2026 Preview: Cheraw Braves

In honor of the five-site Prep RedZone Media Days series this June and July, we're giving everyone a 50% offer code on all subscriptions throughout July 31. Get access to more than 100 team previews and everything else we have in store for readers as we gear up for the 2026 football season. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/subscribe">Simply head to our subscription page</a> and use the code "przscmediaday2026" at checkout to take advantage of the savings.   Right around this point in the calendar in 2023, Cheraw coach Andy Poole had a specific four-pack of incoming freshman going through their first official summer practices.   He obviously liked what he saw.    Defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1422635' first='Anthony' last='Strong'] was already big and forcing his way around practices.   Athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1271257' first='Nick' last='Gordon'] was exhibiting some significant speed and knew how to get open.   [player_tooltip player_id='1321038' first='Justyn' last='Joint'] was running the ball with authority.   And [player_tooltip player_id='1172365' first='Crawford' last='Poole'] (the coach's son) was quickly showing how punishing of an outside edge rusher he could be.   The coach decided right then and there that each of the four would be his core of the future. And now, after three years of each of them taking turns showing how dominant they could be in spurts, the question isn't about how good they can be as seniors. It's about how good they can make everyone else around them.    “We're all leaders,” Gordon said at June's Prep RedZone Media Day at South Florence. “Every person who has been exposed to multiple years on this varsity, we're all leaders. We've got some new guys. Our quarterback is new. But our guys will be able to lead him. At the end of the day, we're all brothers. That's all that matters.”   Said Joint: “We're pushing, sticking together. We need to be leaders for our team, keep pushing them.”   Clearly, the messaging from the staff has filtered down to those four stars. And while we won't know how it will translate to the supporting cast, so much of Cheraw football has been building to this fall.   It just so happens to come at a time when - and there was no way to predict what large-scale realignment would have looked like three years ago - Cheraw is dropping down to Class A and the SEC of the smallest division in the state. The Braves will be joined in a new-look Region V with the likes of Central, Chesterfield, Lamar, Lee Central, McBee and North Central.    Translation: Come region play, there won't be many weeks off.    Cheraw's four top seniors are ready for the challenge.   “There are so many teams who have dropped down,” Gordon said. “But being a part of this is going to expose us to great talent, great competition, and see where as a team we stand and see what we can do as a team to get back to a state championship this year.”   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1271257' first='Nick' last='Gordon'] ATH, 2027 - Gordon isn't simply some combine warrior who blew up offseason circuit with his speed (and offers) heading into his senior year. Yes, he did all that, but the attention often overshadowed the foundation of how he got there. Gordon was all over the field during his junior season, picking off passes and making open-field tackles on defense and leading the team with 695 yards and six touchdowns receiving on offense.    [player_tooltip player_id='1817529' first='Derrick' last='Isaac'] WR/DB, 2027 - Isaac isn't going to be the biggest dude on any field he's on, but what he can do is impact the game in a number of different ways. As a junior, five of the 20 passes he caught went for touchdowns. He also picked off three passes (including on in the playoffs) and made 41 tackles.    [player_tooltip player_id='1422635' first='Anthony' last='Strong'] DL, 2027 - One half of the damned-if-you, damned-if-you don't edge problem, Strong is a menace for the Braves. He is the team's top returning tackler after making 69 stops last fall. He also piled up 16 tackles for loss, five sacks and three fumble recoveries. In a race to the quarterback, those often play out quite nicely.    [player_tooltip player_id='1321038' first='Justyn' last='Joint'] RB, 2027 (pictured) - Joint is in a lot of ways Mr. Attitude on this Cheraw roster. When he's playing, there's a different vibe, and we aren't going to argue as to why. He's going to enter his fourth and final season in the program with 1,466 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. Both of those numbers would be up significantly had he not missed three games last fall. It means he's going to be trying to make up for some lost time.   FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1172365' first='Crawford' last='Poole'] DL/LB, 2027 - The heart and soul of this team is aiming for a couple of pretty significant records. He's already the all-time leader in tackles for loss and is within striking distance of the sack record. Mix in some single-game or single-season records he should be able to go after, and his value increases every single time he gets around an offensive tackle. The coach's son knows how to lead, both with his voice and more importantly his action. Poole may not check every box for college recruiters because of his size, but his production can't be overlooked.    BIGGEST LOSSES   Kadin Thomas QB - The big signal caller capped off his Cheraw career by throwing for 1,625 yards and 16 touchdowns during his final season in uniform.    Demaurice James DB/LB - The Braves' leading tackler last fall, James finished the year with 78 stops, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and a sack.    UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   Daryl Hersey DB, 2030 - Hersey is a few weeks away from taking his first high school classes, but it didn't take long into the summer for him to establish himself as one of the starters in the secondary. His emergence reduces the need for some of the more established players having to go both ways as much.    Kobi McDonald QB, 2029 - McDonald is going to give a much different look for the Braves than  what they had with Thomas running the offense. While McDonald appeared sparingly last season, he comes into the starting job with a clear-cut mobility advantage over his predecessor and a willingness to use it.     The 6-foot-4, 280-ish pounder (depending on his summer workout schedule) is going to start at right tackle and add another seriously huge, young body to the offensive line to protect McDonald and open holes for Joint.    And because of his size, don't be surprised if the Braves have some situationally specific defensive sets for him. But what he brings to the table for a large number of athletes will be crucial for a team that will be looking to score points in bunches.

