Myrtle Beach ‘landshark’ McGonigal making waves in pool and on gridiron

In an era where bravado and showmanship are the norm, Myrtle Beach defensive lineman Sean McGonigal considers himself a throwback of sorts.

Keeping his words to a minimum, the Seahawks senior standout’s play has done much of the talking for him this season.

No one on the Grand Strand gets to the quarterback on a more frequent basis, racking up 14 1/2 sacks this season. He also has 39 solo tackles, while chipping in on 34 more – 25 of which have come in the opponents’ backfield.

“The biggest thing about Sean is he is not a vocal leader, but one that leads by example,” said Myrtle Beach football coach Mickey Wilson. “He is a kid that plays extremely hard and has a great motor. He is not going to stop till the whistle blows and gives tremendous effort on every play.

“I think that carries over, our kids see that on film and see that on the practice field and in the game competing very hard. It’s very contagious and our kids pick up on that.”

A leader on one of the best defensive units the Palmetto State has to offer, it is considered a big reason Myrtle Beach has an opportunity to clinch a Region VII-4A title and an undefeated regular season with a win over Marlboro County on Friday night. While not expecting to be 9-0 at this point, McGonigal fully understands why the Seahawks sit where they do at this point of the football campaign.

“It’s what I hoped for, but I don’t know if I expected us to have this good a record,” McGonigal said. “... I think it come from working together. We all have our job. If one person is doing their job, and I’m doing mine then we’ll get the stop on defense.”

McGonigal’s exploits on the gridiron aren’t the only thing that makes him unique. Apparently, the same success he achieves on land, the Myrtle Beach senior can produce in the pool as well.

A four-year letterman as a member of the Seahawks swim team, his contribution was key in helping it to a third-place finish at this year’s Class 4A state meet.

Considered to be on different ends of the sporting spectrum, McGonigal found a way to mesh the two of them together – though not without being quite attentive to his fitness and making sure to get enough rest.

“The fact he is able to do both is just amazing to me,” said Myrtle Beach swim coach Michael Angwin. “And more importantly, do both so well. He’s just a one-of-a-kind athlete that takes care of himself, and you see the product of both in the pool and on the football field.”

According to McGonigal, swimming helps him to get in shape for football in terms of stamina. But it can also counteract it a bit, the leisurely activity doings its part to burn quite the number of calories.

Similar to his appetite for feasting on opposing quarterbacks, he gets his fill at the table too. “I have to eat and stay on top of that, so I can be as big as I can for football,” McGonigal said.

Though happy with all he and his team have accomplished, there still remain plenty of goals to obtain. A checklist inside the Myrtle Beach football locker room makes the team’s mission statement clear – first, Region VII-4A, followed by Lower State and then a state title.

Friday night’s matchup with Marlboro County could help the Seahawks take the first step. His lunch pail already packed, McGonigal’s message is fairly simple – an expectation for both him and his teammates ahead of what they’ve deemed a ‘business trip’ to Bennettsville.

“Do everything you can to the best of your ability,” he said. “Do your best to get the job done.”

This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 8:05 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach ‘landshark’ McGonigal making waves in pool and on gridiron."