HSSR Annual Football Media Day Once Again Huge Success
Offensive Linemen, HSSR Media Day 2024
From Staff Reports
Columbia - The annual HSSR football media day was held on Sunday July, 28 inside the University of South Carolina indoor practice facility with around 200 football players, representing 35 different high schools on hand for pictures and interviews that will be included in the exclusive 112-page annual statewide football tabloid to be printed on August, 26.
“First and foremost, the “High School Sports Report” would like to thank South Carolina head football coach Shane Beamer, and Director of Football Operations George Wynn for the use of the weather-proof facility, located in the center part of the state,” said HSSR Publisher Billy G. Baker. “We took individual pictures of every player who attended the media day, group pictures of all position groups, plus special cover photos in top juniors and seniors for the cover of our late August issue.
“We appreciate every player who came to the media day and those coaches and parents who provided them rides to the event,” said Baker. “We are the only statewide media left in South Carolina covering all high school sports on a statewide basis, and our upcoming football issue will be our 38th annual issue. Our goal is to have information on each of the 265 SCHSL and SCISA teams fielding varsity football teams in this issue.”
If football fans desire to order this one-of-a-kind prep football issue (great scrap book material) you may do so by sending $5 to: HSSR, PO Box 1607, Goose Creek SC 29445. The $5 also covers postage and handling, and we need your order in by Thursday, August, 22. You may also subscribe to the HSSR for one year for the subscription price of $20.
A few of the top prospects in attendance included Gaffney 2025 offensive linemen Sheldrick Sarratt (6-4, 290) who is a commitment to South Carolina along with 2026 Gaffney tackle Scotland Dover (6-3, 300) who currently holds offers from Tennessee and Kentucky.
HSSR reporter Worthy Evans interviewed both talented linemen at media day. Evans asked Sarratt why he chose the Gamecocks, “ They’ve been recruiting me ever since ninth grade,” said Sarratt. “Me and (USC Offensive Line) Coach (Lonnie) Teasely have a good relationship because him and my trainer are best friends and that really made it easy. I love everything about them, the atmosphere, the campus, everything.”
Dover talked about his preparation for the upcoming season. “We hit the offseason hard, working every day that we were allowed,” said Dover. “I’ve got a personal trainer and I trained with him a lot also. I am focused on being the best player I can be.”
HSSR Publisher Billy Baker interviewed Carvers Bay 2026 offensive tackle/strong side defensive end Zyon Guiles (6-5, 295) who already has offers from South Carolina, Tennessee, Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Wake Forest, and NC State among others. He is related to the Geathers brothers who all played in the NFL.
“I hope to be the best version of myself this season,” said Guiles who has a 315-pound bench and 435-pound squat. “I want to help my team win football games. God blessed me with good size so I might as well put it to good use.
“My father played in the NFL also,” said Guiles. “I hope to have a very productive junior season with one more season to go before I enter a power five college with a strong goal to play in the NFL one day.”
Guiles has been to junior prospect days at Clemson, South Carolina and Georgia. He says he will visit games this fall at SC, Clemson, Tennessee, and Florida State.
A couple other top 2025 prospects at media day included Blackville-Hilda RB/LB Jaquel Holman (6-1, 200, 4,4) was interviewed by Neill Kirkpatrick of the HSSR. When asked about what he worked on this summer to get ready for this season, Holman said, “I got a lot faster, and stronger over the summer and my mindset is to continue to get better each day. I'm really big on being a leader this year and holding everyone accountable for the mistakes we made last year. We want to correct those things and get to the state championship game."
Holman is a solid commitment to South Carolina. Holman rushed for 1,700 yards last year and also played very well at LB on defense.
Josiah Dwyer (6-4, 260) is a senior DT from Marlboro County who is committed to East Carolina.
“My strength is that I am aggressive and I play fast to the ball and I play with a high motor,” said Dwyer. “My main goal is to help the team make a deep run in the playoffs and I hope top earn all-region and all-state honors also.”
Brown Reaves is a top tight end/H-back 2025 prospect from North Myrtle Beach. He told Dennis Brunson of the HSSR, “ “I feel like I should get a lot more targets and receptions this year, and I should be a key point in the offense,” said Brown. “I was a key point in the offense last year, more in the blocking game. I think this year I’ll be used more in the passing game.”
Elgin Sessions, a 2025 DB from Dutch Fork is committed to West Virginia. He told Brunson, “ "I'm expecting to have a better season than I did last year,” said Sessions. “I want to show out and show that I've still got it. I want to gain my fourth star. That's my goal. Me being physical. There's not a lot of physical DBs at this age and time. I have the coverage part, but I bring the physicality to the game as well.
Although Sessions is committed to West Virginia, he tells the HSSR he is also hearing from Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Duke and Stanford.
Look for more features on events from media day. We will have a story with several head coaches at the event later this week along with a feature on the Lucy Beckham team with several players who came to media day.
The HSSR would also like to thank photographer Eric Owens who took all the pictures at media day. Also, thanks to Berna Noll, Alicia Brunson, and Elizabeth Howe for their help gathering up the prospect forms.
