2026 Preview: Central Eagles

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite being one of the top Class 2A programs last fall, Central's coaching staff saw a lot of the writing on the wall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Specifically, it was all the 12s next to players' names on the roster that the staff couldn't ignore down the stretch run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even though the Eagles' were in the midst of a run to the state semis, 2026 was never far from their minds. The staff began inserting younger faces onto the field, picking spots in some of the blowouts, stealing minutes here and there. Less than two months from the start of the season, another youth movement is on in Pageland.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We've got a whole bunch of young guys coming up behind us who are going to be very good,” three-year left tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1623487' first='Brandon' last='Streater'] said at last week's Prep RedZone Media Day at South Florence. “It's more pressure than I felt last year. But the new guys are stepping up. O-line, D-line, skill players, they're all stepping up. The seniors are making them make plays.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While a rash of sophomores led by the likes of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1827516' first='Jaylen' last='Davis']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1827526' first='Dale'yon' last='Fair']</strong> at linebacker, <strong>Rayson Funderburk</strong> (center), and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1827522' first='Martel' last='Ruben']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817465' first='Maurice' last='Baxter']</strong> (defensive backs) are some of the names everyone will learn over the coming seasons, there are also a number of upperclassmen who are about to see their usage increase tenfold.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Receivers <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818728' first='Darin' last='Gaines']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1815900' first='Blake' last='Sowell']</strong> and linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817469' first='Aidan' last='Welch']</strong> are all about to see their snap counts shoot through the roof. They'll be suiting up next to a somehow decent chunk of the core of this team that was heavily influential the last time around.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most notably might be quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664364' first='Dwayne' last='Louallen']</strong> and his two years of top-level play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I think we're still very, very talented,” coach Jonathan Eason said. “We did lose 25 seniors, which is a lot for a now-1A school. But our young kids have bought in. We've had a good summer and I've been very proud about having my seniors, [players such as] Dwayne and Aidan and Brandon. We graduated like 40-something touchdowns. So I'm excited to see what those younger guys can do.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And while Eason touched on the reclassification drop down to the state's smallest division, no one at Central is expecting an easier schedule. The reformed Region V-A now boasts the Eagles, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Lamar, Lee Central, McBee and North Central.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not exactly a cakewalk.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, yet?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We've played all those teams the last couple years. We're used to competing against all those teams,” Eason said. “I think it's going to be really strong region. There are multiple teams that can come out and compete for a state championship. I think it's going to be great for us getting ready for the playoffs. Our last two games are against Lamar and Cheraw. Those could be two top-10 matchups. I think going into the playoffs having those types of games could be huge.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1664364' first='Dwayne' last='Louallen']</strong> QB, 2027 - While we're clearing projecting some, there's no reason to think Louallen couldn't use his senior year to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for another 1,000. That would only be a slight increase over his 2025 production, and those thresholds would also match the year-over-year improvement we've already seen out of him from his sophomore season to his junior one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1623487' first='Brandon' last='Streater']</strong> OL, 2027 - The 6-foot-4, 260-pound left tackle has been a big enough part of this offense for so long that opposing teams are ready for him to graduate already. He and Louallen feed off each other on virtually every play, and when Streater is on fire, no one is going through or around him en route to the quarterback. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1823100' first='Marzavious' last='Allen']</strong> RB, 2027 - When we last wrote about Allen, he was starting for the Eagles as an edge rusher in the Class 2A semifinals. That's where Central needed his athleticism, and there were a bunch of offensive threats on the roster. Flash forward to this offseason, and Allen has already earned RB1 responsibilities. We probably aren't done seeing him on defense, either.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817469' first='Aidan' last='Welch']</strong> LB/WR, 2027 - Welch was a bit down the pecking order as a junior, but the long-term plan was always for him to take over one of the outside backer spots and make it his own. He's coming into his senior season after notching 32 tackles and a pair of interceptions last fall.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1816213' first='Cody' last='Branham']</strong> WR/TE, 2027 - You're not going to find a ton of highlights on Branham from the football field, and that's only because of his focus on baseball. When it comes to the player who gives the Eagles a lot of different looks, the list starts with him. In four-receiver sets, he can split out wide and do things like the below play (against Philip Simmons in the third-round of the playoffs last year). When Central reduces receivers, it's actually simply moving Branham into more of a tight end or H-Back set. Either way, the guy with the “best hands on the team”, according to Eason, is going to be on the field all the time.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/24333034/692595db4e58c6ce9dab59f3u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a42bb3a531cb"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BIGGEST LOSSES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ashten Wilson</strong> RB - Wilson rushed for 3,305 career yards and 33 touchdowns over his four seasons and 43 games for Central. He also 445 yards worth of passes, returned punts and kickoffs and made a few tackles on defense, too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aiden Short</strong> ATH - Short was another 1,000-yard player for the Eagles last fall. He ran for more than 600 and added another 400 receiving.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Taveon Moore</strong> ATH - Teams stopped throwing in Moore's direction after he picked off seven passes as a junior in 2024. He found new ways to contribute, putting up 44 tackles and 631 receiving yards as a senior last fall.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1827522' first='Martel' last='Ruben']</strong> DB, 2029 - Ruben is one of a number of good examples of Central planning well in advance down the stretch run last year. The strong safety was ushered onto the field in a few blowouts, made a few stops and even notched some rushing yards. The Eagles are going to count on his physicality.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1827516' first='Jaylen' last='Davis']</strong> LB, 2029 - Davis finished fourth on the team in tackles last fall with 50 overall stops, and the only three players ahead of him are now out of eligibility. In Davis, the Eagles have their middle linebacker of not only the future, but the here and now.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1827526"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a42bb3a54f8e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davis isn't the only sophomore slotted to start at linebacker. Fair appeared in four games near the end of the season and recorded eight tackles, a couple tackles for loss and a sack.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 5-foot-8, 210-pound is a nice combination of speed and power already as an underclassmen. As his role grows and he continues to spend more time in the weight room, he'll keep filling more of the void left from last year's graduating class.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->