Catawba River's Five Biggest Unsung Players

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 through 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.   Last week we gave you a look at some of<a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/07/catawba-river-regions-biggest-player-storylines-in-2026/"> the storylines to keep your eye on heading into 2026 in the Catawba River Region.</a>   Our hyperlocal series rolls on with five names to know that may not necessarily be household names around the area, maybe just because of where they're located or they may not be getting the recruiting attention that some of their counterparts are yet.   Here's our look at guys we think could be critical for their team's success in 2026.   [player_tooltip player_id='1809182' first='Tyler' last='Gindoff'] LB, Catawba Ridge   Gindoff was an All-Region selection from 2025, and returns for his senior season in the middle of the Copperheads defense at linebacker.   He has great speed and comes downhill to make tackles in the hole against the run. And he doesn't miss. He takes good angles to the ball and can move sideline to sideline to chase a quarterback down, like he did against Fort Mill in the playoffs last year. He keeps his eyes in the right place and can play well out in pass coverage – when a pass is caught out in the flat, he is there quickly to limit the play to a short gain.   Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak: “The nice thing is, he'll be running that defense now that Nolan Jones has gone, Tyler will be making all the calls. He knows where one's supposed to be and Tyler has surprisingly, if you can believe it, even gotten bigger and stronger than he was last year, and he was bringing the wood last year. When he hits you, you feel it. We're excited to see him out there directing traffic and making tackles when he gets the opportunity.”   [player_tooltip player_id='1676087' first='Kamron' last='Wilson'] WR, Rock Hill (pictured)   Wilson had an outstanding year at outside receiver for the Bearcats in 2026 and was a consistent go-to target in the passing game, particularly on slants. He could make a catch and get up field quickly for more yardage. He does not go down easy on first contact and knows where to find his landmark to get open.   He was also impactful in the special teams game as he could use his speed to outrun defenders and set up the offense well in scoring position. Defensive coordinators and teams on Rock Hill's schedule in 2026 will not want to lose track of Wilson and where he is, because he can change the course of a game.   Rock Hill head coach Leon Boulware: “His route running is elite. He's a top guy in our track program so he has elite speed on top of route running. We've seen a lot of improvement already in just his ability to finish with the catch. That's the thing that we had to work on this offseason with Kam and he has responded very well and we're excited about getting him on the field and having a great season and really helping us with the pieces we've got around him.”   Josh McClure DL, South Pointe   McClure saw time on the Stallions' defense last year, appearing in all 15 games last season registering 58 total tackles and 15 of them for a loss. He was impactful on special teams, running down and making tackles on the ball carrier. He has great speed and will be a handful for opposing linemen to try to block with his size and ability to make a quick first step off the edge.   His head coach has high expectations for him going into his senior season as one of the leaders on an already talented defensive front.   South Pointe head coach Bobby Collins: “He won't be blocked. In my opinion, Josh McClure will lead the state in sacks this year and he should be a Shrine Bowl football player.”   [player_tooltip player_id='1667267' first='J'von' last='Kelly'] RB, Andrew Jackson   Down in Kershaw County, Kelly is ready for one last ride with the Volunteers.   He runs with a purpose and gets north and south and is tough to bring down with one guy. He has great size for the position and keeps the ball high and tight, while maintaining ball security. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and knows what to do once he catches it.   The All-Region performer in 2025 is dynamic in the kick return game as well. Volunteer fans have reason to be excited about Kelly after a junior campaign that saw him run 110 times for 647 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, while in the return game, he had 17 returns for 522 yards and three touchdowns.   Andrew Jackson head coach Jeremy Smith: “J'Von's got a lot of explosive ability to him. I think you can see that on kickoff returns and things like that. When he gets in space, he can run away from people, and he's obviously a track star so you see that come out on a football field.”   Sam Cook LB, Nation Ford   Cook found a way to be all over the football in 2025 for the Falcons with his aggressiveness and ability to read and recognize plays at linebacker. He can line up on the line and even if he can't get home, he finds a way to affect the quarterback and force him to make a bad throw.    He finished 2025 with over 100 tackles and close to 10 tackles for a loss. He'll be one of the leaders of the Falcons' defense in 2026.   Nation Ford head coach Jake Bentley: “He just finds a way to get to the ball and uses instincts and gets guys on the ground. (I'm) super excited to see his production just continue to increase and have a big year for us.”

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 through 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.