Bouncing Back? Upstate Squads Primed For Higher Win Total

As spring workouts progress, teams around the state are building towards the 2026 campaign.    Plenty of programs in the Palmetto State are looking to take the next step and build off a successful 2025 season. Others are hoping to improve from a year that featured more defeats than victories.    Here are eight teams across the Upstate who finished with losing records in 2026 but are primed to improve that mark in 2026.   CHAPMAN PANTHERS   It had been 13 years since Chapman had suffered back-to-back losing seasons, but the Panthers struggled mightily in 2025 en route to a 1-10 record. Several prominent upperclassmen should help the Panthers improve in 2026, led by their top pass-catching threat. Senior wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1822131' first='Keilon' last='Tucker'] was an all-Region III-3A selection and is a bona fide deep threat with his top-end speed. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1615119' first='Teagan' last='Cantrell'] is a hard-hitting linebacker whose interception against Union County last season sealed Chapman's lone win. He also serves as a power runner and is a good receiver out of the backfield. [player_tooltip player_id='1822134' first='Darrien' last='Burgess'] is another rising junior who possesses a great understanding of the game at defensive back, as he also earned all-region honors. The Panthers lost three games last year by a combined 10 points, including an overtime loss at Clinton, so don't be surprised if Chapman makes strides back towards prominence this fall.     CHESNEE EAGLES   A late-season swoon and a first-round playoff exit left Chesnee with a 5-6 mark last season, but the Eagles can be better in 2026. Senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1809232' first='Evan-Reece' last='Lawter'] is dangerous runner who amassed 17 rushing touchdowns and 1,123 yards on the ground while adding 1,000 passing yards and seven touchdowns through the air. Defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1809771' first='Marquez' last='Franklin'] has blinding speed and the senior can make things happen for the Eagles in the return game. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='1672857' first='Blake' last='Cochran'] is a junior who can also turn on the jets, giving Chesnee a troublesome one-two punch in the backfield. With burners all over the field, the Eagles should be able to run with most of the opponents they'll see this season.     GREER YELLOW JACKETS   The Yellow Jackets finished the 2025 season at 4-7 but return a host of talent. Rising senior [player_tooltip player_id='1809928' first='Nathan' last='Huff'] was named the Region II-4A Lineman of the Year after anchoring Greer's offensive front and providing exceptional power in run blocking. On the other side of the trenches, [player_tooltip player_id='1819527' first='Anius' last='Smith'] recorded 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks during his junior season and will likely be a disruptive force again as a senior. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='1816751' first='Calvin' last='McCoy'] rushed for 1,339 yards and 13 touchdowns last year and will be running behind a veteran line this fall. At quarterback, [player_tooltip player_id='1672932' first='Dawson' last='Fowler'] returns after getting his first taste of varsity action as a sophomore and [player_tooltip player_id='2106784' first='Xavier' last='Sammet'] looks to build off a freshman campaign that saw him account for 11 touchdowns. No matter who is throwing the ball, don't be surprised if they look for [player_tooltip player_id='1816760' first='Zay' last='Moseley'] early and often. The rising sophomore caught 33 passes for 565 yards and five touchdowns last year.     J.L. MANN PATRIOTS   A brutal 1-10 season meant a lot of growing pains for J.L. Mann, but the cupboard is certainly not bare for the Patriots. Specialist [player_tooltip player_id='1720507' first='Philip' last='Georgopoulos'] enters his senior season as one of the nation's premier kickers. If Georgopoulos and the Patriot offense can provide some points, the J.L. Mann defense could cause lots of problems. Defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1811027' first='Luke' last='Penland'] will be back in action after missing the final two weeks of last season with an injury. Rising junior defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1605269' first='Jayden' last='Wheeler'] finished last season with 12 tackles for loss and was an all-Region I-5A honors. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1809307' first='Shaun' last='Carvalho'] should also provide a physical presence on defense after making 93 tackles last season and earning all-region accolades. Fellow linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1271256' first='Major' last='Workman'] also appears in a loaded front seven for the Patriots, fresh off a junior season that saw him tally nine tackles for loss.     MAULDIN MAVERICKS   Mauldin finished 5-6 last year but won three of its last five games and lost a nail-biter to Boiling Springs in the first round of the playoffs. The Mavericks have standouts up front as Region I-5A Lineman of the Year [player_tooltip player_id='1811122' first='Jacob' last='Whitehead'] helped pave the way for an offense that featured three different 500-yard rushers. Defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1467822' first='Josh' last='Evans'] doubles as one of the state's top wrestlers and grappled his way to 68 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks as a sophomore en route to all-region honors. [player_tooltip player_id='1822869' first='Isaiah' last='Thompson'] is another rising junior to watch, as he finished his sophomore campaign with 75 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. If the Mavericks can replace some key graduation losses, Mauldin could be looking at a promising 2026 season.    PICKENS BLUE FRAMES   The Blue Flames' 3-8 record last season certainly wasn't due to a lack of scoring. Pickens averaged 33.8 points per game and topped the 40-point mark five different times. With quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1581467' first='Brooks' last='Dow'] back for his senior season, the Blue Flames should be expected to light up the scoreboard once again. Dow threw for 1,492 yards and 17 touchdowns with just four interceptions, while rushing for 1,083 yards and 19 touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id='1823740' first='Cam' last='Wilson'] was Dow's favorite target in 2025, catching 48 passes for 604 yards and seven touchdowns. [player_tooltip player_id='1708840' first='David' last='Bolden'] is another weapon for Pickens to deploy offensively. Bolden rushed for 463 yards as a tailback, caught 12 passes, and occasionally played quarterback. All three are seniors and will likely provide plenty of fireworks in 2026.     ST. JOSEPH'S KNIGHTS   St. Joseph's came within a point of upsetting Mountain View Prep in the first round of the playoffs last season to finish with a 5-6 record. If the Knights can remain healthy throughout 2026, that mark could improve. [player_tooltip player_id='1809341' first='John' last='Campbell'] finished with a team-high 11 tackles for loss and recorded 57 tackles from his safety position last year. [player_tooltip player_id='1823372' first='Mack' last='Rambo'] (pictured) was extraordinarily effective in limited action at running back, rushing for almost 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns in just seven games. Despite missing two games, linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1666952' first='Josh' last='Lyons'] notched 68 solo stops, 5.0 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. [player_tooltip player_id='1615101' first='Jensen' last='Granger'] is another key defender to watch, as the defensive lineman was second on the team with 8.0 tackles for loss as a sophomore.     UNION COUNTY YELLOW JACKETS   Union County struggled to a 1-10 mark last season, but new head coach Bryan Robinson has some intriguing pieces to work with this fall. [player_tooltip player_id='1615123' first='King' last='Henderson'] headlines a talented defensive backfield after notching 54 tackles and an interception during his sophomore season. Fellow rising juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1467820' first='Noah' last='Tucker'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1615120' first='Keyshawn' last='Kershaw'] are two more talented secondary mates who will be counted on to help shore up a defense that struggled in 2025. On offense, [player_tooltip player_id='1397682' first='Lodon' last='Veal'] returns to the offensive line after his promising freshman season was cut short due to an injury. Wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1824561' first='Sondrell' last='Worthy'] is another up-and-coming playmaker who caught 12 passes for 207 yards as a freshman. The Yellow Jackets have notched seven wins over the past five years, but a new era with young talent may serve to invigorate the program.

As spring workouts progress, teams around the state are building towards the 2026 campaign.