2025 Preview: Berkeley Stags

For the better part of two years, the story with Berkeley was pretty cut and dry.   An offense that averaged just north of a touchdown per game in 2022 nearly tripled that figure in 2023 and 2024 behind young quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1036733' first='Henry' last='Rivers'] and a slew of weapons. The increase in output gave everyone a nice focal point, but it was also covering up a massive improvement that was happening elsewhere, too.    The Stags' defense has developed en masse, trimming it's per-game point totals by an eye-popping 20 points from the unit's first season under head coach Eric Lodge in 2023 - when he referred to that side of the ball as a “JV-level defense.”   Using that as a jumping off point, this team has no qualms about saying something special might be brewing in Moncks Corner.    “We will miss some people, but we've still almost got our whole defense,” linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1165076' first='Marcus' last='Henderson'] said. “We just need to go out and play like we've always played. With the pieces we've got right now, if we all put our hands in and play together as a team, with the defense we've got, with the offense we've got…”   Henderson (pictured) didn't need to finish the thought before making his point.   After back-to-back six-win seasons, the Stags are among a small number of programs in Class 5A, Division II expected to compete for a Lower State crown. And the reason for such high hopes is evident.   Henderson will have his top two linebacker mates - [player_tooltip player_id='1639678' first='Gehad' last='Sneed'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1267216' first='Kevin' last='Rivers'] - back in uniform for their senior years. Defensive backs [player_tooltip player_id='1625091' first='Chamberlin' last='Thompson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1426798' first='Cameron' last='McCue'] are returning, as are the likes of [player_tooltip player_id='1357963' first='Landon' last='Jackson'] and Aiden President on the line.    Offensively, Berkeley did lose its top three receivers to graduation, but the Stags have a new No. 1 in James Island transfer [player_tooltip player_id='1016577' first='Elijah' last='Mitchell'] (No. 18 in the 2028 rankings), a couple of inexperienced newcomers to get into the mix and tackles [player_tooltip player_id='1267220' first='Zion' last='Britt'] and Caden Freeman bookending the line for [player_tooltip player_id='1271259' first='Jessie' last='Brown'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1151306' first='Bryson' last='McGee'] at tailback.   For good measure, 2027 kicker [player_tooltip player_id='1603784' first='Ryland' last='Curwen'] is already looking like one of the best in the state.    Needless to say, [player_tooltip player_id='1036733' first='Henry' last='Rivers'] is still going to get plenty of attention. But the overall body of work is rising right along with him. This isn't a one-player team, no matter how much damage QB1 does this fall.   “Not only [is Rivers] a little bit older, but his teammates are older in the system and more experienced in what we're doing," Lodge said. "He's sharper. He's more mentally ready. But everyone around him is also there. I think as he gets older, he should feel that weight come off his shoulders a little bit more.”   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1036733' first='Henry' last='Rivers'] QB, 2027 - In two seasons as the Stags starter, Rivers has already threw for 4,300 yards and 45 touchdowns while rushing for another 1,300 and 16 scores. He's the top dual-threat quarterback in the class for a reason, and to think he's got two years of eligibility left means he's still got plenty of room to grow.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267220' first='Zion' last='Britt'] OL, 2026 - Britt has firmly cemented himself into the thick of the strongest class of offensive linemen as deep as this state has seen in a decade. He appears to be a sure-fire Division I signee after his senior season wraps up because he's done so much right for so long. He flows well in this offense and is a punishing run blocker.   [player_tooltip player_id='1165076' first='Marcus' last='Henderson'] LB, 2026 - While averaging 123 tackles over the past two seasons, Henderson has proved himself as one of the best pure pursuit producers in the state. He can get to the sideline nearly as fast as he can swim upstream against would-be blockers. Henderson's 16 tackles for loss over the last two seasons is an added bonus.   [player_tooltip player_id='1639678' first='Gehad' last='Sneed'] LB, 2026 - After appearing in just five varsity games during his sophomore season, Sneed exploded into his junior season, finishing behind only Henderson with 76 tackles and four tackles for loss. His size in the middle adds a nice component to the strongest part of the Stags' defense.    FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1016577' first='Elijah' last='Mitchell'] WR, 2028 - After starting as a freshman at James Island last fall, Mitchell made the transition over to Berkeley in the offseason and should pay immediately dividends for a program that lost its top three receivers. Mitchell's route-running is still developing, but what can't be questioned is how he's improving while maximizing his sheer size. In a pickle, he's the type of player Rivers can throw to knowing he can high-point the ball better than the majority of defenders who will be covering him or bully past those trying to get him to the ground.    BIGGEST LOSSES   Kevin Boone WR - The Charleston Southern signee caught 33 passes for 721 yards and eight touchdowns en route to a selection for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl.    Kayden Bash WR - Bash inked with Wingate after hauling in 40 receptions for 582 yards and eight touchdowns of his own.    UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   John Cleveland WR, 2027 - The 6-foot, 175-pound hoopster has taken off now as a football player, and he appears to be a plug-and-play option at receiver for a team that could use more of them. His five championship-game touchdowns last week propelled Berkeley to the title in the Shane Beamer/USC 7-on-7 tournament last week.   [player_tooltip player_id='1625091' first='Chamberlin' last='Thompson'] DB 2026 - The 5-foot-10, 160-pound defensive back is already ranked in our system, but his potential to climb those charts as a senior may be as big as any player on the Stags' roster this fall. The safety adds some significant pop for the run defense and he's got more than enough center fielder in him to mess with opposing pass schemes.    Freeman earned the team's most-improved player honors during the spring, when he earned the team's starting right tackle job. He's already strong enough to knock would-be pass rushers off their lines and stand out those coming after tailbacks.   He'll have a bead on Britt's left tackle job in 2026, but for now he's going to get rep after rep on the right side of the line.

