2023 Season Preview: Bluffton Bobcats

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hayden Gregory couldn't have asked for a much better first season at his new home in Bluffton. But the Georgia product has even bigger goals on the horizon for year two. After guiding the Bobcats to a playoff win in 2022, Gregory's group will look to build on it with some intriguing new talent and veteran depth alike.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2022 Results (5-7, 2-3) Lost SCHSL 4A Second Round</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Postseason</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>11/4 (First Round) at Westwood (W, 49-20)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>11/9 (Second Round) at South Florence (L, 50-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208337' first='Jeremiah' last='Curry'], LB, 2024 - </strong>One of the most talented linebackers in the state, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208337' first='Jeremiah' last='Curry'] </strong>brings a strong physical style of play to match his relentless energy. His quick first step and superior tackling skills should make him a force in his final year at Bluffton. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Shane Whittaker, DE, 2024 - </strong>A breakout star last year on the line, <strong>Shane Whittaker</strong> was a force in powering his way to the backfield to make clutch stops. He led the Bobcats with 12 tackles for loss in 2022 and should be hard to contain again with his excellent power and quickness at the snap.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402486' first='Carnell' last='Warren'], ATH, 2026 - </strong>A new addition to Gregory's group, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402486' first='Carnell' last='Warren']</strong> will be expected to fill in several roles as both a reliable corner and a key target in the passing game. The rising sophomore showed out in spring and summer ball with excellent agility and hands. He's got the athleticism to step right in and fill a few important holes on both sides.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='790404' first='Owen' last='Bayes'], QB, 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A former Hilton Head Island quarterback-turned Bobcat, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='790404' first='Owen' last='Bayes']</strong> will give Bluffton lots of versatility to the position this season. After losing Max Vonhohenstraten to graduation, the Bobcats will have some options at signal-caller with Bayes and fellow rising senior <strong>Trace Hilaman</strong>. Bayes should occupy a strong role thanks to his terrific playmaking with his legs. The Raleigh native is quick, agile, and can make defenders miss with his elusiveness in and out of the pocket. When given time, he's got the potential to make some quality throws downfield. Bayes has already developed some chemistry with Warren which could be a lethal combination this fall. He's found a great fit under Hayden Gregory and will have a chance to prove himself as the spark to a new-look Bobcat offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image --> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img alt="" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14679793/635083eb0c539b08606250fd' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003ernrnrnrnrnrn","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64af085a7f214"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BIGGEST LOSSES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaylin Linder, WR- </strong>After struggling to find consistency in his junior year, Linder turned in a marvelous final season as a speedy and explosive wideout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>JaQuinn Williams, LB</strong>- The other half of what was a tremendous linebacking duo with Curry, Williams finished up his high school career in dominant form with a team-high 134 tackles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1639730' first='Chris' last='Doyle'], DT, 2026 -</strong> A hard worker in the weight room and on the field, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1639730' first='Chris' last='Doyle']</strong> has looked great on the defensive line early on. His strength and effort have been noticeable and will give Gregory's squad a leg up in the trenches this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jayden Jefferies, WR/DB, 2025 - Jayden Jefferies</strong> may be just 5-foot-9, but he's shown some exceptional athleticism so far in his Bobcat career. He has the speed to keep up with his matchups downfield and combines it with his excellent arm reach to make plays on the football.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sebastian Tollefson RB/DB, 2025</strong> - Another intriguing young speedster on Bluffton's roster, <strong>Sebastian Tollefson</strong> is a lightning-quick player with great pursuit on defense. He's got a strong knowledge of defensive mechanics and is especially strong in flying to the football and quickly breaking up pass plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->