Spring Report: North Myrtle Beach Chiefs

LITTLE RIVER | Even though North Myrtle Beach went 2-9 last year, and even though the Chiefs' defense had a stretch of five straight losses in which they allowed at least 41 points to be scored against them, all eyes this spring are on one thing.   North Myrtle Beach's offense.   If Greg Hill's team is going to get back to the winning ways it experienced while Hill was the team's defensive coordinator prior to his promotion, it's pretty clear that side of the ball is Priority No. 1. Because for as much as starting linebackers Sloan McIntyre and Trenton Fredricks and linemen [player_tooltip player_id='809755' first='DJ' last='Gause'], TJ Stanley and Isiah Black should be able to produce, North Myrtle Beach is on a mission to score some points in 2023.   It was the only team in Region VI-4A to not drop at least 350 or more points during the 2022 season. In fact, the Chiefs managed only 158. That 14.4 points per game prevented this squad from even being competitive most of the way.   That's the bad news.   The good news is that there are a collective of pieces in Little River to right the ship.   OFFENSIVE LINE   North Myrtle Beach is probably never going to be considered among the ranks of the top-flight high school offensive lines. But what the Chiefs do have is arguably the best combination of size and athleticism at the positions in school history, save for maybe the 2020 Class 4A runner up crew.   Projected starting tackles Tyler Dohring (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='1360115' first='Sawyer' last='Averitt'] (6-foot-4, 250), guards [player_tooltip player_id='459924' first='JacQari' last='Witherspoon'] (6-foot-3, 280) and Jared Heyman (6-foot, 225) - a recently transfer from out-of-state - and center Koleton Turner (5-foot-10, 240) are able to move well and provide a solid pocket.   Top backups [player_tooltip player_id='1147205' first='Dylan' last='Wilt'] (6-foot-6, 300) and Matt Murphy (6-foot-5, 260) are both still in the mix to move into the starting lineup before August 18 opener (at Socastee). If that doesn't happen, the Chiefs have two first-string-capable players ready to give others a breather. That part is important, as the offensive line was riddled with depth issues last fall.   None of that even mentions tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1157957' first='Brown' last='Reaves'], a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder who loves to block more than he seeks to catch the ball up the seam, something he'll also do from time to time.   QUARTERBACK   Last year, Chance Hall was a large component of holding things together for a Chiefs' squad that was obviously going to take a step back during its youth movement. The then-senior threw for just shy of 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns, but, more importantly, he got a whole bunch of younger players to learn how to engage.   One of those such faces was that of [player_tooltip player_id='985097' first='Landon' last='Cloninger'] (pictured).   As a sophomore, Cloninger finished second on the team in receiving yards (400) while catching a team-best 38 passes. Once the season ended, Cloninger went back to his natural position, quarterback.    The Chiefs' new starter is 5-foot-11, some three inches shorter than Hall. He also doesn't have Hall's overall arm strength. But there's no denying that he's a more polished passer, in the words of his coaching staff, and able to get the ball where it needs to be when it needs to get there.   Confidence in the passing game isn't a one-way street, though.   WIDE RECEIVERS   In addition to Reaves, who will be the biggest body catching passes for the Chiefs, a slew of players on the outside will provide solid targets during this week's spring game right on through the summer and into the 2023 season.   The clear-cut No. 1 is [player_tooltip player_id='929482' first='Kaden' last='Gore'], an anomaly of size and production. Standing just 5-foot-7 and in the 140-pound range, Gore uses his cutting ability more than straight-line speed. It's why he led the 2022 patchwork offense with 422 receiving yards.   Andrew Kreider (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) was absent from spring practice during our visit, thanks to a broken collarbone suffering during some off-site conditioning. However, he's expected back before the end of 7-on-7 season and is a likely starter. Rising junior Anderson White trends more toward the Gore size chart at 5-foot-7 and 140 pounds. But he's pound-for-pound one of the strongest players in the Chiefs' program and showed some good footwork getting of the line and into position.   Rising junior Syncere Jefferson (6-foot-2, 160 pounds) might end up being the burner of the bunch, and coupled with his height, he is a likely candidate for jump-ball plays in the end zone.    TAILBACKS   This is where things start to make even more sense.   Behind that offensive line, North Myrtle Beach has three different players who are going to get looks galore in a scheme that has rarely relied upon just one tailback to make the system click.   Nasir Turner, the 6-foot, 230-pound frontrunner to be the starter, is entering his senior season but hasn't played organized football since middle school. When he initially came back out, the staff figured he'd be a linebacker before essentially taking a flyer on him on the other side of the ball. In two weeks, Turner proved that he wasn't just some bruiser relying upon his size. He catches balls out of the backfield and was nearly impossible to bring down in space.    Right behind him is Evans Bellamy, who while playing as a 5-foot-4, 120-pound sophomore was third on the team in rushing yards and even notched a 40-yard scamper.   Stephen Green (5-foot-11, 165 pounds) will be moving up from the JV ranks, and, like Turner, has a distinct ability to catch the ball, either as a safety valve or in behind-the-line pass calls.

LITTLE RIVER | Even though North Myrtle Beach went 2-9 last year, and even though the Chiefs' defense had a stretch of five straight losses in which they allowed at least 41 points to be scored against them, all eyes this spring are on one thing.