For the better part of two years, the story with Berkeley was pretty cut and dry.

An offense that averaged just north of a touchdown per game in 2022 nearly tripled that figure in 2023 and 2024 behind young quarterback Henry Rivers Henry Rivers 5'10" | 180 lbs | QB Berkeley | 2027 State SC and a slew of weapons. The increase in output gave everyone a nice focal point, but it was also covering up a massive improvement that was happening elsewhere, too.

The Stags' defense has developed en masse, trimming it's per-game point totals by an eye-popping 20 points from the unit's first season under head coach Eric Lodge in 2023 - when he referred to that side of the ball as a “JV-level defense.”

Using that as a jumping off point, this team has no qualms about saying something special might be brewing in Moncks Corner.

“We will miss some people, but we've still almost got our whole defense,” linebacker Marcus Henderson Marcus Henderson 5'9" | 180 lbs | LB Berkeley | 2026 State SC said. “We just need to go out and play like we've always played. With the pieces we've got right now, if we all put our hands in and play together as a team, with the defense we've got, with the offense we've got…”

Henderson (pictured) didn't need to finish the thought before making his point.

After back-to-back six-win seasons, the Stags are among a small number of programs in Class 5A, Division II expected to compete for a Lower State crown. And the reason for such high hopes is evident.

Offensively, Berkeley did lose its top three receivers to graduation, but the Stags have a new No. 1 in James Island transfer Elijah Mitchell Elijah Mitchell 6'4" | 190 lbs | WR/DB Berkeley | 2028 State SC (No. 18 in the 2028 rankings), a couple of inexperienced newcomers to get into the mix and tackles Zion Britt Zion Britt 6'2" | 305 lbs | OL Berkeley | 2026 State SC and Caden Freeman bookending the line for Jessie Brown Jessie Brown 5'8" | 170 lbs | RB Berkeley | 2027 State SC and Bryson McGee Bryson McGee 5'6" | 140 lbs | RB/WR Berkeley | 2028 State SC at tailback.

For good measure, 2027 kicker Ryland Curwen Ryland Curwen 5'10" | 160 lbs | K Berkeley | 2027 State SC is already looking like one of the best in the state.

Needless to say, Henry Rivers Henry Rivers 5'10" | 180 lbs | QB Berkeley | 2027 State SC is still going to get plenty of attention. But the overall body of work is rising right along with him. This isn't a one-player team, no matter how much damage QB1 does this fall.

“Not only [is Rivers] a little bit older, but his teammates are older in the system and more experienced in what we're doing," Lodge said. "He's sharper. He's more mentally ready. But everyone around him is also there. I think as he gets older, he should feel that weight come off his shoulders a little bit more.”

STARS SET TO SHINE

Henry Rivers Henry Rivers 5'10" | 180 lbs | QB Berkeley | 2027 State SC QB, 2027 - In two seasons as the Stags starter, Rivers has already threw for 4,300 yards and 45 touchdowns while rushing for another 1,300 and 16 scores. He's the top dual-threat quarterback in the class for a reason, and to think he's got two years of eligibility left means he's still got plenty of room to grow.

Zion Britt Zion Britt 6'2" | 305 lbs | OL Berkeley | 2026 State SC OL, 2026 - Britt has firmly cemented himself into the thick of the strongest class of offensive linemen as deep as this state has seen in a decade. He appears to be a sure-fire Division I signee after his senior season wraps up because he's done so much right for so long. He flows well in this offense and is a punishing run blocker.

Marcus Henderson Marcus Henderson 5'9" | 180 lbs | LB Berkeley | 2026 State SC LB, 2026 - While averaging 123 tackles over the past two seasons, Henderson has proved himself as one of the best pure pursuit producers in the state. He can get to the sideline nearly as fast as he can swim upstream against would-be blockers. Henderson's 16 tackles for loss over the last two seasons is an added bonus.

Gehad Sneed Gehad Sneed 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Berkeley | 2026 State SC LB, 2026 - After appearing in just five varsity games during his sophomore season, Sneed exploded into his junior season, finishing behind only Henderson with 76 tackles and four tackles for loss. His size in the middle adds a nice component to the strongest part of the Stags' defense.

FILM REVIEW

Elijah Mitchell Elijah Mitchell 6'4" | 190 lbs | WR/DB Berkeley | 2028 State SC WR, 2028 - After starting as a freshman at James Island last fall, Mitchell made the transition over to Berkeley in the offseason and should pay immediately dividends for a program that lost its top three receivers. Mitchell's route-running is still developing, but what can't be questioned is how he's improving while maximizing his sheer size. In a pickle, he's the type of player Rivers can throw to knowing he can high-point the ball better than the majority of defenders who will be covering him or bully past those trying to get him to the ground.

BIGGEST LOSSES

Kevin Boone WR - The Charleston Southern signee caught 33 passes for 721 yards and eight touchdowns en route to a selection for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl.

Kayden Bash WR - Bash inked with Wingate after hauling in 40 receptions for 582 yards and eight touchdowns of his own.

UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL

John Cleveland WR, 2027 - The 6-foot, 175-pound hoopster has taken off now as a football player, and he appears to be a plug-and-play option at receiver for a team that could use more of them. His five championship-game touchdowns last week propelled Berkeley to the title in the Shane Beamer/USC 7-on-7 tournament last week.

Chamberlin Thompson Chamberlin Thompson 5'10" | 160 lbs | DB Berkeley | 2026 State SC DB 2026 - The 5-foot-10, 160-pound defensive back is already ranked in our system, but his potential to climb those charts as a senior may be as big as any player on the Stags' roster this fall. The safety adds some significant pop for the run defense and he's got more than enough center fielder in him to mess with opposing pass schemes.