2024 Rankings Update: GSPD Teams Most Reliant Upon Stars

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not so coincidentally, the timing our of Class of 2024 rankings update was set to line up with the end of non-region play and beginning of the most influential portion of the regular season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We knew we wanted more information, and we felt like we have it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also not so coincidentally, we also have a better feel for what teams need their ranked stars to be just that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stars.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To compete for a region title. To earn solid playoff positioning. To make a run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From now throughout the final horn of the year, these seven teams will be looking at their multiple ranked players in the class to carry their weight and then some. If they do, a late-season push could be in the works.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CAROLINA FOREST PANTHERS</strong> (Record: 3-2)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers played a stout non-region schedule; call it trial by fire for the majority of this roster. However, three experienced seniors were largely responsible for coming out of it with a winning record. Cornerback [player_tooltip player_id='771040' first='Jamauri' last='Davis'] has yet to pick off a pass, but that's mostly because nobody is usually risky enough to throw it his direction. He does have 16 tackles, proving he can be effective in other ways. For left tackle [player_tooltip player_id='997135' first='Phillip' last='McLean'], the 6-foot-4, 295-pounder is doing exactly what he knows best - blowing up defensive linemen. The Panthers have rushed for 1,853 yards in five games, with the majority of those coming off the left side. Not surprisingly, [player_tooltip player_id='267465' first='Kalil' last='Johnson'] is making his bounce back season truly count. After a rough junior year, he's up to 820 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>HARTSVILLE RED FOXES</strong> (Record: 4-1)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Jeff Calabrese's team has clearly made some progress on what was a porous defense a year ago, the story with this squad is again its offense. And three seniors are the biggest reasons. Center [player_tooltip player_id='208333' first='Slayton' last='Stokes'] is considered by most to be the best at his position in the state, regardless of class. He's heading to the Shrine Bowl as an obvious selection and is seemingly destined for a high-quality college spot this time next year. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='208339' first='Carmello' last='McDaniel'] is up to his old tricks, having rushed for 729 yards and 13 touchdowns already while running up on 4,000 career rushing yards and 60 career rushing touchdowns. Then, there's quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='208342' first='McKendrie' last='Douglas'], who despite missing five of the team's first 20 quarters to a minor injury has put up six total touchdowns and nearly 600 combined passing/rushing yards while serving almost as a back-up option to date with his arm.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>JOHNSONVILLE FLASHES</strong> (Record 3-2)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach Ken Cribb's team took a couple non-region games on the chin, including a blowout loss to Latta and a season-opening defeat to North Central. But here's the good news for the Flashes: This team now has four extremely winnable games to get everything in sync, sow up a No. 1 seed for the playoffs and then let its senior stars go to work to try to reach the state championship again. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='997242' first='Malik' last='Shippy'] (477 passing yards, 122 rushing yards through four games, pictured) put up nine combined touchdowns in that span while limiting big-ticket mistakes to a pair of picks. Tailback [player_tooltip player_id='997329' first='Neal' last='Martin'] has shown some breakaway potential in rushing for two 70-plus yard touchdowns in the the opening half of the season while averaging better than 10 yards per carry and eclipsing the 500-yard rushing mark. Defensively, he can be a force at linebacker and should have a strong region run. The same goes for [player_tooltip player_id='996857' first='Travis' last='Wilson'], who added more of a receiving role in conjunction with his job at defensive end. Any of those three can take over a game, and it's why Johnsonville is the favorite to win Region V-A again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SOUTH FLORENCE BRUINS</strong> (Record: 5-0)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yes, South Florence is the defending state champions - ergo, we had extra time to see its 2024 kids last fall. Honestly, all of the Bruins looks pretty stout during that run last year. However, five of the returning seniors and a transfer are making this team's nucleus look strong again. Offensive guard [player_tooltip player_id='589058' first='Justin' last='Joe'] is starting to take on the look for a potentially dominant interior linemen. From there, the five defensive players are a laundry list of impact. Safety [player_tooltip player_id='208353' first='Quincy' last='Rhodes'] already has three interceptions this season. Hybryd linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='996915' first='Dirrick' last='Goodman'] is already at 34 total tackles and a couple tackles for loss. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='652832' first='Noah' last='Moore'] has 38 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. And transfer linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='771242' first='Brian' last='Brownlee'] needed some extra time to get cleared but is starting to work his way up the playing time chart. (Note: Defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='208354' first='Chantwan' last='Harkless'] had four sacks, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a defensive touchdown before being lost for the year.) There's no reason this team couldn't make another run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>OTHERS TO WATCH</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LATTA VIKINGS</strong> (Record: 6-0)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ranked Players: [player_tooltip player_id='448981' first='Kartrell' last='Townsend'] ATH; [player_tooltip player_id='996926' first='Jamarion' last='Jones'] RB</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MARION SWAMP FOXES</strong> (Record 5-1)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ranked Players: [player_tooltip player_id='771088' first='Quay'Sheed' last='Scott'] ATH; [player_tooltip player_id='295367' first='Gabe' last='Cusack'] QB</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MYRTLE BEACH SEAHAWKS</strong> (Record: 4-1)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ranked Players: [player_tooltip player_id='402500' first='Malachi' last='Washington'] RB; [player_tooltip player_id='208344' first='Brady' last='Pickett'] OL; [player_tooltip player_id='267459' first='Ricky' last='Escobar'] LB</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>WEST FLORENCE KNIGHTS</strong> (Record: 3-2)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ranked Players: [player_tooltip player_id='208334' first='Kelvin' last='Hunter'] DB/RB; [player_tooltip player_id='443495' first='Franklin' last='Emerson'] LB/QB</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->