Slight Down Year For Defensive Linemen In SC But Walker of Dutch Fork Commits To Michigan

Worthy Evans • August 27, 2025

The 2025 Defensive Linemen attending the HSSR Media Day.

 

By WORTHY EVANS

Special Writer

Columbia—There are few defensive linemen populating the High School Sports Report’s Top 100 Seniors in South Carolina this season,  but the ones who made it are sure to be high prizes at the college level.


Topping the list of senior defensive linemen is the lean and mean Dutch Fork defensive end Julian Walker. The 6-feet, 6 inch, 250-pounder committed to Michigan in June and is No.14 on the list of the Top 100 seniors.



Walker, a rangy 4-star prospect who can line up as an outside linebacker when needed, had 50 total tackles, 19 for loss, 11 sacks, and a fumble recovery last year as the Silver Foxes secured their first 5A Division I championship, third straight state title in a row, and eighth state crown since 2012. 


Going into this season, Walker said the formula for himself and for his teammates is simple, hard work and the drive to perfection.


“I’ve been working on my pass rush, staying consistent throughout the time of my pass rushes, not taking any plays off, stuff like that,” he said, adding that he’s doing what everyone else is doing as a team. “You could see it on our team. We’re trying to stay dominant, offense and defense. There’s a couple of things we could work on, but we’ll get that in the bag. We definitely looking for a four-peat. We’re staying consistent and trusting the process.”


Gaffney defensive tackle Kelton Smith (6-5, 290) is an East Carolina commit and at No.24. Smith played eight-man football at Oakbrook Prep in Spartanburg his junior year before transferring to the Indians. He’s looking to help the Indians (10-2 in 2024) go deep into the postseason this fall.


“I’ve been doing a lot of training really, preparing mentally, staying mentally strong,” Smith said, adding that East Carolina impressed him immediately. “Really, the college coaches were amazing. It was real fun. I had a real good time with them.”


Bluffton defensive lineman Chris Doyle (6-1, 290) is an Appalachian State commit and No.33 on the list. Doyle had 67 total tackles, 18 for loss, five sacks and 26 hurries for the Bobcats last season.


Named 4A All-State and First Team All-Region 6-4A, Doyle chose Appalachian State over offers from The Citadel and Georgia Southern.


Ashley Ridge defensive end J.T. King (6-4, 240) is 40th on the list. King had 43 tackles, 20 for loss, 7 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 4 passes defended, and one blocked field goal for the Swamp Foxes last year. He has offers from UNC-Charlotte, Anderson, and McPherson, and has generated interest from South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, South Carolina State, North Carolina A&T, Wofford, and Liberty. He plans to announce a commitment Sept. 6.


“To get ready for my senior season I have been training, lifting, and stretching every day,” he said. “I feel I have grown a lot this summer due to the motivation from my family, community, and my team.”


Ashley Ridge finished 8-4 and reached the second round of the 5A Division I playoffs. This fall King said the team is poised for another strong season.


“I know we have a great team this year. Our offense is very explosive and versatile, Our defense is very aggressive and competitive, and we have outstanding coaches on both sides of the ball,” King said. “But the biggest thing we have is communication and a strong bond. I know if anything happens my brothers have my back on and off the field. I love this team and I truly feel this team is state bound.”

 

Edge rusher Sawyer Arnold (6-4, 220) of 3A state champion Oceanside Collegiate is another Appalachian State commit and is at No.43.


“App State felt like home the moment I got there,” he said. “The town, game day atmosphere and the overall vibe they had was electric.”


 With his commitment in place, Arnold has worked with the rest of the team to reach the state title game again.


“Our team has put in hard work all summer in the weight room and on the field,” Arnold said. “No other team in South Carolina has put in the work we did all summer physically and mentally. We are ready to shock the state and have another great season. Go Sharks!”


Chester defensive end Terry Radford (6-1, 230) is at No.54. Radford had 116 tackles, 26 for loss, 16 sacks and 18 hurries for the 5-6 Cyclones last year. He has offers from Concord University in West Virginia and Wofford.


Nick Sapp (6-0, 300) of Denmark-Olar is at No. 86.  Sapp said he’s had a good offseason in preparing to be a senior leader in the trenches.


