Upstate's Best: Biggest Player Storylines

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.   In South Carolina high school football, there's really nothing like the last few days before preseason camp starts.   We've seen 7-on-7 and camp action. We've talked to coaches and players. Everybody wants to know who's got what, and how things are going to shake out, and what we're looking at before we get started.   In the Upstate, that's sometimes both simple and overwhelming. This year is no different. Realignment has brought on major changes. Transfers have shifted the balance of power and opened things up. Historical powers are still going to be great, but might be in a new location.   Here's our look at some guys who might benefit from any number of those things, and a whole lot more.   [player_tooltip player_id='1809232' first='Evan-Reece' last='Lawter'] QB, Chesnee (pictured) - Lawter is the kind of player who's capable of giving the Eagles a chance against anybody on any given night. He's a big, hard-nosed, athletic QB who can pick up tough yardage and sling it a mile, and when he's on, Chesnee's capable of being electric on offense. Don't look now, but that "chance against anybody on any given night" just got way more important. A pair of transfers from the way-too-early region favorites have opened up what Region II-2A can look like, and Lawter is just the kind of player who can put the Eagles solidly in the mix.   [player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin'] ATH, Westside - Speaking of impact transfers, this might be one of the biggest in the state. The Rams were already loaded across the board, and QB [player_tooltip player_id='1881741' first='Bear' last='Woods'] has plenty of weapons to choose from. But let's look at what Westside added in Watson-Martin. They got an incredibly athletic, incredibly versatile dude who can lay claim to being Belton-Honea Path's best player last season, and one of a handful of the best even before that. Last year, all he did was to rush for two touchdowns, return two punts and a kickoff for scores, make 27 tackles with two for loss and a sack, force two fumbles, knock down three passes, and pick off four, returning two of those for scores. And that was in his spare time. Because in his main role, he caught 58 balls for 1,101 yards and 11 touchdowns. Kind of a big-deal addition.   [player_tooltip player_id='1702151' first='James' last='Porter'] DL and [player_tooltip player_id='1818140' first='Antwone' last='Tarrence'] LB, Dorman - These two have a chance to be dominant in Wade Cooper's defense, and that...really won't be much of a change. Porter and Tarrence were key defensive pieces for the Cavaliers a year ago, and if you weren't playing close attention or watching Dorman on multiple occasions, chances are you likely haven't heard of them. That's because the Cavaliers had All-Star caliber players at DL and in the secondary who were highly-regarded seniors, and folks might not have looked at much more. That's a mistake. Porter has the speed and physical tools to play either on the edge or inside and he can get up the field and create havoc from either spot, fitting right in with Dorman's philosophy of getting pressure without bring extra bodies. Tarrence is an active, physical guy who's a tackle machine, and who's great at running around and making plays, seeming to always be in the right place.   [player_tooltip player_id='1036721' first='Tre' last='Segarra'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1604062' first='Jacobi' last='Fuller'] RBs, Byrnes - This is a spot where realignment plays a huge role in what we're watching. Segarra and Fuller complement each other really well, and they combined for more than 2,000 rushing yards last year while also providing an added dynamic in the Rebels' passing attack. They did all that despite having to compete in the absolute grind that was Region II-5A, one of the toughest defensive regions in the state. Now, that region is no more. The Rebels will still face off against Dorman, Spartanburg, and Gaffney, but those games will make up the early part of the non-region stretch. Segarra and Fuller - and the rest of the Rebels - now have a chance to be a little bit fresher for the stretch playoff run, and with a veteran offensive line and a new offensive coordinator, that might be a scary proposition for the field.   [player_tooltip player_id='1603963' first='Mason' last='Evans'] QB and [player_tooltip player_id='1604055' first='Hunter' last='Dale'] OLB/WR, Crescent - The Tigers are absolutely loaded with returning players and upperclassmen this season, something that hasn't happened in a while. And these two do a whole lot of everything for Crescent. Evans is a hard-nosed dual-threat QB who's shown a ton of improvement year-over-year. This year doesn't seem to be any exception, as Evans has drawn raves for his performance at camps, and that's on his arm alone, without even showing off what he can do on the move. Dale, on the other hand, is what his coach calls "a nasty little football player". He's lined up all over the place for the Tigers, and he's a leader wherever he goes. With the two providing senior leadership, and everything else Crescent has coming back, It could be a special season in Iva.   [player_tooltip player_id='1818281' first='Jamearion' last='Williams'] DB, Abbeville - Williams was hurt down the stretch last season, and the Panthers made an uncharacteristic early exit from the playoffs. Well, that's only if you consider the third round early, which they do in Abbeville. Williams was back for basketball season, where he showcased his athleticism and helped lead the Panthers on the hardwood. He's an explosive athlete who moves well and seems to always be where he needs to be. He's also a prototypical 1A athlete, meaning he'll help the team in a bunch of places on both sides of the ball. This year, that will likely mean RB and DB, where Williams will have a chance to show off his skills in space.   [player_tooltip player_id='1819707' first='Christopher' last='Dean'] RB, [player_tooltip player_id='1822754' first='Desiray' last='Christian'] WR, and [player_tooltip player_id='1467847' first='Beau' last='Hite'] QB, Emerald - Ok, this one has the potential to get REALLY interesting. Dean is a legit workhorse in the backfield, rushing for more than 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns on 175 carries, battering his way to 8.1 yards an attempt. Hite threw for more than 1,800 yards and 19 touchdowns, rushing for almost 400 yards and scoring four more times on the ground. All four of his top targets were underclassmen. Christian transferred over from Greenwood and will make an immediate impact. A big receiver with great speed and hands, Christian drew a ton of P4 attention as he recorded 554 receiving yards, the second-most for a sophomore in Greenwood football history. Now he's got a gunslinger, Hite has a legit WR1 and a bunch more targets, and Dean has a couple of guys who absolutely won't let opponents load the box. Emerald's offense could be a whole lot of fun.   [player_tooltip player_id='1036755' first='Kendaris' last='Bailey'] LB, [player_tooltip player_id='873100' first='Zion' last='Dawkins'] DB, and Adryean Monroe S, Gaffney - When Gaffney's defense is historically at its best, it's because there are playmakers all over the field. Well, don't look now. The Indians are loaded on defense for their move down to 4A, and these three are a huge part of the reason why. They combined last season for 173 total tackles (Monroe's 65 led the way), 24.5 tackles for loss (Bailey led the way with 18.5), and six interceptions (with Dawkins' notching four of those). They're all physical, ball-hawking players who each bring a little something different. Bailey has the physical edge and power to also serve as Gaffney's short-yardage back. Dawkins has a ton of speed and great coverage ability. Monroe is a blend of all of those tools, and an insanely underrated player. They'll look to lead the Indians on the defensive side of the ball.

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.