Meet the 2023 All-Spartanburg area preseason high school football team

Sam Albuquerque, Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Updated

South Carolina high school football in the Upstate is right around the corner, and to get you prepared for those Friday night lights, here are the 2023 All-Spartanburg area football preseason teams — a position-by-position collection of the top players in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties.

First-Team | Offense

Tamijai Johnson, Spartanburg

Quarterback | Junior

Johnson backed up now East Carolina QB Raheim Jeter and wen 20-for-32 passing for 275 yards with five touchdowns. He also rushed for 110 yards on 20 carries.

Jaylen McGill, Broome

Running Back | Sophomore

McGill ran for 1,036 yards with 23 touchdowns on 142 carries in 2022, establishing himself as the best running back in the area. He has received offers from South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and others.

Broome played Chapman in high school football at Broome High School on Oct. 28, 2022. Broome's Jaylen McGill (2) with the ball.
Broome played Chapman in high school football at Broome High School on Oct. 28, 2022. Broome's Jaylen McGill (2) with the ball.

Mathai Scott, Chapman

Running Back | Senior

Scott had 1,126 total yards and 13 total touchdowns last season, when he was named to the All-Region 3-AAA team as a key part of the dynamic Chapman offense last season that returns key starters throughout.

Rashawn Cunningham, Chapman

Wide Receiver | Senior

Cunningham had 66 catches, 1,357 all-purpose yards and 16 total touchdowns last season. He has offers from Howard, Wingate, North Greenville and others.

Emazon Littlejohn, Gaffney

Wide Receiver | Senior

Littlejohn led Gaffney with 64 catches and had 725 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He has offers from The Citadel, Benedict College, North Greenville and Limestone.

Calvin Choice, Spartanburg

Athlete | Junior

Choice will contribute at receiver, running back, and even on defense. He has an offer from Charlotte.

Jake Buerk, Gaffney

Offensive Lineman | Senior

With offers from East Tennessee State, Newberry, Limestone and others, the 6-foot-3, 285-pound Buerk will be the anchor for the Gaffney line after moving to center.

Landon Greene, Dorman

Offensive Lineman | Junior

Greene, a 6-2, 320-pound center, will be a leader of a young offense that lost eight key players — including four linemen, QB, RB and dynamic athlete DJ Porter.

Steven O'Dell, Broome

Offensive Lineman | Senior

A Furman commit and the No. 8 player on 864Huddle's Dandy Dozen list, O'Dell (6-6, 290) has the size, speed and versatility to play any position along the offensive line.

Shedrick Sarratt Jr., Gaffney

Offensive Lineman | Junior

Sarratt (6-5, 300) was a staple last season at left tackle, covering the blindside for now Duke QB Grayson Loftis. His size, strength and feet in his first varsity season proved enough for him to get offers from Marshall, Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina.

AJ Suttles, Byrnes

Offensive Lineman | Junior

Suttles, a 6-2, 295-pound center, broke through last season. With Byrnes returning key pieces, expect Suttles to be the leader of a good O-line group.

Will Love, Spartanburg

Kicker/Punter | Sophomore

The younger brother of Virginia Tech kicker John Love, Will Love has shown to be capable of being a high-level college football prospect — for example, he hit a 59-yard field goal last season.

864Huddle's Dandy Dozen series: 2023 Dandy Dozen | No. 12 Knai Cook | No. 11 Jayden Wilson-Abrams | No. 10 Avery McFadden | No. 9 Joshua Williams | No. 8 Steven O'Dell | No. 7 Jimmar Boston | No. 6 Watson Young | No. 5 Julius Tate

First Team | Defense

Harrison Bridges, Chapman

Defensive Lineman | Senior

Bridges (6-4, 275) is a gap-filling nose guard. Last season he made 47 tackles, four of which were for a loss, and had 1.5 sacks.

Christopher Foster, Byrnes

Defensive Lineman | Senior

In nine games, Foster had 64 tackles — 12 for a loss — and 12.5 sacks for a loaded Byrnes defense that again looks to be one of the best in the area.