“I think we’re going to do good this year,” he said noting his team’s 4-7 mark in 2024. “We’ve got better talent this year than we have in the past. I’ve been to a lot of camps and prepping myself and getting better. We’re looking good, I feel like we can do better physically.”


He said he hasn’t heard from colleges at this point, but added that he’s interested in “staying close to home.”


Sumter’s David Rogers (6-2, 280) is 91st on the list. Also, a top wrestler in the heavyweight class, Rogers had 13 tackles, two for loss, and a sack in eight games at Lakewood last year before transferring to Sumter.


Jaylon Davis (6-0, 290) of Union County is 101st. Davis had 58 tackles, 9 for loss, and 7 ½ sacks last season.


Hartsville’s Chris Price (6-3, 275) is not listed among the Top 100 Seniors but is itching for the season to start so he can show that he should have been. Price has offers from Newberry, South Carolina State, N.C. Central, N.C A&T, Elon and Clark Atlanta.


“Chris has been a three-year starter and works extremely hard,” Red Foxes head coach Jeff Calabrese said. “He’s a great teammate, an honor-roll student, a well-rounded athlete. Last year he was All Conference, and with his hard work and effort this year he’s really going to make a difference.”


Price said to be the leader that Coach Calabrese and the team wants and expects him to be, he has to be in shape. He and the team know that to do better than last year’s 10-2-1 record, Region 5-4A championship, and third round visit in the playoffs, conditioning is key.


“That’s the biggest thing when you play four downs and four quarters, I can’t be a leader if I’m not in condition,” Price said. “Every day after practice we run extra sprints on our own. I think we’re going to do good. Our D-line is good. We’re definitely ready to come out and go hard.”


Another honorable mention is Andrew’s edge rusher Chris Stewart (6-3, 230). Stewart has offers from Western Michigan, Campbell, Elon, Gardner-Webb, Mercer, and The Citadel, among others.


“Getting ready for this year I went to a lot of football camps to get myself locked in and learning from different college coaches on my technique,” Stewart said.


Last year Andrews finished 6-5 overall and 2-3 in Region 6-2A. Stewart knows his team needs to improve on last year and he’s seeing it.

“We did decent, but this year we’ve got a good team and we should be able to make a deeper run,” Stewart said. “It feels good being able to lead at my position. I was once in that position of following the older guys, and now I’m in that position, inspiring other people and making them feel better.”


Among the top 25 juniors, South Pointe’s Seth Tillman (6-3, 260) is sixth. Tillman has offers from South Carolina, Arkansas, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Kentucky.


“He’s a great defensive lineman and he comes from a great family,” head coach Bobby Collins said. “He’s a great young man. He’s not finished growing. Both he and (teammate and offensive lineman and USC commit) Anthony Baxter are Sunday players.”


To get there one day, Tillman knows he’s got to put in the work now. He had 76 tackles, 25 for loss, and 15 ½ sacks in last season’s 11-3 effort and he knows he needs to improve on that.


“First and foremost, I have to stay humble,” he said. “I’ve got to get my body right, and I’ve been working extra hard and I’ve got to make sure my grades stay right and listen to my coaches.”


Jaden Wuerth (6-3, 270) of Dutch Fork is 16th on the list. Wuerth transferred to Dutch Fork from Aquinas, Ga., where he compiled a team-high 147 tackles, 38 for loss, and 13 sacks.


In coming to South Carolina, Wuerth said he knew he wanted to go to a winning team, and the Silver Foxes stood out. He added that he didn’t know much about head coach Tom Knotts’ program—other than the eight state championships it won since 2012.


“I know they’re missing some guys and I’m there to help them out, Wuerth said. “Guys like (DE) Josh Smith where I can fill some gaps. (Teammate) Julian (Walker—50 tackles, 19 for loss,11 sacks) is on the other side so we should be pretty dominant.”


Wuerth already has an offer from South Carolina, and Clemson and Georgia Tech have shown interest in him.


Emerald’s Marquise Anderson (5-9, 210) is 25th. Anderson had 95 tackles, 15 for loss, two sacks and 13 hurries, good for earning a spot on the Region 1-4A All-Region Team.