In honor of the five-site Prep RedZone Media Days series this June and July, we're giving everyone a 50% offer code on all subscriptions throughout July 31. Get access to more than 100 team previews and everything else we have in store for readers as we gear up for the 2026 football season. Simply head to our subscription page and use the code "przscmediaday2026" at checkout to take advantage of the savings.

Right around this point in the calendar in 2023, Cheraw coach Andy Poole had a specific four-pack of incoming freshman going through their first official summer practices.

He obviously liked what he saw.

Defensive end Anthony Strong Anthony Strong 6'3" | 215 lbs | DL Cheraw | 2027 State SC was already big and forcing his way around practices.

Athlete Nick Gordon Nick Gordon 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH/DB Cheraw | 2027 State SC was exhibiting some significant speed and knew how to get open.

Justyn Joint Justyn Joint 5'11" | 195 lbs | RB/DB Cheraw | 2027 State SC was running the ball with authority.

And Crawford Poole Crawford Poole 5'11" | 190 lbs | LB Cheraw | 2027 State SC (the coach's son) was quickly showing how punishing of an outside edge rusher he could be.

The coach decided right then and there that each of the four would be his core of the future. And now, after three years of each of them taking turns showing how dominant they could be in spurts, the question isn't about how good they can be as seniors. It's about how good they can make everyone else around them.

“We're all leaders,” Gordon said at June's Prep RedZone Media Day at South Florence. “Every person who has been exposed to multiple years on this varsity, we're all leaders. We've got some new guys. Our quarterback is new. But our guys will be able to lead him. At the end of the day, we're all brothers. That's all that matters.”

Said Joint: “We're pushing, sticking together. We need to be leaders for our team, keep pushing them.”

Clearly, the messaging from the staff has filtered down to those four stars. And while we won't know how it will translate to the supporting cast, so much of Cheraw football has been building to this fall.

It just so happens to come at a time when - and there was no way to predict what large-scale realignment would have looked like three years ago - Cheraw is dropping down to Class A and the SEC of the smallest division in the state. The Braves will be joined in a new-look Region V with the likes of Central, Chesterfield, Lamar, Lee Central, McBee and North Central.

Translation: Come region play, there won't be many weeks off.

Cheraw's four top seniors are ready for the challenge.

“There are so many teams who have dropped down,” Gordon said. “But being a part of this is going to expose us to great talent, great competition, and see where as a team we stand and see what we can do as a team to get back to a state championship this year.”

STARS SET TO SHINE

Nick Gordon Nick Gordon 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH/DB Cheraw | 2027 State SC ATH, 2027 - Gordon isn't simply some combine warrior who blew up offseason circuit with his speed (and offers) heading into his senior year. Yes, he did all that, but the attention often overshadowed the foundation of how he got there. Gordon was all over the field during his junior season, picking off passes and making open-field tackles on defense and leading the team with 695 yards and six touchdowns receiving on offense.

Derrick Isaac Derrick Isaac 5'6" | 140 lbs | WR/DB Cheraw | 2027 State SC WR/DB, 2027 - Isaac isn't going to be the biggest dude on any field he's on, but what he can do is impact the game in a number of different ways. As a junior, five of the 20 passes he caught went for touchdowns. He also picked off three passes (including on in the playoffs) and made 41 tackles.

Anthony Strong Anthony Strong 6'3" | 215 lbs | DL Cheraw | 2027 State SC DL, 2027 - One half of the damned-if-you, damned-if-you don't edge problem, Strong is a menace for the Braves. He is the team's top returning tackler after making 69 stops last fall. He also piled up 16 tackles for loss, five sacks and three fumble recoveries. In a race to the quarterback, those often play out quite nicely.

Justyn Joint Justyn Joint 5'11" | 195 lbs | RB/DB Cheraw | 2027 State SC RB, 2027 (pictured) - Joint is in a lot of ways Mr. Attitude on this Cheraw roster. When he's playing, there's a different vibe, and we aren't going to argue as to why. He's going to enter his fourth and final season in the program with 1,466 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. Both of those numbers would be up significantly had he not missed three games last fall. It means he's going to be trying to make up for some lost time.

FILM REVIEW

Crawford Poole Crawford Poole 5'11" | 190 lbs | LB Cheraw | 2027 State SC DL/LB, 2027 - The heart and soul of this team is aiming for a couple of pretty significant records. He's already the all-time leader in tackles for loss and is within striking distance of the sack record. Mix in some single-game or single-season records he should be able to go after, and his value increases every single time he gets around an offensive tackle. The coach's son knows how to lead, both with his voice and more importantly his action. Poole may not check every box for college recruiters because of his size, but his production can't be overlooked.

BIGGEST LOSSES

Kadin Thomas QB - The big signal caller capped off his Cheraw career by throwing for 1,625 yards and 16 touchdowns during his final season in uniform.

Demaurice James DB/LB - The Braves' leading tackler last fall, James finished the year with 78 stops, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and a sack.

UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL

Daryl Hersey DB, 2030 - Hersey is a few weeks away from taking his first high school classes, but it didn't take long into the summer for him to establish himself as one of the starters in the secondary. His emergence reduces the need for some of the more established players having to go both ways as much.

Kobi McDonald QB, 2029 - McDonald is going to give a much different look for the Braves than what they had with Thomas running the offense. While McDonald appeared sparingly last season, he comes into the starting job with a clear-cut mobility advantage over his predecessor and a willingness to use it.