High school football season ended last year with two teams from nearly the same area playing high-stakes games.

Andrew Jackson Academy came up short in the SCISA 8-man title game, and Bamberg-Ehrhardt came up just short of reaching the Class A title game on a frigid field in Chesterfield. This year, the region could feature as many as six future SEC players. Still, there are plenty of questions as the season opens.

Let’s answer a few and ask a few.

Questions answered

1. Which team in The T&D Region could contend for a state title?

It’s hard to count Blackville-Hilda out of any title race, but this year the title contenders in the region appear to be in Bamberg and St. Matthews.

Bamberg-Ehrhardt came within a game of the state title last season, has the best weight program in the region and several college-bound players on the team. Walt Wilson’s Calhoun County Saints team is loaded with athletes. A season ago, the two teams played in the playoffs with Bamberg-Ehrhardt pulling off the upset and heading to Chesterfiled to play the eventual state champions for the right to go to the title game.

The question this year may be can either one of these teams overcome Steve Tanneyhill’s Chesterfield team?

2. Who is the most explosive player in the region?

Calhoun County junior wide receiver Shamier Jeffery is faster than his brother and may be, before it’s all over, a better all-around player than his brother. Shamier Jeffery reportedly has offers from LSU and Tennessee but is supposedly looking at joining his brother with the the South Carolina Gamecocks.

3. Who is the most feared defender in the region?

This distinction goes to another Calhoun County player. In the first six games of his Calhoun County career, Brandon Golson picked up 18 sacks before his season was cut short after he got in a head-on collision with a drunk driver. Golson is back at 100 percent this season, showing great athletic ability as a linebacker -- where he is slated to play with the South Carolina Gamecocks -- in summer 7-on-7 passing tournaments. Golson will likely be back on the end for the Saints.

4. Who is the best offensive lineman in the region?

This is the hardest question to answer. Right now, give a tie to Bamberg-Ehrhardt’s A.J. Cann and Calhoun County’s Eric Mack. Both are South Carolina commitments. Cann is an agile center that may need to gain a few pounds. Mack is a surprisingly nimble mountain of a young man.

5. The best player you might not know?

This distinction goes to North’s Freddie Martino. A first-team All-Area defensive back last season, Martino can flat out fly.

Questions by team

1. Bamberg-Ehrhardt -- The Red Raiders are the strongest team in the region when it comes to the weight room and boast an impressive group of linemen led by Under Armour All-American and South Carolina commit A.J. Cann as well as Kentucky commit Justin Henderson. B-E also has a strong tailback in Demetrius Williams, but do the Red Raiders have enough depth at the skill positions to be serious contenders.

2. Orangeburg-Wilkinson -- O-W will likely be led by senior quarterback Josh Charles and tailback Raheem Howell, but the team is young. With Clayton Gidron, Clinton Gidron, Thomas Hart, Kenneth Hamilton and Curtis Simmons gone from a season ago, who will step up for the Bruins?

3. Woodland -- The Wolverines have two-time All-Area first team quarterback Robert Smith, an Elite 11 selection a season ago, returning at quarterback. They also have tailback Nagui Wright, but what type of play makers does the team have around the duo? More importantly, how are the defensive and offensive lines looking?

4. Denmark-Olar -- It seems, if the Vikings didn’t have bad luck, they would have no luck at all. The school has had a carousel of coaches come through the last couple of years and now Butch Jacobs is the head man. Jacobs is looking to back away from the spread offense of former coach Andrae Rice and run the ball more. How will Denmark-Olar do in the transition and just how much spirit do the kids have left? Bright side: The team has defensive end Kendrick Frazier, an underrated player with offers from South Carolina, N.C. State and Maryland to name a few.

5. Edisto -- Edisto has Malik Brown, an All-Area first team linebacker, and Derrick Jenkins returning in the backfield and an offensive line has been praised by head coach Andy Palmer. Edisto should be able to move the ball on the ground, but with two young kids vying for the starting quarterback spot will the Cougars be able to throw it when they have to?

6. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler -- H-K-T has, perhaps, the most talented group of skill players in the region. Quarterback Montaurus Gleaton is a veteran of the system -- he was an Elite 11 selection two seasons ago. Wide receivers Schawn Jamison and D’twane Fulmer, both South Carolina State commits, have been extremely impressive in summer 7-on-7 passing leagues. The question is, just how good will the offensive line be? And, how good will the defense be?

7. Orangeburg Prep -- Head coach Adam Holmes turned the Indians into an exciting offensive team in his first year at the school a season ago. With star wide receivers A.J. Andrews and Michael Williamson as well as quarterback Thomas Plumb gone, who will lead the OPS offense this season?

8. Calhoun Academy -- Who will step up to replace Elite 11 quarterback Andrew Robinson in coach Adam Jarecki’s offense?

9. Lake Marion -- Coach Chris Carter replaces Corey Wright as the head coach of the Gators this season. He promises a “New Gator Nation.” It will likely be hard to deliver on that in just one season, but how much progress can Carter make this year toward the goal of making Lake Marion a cotender?

10. Branchville -- Year two for coach Dan Reynolds figures to be as tough as year one. Branchville is still suffering from low numbers. The question for the team, after reviving the program from a 10-year slumber last season, is when will that first win come?

11. Blackville-Hilda -- Joe Thomas is gone, but Blackville-Hilda is going to run the ball. Who will be the man to step up and fill Thomas’ shoes? And, is that passing that the Hawks were working on this summer? Is there a new wrinkle in the playbook?

12. North -- Terry McFadden is gone. Tramaine McMillan is gone. Freddie Martino remains. Can he be the leader of the Eagles?

13. Calhoun County -- Walt Wilson’s team lost just one game last year, but just couldn’t seal the deal in the playoffs. The team is once again loaded with talent with Mack, an Under Armour All-American, Golson, Shamier Jeffery and defensive tackle Javontae Brown to name a few. Can the Saints get over the hump this year?

14. Andrew Jackson Academy -- Greg Langdale’s team made it to the state title game a season ago. But, the Confederates lost a handful of seniors -- quarterback Chris Long, running back Ryan Fender, tackle John Avant, tight end Coty Smith, guard Mac Mathias and center Chandler Hutson. Can they replace them?

15. Bethune-Bowman -- The Mohawks return Josh Matthews, a mountainous, 6-5, 320-pound offensive tackle. But, who will carry the ball behind him?

16. Dorchester Academy -- The Raiders return a strong group this year. Are the questions, which began last summer, about whether or not head coach Stanley Gruber will leave the school finally over?

17. Holly Hill Academy -- HHA returns a strong group for its second year in 11-man football. The question is, just how much have they adjusted to the 11-man game in a year’s time?

18. Jefferson Davis Academy -- How much has Joey Lott turned the program around in his second year back in command?

T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be reached via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553.

 

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