“Marquise Anderson is an undersized, quick and aggressive problem for offensive linemen,” head coach Tad DuBose said. “He had a great sophomore year and we are expecting another great season. Marquise had a great off season improving his speed and agility.” 


Kamarion Glenn of Belton-Honea Path (5-10, 300) is 30th. Glenn had 29 tackles, two for loss, four sacks and nine hurries as the Bears (13-2) reached the 3A state championship game last season.


Head coach Russell Blackston said the junior 3-year starter for BHP is a great asset to the team and will only get better in his junior and senior years.


“He starts as a defensive tackle but he also plays some center for us,” Blackston said. “He’s a pleasant kid to coach and fun to be around. I’m glad he plays for me and not against me.”


Boiling Springs’ Dennis Glenn (6-2, 290) is 19th on the list and looks to have a breakout junior and senior year. Glenn had 28 tackles, a sack, and 14 hurries in the Bulldogs’ 7-5 season. He has offers from N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Appalachian State, Memphis, Charlotte, and Liberty, among others. 


DT Triston Diggs (6-2. 220) and DE JaQuan Hannah (6-2, 200) of Carvers Bay are two juniors who are poised for big seasons along the Bears’ defensive line.


Diggs’ first offer, from The Citadel, came recently, and he has interest from South Carolina state and some other schools.


“I’ve been practicing very hard in the weight room this summer,” Diggs said. “I’ve been working very hard at getting my weight up as much as possible and going to a lot of camps as well. I’ve been trying to be a better leader on the team as well.”


Last year’s 4-7 effort made it clear to the young team that they needed to put in more work in getting ready for 2025.


“We were a very young team last year, we weren’t as conscious of what we were doing on the field, we weren’t as smart,” he said. “But this year is going to be a lot different.”


Hannah, who made visits to The Citadel and South Carolina, added that he and Diggs have been working individually and with the team.


“We’ve been doing a lot of training and getting strong in the weight room, and not only that I’ve been working on my craft and getting ready for this year,” Hannah said. “The whole team’s back so this year I feel very confident on what we’re going to do.”


Hartsville junior JaQuan Samuel (6-2, 275) was an offensive lineman last year, but this year he will be on the opposite side of the football. “Jaquan is a first-year stater with a lot of potential,” said head coach Jeff Calabrese.

 

SCHSL Release 2026-2028 Realignment Final

By Staff Reports • December 22, 2025
SCHSL Release 2026-2028 Realignment Final Columbia, SC (12-19-25) -- The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) has finalized the classification placement of all schools beginning with the 2026-27 school year. This classification placement will be in effect for two years. The guidelines established by the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee served as the blueprint for schools’ placements. Schools were assigned based on their enrollment count, to include district additions and the 3.0 multiplier. Flexibility, as approved by the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee, was also used with consideration given to geographics and travel. “Appreciation is expressed to those who served on the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee,” said Dr. Jerome Singleton, Commissioner of the SCHSL. “Classification placement of schools is the initial phase of the process. The next step for the League staff is to place the schools into regions in their respective classifications.” The SCHSL’s Executive Committee will meet January 13-14, 2026, to hear appeals regarding the classification placements. The final reclassifications are attached.

