North Myrtle Beach Seniors Show Out at Socastee 7-on-7

MYRTLE BEACH | For a couple hours Wednesday, North Myrtle Beach didn't look like a team that failed to win a region game last season and missed the playoffs.   The Chiefs' senior-laden offensive skill positions led the way to a successful trip down S.C. 31 to Socastee for a four-team 7-on-7 that also included Georgetown and Conway.   Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='985097' first='Landon' last='Cloninger'], receivers [player_tooltip player_id='929482' first='Kaden' last='Gore'] and Andrew Kreider and tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1157957' first='Brown' last='Reaves'] at times did whatever they wanted in their sessions. And while, yes, this was only a 7-on-7 - without pads, tackling or even a full field - there's no denying this part of North Myrtle Beach is head and shoulders above where it was during this time in either of the past two summers.   “All of us have been able to put work in together and keep bonding,” Gore said of he and three other senior classmates. “We've got three years [with each other] and are putting it all together in our last year. We've learned a lot from our mistakes and keep getting better.”   There have definitely been some mistakes, including a narrow loss to Wilson last year to open region play that seemed to just spiral the rest of the way. The Chiefs then lost their next four games, all by double digits.   In the midst of all that was a move up to Class 5A and the newly formed Beach Region that features long-time rival Myrtle Beach, Conway, Carolina Forest, Socastee and St. James. Many of those teams have been regulars on North Myrtle Beach's schedule recently.   However, if Wednesday's pitch-and-catch exhibit was any indication, this might just be the best offense the Chiefs have put on the field since their run to the Class 4A state title game in 2020.   At the head of it all is Cloninger. As a junior, he threw for 1,629 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 61 percent of his passes.    Gore led the team in both receptions (41), yards (601) and touchdowns (eight). Kreider wasn't far behind with 39 catches for 392 yards, all while dealing with the effects of a recovering left collarbone.   Reaves, who hauled in 25 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns, might be the glue to it all.   Against the Bulldogs, Tigers and Braves, he was able to work the middle of the field and showed he's got an even better catch radius than he's show in the past.    North Myrtle Beach coach Greg Hill pointed to the school moving its football class to first block year round, something that's allowed for more day-to-day repetition and recognition of deficiencies. He also didn't hesitate at the suggestion that his offense is further along or that his seniors are in enough of a routine that it's allowing the staff to work with sophomore receivers Noah Stevenson and [player_tooltip player_id='1664629' first='Jaden' last='Chestnut'] and prepare each of them for significant minutes this fall, too.   In a few weeks, pads will go on and the real tests will ensue.   For now, Wednesday was a positive sign.   “I definitely think we've got a lot of talent, Gore said. “We've been able to develop. A lot of our offense, we're seniors and we've been playing since our sophomore year. We've got that chemistry.”   CONWAY QB READY FOR SPOTLIGHT   Despite some of Conway's struggled in the win-loss column the last few years - the Tigers haven't finished with a winning record since 2017 - this team has had some quarterbacks establish themselves.   The next man up is [player_tooltip player_id='1399640' first='Noah' last='Legg'], a rising sophomore who looks the part physically and Wednesday showed off his left arm.   Legg (6-foot-2, 205) was tapped almost immediately after the completion of last season to succeed Devin Grainger - a three-year starter who threw for 1,400-yards in each of his seasons behind center. But where Legg has made his imprint was his progress throughout the offseason.   “It started in the weight room and he's done everything he can to lead by example,” Conway coach Josh Pierce said, noting that Clegg put on nearly 30 pounds in the offseason. “The guys have done a good job following him. As far as replacing Devin, it's going to be hard to find a guy who is at talented. But I don't know that I've ever had a quarterback that has worked as hard as Noah.   “His work ethic is really unmatched. He's been really focused on his mechanics. The process is going to be the harder part for him because he's a sophomore, and he's coming along with that.   Legg's underneath game during the 7-on-7 was solid, and while the staff is still looking for some footwork development to build on that, his ability to rip it deep is there. Legg hit multiple receivers on long throws of 35 yards or more into the end zone.   All of that happened without the team's best target. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1025782' first='Jordan' last='Jenkins'] was held out of the event as a precaution after tweaking his back in hoops.    Either way, Clegg looks ready to take the reins and run with them.    “I've got to learn how to adapt. But I'm looking forward to this year a lot,” Clegg said. “I've got to learn how to throw to these boys and find the receiver when they're open.”

MYRTLE BEACH | For a couple hours Wednesday, North Myrtle Beach didn't look like a team that failed to win a region game last season and missed the playoffs.