Realignment Reality: The New Class 5A

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.   The largest classification grew to 54 schools, an increase of 50 percent from the last cycle, while the middle classifications shifted considerably.   Some natural rivalries were rejuvenated, while others had no choice but to move to the non-region slate.   In deed, interest chased all that movement. But how will much of it look this fall across the gridirons? In this multi-part series, we're going to break down the impact in each of the state's classifications in terms of its top players.   In Part 1, we'll look Class 5A.   While most people's eyes will draw to defending state champion Dutch Fork, we are looking first at Region II-5A, which is now loaded with some of the state's very best talent. This crop includes six linebackers ranked in our system: [player_tooltip player_id='1025770' first='Cayden' last='Workman'] (Eastside, 2026), [player_tooltip player_id='605523' first='Clay' last='Cook'] and [player_tooltip player_id='605522' first='Andrew' last='Ruppe'] (Gaffney, 2025), [player_tooltip player_id='1036755' first='Kendaris' last='Bailey'] (Gaffney, 2027), [player_tooltip player_id='624354' first='Cam'Rich' last='Smith'] (Spartanburg, 2025) and [player_tooltip player_id='1172362' first='Angel' last='Gomez'] (Wade Hampton, 2027).   There is also a nice collection of offensive talent, namely at running back. There, Gaffney's [player_tooltip player_id='473029' first='Jaiden' last='McDowell'] (2026) and Byrne's Tre Segarrra (2027) are leading the charge. But don't sleep on Eastide's [player_tooltip player_id='1025807' first='Eli' last='Foster'] after a nice showing and an expectation of two or three times as many carries.    But just because we see all the talent there doesn't mean we're ignoring it elsewhere.   And, yes, that draws us right back to Dutch Fork, which will will be positioned in Region IV-5A. That one, too, will be a beast. Of the six teams in that region, all have at least one player currently ranked inside the top 175 of our Class of 2025.    <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>CHAPIN</td><td>DUTCH FORK</td><td>IRMO</td><td>LEXINGTON</td><td>RIVER BLUFF</td><td>WHITE KNOLL</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='272715' first='Brady' last='Albro']</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1012706' first='Josh' last='Smith']</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='272713' first='AJ' last='Brand']</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='464895' first='Brandon' last='Cromer']</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='464880' first='Stephen' last='Collier']</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='346199' first='Landon' last='Sharpe']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='851128' first='Nathan' last='Gilley']</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1012606' first='Elgin' last='Sessions']</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1157979' first='Ryan' last='Love']</td><td></td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='464884' first='Parker' last='Murray']</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1012621' first='Devin' last='Geronomi']</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1012701' first='Maurice' last='Anderson']</td><td></td><td></td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1158026' first='Tripp' last='Bryant']</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1012842' first='Josh' last='Benson']</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='464892' first='Justin' last='Welch']</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1013047' first='KJ' last='Smith']</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   That's two Class 5A state championship game qualifiers and six teams who made the playoffs in 2023 (Irmo in Class 4A before moving up), all with a decent chunk of returning senior talent and leadership, without even looking at the younger classes. See why we think that region might play a big role in the landscape in 2024?   If that's not enough to let you know how stacked the expanded Class 5A is, take a look at the Lowcountry Zone, specifically the Charleston metro, where there are now 12 schools in this division alone (split between Region VII-5A and Region VIII-5A) and 32 players already ranked in our 2025, 2026 and 2027 classes.    The list there includes the following 2025 top 100 selections: QB [player_tooltip player_id='367350' first='Jaden' last='Cummings'] (Summerville), K [player_tooltip player_id='605521' first='Gray' last='Dangerfield'] (James Island), OL [player_tooltip player_id='346190' first='Bryce' last='Lawhon'] (Ashley Ridge), LB/TE [player_tooltip player_id='205794' first='Brock' last='Feinberg'] (Wando), LB [player_tooltip player_id='1012625' first='Dylan' last='Polansky'] (Ashley Ridge) and RB Joahoava Williams (Goose Creek) - not to mention the top-100 defensive line trio at James Island of [player_tooltip player_id='272709' first='Malachi' last='Jefferson'], [player_tooltip player_id='486418' first='Dalton' last='Woodall'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1012698' first='Hendrix' last='Beran'].    The younger classes in the Charleston area are already starting to pop off, too. They include quarterbacks [player_tooltip player_id='1036733' first='Henry' last='Rivers'] (Berkeley, 2027) and [player_tooltip player_id='402509' first='Trevor' last='Kalisz'] (Ashley Ridge, 2026), potential star tailback [player_tooltip player_id='473027' first='Meliq' last='McGowan'] at Goose Creek and our top overall player in the Class of 2027, safety [player_tooltip player_id='378969' first='Jaiden' last='Kelly-Murray'] from Summerville.    That's a ton of talent that will be lining up against each other not only in region play, but in what is already shaping up to be a large number of non-region games, too. After all, the Charleston-area schools have even less reason to travel, now.   MORE CLASS 5A PLAYERS TO WATCH   [player_tooltip player_id='1157743' first='Kedarrion' last='Patterson'] RB, TL Hanna - After rushing for 1,682 yards and 28 touchdowns last fall, Patterson will enter the 2024 season as a strong contender for Region I-5A Offensive Player of the Year honors.   [player_tooltip player_id='390438' first='Ramani' last='Bruton'] DB, Greenville - Will the bump-up from Class 4A mask Bruton's ability to pick off passes in droves? We're going to see how a new crop of opponents game plans against this top-end corner.   [player_tooltip player_id='241044' first='Finley' last='Polk'] QB, Northwestern - For all the ground-and-pound we're probably going to see out of the bulk of the new Region III-5A, Polk is the catalyst for a gunslinging style and that's not going to change things in Rock Hill.   [player_tooltip player_id='595702' first='Anthony' last='Addison'] DL, Sumter (pictured) - With a move to a Midlands-centric region, the jury is still out on whether the rest of the Gamecocks' opponents will have the speed and length at tackle to keep Addison out of the backfield.   [player_tooltip player_id='233146' first='Jordon' last='Gidron'] WR, Ridge View - With the [player_tooltip player_id='840548' first='Tre' last='Howard'] QB era beginning at Ridge View, Gidron is going to have every opportunity to continue a rise that already has him in the No. 3 overall player in the Class of 2026.   [player_tooltip player_id='809755' first='DJ' last='Gause'] DL, North Myrtle Beach - If the Chiefs are going to make a move in the newly founded Horry County 6, they're going to need their high-motor defensive end to cause some serious damage.

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.