Stratford’s Davis Leads South Carolina to 17-7 Win in 89th Shrine Bowl

By David Shelton • December 21, 2025
By David Shelton Senior Writer Spartanburg – Stratford quarterback Jachin Davis threw a pair of touchdown passes and South Carolina defeated North Carolina, 17-7, in the 89 th Shrine Bowl all-star game in Spartanburg on December 20. Davis , named the offensive most valuable player for the Sandlappers, completed 10 of 15 passes for 184 yards in the game. He is headed to Liberty University as an early enrollee. “Great experience and great to get a win,” Davis said. “Playing with all of these great players was something I will never forget.” South Carolina dominated the game defensively, allowing only 136 total yards. The Tarheels completed just five of 19 passes. Stratford running back Maliq McGowan , a late addition to the roster, finished as the leading rusher for South Carolina with 42 yards on nine carries. West Ashley’s Bristol Biegenzahn played on the defensive front for the Sandlappers while Berkeley’s Zion Britt started on the offensive line. Cross safety, and South Carolina signee Caden Ramsey , Berkeley linebacker Gehad Sneed , and Timberland offensive lineman Desmond Green, who is headed to Florida, also played for the Sandlappers. “You win all-star games with defense and our defense was outstanding,” said SC head coach Paul Sutherland , who retired as the head coach at Liberty High after the season. “Glad to get the win for South Carolina. The kids were great. I am very blessed to have had this opportunity.” It took less than 10 seconds for the Sandlappers to score the game’s first touchdown as Davis combined with Dillon receiver Zay Robertson , heading to North Carolina , on an 80-yard bomb on the first play of the game for a quick 7-0 lead. Robertson finished the game with four catches for 131 yards. “He’s a great player,” said Davis of Robertson. “Getting that first touchdown was a tone setter.” South Carolina lost fumbles on their next two possessions, the second miscue leading to North Carolina’s game-tying touchdown after a 23-yard drive. Spartanburg’s Will Love , heading to Virginia Tech , kicked a 35-yard field goal late in the second quarter for a 10-7 halftime lead for the Sandlappers. South Carolina’s last play offensive snap in the game was Davis’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Jude Hall of Christ Church with :59 seconds left on the game clock. Chester linebacker Terry Rayford , who had 11 tackles, was the defensive most valuable player for the Sandlappers. Dorman's Kentavion Anderson and Ridge View's Jordan Best recorded interceptions The win gives South Carolina a 48-34 lead in the series. There have been seven ties.

SCHSL releases proposed reclassification for 2026-27, '27-28 school years

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • December 20, 2025
Proposal has AAAAA going from 54 schools to 40 and not being split into divisions

Hilton Head Christian Overcomes Adversity

By Dennis Brunson • December 19, 2025
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Bluffton – The 2025 football season was an unusual one for the Hilton Head Christian Academy football team. The Eagles, who had won three SCISA state titles in the five previous seasons, got off to a 2-5 start. On top of that, starting quarterback Reid McCollum left the school in the middle of the season. With the reshuffling, Hilton Head Christian lost its first game. However, the Eagles responded with four consecutive wins, including a 42-20 win over Trinity Collegiate in the first round of the AAA state playoffs. The season came to an end the next week with a 50-29 semifinal loss to Wilson Hall . Eagles head coach Ron Peduzzi is happy with the way his players rebounded to finish with a 6-6 record. “I was really proud of our guys, the way they rallied around the team and each other,” Peduzzi said. “They literally battled the second half of the year every play. “It was a very tough season. A lot of guys stood up and elevated their games. They had to stand up and become leaders also, so I was really happy with that.” HHCA had four players selected to the All-Region 1-AAA offensive first team in junior wide receivers Joey Houpt and Jackson Richardson , sophomore wide receiver Sam Strom and senior kick returner Tommy Gehm . Those on the first-team defense were sophomore defensive lineman Hayne Burden , junior linebacker Kres Langhals , sophomore linebacker Chase White and senior linebacker Finn Ussery . Houpt, who was named HHCA’s outstanding offensive contributor, was the leading pass catcher with 69 receptions for 1,313 yards and 13 touchdowns. Richardson had 45 catches for 645 yards and five scores, while Strum had 31 catches for 415 yards and five scores. Gehm returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged 21.1 yards per return on 24 attempts. He returned six punts for 46 yards. Burden, who was named Hilton Head Christian’s outstanding defensive contributor, led the team in tackles with 105, tackles for loss with 13, quarterback sacks with four and quarterback hurries with 21. Langhals, who was the quarterback in the second half of the season, had 39 tackles, five TFLs, 2 ½ sacks, two interceptions, two caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries. White, who received HHCA’s Sledgehammer Award, had 82 tackles, five TFLs, one sack and one interception. Ussery, who received the team’s Captains Award, had 87 tackles, five TFLs, one sack and one interception.. Ussery and Gehm played in the SCISA North-South Seniors All-Star Game, while Houpt, Richardson, Strom, Burden and Langhals played in the Futures contest. Senior running back Hudson Baker , sophomore offensive linemen Caleb Altizer and Josh Koepke and sophomore cornerback Keyvon Aiken were selected second-team All-Region. Baker received the team’s Coaches Award and Burleson Award, and freshman Max Zwilsky earned the Lunchpail Award. Peduzzi believes good things await the Eagles in 2026. “We have a very large sophomore class that will be juniors next year, so I look forward for to next season,” he said. “We do need to elevate the number of players in our program playing, so that’s something we’ll be working on.”

