2024 Preview: Myrtle Beach Seahawks

A year ago, [player_tooltip player_id='1254177' first='Gibson' last='Goodroe'] was entering his first season as not only a quarterback, but a football player.   He had already been tapped to be the starter at Myrtle Beach, courtesy of a strong spring. Smooth? Yeah, things weren't smooth. In his first game, he threw four picks and - needless to say - there were some doubts.    “Last year was crazy, especially the first half of the year,” Goodroe said. “I didn't know what I was doing until game six or seven and then I started figuring it out.”   Now a senior, the change from this time last year to entering his second preseason camp couldn't look much different. He's got the confidence of 11 games (he missed one due to injury), 1,400 passing yards and 16 touchdown passes. About those picks that piled up in Game 1?    Yeah, Goodroe (pictured) only threw three more the rest of the year.   “You could see that he was comfortable. When kids get comfortable with what they're doing, they take off. It's even more so at the quarterback position,” coach Mickey Wilson said, referring to Goodroe stepping back into the saddle after a devastating hit against South Florence put him into the concussion protocol. “What he did last year and what he's on track to do this year is absolutely amazing.”   Chances are, we haven't yet seen his best..    The other half of the pitch-and-catch equation at Myrtle Beach is as solid as its looked in at least five years, if not longer. [player_tooltip player_id='272701' first='John' last='Simmons'] is back for his fourth year as a starter. Fellow returning starting receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1267320' first='Jon' last='Kelly'] and [player_tooltip player_id='816754' first='Tyree' last='Cauthen'] are back, too. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1664545' first='JJ' last='Brown'] will move into the fourth starting spot, and a couple others will take up some of the slack left from the departure of Rayvon Green (out-of-state move).   The offense spent the offseason drilling route after route after route, something the pass-happy Wilson had no issue with whatsoever. He's got as much faith in one of his quarterbacks as he's had since Ryan Burger graduated after the 2021 season.   More importantly, Goodroe has faith in himself.   “The biggest thing,” he said, “Was being comfortable with pocket presence.”   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1254177' first='Gibson' last='Goodroe'] QB, 2025 - A baseball player only during his first two years of high school, Goodroe added football to his resume last year and finished the season with 1,415 yards and 16 touchdowns. Despite some early struggled he completed 60 percent of his passes.   [player_tooltip player_id='272701' first='John' last='Simmons'] WR, 2025 - Simmons' numbers have been a bit underwhelming given what is ceiling has thought to be. However, much of that can be attributed to quarterback turnover. Once he and Goodroe clicked last fall, he started to look like the player colleges have thought him to be. He took half of his 20 receptions last year in for touchdowns.    Noah Herring DL, 2026 - The 6-foot, 200-pound defensive end had 41 tackles and four tackles for loss during his first season on the varsity last fall. The staff is excited about his continued development not only this season, but next year, as well.    [player_tooltip player_id='395980' first='Ashton' last='Keith'] LB, 2025 - The three-year starter finished his junior season with 54 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. He's got some versatility to his game and can start off on the edge with his hand in the turf or as a stand-up linebacker off the line.    FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1267229' first='Antonio' last='Brown'] LB, 2026 - Brown is athletic enough to play multiple positions - something indicated by his 10 yards per carry at tailback in limited reps last year. However, where he's best is at middle linebacker. He's instinctual against the run and pass alike and moves extremely well to beat opponents to the right position. His 78 total tackles and 12 tackles for loss were both near the top of the Seahawks' roster last year.     BIGGEST LOSS(es)   Ricky Escobar LB - After missing all of his junior season in 2022, Escobar returned to the field and finished his final year with the Seahawks with 102 total tackles.    [player_tooltip player_id='402500' first='Malachi' last='Washington'] RB - Washington wrapped up his senior year with 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground with 237 carries.    UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   [player_tooltip player_id='1603757' first='Amare' last='Brown'] WR/RB, 2027 - Brown will get reps at both offensive positions, and he ultimately might become the team's starter at tailback.    [player_tooltip player_id='1395042' first='Malachi' last='Geathers'] DL, 2026 - After getting minimal varsity playing time as a sophomore, Geathers is one of those player to watch this fall. He's 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, he's got just enough to size to help clog up running lines.     Brown, the younger brother of former Seahawk receiver Kenny Brown, showed out during some 7-on-7 work this summer and was moved up from the junior varsity level. He's going to start at the team's Z receiver spot (outside receiver, opposite Simmons). He finished fifth in the state in the high jump in the spring, and he's got a pretty stout catch radius when you factor in that and his height.

A year ago, Gibson Goodroe Gibson Goodroe 5'10" | 170 lbs | QB Myrtle Beach | 2025 State SC was entering his first season as not only a quarterback, but a football player.