Class AAA Update and Region Break Down

HSSR AAA Football Ranking  (Prior To Games On 8-23)

 1. BHP

 2. Dillon

 3. Marlboro County

 4. Mountain View

 5. Oceanside Collegiate

 6, Christ Church

 7. Woodruff

 8. Loris

 9. Broome

 10. Chapman

 11. Powdersville

 12. Hanahan

 13.Southside Christian

 14. Newberry

 15. Crescent

Region 1-AAA

 1.  BHP (13-1)

 2. Pendleton (9-3)

 3. Crescent (6-5)

 4. Walhalla (4-6)

 5. West Oak (4-6)

 BHP to Run Away With Region 1-AAA

      Belton Honea Path — There are no one man teams in the game of football but having BHP running back Maurice Henderson (5-11, 165) on your team gives that team a leg up for sure.

     The state’s top RB in the 2025 class rushed for 2,336 yards averaging 11.1 yards a carry while scoring 37 TD’s. The Clemson commitment should even exceed these awesome stats in 2004.

     William Blackston is the head coach of BHP and the HSSR ranks the Bears number one in AAA starting the season.

     Seven starters return on offense. Joining Henderson are OL Brody Smith, Keagan Mosher, Keylan Dixon, and Oliver Marett. Jamiah Galbreath and Eli Saterfield return at the double tight ends.

     There are 8 starters back on the BHP Even Front defense. They are DT Kylan Dixon, DE Tye Rainey, DE Justin Lathon, LB Jakyri Anderson, LB Tye Kelly, CB Tye Wilson Martin, CB Norikus Cowan, and FS Colby Bates. Dixon, Satterfield, Henderson, Lathon, and Martin were all-region last season.

     BHP started the 2024 season by hosting Broome on August, 23^rd.   

     Walhalla - After going 4-6 in 2023 Walhalla head coach Chris Stone feels like the veteran strength of his OL will carry his team to added success this season. 

     The OL is anchored is anchored by tackles Connor Talley and Brandyn Bolt with guards Dennis Washer and Lane Garney a year better and stronger along with center Garrett Simpson.

    Jack Williams will QB and Landon Robinson and Silas Parish will handle RB duties. Witt Austin and Jaxon Blackwell are the WR’s.

The defense will be built around a DL held down by Logan Burrell, Charlie Galbreath, Colin Phillips and Connor Lamb.

     Walhalla started the season with a home game against Pickens.

      Crescent High -- Coming of a 6-5 season for 2023, head coach Sheldon Evans starts his seventh season at Crescent High.  This season they are looking for a strong front on the O-Line with four returning starters.  The Tigers will have a returning sophomore at QB this year.

     On offense, Mason Evans (‘27) returns at QB, Darius Latimer (’25, 6-0, 180) at RB/SS, Jake Duncan (’25, 6-3, 290) RB/DL, Kiantae Parks (’25, 5-9, 150) WR/CB, Tron Paul (’25, 5-8, 140) WR/CB, Amiri Acker (’26, 6-3, 165) CB/WR

     On defense, Isaac Hoskins (5-10, 160) LB/TE, Bryson Dutton (’25, 5-11, 185) MLB/WR

     Crescent opens their season at home against Saluda on Friday, 8/23.

 Region 2-AAA

 1. Christ Church (13-2)

 2. Powdersville (4-7)

 3. Southside Christian (8-4)

 4. St. Joseph’s (11-3)

 5. Palmetto (3-8)

 6. Carolina (2-8)

Christ Church Favored To Take Region 2-AAA Honors

      Christ Church — Quin Hatfield and the Christ Church football exited the Class A ranks with a state title and 13-2 record a year ago. With realignment and the triple multiplier being applied to all schools the Cavaliers now found themselves in Region 2-AAA and no doubt this team is capable of winning many games at the AAA level.

     “The strength o four team coming into the season will be our QB position, our playmakers out-wide on offense,” said Coach Hatfield. “We have a young running back with a huge upside. We have experience back in the secondary and our linebackers and defensive ends are very athletic and physical.”

      WR Jackson Repp (5-8, 167, 4.4) has 13 offers entering the season and he ran a 4.3 forty at some camps over the summer. Repp hauled in over 1,400 yards in receptions and scored over 25 TD’s a year ago. .Junior WR Jude Hall (6-4, 190) had over 500 yards in receptions a year ago.

