Myrtle Beach area high school football is back. Here’s what you need to know
The 2023-24 school year is already underway across South Carolina, with Horry County’s first day set for Aug. 21.
With the new year comes the return of high school football on Friday nights, and the Grand Strand and surrounding area is full of highly recruited players and teams looking to win a state championship or repeat.
With the 2023-24 season in its infancy, here’s a look at some of the best teams in Horry County.
Carolina Forest and Myrtle Beach look to build on last year in 2023-24
Nearly every Horry County high school that took the gridiron in the 2022-23 saw postseason action, and several former Horry County athletes are now on Coastal Carolina University’s 2023-24 roster.
Current CCU quarterback Scott Saylor and wide receiver Nathan Schuessler led the 2022-23 Carolina Forest Panthers to an 8-5 record and two wins in the 2022 Class 5A Playoff Bracket before falling to runner-up Fort Dorchester. Hoping to repeat their success from last year, Carolina Forest will travel to Shallotte, N.C. and face West Brunswick High School Aug. 18 at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Another Horry County team that won a game in the 2022-23 postseason before bowing out was Myrtle Beach High School. The Seahawks went 5-7 last year and bested May River High School in the 2022-23 Class 4A bracket before losing to West Florence in the next round.
The Seahawks are expected to have a good season again as Myrtle Beach received votes in the S.C. Prep Football Media Poll as potentially one of the best Class 4A teams. Myrtle Beach will be home for its Aug. 18 match-up against Camden High School. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Horry County is also home to one of the best players in the state. Myrtle Beach Collegiate’s D’avion Coffee is the 23rd best player in South Carolina, according to 247Sports. Some of the best players in the region also reside outside of Horry County and Myrtle Beach.
Some of the best players in South Carolina in the Pee Dee area
The Pee Dee region is filled with football talent. Four athletes from the region are in the top 20 of the state, according to 247Sports. At the top of the list is Josiah Thompson. The offensive tackle is the best player to suit up in South Carolina this season, and 247Sports has him ranked 57th in the nation, second at his position.
The Dillon High School standout has already committed to the University of South Carolina. In 2022 Dillon High School was one of the four teams remaining in the Class 3A football bracket but lost to eventual winner Beaufort High School. The S.C. Prep Football Media Poll ranked Dillon as the best team in Class 3A.
Dillon plays at Lamar High School Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m. EST, according to Max Preps.
West Florence High School’s Kelvin Hunter will join Thompson in Columbia too next season. The fifth-rated high schooler in the state, Hunter is also ranked 14 in the nation as a safety, according to 247Sports. Marion High School’s Quaysheed Scott and Wilson High School’s Jyron Waiters were 12th and 16th in South Carolina. Scott has committed to play at the University of Kentucky, and Waiters will put on the pads for ECU.
The Pee Dee region also has the best player in South Carolina for the 2025 class. South Florence High School defensive lineman Amare Adams is currently the number one high schooler in the state, according to 247Sports, and 12th in the nation at his position. Adams also happens to be on one of the best teams in the state.
South Florence won the 2022-23 Class 4A State Championship, finishing the season 15-0. The Bruins face off against Goose Creek High School Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Hunter’s teammate running back Tre Leonard is currently ranked seventh in the state as part of the 2025 recruiting class and has received offers from Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State, according to 247Sports. West Florence will play at Lexington High School. Friday, Aug. 18, at 7:30 p.m. EST.
