Predicting Every Team’s 2024 MVP: Region V-2A

The newly formed Region V-2A has some interesting storylines for 2024.    Barnwell, Edisto, Hampton County, Lake Marion and Whale Branch each have something to prove, whether thats in terms of getting back to the postseason or doing a little more once they get there. And the five MVP candidates for each squad will have something to say about it.    These five players are all entering the fall with some impressive bodies of work already on their resumes. There are two quarterbacks with different skill sets, a big tailback who can do some damage and a pair of linebackers who put up some strong numbers.    BARNWELL WARHORSES   [player_tooltip player_id='272720' first='Cameron' last='Austin'] QB, 2025   Back in April, Austin (pictured) made a verbal commitment to South Carolina to continue his baseball career. And while some college football programs are still trying to talk him out of it, what appears likely is that the Warhorses' quarterback has one more season on the gridiron to show out. He's well on his way to doing just that. He's coming off a year in which his threw for 1,765 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for another 911 yards and 21 touchdowns. The only knock on him is his interception tally (18). But we have reason to believe he cuts that number way down.    EDISTO COUGARS   [player_tooltip player_id='1012871' first='Terrell' last='Thomas'] QB, 2025   Even with Thomas having his linebacker duties removed from the equation so he could focus more just on offense, there's a pretty good indication of where the Cougars are without him. Early in the year, he has a string of four straight 100-yard rushing games, including a 234-yard output in a four-point win over Branchville. He went down with an injury, though, and Edisto dropped its next two games, all-important region contests to Barnwell and Hampton County. With Thomas back to 100 percent, the Cougars are players in the region again.     HAMPTON COUNTRY HURRICANES   [player_tooltip player_id='809743' first='Mandrell' last='Sanders'] LB, 2025   Sanders may very be among the top tacklers, not in just Class 2A, but statewide, regardless of class, during his senior season. He finished with 95 total stops last year, which was second on the team. However, the player with more, as well as the two immediately behind him, are all graduating. That means a bigger workload for Saunders, who also put up an eye-popping 27.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and 21 quarterback hurries. Those are simply dynamic numbers that can't be ignored.     LAKE MARION GATORS   Torrington White RB, 2026   No one will accuse the Gators of playing a soft schedule, and after the bear of one Lake Marion played last fall, we could see some benefits this time around. That goes for White, who rushed for more than 850 yards during his sophomore season. He's big, 6-foot and 205 pounds big. Which means he's pretty darn good at breaking tackles. And when he gets a head of steam built up, very few defensive backs are going to bring him down.     WHALE BRANCH WARRIORS   Treshon Hills LB, 2025   While the Warriors have some big holes to fill on offense - and Hills may very likely end up being a big part of those plans - his value to this team as its starting middle linebacker also give Whale Branch some leeway. As a junior he finished with more than 60 total tackles (second on the team) and added seven tackles for loss. He's got a great feel for the game and will be one of the reasons Whale Branch won't fall off after moving up to Class 2A.

The newly formed Region V-2A has some interesting storylines for 2024.