Realignment Reality: The New Class 3A

When the talk was over and the dust started to settle, the South Carolina High School League's realignment for the 2024-2026 window immediately pointed to massive change.   A three-times multiplier went into effect statewide.   Maybe no class turned into a bigger landing spot for the former small-school programs than Class 3A. Greenville-area privates Christ Church - which just won the Class A crown - Southside Christian and St. Joseph's, as well as defending Class 2A state champ Oceanside Collegiate are all here now. In this multi-part series, we're focusing on the state's collection of football playing schools in any classification.    Class 3A, though, has no shortage of dudes capable to shaping it into a dynamic cluster of programs. Who will be left standing at the end of the 2024 playoffs?   These 33 players will probably have something to say about it.    DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS    [player_tooltip player_id='1158045' first='Jared' last='Acosta'] LB, Newberry - The rising senior will be chasing his third consecutive all-state designation while playing in a region ripe for the taking. His numbers could be huge.   [player_tooltip player_id='1025774' first='Sawyer' last='Arnold'] DL, Oceanside Collegiate - Arnold needed only 11 games last fall as a sophomore to reach 17 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 81 total tackles.    [player_tooltip player_id='1253913' first='Titus' last='Bowman'] DL, Keenan - All Bowman did last fall was pile up 27 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and nine quarterback hurries. Yeah, we think he'll do OK as a senior.    [player_tooltip player_id='1025771' first='Keryien' last='Brown'] LB, Dillon - Brown is a prototypical linebacker who is about to be asked to do even more after recording 104 total stops as a sophomore. He's up to the task.    [player_tooltip player_id='1165105' first='Trent' last='Garner'] DL, Pendleton - The lean defensive end used his quick burst off the line to queue up 83 total tackles and 20.5 tackles for loss in just 10 games during his sophomore season.   [player_tooltip player_id='473016' first='Aj' last='Grate'] ATH, Waccamaw - An injury kept him off the field for nearly half of last year. But we've seen in limited games that Grate can be a difference maker, especially at linebacker.    [player_tooltip player_id='1253970' first='John' last='Henderson'] LB, Pendleton - Henderson pitches in some on offense, too, but his 92 total tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss will be big for a Pendleton team hitting reset on its offense some.   [player_tooltip player_id='464883' first='Javon' last='Johnson'] DL, Loris - In 29 games over the course of his first three seasons, Johnson has 241 career tackles and 44 tackles for loss. He's as active as its gets despite an atypical stature for the position.   [player_tooltip player_id='809745' first='Max' last='Moorman'] LB, Oceanside Collegiate - Moorman might ultimately shift more toward middle of the Oceanside defense after putting up 97 total stops, 12 sacks and eight pass break-ups last season.   [player_tooltip player_id='867240' first='Silas' last='Parish'] LB, Walhalla - Just about every play seemingly funnels toward Parish, and his 162 tackles last year proved he's going to be good on them more often than not.    [player_tooltip player_id='1165163' first='Zamaurious' last='Robertson'] DB/WR, Dillon - Robertson likely gets a chance to lead the Wildcats in receiving again, and his four picks from his cornerback spot were pretty big, too.   [player_tooltip player_id='464897' first='Avery' last='Todd'] LB, Loris - Todd was one stop shy of 100 in his junior season and needs probably only a game or two to reach 200 for his career.    [player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin'] DB, Belton-Honea Path - Our top-ranked corner in the Class of 2027 is everything any team would want in a lock-down defensive back.    OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS    [player_tooltip player_id='272706' first='Garris' last='Chambers'] OL, Silver Bluff - One of the state's top centers from last fall is an absolute cornerstone of a team going through a lot of changes this offseason.    [player_tooltip player_id='346196' first='Jamarion' last='Fling'] RB, Dillon - For a brief few moments, Fling didn't look like he was going to be the guy for Dillon's offense last fall. Then he ran for 1,584 yards and 34 touchdowns in 10 games.   [player_tooltip player_id='205787' first='Hiszari' last='Gantt'] WR, Silver Bluff - Gantt has been getting mentioned for so long it's hard to believe he's got another two years of high school ball left.    [player_tooltip player_id='1036753' first='Aiden' last='Gibson'] RB, Woodruff - Among a tightly wound cluster of young tailbacks, Gibson will only continue to impress the further he gets away from his freshman season.    [player_tooltip player_id='473025' first='Andre' last='Grate'] ATH, Waccamaw - The more offensive-minded of the Grate twins, Andre does a little of everything from the quarterback position and can alter the trajectory of a game.    [player_tooltip player_id='605525' first='Marquise' last='Henderson'] RB, Belton-Honea Path - Whether its his 2,336 rushing yards or 39 total touchdowns, the Clemson verbal commitment will have all eyes on him in 2024.   [player_tooltip player_id='816751' first='Jude' last='Hall'] WR, Christ Church - We think Hall is on the brink of a breakout season as more opponents have the tools to focus on his position mate this fall.    [player_tooltip player_id='1013068' first='Tucker' last='Hendrix'] QB, Christ Church (pictured) - Hendrix's 2,800 passing yards and 43 touchdowns were obviously impressive, and made even more so by the fact he threw only nine picks in 204 pass attempts.    [player_tooltip player_id='1165104' first='Julius' last='Hippenstiel'] QB, Hanahan - Hidden by Hanahan's insane rushing production last fall was Hippenstiel quietly emerging as a highly productive passer ready for much, much more.   [player_tooltip player_id='816735' first='Jamel' last='Howse'] WR, Newberry - Howse is a physical standout who not-so-surprisingly hauled in more than half of the team's receiving touchdowns and nearly half of Newberry's receiving yards as a sophomore.    [player_tooltip player_id='1013066' first='Brayden' last='Johnson'] RB, St. Joseph's - Johnson turned it on down the stretch and finished with more than 1,400 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns. His style will translate well to Class 3A ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='1094944' first='Aiden' last='Manavian'] QB, Oceanside Collegiate - The list of freshmen quarterbacks who have delivered in the playoffs like Manavian did last fall is pretty darn short.    [player_tooltip player_id='473001' first='Jaylen' last='McGill'] RB, Broome - At even a flicker of consistent improvement the next two years, McGill might flirt with 7,000 career rushing yards before his high school career is done.    [player_tooltip player_id='272711' first='Carlos' last='Miller'] OL, Dillon - The Wildcats just lost both tackles, who also happened to be among the best at their position in the state. Enter Miller, who likely moves from the inside.    [player_tooltip player_id='1253917' first='TJ' last='Morris'] QB, Woodruff - Morris proved last fall that he could handle slinging it around a good bit. He threw for 2,571 yards and completed 65 percent of his passes.    [player_tooltip player_id='205556' first='Josiah' last='Oxendine'] QB, Dillon - The staff has been taking it slow with Oxendine while giving him nearly all the reps the last two seasons. We think the biggest chunk of the learning curve is now over.   [player_tooltip player_id='1013109' first='Justin' last='Purvis'] ATH, Marlboro County - Purvis has topped 1,000 all-purpose yards in each of the last two seasons. Whomever Marlboro County hires would be wise to make Purvis the focal point of this team.   [player_tooltip player_id='1012637' first='Jackson' last='Repp'] WR, Christ Church - Repp enters his senior season as a marked man. Guess what? The same was true prior to his junior year - when he went for 1,510 yards and a ridiculous 27 touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='283891' first='Noah' last='Thomas'] QB, Belton-Honea Path - Thomas completes a high percentage of his passes and makes a stout offense all the more dangerous with a three-to-one touchdown-interception rate.   [player_tooltip player_id='1157733' first='Abijah' last='Webb'] ATH, Pendleton - While he's good in the defensive secondary, too, his 1,146 receiving yards last season pushed him past 2,000 for his career.

When the talk was over and the dust started to settle, the South Carolina High School League's realignment for the 2024-2026 window immediately pointed to massive change.