     Senior QB Tucker Hendrix threw for 2,700 yards and 39 TD’s as a junior. He has a PWO to play football at Clemson.  FS Acie Hatfield (6-0,165) has several next level offers. LB Ford Glenn is a prospect with a nose for the ball. DE Elijah Garrett (6-4, 225) is quick off the edge and he is getting offers. DT Will Childers (6-0,205) is back along with junior DL George Michael Stathakis (5-11, 202). Senior Jackson Linz and junior Rody Barnett share time in the DL also.

     Christ Church opened up the 2024 season with a road trip loss to SCISA powerhouse Hammond.

     Powdersville - Robert Mustar (74-61) has been the only head coach since the founding of Powdersville more than a decade ago. Last year the Patriots were 5-6 after playing for a state title just two years ago.  WE Elijah Huggins is a big senior and he teams up with senior DB Josmawn Knuckles to give the team solid senior leadership. The junior class is led by QB Kegan Reid (6-3, 185) who has a strong arm along with DB Desmond Hunter. Soph WR Xavier Huggins is a sure-handed receiver. Soph Zy’kel Rogers is a prospect with speed.

     Southside Christian — Head coach Mike Sonneborn calls the strength of the Sabres to be built around QB/RB/ and WR. His senior leadership will come from RT Jeremiah Jackson, DB Christian Kaiser, and DL John Talon. WR Keldon Wrona is a key junior. The Sabres were 8-4 a year ago.   

 Region 3-AAA

 1.Mountain View

 2. Chapman

 3. Union County

 4. Broome

 5. Woodruff

 New Charter School Mountain View Prep Loaded Up With Transfer Talent

Mountain View Prep --Mountain View Prep is gearing up for its first season with a strong blend of experience and talent across the board. On offense, the team welcomes quarterback Bryson Drummond, transferring from Greenville, and one of the region's standout running backs, Jaylen McGill, to anchor the unit. They'll be supported by former Dorman Cavaliers, running back TJ Gassoway and receiver KD Hainsworth, who are expected to thrive behind a junior-heavy offensive line.

Defensively, safety AJ McAlister had versatility that promises to be a key asset, while defensive backs Jacobi Smith and the speedy Shamon Black solidify the secondary. Up front, Eli Smith and Quay McCauley provide strong leadership.

Despite having players with Friday night experience, the biggest hurdle will be integrating various systems and coaching styles, especially after missing out on spring practices and offseason training. 

Chapman: lost to Daniel 45-14 to start the 2024 season. No team report sent in.

Union County: will be led by senior WR Josh Rice-Brannon, LB Oe Knox, DB Erion Jeter, and DB Nathan Koepke. Top juniors include LB Myson Grant and DB Dreshawn Grant, Union County is coached by Quinnon Isom. 

Broome: Lynn Flemming’s team was 9-3 last season. Some of their key players include QB Jamison Dearyberry along with RB Tyquan Boker. On defense LB Grant Bradley returns along with DL Tyquan Booker.

Woodruff: Brett Sloan is the head coach in Woodruff and the Wolverines look to improve on their 4-7 record of a year ago. DB Hunter West, and OL Cohen Lyda return as senior leaders. TE Kim Taylor leads the junior group along with WR Keri Moates. Woodruff beat Clinton 40-36 in week zero for a huge confidence builder.

 Region 4 AAA

 1. Newberry

 2. Silver Bluff

 3. Keenan

 4. Fox Creek

 5. Swansea

 Newbery Heavily Favored To Win 4-AAAA

Keenan -- The past two season’s the Keenan Raiders have played into the second week of the class AA playoffs so with a senior laden roster head coach Ray McCleod and his Raiders will despite moving back to AAA they will be looking to make a deeper run in the playoffs in 2024.

Offensively, the Raiders return quarterback Desmond Washington (6-1,200). He threw for over 1500 yards and rushed for over 300 yards last season. RB senior Tyheim McNeil and sophomore Hunter O’Nea return in the back field. McNeil was the Raiders leading receiver last season with 35 receptions for 558 yards while rushing for 321 yards.

