2022 All-Lowco Football Team & Superlatives (SCHSL)

When I launched LowcoSports.com in 2017, I knew one of the things I wanted to carry on was the tradition of picking an all-area football team, a process both I and The Island News editor Mike McCombs participated in as staffers at The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.

It was always a way to honor the very best in this oft-forgotten corner of the state and shine a light on the successes of our kids, and that goes directly toward the mission of LowcoSports.

As I recall, my first all-area football meeting at the old Upper Crust Pizza in Moss Creek (or was it at the one on Lady’s Island that year?) involved the sports staff of the then-distinct newspapers picking an all-area team of players from just eight schools — four “South of the Broad” and four “North of the Broad,” which included Jasper County.

This year’s All-Lowco Football Teams honor players from four counties — Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton, and Hampton — and 18 schools, making it our most difficult task in picking the team yet, but also elevating the prestige of making the list.

Certainly, there are deserving players who were left off this list and picks you will want to quibble with, but remember that there is a high school kid on the other side of every argument. To move someone up, you have to take someone down. 

These guys gave their best effort all fall and provided one of the most thrilling high school football seasons we’ve seen in the Lowco. This is our best effort at recognizing them.

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SCHSL SUPERLATIVES

Photo by Justin Jarrett

COACH OF THE YEAR

Bryce Lybrand | Beaufort High

13-1, Region 8-3A Champions, Class 3A State Champions

The Eagles lost Lybrand’s first five games as head coach in 2019. They haven’t lost many since, and they won the biggest one the program has seen in nearly eight decades.

Since that 0-4 start in Lybrand’s debut season at the helm, Beaufort has gone 34-7, including a 25-4 mark over the past two seasons, which have ended with back-to-back trips to the state championship game.

A blowout loss to South Pointe in the Class 4A title game in 2021 left a sour taste, and Lybrand and the terrific staff he has assembled on Lady’s Island pushed all the right buttons to get the Eagles back to the mountaintop.

Lybrand was especially masterful with his creativity on offense, first shifting the load to Fields and later introducing new wrinkles that better utilized Phares and left opposing defenses spinning. 

Along with offensive coordinator Logan Powell and defensive coordinator Rob Gorrell, Lybrand and the Eagles were among the best in the state at making second-half adjustments, an ability that shined in the postseason.

Photo by Justin Jarrett

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Colton Phares | Sr. | Beaufort High

69 tkls, 5 TFL, 4 INTs, 9 PBUs, 2 FFs
598 rush yds, 6 TDs; 349 rec. yds, 4 TDs

Rarely has a more talented or well-rounded football player graced the Lowcountry. The Appalachian State-bound Phares was already regarded as one of the top defensive players in the state, a D1 defensive back with the build of a high school linebacker, a penchant for big hits, and off-the-charts ball skills.

But no one anticipated the impact he would make on offense and in the return game.

When Kacy Fields moved to the backfield, Phares emerged as the Eagles’ go-to receiver for a period before joining Fields in an unstoppable rushing duo that powered Beaufort High all the way to the Class 3A state title. 

And the Eagles never would have made it to that stage if not for Phares’ heroics in the return game with four eye-popping return TDs, including a pair in the playoffs.

Photo by Justin Jarrett

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kacy Fields | Sr. | Beaufort High

2,230 rush yds, 32 TDs; 234 rec. yds, 1 TD

The biggest breakout star of the season was already regarded as one of the Lowco’s top players, a dynamic and versatile receiver who could also make an impact on defense if called upon, but his full transition to the backfield in the fourth game of the season changed everything.

Over the Eagles’ last 11 games — all wins — Fields averaged 196.2 rushing yards per game and scored 32 rushing touchdowns. 

His breakout performance against Bluffton with 340 yards and 5 TDs on 30 carries put the state on notice, but even when defensive coordinators started building the gameplan around limiting Fields, he recorded 11 straight games with at least 130 rushing yards, including three 200-yard outputs.

The capper was a phenomenal performance in the state championship game, in which he racked up 219 yards on 37 carries with three touchdowns and turned the momentum with a 93-yard kickoff return TD.

South Carolina State is getting a good one.

Photo by MB Lyons

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Chris Marable | Sr. | Hilton Head High

68 tkls (50 solo), 25 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 2 PBUs, FF, 2 FRs

After his sophomore season, Hilton Head High coach BJ Payne told us to keep an eye on Marable, because after Jaylen Sneed’s recruitment died down, Marable would create the next storm for the Seahawks. 

Payne called it, as usual, but only because the student committed to the process. With an insatiable work ethic during the offseason, Marable developed into a powerful defensive tackle who can play every down and concluded his outstanding high school career for the Seahawks with a dominant campaign. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound senior displayed his elite strength and footwork to stuff his opponents’ run game, leading the team with 68 tackles including a whopping 25 stops for loss. 

Marable was the lone Lowco representative in the 2022 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and is signed to play at Wake Forest this fall.