OCA Wins Third Consecutive State Title with 28-7 Win Over BHP

By David Shelton • December 19, 2025
Oceanside senior WR, Terence Johnson, a Shrine Bowl all-star game selection, had 57 catches for 1,153 yards and 17 touchdowns plus 9 rushing touchdowns this season.

Panthers aim to remain a contender

By Roger Lee • December 19, 2025
Running back Grayson Salego is one of several starters who should return to the Panthers’ football team next season. Photo by Roger Lee. 

Timberland girls basketball team off to torrid start

By Rob Gantt • December 19, 2025
Timberland's Zion Prioleau, named on of Class AA's top seniors by the SC Basketball Coaches Association, averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.8 steals per game in 2024-20225.

Wilson Hall senior class 32-7 last 3 years

By Dennis Brunson • December 19, 2025
 By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Sumter – The Wilson Hall football team played in its third straight SCISA AAA state championship game in November. And for the third straight year, the Barons came out on the short end of the stick. WH lost to Pinewood Prep for the second consecutive year, falling by a score of 55-13. That being said, Wilson Hall head coach Adam Jarecki could only praise his team, especially the 17-man senior class. “This group of seniors graduates with three trips to the state championship and not many people can say that,” Jarecki said of the Class of 2026, which went 32-7 over that 3-year stretch. “I’m extremely proud of them. They’re our leaders at the school. They’re the influential people at our school. We’d love to see them go out with success in the end, but what they accomplished is pretty special, and they’ve got to take pride in that. “They had a great year (finishing with an 11-2 record for the second straight year) and they’ve had a great career. It’s tough not to come out on top, but they know what it takes to get here and they bought into it.” Six of those seniors were among the eight Barons named to the All-Region 2-AAA team. Leading the way was quarterback Ford Wilder , who was selected as the Region Offensive Player of the Year. Wilder completed 41 of 79 passes for 565 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 483 yards and 12 TDs on 87 carries. Senior running backs Ben McLaurin and Milling Galloway were selected. McLaurin rushed for 1,234 yars and 16 scores on 121 carries. Galloway rushed for 585 yards and 11 touchdowns 62 carries despite missing three games and the majority of a fourth due to injury. The other senior All-Region picks were free safety Harris Naylor and defensive linemen Walker Wilson and Andrew Howle . Naylor had 35 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and three pass deflections. Wilson had 39 tackles, seven TFLs, two quarterback sacks and one PD. Howle had 28 tackles, a team high nine TFLs and two sacks. The other two All-Region selections were junior defensive lineman Reese Wilson and junior linebacker Peyton Gilley . Reese Wilson shared the team lead in sacks with four to go with 21 tackles, eight TFLs, one PD and one fumble recovery. Gilley had a team high 61 tackles and shared the team lead in interceptions with three, returning one for a touchdown, to go with three sacks and six TFLs. Along with being All-Region picks, each of the eight were All-State selections and were chosen to play in the SCISA North-South All-Star Games.

