Predicting Every Team's 2026 MVP: Region II-A

The calendar has flipped to June so it's time to really start breaking down what we can expect for the 2026 football season.   We've already seen a lot of transfers, and more are sure to come this summer. But what we can do is begin analyzing who will be the MVP for every team in the SCHSL as it stands today. This is just a guess, as we don't know yet who might emerge over the summer during camps and 7-on-7 events that's sprinkled on the calendar.   Here is our look at the teams in Region II-A. All of the Class A regions have a new look and this one has the potential to be ultra-competitive top to bottom.   BATESBURG-LEESVILLE PANTHERS   Reese Boehnke QB, 2027   Let's face it – the Panthers are going to be a new-look team in 2026. They lost the school's all-time leading rusher (Amadre Wooden) and one of the top two-way threats in the Midlands (KD Whitt). That's going to put added pressure on Boehnke. He has to go from more of a game manager to the player that is a playmaker on offense. The talent is there. He completed more 60 percent of his passes for more than 1,000 yards and he added 161 yards rushing. He is likely to throw it more than 117 times this season so his production should go way up as well.   CA JOHNSON HORNETS   [player_tooltip player_id='1467850' first='Elijah' last='Harper'] ATH, 2028 (pictured)   The Hornets might be a team to watch in 2026. They fielded a young team and made the third round of the playoffs. Harper is right in the middle of that youth movement. He was electric on offense last season with 43 receptions for 653 yards and eight touchdowns. He also added 76 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries to his resume. He was also a threat in the return game. CA Johnson will have a new QB, but whoever fills that role is going to be a bona fide go-to target from the get-go.    CLEAR DOT BATS   [player_tooltip player_id='1953815' first='Malachi' last='Jackson'] RB/LB 2028   The new kids on the block accounted for themselves well last season by winning five games in the first year of varsity action. Jackson was one of these reasons why. He was the leading rusher with around 900 yards, and he added 48 tackles, six tackles for loss and two interceptions from the secondary. He's got good size at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds and showed that he was durable. His quick first step and ability to read plays on both sides of the ball is what stands out for the junior. He's going to get every opportunity to be a 1,000=yard rusher and one of the best playmakers in the area.    EAU CLAIRE SHAMROCKS   Kyle Walker ATH, 2027   Eau Claire won five games in a season for the first time in a few decades, and they did it was a veteran, talented group. Now they're starting fresh with a new head coach and players that will be looking to expand their roles. Walker fits that category. He's a big play threat regardless of what side of the ball he's on. He had a 100-yard interception return and created several chunk plays from the receiver position. He's aggressive, shows good hands and breaks on the ball quickly and decisively. Because of graduation and transfers, Walker could end up contributing at several different positions in 2026.    RIDGE SPRING-MONETTA TROJANS   [player_tooltip player_id='1604020' first='Jaiden' last='Holloway'] ATH, 2027   Holloway is another dual-threat athlete that took snaps at quarterback, running back and receiver on offense and in the secondary on defense. Trying to determine his best position is difficult but he had five interceptions and 34 receptions for 474 yards to show his ball skills might be his best attribute. He has a knack for going after the ball and every time it's in the air, he believes he's going to come down with it. There's a solid chance he takes over at quarterback this season but don't be surprised to see the Trojans coaching staff get creative and find the best way to utilize Holloway's skills in many ways.    WHITMIRE WOLVERINES   [player_tooltip player_id='1467816' first='Kingston' last='Green'] LB/RB, 2028   If you notice a trend for this region, you're going to have plenty of two-way standouts. Add Green to the mix. He was the Wolverines second leading rusher last season and had a bruising, physical style that suited an offense that only threw 116 passes well. He flipped over to linebacker on defense and was the leading tackler with 51 stops. He's sneaky fast and that translates well to being versatile and able to make plays all over the field. He still has two years to develop but the fact he loves contact and plays with a high motor should make him a prospect to watch.

The calendar has flipped to June so it's time to really start breaking down what we can expect for the 2026 football season.