Sharrod Wilkins, Byrnes

Defensive Lineman | Junior

Wilkins should add to his already-impressive production from last year of 26 tackles, 12.5 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks.

Clay Cook, Gaffney

Linebacker | Junior

Cook led Gaffney with 84 tackles — 5.5 for a loss. He also had one interception, two pass deflections and two fumble recoveries.

Will Fowler, Byrnes

Linebacker | Senior

Fowler had 65 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, three fumble recoveries and three pass deflections.

Andrew Ruppe, Gaffney

Linebacker | Junior

Ruppe made 71 tackles, 13.5 for a loss, had one sack, deflected five passes and scored three rushing touchdowns in Gaffney's goal-line package.

Spartanburg's Cam Smith (22) recovers a fumble against TL Hanna during the second quarter of the Class AAA State Playoffs at TL Hanna High in Anderson, S.C. Friday, November 11, 2022.
Spartanburg's Cam Smith (22) recovers a fumble against TL Hanna during the second quarter of the Class AAA State Playoffs at TL Hanna High in Anderson, S.C. Friday, November 11, 2022.

Cam'Rich Smith, Spartanburg

Linebacker | Junior

Smith recorded 125 tackles, nine for a loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Demario Bookhart, Spartanburg

Defensive Back | Senior

Bookhart totaled 50 tackles, four pass breakups and had one interception last season. He has offers from Georgia State and Arkansas State,

Chamarryus Bomar, Byrnes

Defensive back | Junior

A two-way player and three-star recruit for Byrnes, as a receiver and cornerback, Bomar holds offers from Virginia Tech, Liberty, East Carolina and others.

Knai Cook, Byrnes

Defensive back | Senior

Cook recorded 43 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, two sacks and one interception last season. He holds offers from Arkansas State, Charlotte and The Citadel among others.

Armoni Weaver, Byrnes

DB | Junior

Weaver, the half-brother of Chamarryus Bomar, is a three-star recruit who plays cornerback and receiver. He has offers from Duke, Boston College, Maryland and others.

Broome played Chapman in high school football at Broome High School on Oct. 28, 2022. Chapman's Coleman Gray (5) QB on a passing play.
Broome played Chapman in high school football at Broome High School on Oct. 28, 2022. Chapman's Coleman Gray (5) QB on a passing play.

Spartanburg Football Players to Watch: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Offensive Linemen | Defensive Linemen | Linebackers | Defensive Backs

Second Team | Offense

  • QB Coleman Gray, Chapman, Sr.

  • RB Colton Link, Landrum, Sr.

  • RB Jaiden McDowell, Gaffney, So.

  • WR Drew Medley, Gaffney, Sr.

  • WR Justin Rice, Spartanburg, Jr.

  • ATH Dreson Evans, Byrnes, Jr.

  • OL Harrison Bridges, Chapman, Sr.

  • OL Garrett Hall, Byrnes, Sr.

  • OL John Hammond, Spartanburg, Sr.

  • OL Jayden Van Wettering, Landrum, Sr.

  • OL Trey Weathers, Spartanburg, Jr.

  • K/P Jacob Coman, Byrnes, Sr.

Dorman High School held football practice for the coming season at the high school on Aug. 2, 2023. This is Brannon Teamer (7) on the field.
Dorman High School held football practice for the coming season at the high school on Aug. 2, 2023. This is Brannon Teamer (7) on the field.

Second Team | Defense

  • DL Caron Foster, Gaffney, Sr.

  • DL Calvin Jackson, Boiling Springs, Sr.

  • DL Joshua Mattison, Spartanburg, Sr.

  • DL DT Thompson, Broome, Sr.

  • LB JoJo Barrett, Boiling Springs, Sr.

  • LB Owen Hendricks, Dorman, Sr.

  • LB Reece Lynch, Chapman, Sr.

  • DB Stone Fuerry, Gaffney, So.

  • DB Hudson Moss, Chapman, Sr.

  • DB Jayden Sims, Gaffney, Jr.

  • DB Brannon Teamer, Dorman, Sr.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: South Carolina high school football: All-Spartanburg preseason team

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