camauri Simmons. The Bobcats could have several opinions to turn to at quarterback, including <strong>Trace Hilaman </strong>who rallied the Bobcats to a rivalry win on the road last year. They'll also have to replace offensive line anchor <strong>Robby Fletcher</strong> who was important in letting routes develop. The offense may take a slight downgrade, but the defense will return some grit and speed with the return of <strong>Shane Whittaker </strong>on the line and <strong>Donavan Loving-Howard </strong>in the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->