Predicting Every Team’s 2026 MVP: Region IX-A

The 2025 football season will be here before we know it.   Over the course of the next three 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 policy that went into effect for this academic year - we have enough information to start making some educated assumptions about each team's likely most valuable player.   In the newly formed Region IX-A that includes a couple teams dropping down to join three prior Class A program, we're starting with these five leaders for their respective teams.   ANDREWS YELLOW JACKETS   [player_tooltip player_id='1827399' first='Avery' last='Durham'] QB, 2027   For us to go with a quarterback of a team best known for some dynamic rushing totals over the last few years is saying something. But here's why Durham gets the nod over some of his teammates on either side of the ball: The 6-foot-2, 185-pound quarterback will be asked to throw more than the Yellow Jackets have been, even during his first crack at the starting job last fall. It was then that he completed 51-percent of his passes for 1,145 yards and 10 touchdowns while tacking on 114 rushing yards and another score. He's not a runner, but his length and stride is even more dangerous when he's throwing on the move. He has ability to see the play coming at him and has some speed on the outside that will serve as even better targets as the rhythm grows.     CARVERS BAY BEARS   [player_tooltip player_id='1683177' first='Jaquan' last='Hannah'] DL/TE, 2027    We're not going to argue with the wide-spread assertion that Hannah would start at just about any program in the state. After all, it was an assistant from Dutch Fork who gave Hannah his seal of approval during the Carolinas Coaches Combines at Woodland back in March. Hannah chimed in at a chiseled 207 pounds, 6-foot-1 with a 77-inch wing span, ran a 4.74 40, recorded a 37-foot medicine ball toss and jacked up 20 reps on the bench that day. Now you see why the Bears have him play tight end and on special teams in addition to his primary job at defensive end. If he's on the field, there's a strong possibility he's going to be involved directly in the play. And, as we've mentioned before, how he turned it all on in the playoffs and narrowly matched his regular-season production has to be taken into consideration. Hannah as a senior is going to be scary.     HANNAH-PAMPLICO RED RAIDERS   [player_tooltip player_id='1820999' first='De'Auje' last='Bacchus'] QB, 2027   In a year when Hannah-Pamplico was simultaneously replacing two of the best offensive players to come through the program, Bacchus did a fine job carrying the load. Despite missing two games to a concussion and the Red Raiders only scheduling nine regular-season games to begin with, the dual-threat quarterback piled up throwing for 700 and rushing for another 800. He averaged better than 7 yards per carry and was able to keep defenses from guessing by also showing he can throw on the run. Now, with the prospects of a full season ahead of him, there's no reason to believe he's not going to have a legitimate shot at a 1,000-1,000 season. More importantly, he's going to be the driving force of an offense that will have to find a way to average better than 16 points per game. We think the combination of experience and health isn't a bad place to start.     JOHNSONVILLE FLASHES   [player_tooltip player_id='1822707' first='Zaghe' last='Davis'] RB, 2027 (pictured)   Pound for pound, Davis is one of the most productive players in the state. At a mere 5-foot-6 and 155 pounds, he may not look like a lot getting off the bus, but what he's done in an offense that spreads the ball around to a lot of different ball carriers and receivers means a lot for the Flashes. With plenty of competition for touches last fall, he garnered 111 carries for 752 yards and 13 touchdowns - all team leads - and caught another eight passes for 79 more yards. He can also return kickoffs, something he'll be asked to do even more as a senior following some graduation attrition from last year's squad. He and quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1304767' first='Larkin' last='Powell'] clearly already have a strong chemistry sharing the backfield and the two players' ability diversifies the offense in a way that opponents won't simply be able to key on one or the other. That will only aid in Davis' endeavors as a senior.     KINGSTREE BLAZERS   [player_tooltip player_id='1036769' first='Maleek' last='Dukes'] LB, 2027   The rangy outside linebacker is undeniably the leaders of a Blazers' defense that will be relying on him to somehow expand his already impressive resume next fall as a senior. He'll be coming into his final year of high school ball (he'll be a four-year starter) with 36 career tackles for loss, 21 sacks and plenty of other impact numbers. Many of those really blossomed during his junior campaign, when he registered 60 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, a pick six and three pass break ups. And amid this new region and many of the other players already listed, Dukes should be in line for all-region honors at the end of the year. And if he's able to keep up that production and get continue to make his teammates better, all region will only be the beginning.

The 2025 football season will be here before we know it.