High School Blitz Senior Showcase Preview of West Team

CAYCE - The All-Star “bowl season” for senior football players in South Carolina concludes Saturday at Brookland-Cayce.   High School Blitz will hold its fifth annual Senior Showcase Bowl Game starting at noon. It's an opportunity for those seniors overlooked for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Alll-Star Bowl and the Shrine Bowl a final opportunity to impress potential college scouts.   There will be two rosters for the East and West with 47 players each. In previewing the Senior Showcase Bowl, Prep Redzone South Carolina will point out 20 Players to Watch from each team.   Let's start with the senior West team led by Conway head coach Scoot Watson of JL Mann:   [player_tooltip player_id='119009' first='Riley' last='Staton'], QB Gaffney   After starting his varsity career at Gray Collegiate, winning a state title as a sophomore, Staton finished his prep career with the Indians. He threw for over 3,300 yards and 28 touchdowns in his lone season. A dual threat, Staton is an effective deep passer and has deceptive foot speed to take off onr long runs.    [player_tooltip player_id='1144060' first='Ethan' last='Anderson'], QB, JL Mann   A career that started with wide receiver aspirations as a freshman has seen him develop into a team MVP and Region I-5A Offensive Player of the Year. He threw for 3,172 yards and 42 touchdowns and led the Patriots to the Class 5A Upper State final. Against Dutch Fork, Anderson threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns in showing no fear against one of the Palmetto State's top defenses. He's accurate passing the football against pressure and has shown strong leadership skills.    [player_tooltip player_id='997216' first='KD' last='Mosley'], WR, Greenville   At six-foot 3 and 220 lbs., he's built like a tight end but can more than hold his own racing a speedy wide receiver. He had 39 receptions for 618 yards and five touchdowns and either out physical or outrun a defender.    Daniel Caldwell, OL, South Pointe   The 6-foot 3 245-pound senior played both tackle and guard for the Stallions. He tallied close to 40 pancake blocks this past season for an offense which averaged 28 points a game and produced two, 1,000-yard rushers in [player_tooltip player_id='1157761' first='Mason' last='Picket-Hicks'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1012612' first='Aidan' last='Turner']. On film, he's charges through potential tacklers on running plays and is an effective pass blocker.    [player_tooltip player_id='348881' first='Sean' last='Bolger'], OL, Daniel   Quite literally the centerpiece of a Lions' dynasty which claimed their third straight title in four years. He showed his versatility playing center, tackle, guard, and long snapper. In addition, the Lions used Bolger as a defensive end. He currently bench presses 275 pounds and squats 475. Bolger is overly aggressive upfront in pushing back his lineman and is one of those “play until the whistle stops” players.    Bryce Nutall, LB, Dutch Fork   A member of a state championship defense which allowed an average of 16 points a game during the post-season. He was third on the team in tackles (85) and second in sacks (6) this season for the Silver Foxes.    Joaquan Howse, LB, Lewisville   A Class A All-State tackle machine, he played a key role on a Lions' defense which posted seven shutouts and allowed 44 points this season. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior tallied 107 ½ tackles during the regular season along with four interceptions. He's versatile in both battling bigger offensive linemen upfront and covering wide receivers or running backs out of the backfield.    Micah McGowen, DL, Southside Christian   At 6-foot 1 and 270 pounds, he helped the Sabres in win back-to-back Class A titles in 2021 and 2022 and was an All-Region I-A selection as a senior. He's played at both tackle and end on the defensive line in tallying 46 total tackles, four sacks, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. He was often the first lineman to make a tackle and shows a knack of fighting off blocks to make a play.    Travija Austin, DB, Laurens   One of the bright spots for the Raiders, the 6-foot, 160-pound senior was an active safety. Whether providing blanket coverage, returning interceptions for touchdowns, or tackling unsuspecting ball carriers in the backfield, Austin was omnipresent on defense all season.    Jacob Coman, K, JF Byrnes   A 3-year starter for the Rebels, he managed both punting and placekicking duties and was an All-Region II-5A selection and two-time region Special Teams Player of the Year. He had 10 touchbacks and averaged 39.2 yards per punt as a senior. Coman is a former participant of the High School Blitz Junior Showcase Bowl.    Trevic Whaley, DB, Denmark-Olar   The Orangeburg-Wilkinson transfer made an immediate impact for the Vikings' defense. At 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds, he plays larger than his size. He's shown a willingness to battle for the football against taller receivers and is not afraid to land hard hits.    [player_tooltip player_id='208367' first='Ayden' last='Davis'], ATH, York   A one-man weapon on offense, he saw duties at quarterback and wide receiver and was among the team's leading rushers. His production in returning kicks also earned him S.C. Football Coaches Association Palmetto Champions' Class 4A Upper State Special Teams Player of the Year. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Davis was also a free safety for the Cougars.    Joshua Mattison, DL, Spartanburg   He was one of the state's top sack leaders with 15.5 for the Vikings. He also had 50 tackles, nearly doubling his output from last season, with 24 tackles for us. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Mattison possesses a quick first step and doesn't take a back step when in pursuit of a ball carrier.    Joel Crespo, DL, JL Mann   The 6-foot-1, 230-pound nose guard and defensive end helped solidify the Patriots' defensive front. His nine sacks can be credited to persistent effort and tremendous strength in overpowering double-team efforts to keep him off the quarterback. His quickness off the line of scrimmage is also valuable in taking down ball carriers in the backfield.     Devin Talford, DL, Great Falls   The 6-foot, 238-pound senior saw action on both sides of the sideline. Whether as an offensive guard or defensive tackle, he effectively utilized his size to stop defenders in their tracks. He showed good hand technique in pass blocking and often overwhelmed defenders as he paved the way for Red Devil running backs.    Rilan Cunningham, DB, Gray Collegiate   A PWO commit to Coastal Carolina, the 5-foot-7, 130-pound senior led the team with seven pass deflections and tied for second with three interceptions. Playing at a safety position, he often broke up long passing attempts and was quick to make open field tackles. Cunningham possesses quick feet going from sideline to sideline and has a nose for the football.    Zavean Poole, WR, Seneca   A two-time All-Region I-3A selection, he holds the school single and career season record for receiving yards. He caught 71 passes for 1,236 yards and 11 touchdowns and also had four interceptions at free safety. Timed at 4.62 seconds, the 6-0, 167-pound senior shows breakaway speed in eluding defenders after a catch. He's also difficult to bring down whenever he's within sight of the endzone.    [player_tooltip player_id='771062' first='Reggie' last='Heath'], DB, Chester   No defensive back had as many interceptions this season as the 6-foot-1, 165-pound senior. His 13 interceptions, nine pass breakups and 37 tackles allowed the Cyclones to hold opponents to 18.4 points a contest. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound senior was a dependable wide receiver with 39 catches for 630 yards and six touchdowns.    Jadon Cook and Camden Myers, OL, both of Dutch Fork   The line play upfront played a significant role in the Silver Foxes winning their last seven games to repeat as Class 5A champion. The 6-0, 260-pound Cook saw significant playing time as a tenacious nose guard where he tallied 56 tackles, five sacks and two quarterback hurries. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Myers played left guard and tackle, often led the way on run sweeps or overpowering linemen with his upper body strength. His highlight films are filled with Myers planting himself over defenders into the turf.

CAYCE - The All-Star “bowl season” for senior football players in South Carolina concludes Saturday at Brookland-Cayce.