With region play on deck, here’s our mid-term grades

The area’s teams in the lower three classifications all launch their region schedules this week with optimism abound. Some have solid records, while others haven’t had the win totals they’d hoped for so far.

Either way, with the most important portion of the regular season about to begin, every team has something to build upon while working out the kinks. Each team has been dissected, with its grade to this point of the season included. The grade is a combination of the team’s expectations, potential and production.

GEORGETOWN

Record: 4-1

How the Bulldogs got to this point: After falling to Conway to open the season, they rebounded to win the unofficial Georgetown County championship and then went on the road to beat Loris.

Biggest strength: It’s hard to say that Jarvis Brown is opening people’s eyes; the quarterback has had success in the past. But in staying on the field long-term, he’s shown he’s the electrifying playing coach Bradley Adams hoped for.

Biggest weakness: In the last two weeks, Georgetown has had a lead over Carvers Bay and Loris in the fourth quarter, but has not found ways to avoid some late stress. As the opponents will now all come from bigger schools, putting away teams early is a must.

Team Grade: A-

MYRTLE BEACH

Record: 2-3

How the Seahawks got to this point: After stumbling at home against Charlotte Christian (N.C.), they then split four games against teams from Region VI-AAAA.

Biggest strength: It stands to reason that the week-to-week competition level isn’t going to be, on paper anyway, as tough as what Myrtle Beach has already faced. Many of this year’s players were a part of the 2013 team that bounced back from a similar 2-3 start to win the state title.

Biggest weakness: The Myrtle Beach offense has not been in any sort of sync this season as quarterback Drayton Arnold attempts to blend with a new crop of receivers. And until that is fixed permanently, there won’t be as many points on the board as Seahawk fans are accustomed to seeing.

Team Grade: C-

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH

Record: 3-2

How the Chiefs got to this point: They book-ended their non-region slate with a lopsided loss to powerhouse Dillon and an unexpected defeat to a Socastee team that has yet to beat anyone else this year. In between, they earned wins over Loris, West Brunswick (N.C.) and Carolina Forest.

Biggest strength: The speed coming out of the offensive backfield is a headache for opposing defenses, especially when paired with the triple-option scheme Blair Hardin employs. Depth at running back has also proven to be big after one of the team’s top weapons was injured during the early going.

Biggest weakness: The Chiefs are averaging nearly two turnovers per game, something that can’t help but be a factor in what is shaping up to be a string of possible close games. It could end up being the difference in playoff status in a little over a month.

Team Grade: B-

ST. JAMES

Record: 3-2

How the Sharks got to this point: They opened the season with a high-quality win over Loris before falling to Andrews and Carolina Forest. However, in the last two games, they posted a lopsided win over Hannah-Pamplico and an S.C. 707 rivalry win over Socastee.

Biggest strength: The Sharks have been improving consistently on offense, with its best showing (in terms of yards, at least) coming last week against the Braves. The ability to run and throw has helped sustain progress.

Biggest weakness: St. James doesn’t necessarily have the big-time athletes that some of the other schools are working with. It’s a credit to its ability to play as a team. But at some point, against some of the other region teams loaded with talent, it could hurt the Sharks.

Team Grade: B

AYNOR

Record: 3-2

How the Blue Jackets got to this point: They opened up with back-to-back wins over Creek Bridge and Green Sea Floyds before falling to Latta in Week 3, topping West Columbus (N.C.) in Week 4 and then Lake View last Friday.

Biggest strength: Maybe no team has plugged in new players at its most important position than Aynor. Despite losing a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, the Blue Jackets still have three of the top 12 rushers on the Grand Strand and are putting up a hair under 300 yards per game on the ground.

Biggest weakness: Defensively, Aynor has shown that it has some major holes that need to be plugged – and in a hurry. The Blue Jackets have given up an average of 47 points per game the last three times out. All of those were against Class A opponents.

Team Grade: C+

LORIS

Record: 2-3

How the Lions got to this point: They dropped games against St. James and North Myrtle Beach to open the season before taking down South Columbus (N.C.) and Green Sea Floyds. The non-region schedule was capped with a loss to Georgetown.

Biggest strength: It’s hard to knock Loris’ three losses too much. After all, they came against Class AAA teams, and more importantly, by just six total points. This is a squad that, barring some late-game miscues, could be 4-1 or 5-0 at this point and no one would think anything of it.

Biggest weakness: This is a team that hasn’t had a losing record at this point of the year since 2008. That means the Lions’ roster is full of players who haven’t had to respond to this type of thing. The need to bounce back may only be an unknown at this point, but until Loris proves otherwise, it is still a factor.

Team Grade: B

WACCAMAW

Record: 2-3

How the Warriors got to this point: They were swept by the rest of the Georgetown County programs (Andrews, Carvers Bay, Georgetown) in games all decided by at least two touchdowns while taking care of business against Hannah-Pamplico and Green Sea Floyds in similar fashion.

Biggest strength: In Kevin Gasque and Kelton Grant, and even Rashynne Knowlin, Waccamaw has some pop coming out of its backfield. Combined with a better-than-average offensive line, and it’s enough to give the likes of Aynor, Marion and Mullins problems in the second half of the season.

Biggest weakness: We’ve already seen what losing a player or two can do to this squad in patches this season. Waccamaw doesn’t have the depth necessary to reload at key positions. If the injury bug bites again, it could be a long October.

Team Grade: C

CARVERS BAY

Record: 1-4

How the Bears got to this point: Only a win against a then-depleted Waccamaw team is standing in the way of an 0-5 start after they fell to Johnsonville, Andrews, Georgetown and C.E. Murray.

Biggest strength: Nate Thompson’s team actually had what was probably its best showing of the year in that loss to Georgetown. In putting up 27 points in an emotion-filled game, the Bears proved they have a higher ceiling than the record may suggest.

Biggest weakness: Carvers Bay’s slow starts have haunted it throughout the first part of the year. The Bears have trailed early in all five games, and outside of the team’s strong second half against Waccamaw, it turned out to be too much to overturn.

Team Grade: D

GREEN SEA FLOYDS

Record: 2-3

How Trojans got to this point: After pulling off a pair of wins to open the season against lighter competition, Tony Sullivan’s team fell victim against three local teams from larger classes.

Biggest strength: Green Sea Floyds is running the ball, and then running it some more. How the Trojans have taken advantage of all those running backs so far is a great sign for a team that has run out of gas down the stretch in recent years. If the tailbacks stay fresh, it could lead to continued success.

Biggest weakness: The team’s three toughest games of region play come during the next three weeks with road trips to Lake View and Carvers Bay and a home game against Hemingway. Those are teams that have typically roughed up the Trojans, and if history holds, it could lead to a six-game losing streak.

Team Grade: C+

This story was originally published September 28, 2015 at 4:29 PM with the headline "With region play on deck, here’s our mid-term grades."