The receiver position will be manned by senior Nyheim McNeil, sophomore Deion Hollis and tight end Benard King. McNeil was the team’s top tackler last with 86 stops, 16 tackles for loss, two picks, six caused fumbles and four recoveries. Coach McCleod decided that they needed his playmaking ability on the offensive side of the ball.

The offensive line is a veteran group with four returning starters led by seniors; right tackle Keith Jowers, left guard Michael Swinton, and center Victor O’Neal. Junior Quashawn Hampton will be at left tackle and Joseph Taylor will be at right guard.

The defensive line is a talented group with returning starters in seniors Nigel Williams, Titus Bowman.

The Raider got off to a good start as they defeated their rival Dreher 40-37. Tyheim McNeil and O’Neal each had two touchdown runs for Keenan in the win. They jumped out to big lead then had to survive a late field goal attempt

         The Raiders (1-0) will host Pendleton (1-0) a 47-21 winner over Chesnee in their opener.

       Fox Creek: The Fox Creek High School football team struggled last season. The Predators went 2-8, including a 0-5 mark in Region 3-AA. That led to them missing out on the AA state playoffs. Fox Creek will have to up its game a bit this season since its classification was upped by the South Carolina High School League’s reclassification. The Predators are now a AAA school, a member of Region 4. The 5-team region includes Silver Bluff, Keenan, Swansea and Newberry.

      The Fox Creek High School football team struggled last season. The Predators went 2-8, including a 0-5 mark in Region 3-AA. That led to them missing out on the AA state playoffs.

      The Predators are 8-22 over the past three seasons. After going 4-5 in his first season and making the state playoffs, Fox Creek went 2-9 in 2022, even though it did again advance to the state playoffs.

 Region 5-AAA

 1. Dillon

 2. Marlboro County

 3. Loris

 4. Aynor

 5. Waccamaw

 6. Georgetown

 Dillon & Marlboro County In Battle For The Region 5-AAA Crown

Dillon: You would be hard-pressed to ask any Dillon fan the last time they lost a region title but things could get interesting when Marlboro County plays at Dillon on October, 18.

Kelvin Roller is starting his 4^th season at Dillon and after three seasons he has an impressive 34-4 record.  After his team’s impressive 21-3 win over Cheraw in the Jamboree of Champions hosted in Dillon.  Coach Roller told the HSSR, “(Jamarion) Fling, and all our running backs, ran the ball well tonight, and the offensive line blocked well also. We finally got Kyheim Lester (6-4, 265) to come out and play football from the basketball team and he is developing well at left tackle for us. Kiele Pompey (6-1, 230) will be at left guard and he is one of the strongest, if not the strongest player on our team.

“Nicholas Byrd (5-10,230) has done a good job at center so far and Mishad Gilchrist is at right guard and Ke’Shawn Ray is starting at right tackle so with football being a developmental game it will take time for the offensive line to develop but Coach Parker is doing a great job with them,” said Coach Roller.

Coach Roller is very high on WR/DB Zay Robertson. “He is a tremendous receiver with great hands and speed and he is going to be a special player. I honestly think he is one of the best receivers in the state.”

Coach Roller was dealt a mild shock when junior QB Josiah Oxendine came into his office in July and said he was transferring. Oxendine is now at Forest Hills, NC. Rahmad Hamilton has been moved from WR to QB. “I thought Rahmad did a really good job tonight,” said Coach Roller. “At the quarterback position you need to get reps and he has only been at the position for a few weeks but he is getting better every day.”

Some of the Nasty Cats of defense cited include DL Azavion Deberry (6-0,270) along with linebackers Keriyon Brown (5-10, 185), Daniel Capehart (5-11, 195) and Kelvien Manning (6-2, 170). Dan Graves, Robertson, and Fling provide depth in the secondary. (See article on Dillon elsewhere in this issue).

Dillon began the 2024 season hosting Scotland County, NC on August, 23^rd.

Marlboro County: After last season Marlboro County reached into North Carolina and hired Cory Johnson (61-12) away from Clinton High School, and his team won the AA state title last year with a core group of young talent.

No kidding, several of those players decided to follow him to Marlboro County. The roster in Bulldog country has a lot of new faces for sure. Two of those studs who came South are CB Jakarrian Kenan (6-0,180) committed to Rutgers and DL Josiah Dwyer (6-4, 255) committed to East Carolina. Both of these players are in the HSSR Top 100.