Lee Academy basketball teams start slow

By Dennis Brunson • December 19, 2025
By Dennis Brunson Hssr.com Associate Editor Bishopville – Both the boys and girls basketball teams for Lee Academy got off to 1-3 starts, but neither of the head coaches are close to making a determination on what the season holds for their squads. “I am really excited about the team we have for this season,” said boys head coach Kemp DeWitt , who is in his second season at Lee. “We return four players that gave us crucial minutes last season. Brayden Davis , Cain June , Gavin Makela and Paxton Greene give me a solid base surrounded by the new faces we have this season. “We look to find our identity as a team before we head into Christmas break, so we can come out strong when region play starts.” Davis, a sophomore point guard, and June, a senior small forward, are the two returning starters. Davis was averaging 9.3 points per game, while June was scoring at a 9.0 clip. Makela is a junior center while Greene is a senior shooting guard. The other starter is junior power forward Aiden Fitzgerald . Greene was averaging 6.3 points, Fitzgerald 3.5 and Makela 1.6. Other members of the boys team are senior Collins Drayton , junior Cannon Hopkins , who was averaging 5.0, junior Tucker Rodgers , junior James Watson , junior Matthew Inabinet and junior Keegan Gainey . Girls head coach Kim Langston , a decades-long veteran of the SCISA wars, said she hadn’t seen enough of her team to form an opinion. The Lady Cavaliers are young with just one senior starter in Mazie Tomlinson . The other starters are junior Mallori Frye , sophomore Karagan Melton , freshman Kaisley Melton and eighth-grader Beth Whiteside . Karagan Melton was the leading scorer with a 9.5 average to go with 3.8 rebounds. Tomlinson was averaging 6.3 points, 3.3 steals, 4.3 assists and 9.5 boards, Whiteside was at 5.0 points, 1.0 blocked shots and 6.8 rebounds, Frye was averaging 2.0 points and 3.3 rebounds, and Kaisley Melton was averaging 2.3 steals, 2.3 points and 2.5 rebounds. The rest of the roster includes sophomore Emma Beasley , senior Sara Bell , senior Zana Brazell , senior Raylee Catoe and junior Addie Grace Wilkes . 4 CAVALIERS FOOTBALL ALL REGION The Lee football team had four players selected to the All-Region 1-Class A team. The selections were wide receiver/linebacker Cain June, senior quarterback/defensive back Andrew Bowers , senior offensive lineman/defensive lineman Hampton Layton and senior linebacker/running back Tucker Boyce .

Hartsville Boys Basketball Looks To Be Improved This Season

By David Shelton • December 18, 2025
By David Shelton Senior Writer Hartsville – Now in his third season, Hartsville High boys basketball coach Jason Earle feels his rebuilding project is starting to see positive results. The Red Foxes won four games in Earle’s first season and improved to six wins last season. The 2025-26 season saw Hartsville win their first three games, giving Earle a reason to be optimistic about the chances of improvement. “Most of these guys have been playing for me now for three years,” reports the coach. “We have continued to get better each year. The expectation that I have for this team is to play really hard and make the playoffs.” Most of the heavy lifting this season comes from seniors and juniors who have gained experience while taking their lumps. Junior guard Kayson Dawson and junior forward Derion Gattison are setting the early pace as scoring leaders. Dawson is averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game early on while Gattison is at 13.5 points and nearly five boards per game. Dawson averaged 11 points per game a season ago while Gattison scored 5.1 points per game. Senior Zaries Huggins is a starting guard, averaging 7.5 points early on. Senior Tristian Spann also starts as a wing and senior Dorian Mason starts at forward and contributes 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in the early going. Earle says the leadership this season comes primarily from Dawson, Gattison and Mason. Sophomore CJ Hickmon is first off the bench and can play guard or forward. Remaining players include junior Kelly Price , junior Zi’yon Mason , junior Karmelo Pooler , junior Jamyari Scipio-Bishop , junior Justin Hines and junior Eli Lynch . Hartsville competes in region 6-AAAA, a highly competitive basketball league. Earle sees Crestwood and Wilson as two of the top teams and is hopeful his team can join in the mix for the region title. “The region should be a real battle every night,” the coach said. The girls team opened the season at 1-1 and also looks to contend for a playoff berth this season. The top returning player this season is junior guard Nay Gibson , who is averaging 17.4 points per game early on. Senior Sha’Niyah Richardson contributes offensively as well, along with junior Ariel Leatch , each better than six points per game.  The only other senior on the girls roster is Kamori Williams . Juniors are Aniyah Robinson, Zariyah Spann, Makayla Chapman, Brianna Watson and Chaniyah Thompson . Rounding out this year’s team are sophomores Zanaya Blakney and Trinity Thomas , and freshman Chassidy Johnson.
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