Predicting Every Team’s 2025 MVP: Region VI-5A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2025 football season will be here before we know it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the course of the next two months, teams will participate in workouts galore leading up to the start of preseason camp. And while the summer is sure to include mass transfers - thanks to the SCHSL's new policy - we have enough information to start making some educated assumptions about each team's likely MVP.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Region VI-5A, Carolina Forest swept its way through the first year of the newly formed Beach Region. What will 2025 entail?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For a division as wide open as this one, we're starting with these presumptive MVP leaders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>CAROLINA FOREST PANTHERS</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1148537' first='Jaryn' last='Fox']</strong> RB, 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As a junior, Fox took over the starting job at Carolina Forest and proceeded to rush for 1,774 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Here's the crazy part: He didn't even hit his stride until the fifth game of the season. From there, Fox was as productive as any running back in the state. During that stretch run, he averaged 206 yards and two-and-a-half rushing touchdowns per game. If he averages north of 20 carries per as a senior, 2,000 rushing yards feels inevitable.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18531023/674bd84d9073481879bc568a' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682b97ade6b13"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>CONWAY TIGERS</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gabe Williams</strong> LB/RB, 2027&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams was close to hitting 22 miles per hour during this spring's combines, and while that wasn't necessarily a surprise, it displayed how much work the 5-foot-9, 210-pounder has put in this offseason. He was one of the Tigers' top tacklers last fall. On top of that, he started to get some carries late in the year and bulldozed his way to 112 yards in his debut against St. James in November. His offensive capabilities could be an added bonus to keeping Conway on the field and him not having to play lights out on every snap defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19659288/67362c76d51e98451a079232' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682b97ade6b45"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>MYRTLE BEACH SEAHAWKS</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267229' first='Antonio' last='Brown']</strong> LB/RB, 2026 (pictured)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The only Seahawk who recorded more tackles than Brown's 81 stops last year has graduated, and the rising senior has every chance to hit triple digits in 2025. His mobility is key, but so, too, is his ability to read offensive schemes and react to where the ball is going. He also took on the team's role as the Rhino package tailback. In those direct-snap plays, he tallied 17 of the team's 24 rushing touchdowns on the season. The impact of that can't be undersold.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18679649/672fa343b8639319350c600f' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682b97ade6b67"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>NORTH MYRTLE BEACH CHIEFS</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jayden Wilson</strong> LB/RB 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wilson isn't a known commodity, but members of the coaching staff and those near the program think the part-time varsity contributor from a year ago is about to make a gigantic leap forward as both a linebacker and tailback. That's saying quite a bit for a player who appeared in four games as a sophomore, when he registered two tackles, 50 rushing yards and a touchdown. He can also make a short swing pass count, as he went for 46 yards on his lone reception a season ago. (<em>No film available</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SOCASTEE BRAVES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1429140' first='Christian' last='Royals'] </strong>QB, 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Royals is gritty as they come, and what he sacrifices in flash at the QB1 position he more than makes up for with his situational understanding of the game. His ability to keep Socastee's offenses moving forward last fall in some tight spots was probably undervalued because of the Braves' region finish and quick playoff exit. However, an entire offseason as the starter, combined with having healthy players around him, will make a huge difference. He's primed to become much more of a household name around the region.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17470300/66f7066f5d6a19cc6b5da4d8' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682b97ade6b89"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>ST. JAMES SHARKS</em></strong>&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267347' first='Alex' last='Sandt']</strong> QB, 2026&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Sharks have known Sandt would be a two-year starter for some time, and because of that, last year was very much about re-shaping parts of the offense and then adjusting on the fly. It led to Sandt putting up some big passing numbers here and there, but there were a lot of miscues that couldn't be ignored. All of it was part of the expected learning curve. It's safe to say the game has slowed down for the rising senior now, and his production should have even more meaning this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17696923/677b33d08a6b6c88d11f343e' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-682b97ade6ba8"} /-->