10 Midland Legacies That Shaped 2026 Rankings

This senior Class from the Midlands only knows football as one end factor. Dutch Fork is going to lay claim to a state championship. When these players entered high school as freshmen, the Silver Foxes began their streak of four straight state championships. But football in this area doesn't begin and end with Dutch Fork.   Several programs found unbridled success and a lot of that had to do with players that turned in two, three and four-year varsity careers. The wealth of talent is deep and frankly some of the best this writer has seen in 36 years of covering football in this area. Let's take a look at 10 players that shaped the landscape during their four years in high school.   [player_tooltip player_id='473010' first='Michael' last='Boulware'] LB, Gray Collegiate   We began hearing whispers about Boulware before he ever took a varsity snap. By the end of his freshman season, he had been called up from junior varsity and was making an immediate impact on Friday nights. He transferred to Gray Collegiate after that and he didn't look back. He fit in well in the War Eagles system and was put in place to make plays all over the field. How well did that turn out – he finished with over 200 tackles and was near the ball on every play regardless of if it was a run or a pass. A relentless worker, Boulware was the ultimate leader and teammate.   [player_tooltip player_id='1025784' first='Roper' last='Wentzky'] QB, AC Flora   Wentzky busted onto the scene as a sophomore and all he's done the past three seasons is pass for over 8,000 yards and account for 89 total touchdowns. He turned out to be another coach on the field, often coming to the sideline and making suggestions on what would and wouldn't work. He's a college level baseball player as well but his first love might be football. He immersed himself in the playbook and not only knew what he was supposed to be doing but also what each of his teammates should have been doing. He's going to play something in college and regardless of the sport someone is going to get the ultimate competitor.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267286' first='Amadre' last='Wooden'] RB, Batesburg-Leesville   Anyone remember the old NFL Films that showed Walter Payton getting up slowly, returning to the huddle looking beaten and broken then rip off a 45-yard touchdown run? That's what Wooden looked like over his career with the Panthers. He set the school record for rushing yards with over 4,700 yards. He was five yards shy of having back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons. He ran with a purpose and dished out as much punishment as he received on most runs. A lot of people said he ran angry but Wooden ran with a purpose, wanting to inflict as much contact as he received. He was the bulk of the Panthers offensive attack this season so they will have to dial up something special to replace a player that sits atop the rushing record of a long and talented list.   [player_tooltip player_id='876560' first='Tymaries' last='Thompson-DuRant'] LB, Sumter   The Gamecocks again featured a talented defense that helped them finish with a 9-2 record. Thompson-DuRant was at the forefront of that effort, leading Sumter with 90 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a sack, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He wasn't the biggest player on the field at 5-foot-10, 155 pounds but he was fearless and was never afraid to stick his body right into the middle of the play. In his final game, he finished with 13 tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass break in a heart-breaking double overtime loss to James Island. It was that type of determination and effort that set Thompson-DuRant apart. He's likely to play a safety or rover spot in college but he still has plenty of football ahead of him.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267234' first='Kenton' last='Caldwell'] QB, Newberry   We saw Caldwell as a junior and he was a good quarterback with a lot of skill players around him. The performance he turned in during the 2025 season shows that we totally underestimated his ability. He threw for 2,136 yards, rushed for 1,200 yards and accounted for 44 total touchdowns. His versatility was his strong point, but he also had the intangible to never think a play was over until the whistle finally blew. We saw him escape from what looked like impossible situations and make something out of a play that at on point looked like it was going to lose yardage.   [player_tooltip player_id='1816905' first='Bryson' last='Moore'] OL/DL, Irmo   The Yellow Jackets finished the second consecutive season as the Class 5A, Division II runner-up and the play of Moore had a lot to do with that. He played in the Touchstone Energy North-South game and will play next year at Charleston Southern. He played on an offensive line that featured five guys that will play football on a Saturday and Moore might have been the most polished of the group. He has the size at 6-foot-2, 300 pounds. His footwork is above average, and he plays with a mean streak that makes him even more effective. His best football is likely ahead of him after getting into a college weightlifting program.   [player_tooltip player_id='1267277' first='Shamil' last='Saadiq'] WR, Lugoff-Elgin   We watched a lot of film and practice with Saadiq (pictured) over the years, but we also witnessed what he did in the season-opener this season. He was nearly unstoppable against Lower Richland that night. He caught six passes for 187 yards that included touchdowns of 83 and 61 yards. He could run past defenders or run through them if need be. He's just scratching the surface on how good he can be and all he did was finish with 75 catches for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='1054176' first='Grayson' last='Gunter'] LB/Edge, Gilbert   When Gunter started his senior season, he thought his main role for the Indians was to continue to do what he had done the previous two seasons and be one of the better linebackers/edge players in the area. But that changed due to injury and Gunter held things together at quarterback for several games as well as still excelling on defense. In fact, he set the single season school record with 157 tackles. He added three pass breakups, two interceptions and a sack. He seemed to have a knack for the ball and made plays in space as well as anyone.   [player_tooltip player_id='1734522' first='Mario' last='Anderson'] DB, Dutch Fork   First off, when you're a four-time state champion, that speaks volumes. But when you play a large role in three of those titles, that means even more. The Silver Foxes came into 2025 with a young, inexperienced secondary outside of Anderson. He played mentor as much as anything while expanding to his role in also playing closer to the line of scrimmage in certain situations. He finished fifth in tackles (54) with nine tackles for loss, four sacks and three interceptions. Anderson's steady presence was just as important as his production and the end result was another state championship.   [player_tooltip player_id='1592244' first='BJ' last='Mack'] RB, Dreher   Mack transferred from nearby AC Flora to Dreher and left a crowded backfield to one where he was the featured back. He turned that into 1,204 yards and 11 touchdowns but what he liked more than the numbers is the way he carried himself on and off the field. He was a leader for a young group, and he led more by example than anything. He played with a chip on his shoulder and that translated into running with anger. But he also had the footwork and quickness to make people miss in the open field. If that wasn't an option, he would lower his shoulder and get extra yardage when available.

This senior Class from the Midlands only knows football as one end factor. Dutch Fork is going to lay claim to a state championship. When these players entered high school as freshmen, the Silver Foxes began their streak of four straight state championships. But football in this area doesn't begin and end with Dutch Fork.