Realignment Reality: The New Class 5A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A three-times multiplier went into effect statewide.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The largest classification grew to 54 schools, an increase of 50 percent from the last cycle, while the middle classifications shifted considerably.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some natural rivalries were rejuvenated, while others had no choice but to move to the non-region slate. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Part 1, we'll look Class 5A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But just because we see all the talent there doesn't mean we're ignoring it elsewhere.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>CHAPIN</strong></td><td><strong>DUTCH FORK</strong></td><td><strong>IRMO</strong></td><td><strong>LEXINGTON</strong></td><td><strong>RIVER BLUFF</strong></td><td><strong>WHITE KNOLL</strong></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> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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'].&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MORE CLASS 5A PLAYERS TO WATCH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[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. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->