Grand Strand & Pee Dee 2024 Midseason Report

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Among the biggest storylines in the Grand Strand and Pee Dee so far in 2024 has been the quick rise at Marlboro County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs, with a new coaching staff and plenty of new faces to join them, have jumped out to a 5-0 start heading into this week's region opener at home against Aynor. First-year players like quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='370006' first='Nydarion' last='Blackwell']</strong> (652 passing yards, six touchdowns passing, three touchdowns rushing), athlete <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='902991' first='Donavan' last='Pauling-Outlaw']</strong> (226 rushing yards, 97 receiving yards, three touchdowns) and tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360219' first='Josiah' last='Robinson']</strong> (479 yards, five touchdowns) have joined forces with three-year standout <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1271463' first='Justin' last='Purvis']</strong> (484 offensive yards, five touchdowns, pictured) to make this one of the most dangerous teams in all of Class 3A.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bulldogs are currently No. 3 in the South Carolina Media High School Football polls and have bolstered an already strong Region V-3A that also includes fellow ranked squads Dillon, Loris and Aynor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are no shortage of stars on those other squads, either.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dillon tailbacks <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='346196' first='Jamarion' last='Fling']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025778' first='Domanick' last='Felton']</strong> have combined for 591 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aynor has ridden tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1188517' first='Matthew' last='Kerby']</strong> and multi-faceted fullback/H-Back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1269581' first='Austin' last='Tanyika']</strong> to a 4-1 start.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Likewise, Loris is also 4-1 thanks to some huge play from defensive linemen [player_tooltip player_id='1395062' first='Demarea' last='Thurmond'] and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464883' first='Javon' last='Johnson']</strong> and the emergence of quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='797160' first='Moon' last='Gerald']</strong> (639 yards, 11 touchdowns).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a big reason those three teams are a combined 17-3 heading into region play this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But that one region isn't the only stuff that's jumped off at us early in 2024. As we hit region play for those not already there, we know we're in for a fantastic second half of the regular season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>BIGGEST SURPRISES</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Outside of the aforementioned teams, we have to turn our heads to the Pee Dee to look at a pair of teams that we had a lot of questions about who are playing some solid football when a down campaign could have been expected.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hartsville lost a ton after last year, with dynamic quarterback <strong>McKendrie Douglas</strong> and tailback <strong>Carmello McDaniel</strong> graduating. Yet, here we are again, with the Red Foxes starting 3-1-1 (tied Class 5A Carolina Forest, lost by eight points to Camden), with convincing wins over Rock Hill, Dillon and Wilson already in their back pocket.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tailback [player_tooltip player_id='1012592' first='Hakeem' last='Watters'] (446 yards, eight touchdowns, seven receptions, 132 yards, one touchdown) has continued to perform well outside his new backfield mates <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592473' first='Kylif' last='Miller']</strong> (349 yards, three touchdowns) and quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578854' first='EJ' last='Smith']</strong> (193 rushing yards, six touchdowns, 603 passing yards, five touchdowns). Defensively, Hartsville is improved, with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578873' first='Coleman' last='Radcliff']</strong> (49 tackles) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='272699' first='Da'Marion' last='Coe'] </strong>(39 tackles, four tackles for loss) having been rejoined by linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1012620' first='Web' last='Barnes']</strong> (39 tackles). The Red Foxes are allowing fewer than 23 points per game despite playing some pretty good offenses.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At nearby Darlington, the Falcons (4-2) have already matched last season's win total. Quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1411101' first='Jaylen' last='Augustus']</strong> (797 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns, 515 passing yards, three touchdowns) and tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592270' first='Troy' last='Hailey']</strong> (658 rushing yards, two touchdowns) have been the beneficiaries of some improved blocking up front and the team's scoring is head and shoulders above where it's been.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensively, the Falcons are getting some significant disruption from <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1254005' first='Treyshawn' last='James']</strong> (nine tackles for loss, four sacks) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1579108' first='Nygel' last='McFadden']</strong> (eight tackles for loss) while the collective unity has been forcing turnovers unlike any Darlington team in recent memory. Darlington probably isn't a state championship contender, but it's hard not to recognize a team that is less than two years removed from wrapping up back-to-back-to-back winless seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>STILL FLYING UNDER THE RADAR</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We had a feeling that West Florence's shift to a region otherwise comprised of teams from the Midlands would change the Knights' dynamic some. But <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025773' first='Romello' last='Patterson']</strong> (31 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360071' first='Bobby' last='Patterson']</strong> (27 tackles, five pass break-ups) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165145' first='Clayton' last='Folse']</strong> (26 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions) have spurred one of the more impressive defensive efforts in Class 5A. West has allowed fewer than 11 points per game during its 4-1 start. On the other side of the ball, newly converted quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013062' first='Keshawn' last='Johnson']</strong> has thrown for 505 yards, rushed for another 207 and put up nine total touchdowns.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Knights area already 1-0 in Region V-5A and have their sights set on another playoff berth at the state's largest classification.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Meanwhile, down in Class 1A, Hannah-Pamplico's 14-point loss to Lee Central on September 13 probably prevented the Raiders from making a little more noise to this point. That can change in a hurry if tailback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464882' first='Jamarcus' last='Williams']</strong> and quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='922678' first='Wade' last='Poston']</strong> can put up some big numbers against Lake View this week in the team's third region contest (at Lake View). A win there could pave the way for a region title. After all, the Raiders have already beaten Region VI-1A foes Carvers Bay and Johnsonville by double digits and look to be, at worst, the second or third best squad in this group. The ceiling could be much higher.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Time should have told us not to count out Lamar after non-region play. The Silver Foxes are 3-2 heading into Region II-1A play this week and that's usually about when Lamar starts to find a groove. Quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165108' first='Zori' last='Pierce']</strong> has continued to limit mistakes. He has yet to throw a pick so far this year while countering with 632 passing yards and 12 touchdowns. He's also run for another 221 yards and four touchdowns. That's key, because Pierce is healthy and expected to make big plays while getting the ball to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1253894' first='Zoom' last='Jackson']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1462573' first='Alvion' last='Ward']</strong> and <strong>Kamon Miller</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->