A few top juniors are DB Tremayne Ashford and LB James McLean. Senior Nydarion Blackwell is a talented QB with a strong arm and steady feet.  Other top seniors include RB Josiah Robinson TE Damon Short and  WR Justin Purvis,

Marlboro County started the 2024 season at Lake Marion on August, 23^rd.  

Loris - Greg Mance (220-95) saw his Loris Lions finish 7-3 a year ago.

This year they are led by seniors WR Quantez Dyson (5-10, 170), DL Mark Miller (6-2, 240), and DL Javon Johnson (5-11, 220).  

The junior leaders are WR Jacobien Lewis (6-3, 170), DL Damarera Thurmond (6-3, 310), and TE Landon Connor (6-0,230). Two impact sophomores are RB Makel Stephens (5-6, 195) and RB Roderick Purcha (5-7, 165).  

Loris will begin the 2024 season hosting Green Sea Floyds on August, 23^rd.

Aynor--At Aynor High things are progressing, the team reached the playoffs, and the team is should be better this season.  The Blue Jackets head football coach Jason Allen is making changes towards that goal. 

On offense, senior Austin Tanyika (6-3, 260) OL is a good leader and on defense senior Matthew Kerby LB is the leader.

Aynor opened the 2024 season on August, 23^rd at Aiken. 

 Region 6-AAA Prediction

 1. Oceanside Collegiate

 2. Hanahan

 3. Battery Creek

 4. Orangeburg Wilkinson

 5. North Charleston

 Oceanside Collegiate Moves Up To AAA Focused On More State Titles

Oceanside Collegiate - Head coach Chad Wilkes has a solid cast returning from the championship team and feels his 2024 squad can be a contender for the state championship. But, in mid-August, the coach felt his team was a little behind in terms of being ready to compete in games.

“We haven’t been bad but we have not executed at the level that we are used to playing at,” Wilkes said. “Just not hitting on all cylinders on either side of the ball. But we know what our potential is. We know we have the talent to compete. What’s important is how we execute and perform in November.” Offensively, sophomore quarterback Aidan Manavian returns after leading the team in the postseason run as a freshman. Top receivers Will Virgilio and Gavin Gaspar also return with transfer Payton Shaw adding to the mix.

Handling most of the running game will be junior Terrence Johnson and sophomore James O’Connor. Three starters return on the offensive line in Mike Jones, Carson Lee and Charlie Bean.

Jones also rates as a key player on the defensive line, joined by returning all-state end Sawyer Arnold, Travis Anderson and Joey Harriot.

Max Moorman, AJ Zarzaca and Gabe Gilchrist are the early starters at linebacker. Grayson Freeling is a fourth-year starter at safety and corner Nate Sturm returns.

HANAHAN – The Hanahan High School football team captured a region crown in 2023 and has its sights set on another one this fall.

“I can’t put a number on it, but I do think we have a team that can be really good,” second-year Hawks coach Milan Turner said. “I think we’ve got a quality team, a team that can be competitive. For us, it’s about improving day to day and week to week, and figuring out who we are as we go along.”

The Hawks opened up with a 28-26 loss to visiting Philip Simmons Friday, Aug. 23. After Philip Simmons, the Hawks travel to Wando Friday, Aug. 30, and host rival Bishop England Friday, Sept. 6. They complete the non-region slate with clashes against Lucy Beckham, Timberland and Andrews.

Among the standout Hawks returning are 2023 all-region selections quarterback Julius Hippenstiel, receiver Dru Goldsmith and lineman Antwain Mitchell. Hippenstiel threw for more than 1,900 yards as a sophomore and Goldsmith hauled in 60 passes for 972 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior. Mitchell, a senior, is one of the leaders in an experienced group of players in the trenches, and also carried in a touchdown from six yards out against the Iron Horses.

Another notable player coming back is senior athlete Javatre Shepard, who Turner calls his “MacGyver.” Shepard will get touches out of the backfield, at receiver and as a leader in the secondary. Shepard rolled up 200 total yards rushing and receiving against Philip Simmons, scoring twice.

“I was really proud of how quickly our kids grew up and jelled last year,” Turner said. “We were playing our best football at the end of the year, which is when you want to be playing your best.”