HSSR AAAAA Sweet 16 Football Poll - (As of October 2, 2023)
1. Summerville
2. Hillcrest
3. Byrnes
4. Gaffney
5. Fort Dorchester
6. T.L. Hanna
7. White Knoll
8. Spartanburg
9. Lexington
10. Sumter
11. Dutch Fork
12. J.L. Mann
13. Ashley Ridge
14. Clover
15. Cane Bay
16. West Ashley
SC Shrine Bowl roster included 11 Class AAAA athletes
By Dennis Brunson
hssr.com Associate Editor
Sumter – Eleven players from the AAAAA classification have been selected to represent the state of South Carolina in the 87th edition of the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas.
The game, which pits the best from the Palmetto State against the best from North Carolina, will be played on Saturday, December 16, at Spartanburg High School.
Here’s a closer look at the AAAAA players;
JAURON BENNETT - SUMTER, DB
STATS: Bennett had 21 tackles, one tackle for loss, on interception, three pass breakups and one forced fumble through six games.
COLLEGE: Old Dominion, Charleston Southern showing lots of interest.
QUOTE: Jauron is a 3-year starter. He is naturally a cornerback. He has great cover skills. He has long arms and covers well. He represents our program, our school, our community the right way. He’ll go and do a great job. – Sumter head coach Mark Barnes
DEMARIO BOOKHART - SPARTANBURG, DB
STATS: Bookhart had 33 tackles and two interceptions through the Vikings’ first five games.
COLLEGE: Offers from Georgia State, Arkansas State among others
QUOTE: Demario Bookhart is a fabulous kid with a huge upside. This is his second year of high school football. He is academically and athletically gifted. One of the more cerebral defensive players I have coached and is unbelievably strong and explosive. His natural football acumen is next level, as is his will to compete. Spartanburg head coach Mark Hodge
JAKE BUERK - GAFFNEY, OL
STATS: The 6-foot-3-inch, 285-pound Buerk transitioned from right tackle to center this season and “it has worked out great,” according to Gaffney head coach Dan Jones The Indians are averaging over 37 points and just under 400 yards of total offense a game.
COLLEGE: Offers from East Tennessee State, Limestone, Newberry among others.
QUOTE: Jake is a disciplined and committed athlete who does not mind all the grunt work O linemen have to do. He maintains his blocks and finishes each play. He is a great teammate and leader on our team. Gaffney head coach Dan Jones
TERRY GRANT - WEST ASHLEY, LB
STATS: Grant had 36 tackles, 11 TFLs, eight sacks and eight QBPs through six games.
COLLEGE: Lots of interest from multiple FBS, FCS and Division II schools.
QUOTE Terry Grant is a tremendous football player who is very deserving of selection to the Shrine Bowl. Terry epitomizes the term "football player". He is a leader on the field and in the weight room. He has worked very hard to improve his game and has the football IQ to go along with his ability and athleticism. He is literally a coach on the field. West Ashley head coach Donnie Kiefer
JARRIEL JEFFRIES - GAFFNEY, DL
STATS: Jeffries had 27 tackles, including 24 solo stops, a team high 11 ½ tackles for loss, four quarterback sacks and one forced fumble through six games.
COLLEGE: Holding no offers at this point,
QUOTE: Jarriel is a 3-year starter for us and is battle-tested. He is explosive and has a motor to match. Jarriel is a leader on our defense and loves the game. He is ready to play when the lights come on. Gaffney head coach Dan Jones
TYLER JONES - DUTCH FORK, DB
STATS: Jones has 32 tackles, including 23 solo stops, and a fumble recovery through six games.
COLLEGE: Jones has offers from South Carolina State, The Citadel, Charleston Southern, Newberry, Limestone and Wingate and interest from several FBS schools.
QUOTE: Tyler is a great kid, that is a pleasure to coach. He has a high football IQ and a great skill set for a big and long guy in the back end of our defense. He is a plug-and-play defender that can play safety, linebacker, man coverage or blitz. I am very excited for his opportunity in the Shrine bowl and then at the college level. Dutch Fork defensive coordinator Scott
Braswell
JAIDEN KIMBLE - WHITE KNOLL, LB
STATS: Kimble had 24 tackles, 9 ½ TFLs, three sacks and 1 PBU through five games.
COLLEGE: Getting lots of interest, particularly from Georgia Southern, Tennessee Tech and Wofford.
QUOTE: Both players (Kimble’s teammate, tight end Hasan Lee, was also selected to the Shrine Bowl) are extremely excited and proud to be selected for this amazing game. White Knoll head coach Nick Pelham.
HASAN LEE - WHITE KNOLL, TE
STATS: Lee had 17 catches for 290 yards and four touchdowns through five games.
COLLEGE: Offer from Charleston Southern and major interest from Tennessee Tech. Other schools showing interest as well.
QUOTE: Both players (Lee’s teammate, linebacker Jaiden Kimble, was also selected to the Shrine Bowl) are extremely excited and proud to be selected for this amazing game. White Knoll head coach Nick Pelham.
AVERY MCFADDEN - HILLCREST, WR
STATS: McFadden has 30 catches for 307 yards and eight touchdowns and 19 carries for 186 yards and six more scores on offense through six games. He also returned seven kickoffs for 236 yards and 10 punts for 131 yards.
COLLEGE: Offers from Coastal Carolina, Georgia State and James Madison with a few Power 5 schools showing interest.
QUOTE: Avery is a special football player. He is not only dynamic, but he is versatile too. His versatility has shown this season, as he has lined up at every WR position we have, RB, QB, and CB. He is also an electric returner in the kick game. The kid eats, sleeps, and breathes football. Avery is very intelligent, and he is as savvy of a football player as I have been around. Hillcrest head coach Bennett Swygert
YANNICK SMITH - SUMMERVILLE, WR
STATS: Smith had 21 catches for 564 yards and seven touchdowns, 11 carries for 91 yards and two scores and had completed 3 of 3 passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns through five games. He was averaging 32 yards per kickoff return and 16 yards per punt return.
COLLEGE: Committed to East Carolina
QUOTE: Yannick is a tremendous athlete who has worked very hard to be a complete football player. He is a big, physical wide receiver who creates matchup problems for opposing defenses. He is extremely competitive and has a high football IQ, which allows us to put him in many different positions to make plays. He is one of the best overall football players I have coached in my 21 years and I’ve had some good ones! Summerville head coach Ian Rafferty
MATTHEW WILSON - ROCK HILL, QB
STATS: Wilson had competed 75 of 156 passes for 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns while running the ball 57 times for 271 yards and six scores through five games.
COLLEGE: Appalachian State commitment
QUOTE: Matthew has been a 4-year starter for us at Rock Hill High School. He is a tremendous athlete and a natural leader. We, at Rock Hill High School, are very proud of Matthew for being selected to participate in the 2023 Shrine Bowl, and we know that he will represent our school, our city, and our state well in that game. Rock Hill head coach Bubba Pittman
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