What We Saw: Myrtle Beach-Loris Scrimmage

From some old faces we've all long since known to some new ones we should prepare to hear about over and over, Myrtle Beach's trip to Loris on Thursday in each team's first scrimmage of the 2025 preseason started to set the tone for the real thing.    Plenty of early fireworks didn't hurt.    Let's break it all down.   REPEAT ACTS   Some of the stars for both squads from last fall didn't waste any time Thursday showing they were still those guys.   Loris quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='797160' first='Moon' last='Gerald'] - much to the chagrin of 2025 opponents - the opposite of a statue behind center. He was allowed to throw a bunch during the opening drives of the game, moving the Lions downfield fairly efficiently.    It was much of the same from what Gerald did as a junior. Last fall, in leading the Lions to an 11-2 overall record and a Class 3A Lower State title game appearance, he threw for 1,681 yards and 21 touchdowns. He completed 56 percent of his passes and was picked off just twice in 158 pass attempts. Much of that was due to his ability to throw on the run.   He showed that off plenty during his first-half reps against the Seahawks. On two plays in particular, he was forced out of the pocket and to his left, only to reverse course, get into more comfortable passing position and let one fly to an open receiver downfield. On another play, no receiver was open, so he went down the home sideline for a 25-yard gain (it was wiped out by a holding penalty 10 yards away from him, from just the same).   Gerald's favorite target is not shock to anyone.    [player_tooltip player_id='1592447' first='Jacobien' last='Lewis'] (26 receptions, 512 yards, 11 touchdowns last year) showed off a slithery elusiveness against Myrtle Beach corners and was the recipient of nearly half of Gerald's downfield targets. Lewis was being double-teamed on one play, but forced the defenders to nearly collide before ultimately getting open.    When it came to punching the ball into the end zone, that's where [player_tooltip player_id='1422632' first='Makel' last='Stephens'] reminded everyone in attendance that he's still a fantasy football monster. Three of Stephens' first four carries Thursday resulted in short-yardage touchdowns. On all three, he took a handoff, displayed some patience behind his blockers, found a crease and punched it in.   Stephens - who used his 112 carries last year to put up 909 yards and 16 touchdowns - was responsible Loris' first three offensive scores of the scrimmage.   Myrtle Beach's offense, meanwhile, wasn't there to simply get warmed up for the season.   The Seahawks scored the first points of the night when receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1664545' first='JJ' last='Brown'] (11 receptions for 192 yards last year) took a simple curl route, hit the burst and left the Lions secondary well behind him en route to a 75-yard touchdown. Brown, who missed time last year and was further hampered by an ankle injury, not only appeared to be 100 percent but prepared to be the guy in a jam-packed receiver room.   On the flip side, bruising tailback [player_tooltip player_id='1394751' first='Michael' last='Cohen'] has every chance to exceed his 2024 numbers (818 rushing yards, four touchdowns) and will now get the benefit of what might be the strongest Myrtle Beach passing game since 2021. In addition to his carries, he's had no issue sliding out of the backfield on designed passes and/or as a safety valve. He caught 22 passes last year, and that figure might look like nothing by the time this fall is done.   Defensively, the positive signs for both teams were a little more sparse, but they weren't non-existent.    Myrtle Beach middle linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1267229' first='Antonio' last='Brown'] appears to have maximized his frame and was in on plays near the line and even well downfield, when he knocked a receiver who'd lost his man out of bounds. He also came off the edge on a blitz that forced Gerald to initially lose the ball before the Lions quarterback was able to scoop it up and throw it away.   Jamarcus Carroll will be another name to keep handy. The hybrid outside linebacker/safety is up to 6-foot-2 and has some length and range in coverage. Even when he wasn't making plays Thursday, he was getting into the vanity of passing plays and nearly picked off one of Gerald's passes. Carroll did just that last fall against North Myrtle Beach, taking an interception back 50 yards for a score in a defensive battle.   For Loris, the Lions will be adjusting to their first games without defensive end Javon Johnson in since 2020. Much of that responsibility is going to fall on [player_tooltip player_id='473018' first='Landon' last='Conner'] - himself also about to become a four-year starter. Conner, now wearing No. 50 so he can also play offensive guard, was mostly asked to hang back against the Seahawks, but he was also showing a much better burst. That's not bad considering he's already got 36 career tackles for loss.   Not far away Thursday were [player_tooltip player_id='1395062' first='Damarea' last='Thurmond'] and Jamarius Wilson - a pair of big fellas who are going to be watched close during their senior seasons. On one play, Thurmond was double-teamed, and Wilson came up with a sack against one-on-one coverage. On the next play, Myrtle Beach attempted a similar approach and Wilson nearly came away with another sack.   FRESH FACES   For parts of the last two years, Tanner Gaddy has waited patiently for his chance to run this offense. And while it's probably not set in stone, Thursday was a good indication that Gaddy's turn is finally here.   The 5-foot-8, 170-pound lefty is going to be asked to sling it around to all those receivers (more on them in a minute) without putting the ball in the other team's hands. He wasn't perfect against the Lions, but he's clearly not some young kid walking into the position, either.   In addition to the short pass and long run that led to Brown's touchdown, he also found a wide-open [player_tooltip player_id='816753' first='Rayvon' last='Green'] for a 45-yard touchdown. Gaddy's mid-range throws were on target and where the Myrtle Beach offense will hope to feast this fall.   Speaking of Green, his one-year hiatus to Georgia for his junior season was joined by a growth spurt. The one-time smaller receiver isn't that anymore. And he's going to be part of a huge pass-catching collective that is looking awfully deep. Joining him, among others, are [player_tooltip player_id='1603757' first='Amare' last='Brown'] (who took a kickoff back 94 yards Thursday), [player_tooltip player_id='1267320' first='Jon' last='Kelly'] and incoming sophomore Billy Miller. Miller is a 6-foot-3 speed demon who transferred in from Myrtle Beach Christian Academy this summer.   One guy from Loris to keep an eye on is new starting left tackle Thomas Nichols (6-foot-2, 280). The sophomore wasn't scared playing a Class 5A opponent and kept pressure off Gerald's back during his snaps.    Jordan's first night in pads for the Seahawks against an opponent was nothing short of a successful start. The sophomore has already earned the starting right tackle spot - and it's not simply because of his size.   His footwork is evidence enough that he's taken some of the coaching he's received at various camps over the last 18 months and run with it. He shifts his weight extremely well and knows when to extend his near-80-inch wing span to really make it count.   Jordan, who was at Myrtle Beach Christian Academy last year, turned around several would-be edge rushers during the scrimmage.

From some old faces we've all long since known to some new ones we should prepare to hear about over and over, Myrtle Beach's trip to Loris on Thursday in each team's first scrimmage of the 2025 preseason started to set the tone for the real thing.