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ALL-LOWCO 1st TEAM

OFFENSE

QB: Xaviar Garvin | Jr. | Estill

1,345 pass yds, 22 TDs, 5 INTs; 1,301 rush yds, 11 TDs

RB: Jaiden Jones | Sr. | May River

1,233 rush yds, 16 TDs 

RB: Zion Dobson | Jr. | Wade Hampton

1,065 rush yds, 15 TDs

WR: Jaylin Linder | Sr. | Bluffton

1,276 rec. yds, 16 TDs

WR: Camauri Simmons | Sr. | Bluffton

647 rec. yds, 3 TDs

OL: Payton Buhler | Sr. | Wade Hampton

Honorable Mention All-State

OL: Adrian Lamb | Jr. | Beaufort High

Protected QB, opened holes

OL: Hart Cushman | Sr. | Beaufort High

Anchor of strong OL

OL: Thomas May | Jr. | HHIHS

Honorable Mention All-State

OL: Trevor Murdaugh | Sr. | May River

Honorable Mention All-State

TE: Angelo Lewis | Sr. | Estill

393 rec. yds, 12 TDs; 384 rush yds, 5 TDs

SPECIALISTS

K: Jack Troutman | Sr. | Beaufort High

4-5 FG; 51-56 PAT

P: Nathan Dalton | Sr. | May River

24 punts, 34.5 avg, 54 long, 4 inside 20

ATH: Darrion Perry | Sr. | May River

53 tkls (26 solo), 3 TFL, 3 PBUs, 2 FRs; 407 rush yds, 6 TDs

DEFENSE

DL: Bradford Thompson | Jr. | Whale Branch

66 tkls, 19 TFL, 8 sacks

DL: Jack Sumner | Sr. | Beaufort High

54 tkls, 11 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 9 QBPs, PBU

DL: Shaikh Thompson | Jr. | HHIHS

45 tkls (33 solo), 15 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 3 QBPs, FF

DL/LB: Kavon Chisolm | Jr. | Estill

57 tkls (37 solo), 4 TFL, 6 sacks, FR

LB: JaQuinn Williams | Sr. | Bluffton

134 tkls (94 solo), 6 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 10 QBPs, INT, 3 PBUs, 2 FFs, FR

LB: Mandrell Sanders | Soph. | Wade Hampton

93 tkls (70 solo), 24 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 12 QBPs, INT, 4 PBUs

LB: Thomas Raisch | Sr. | May River

100 tkls (39 solo), 13 TFL, 1 sack, 1 QBP, INT, 3 PBUs, FF, FR

LB: Jeremiah Curry | Jr. | Bluffton

120 tkls (93 solo), 4 TFL, 1 sack, 3 QBPs, INT, 9 PBUs

DB/LB: Tysen James | Sr. | Bluffton

126 tkls (71 solo), 1 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 QBPs, INT, 3 PBUs, 2 FFs

DB: Keith Chisholm | Jr. | Whale Branch

27 tkls (12 solo), 4 INTs, 14 PBUs

DB: Hezekiah Abram | Jr. | Wade Hampton

54 tkls (31 solo), 3 INTs, 3 PBUs

Bluffton WR Jaylin Linder
Photo by Brady Sacha

ALL-LOWCO 2nd TEAM

OFFENSE

QB: Max Vonhohenstraeten | Sr. | Bluffton

2,673 pass yds, 23 TDs, 18 INTs

RB: Troy Timko | Soph. | HHIHS

1,100 rush yds, 11 TDs

RB: Jamil Bobean | Jr. | Estill

784 rush yds, 5 TDs

WR: Jaquise Johnson  | Jr. | Ridgeland

619 rec. yds, 5 TDs; 146 rush yds, TD

WR: Jamaris Miller | Jr. | Estill

377 rush yds, TD; 293 rec. yds, 3 TDs

OL: Robby Fletcher | Sr. | Bluffton

Bobcats’ top blocker

OL: Will Mauro | Jr. | May River

Returns to anchor line in ‘23

OL: Aaron Lamb | Sr. | Beaufort High

Blitz Border Bowl pick

OL: Austin McQuire | Sr. | Wade Hampton

Blitz Border Bowl pick

OL: Demontay Mathis | Jr. | Estill

Leader of strong OL

TE: Michael Dennison | Sr. | Beaufort High

106 rec. yds

SPECIALISTS

K: Luis Rojas | Sr. | Bluffton

6-9 FG, 38 long; 27-27 PAT

P: Owen Bayes | Jr. | HHIHS

44 punts, 33.5 avg, 53 long, 10 inside 20

ATH: Ja’Darius Garrett | Sr. | Whale Branch

253 rec. yds, 5 TDs; rush TD; 29 tkls, TFL, 1 sack, INT, PBU, FF

DEFENSE

DL: Anthony Phelan | Sr. | Battery Creek

24 tkls, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, INT

DL: Robert Johnson | Jr. | Beaufort High

35 tkls, 9 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 3 QBPs, PBU, 2 FRs

DL: Alijah Gordon | Sr. | Wade Hampton

58 tkls (37 solo), 7 TFL, 3 sacks, 12 QBPs, INT, 2 FFs, FR

DL/LB: Leroy Tyus | Jr. | Battery Creek

21 tkls, 11 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 2 PBUs

LB: Shane Whittaker | Jr. | Bluffton

53 tkls (36 solo), 12 TFL, 1 sack, 8 QBPs, FR

LB: Quion Rivers | Jr. | Beaufort High

67 tkls, 8 TFL, 2 sacks, 6 QBPs, INT, 2 PBUs, FF

LB: Will Codding | Soph. | Beaufort High

60 tkls, 12 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 QBPs, 2 PBUs, 2 FFs

LB: Grayson Ferguson | Sr. | Wade Hampton

102 tkls (58 solo), 10 TFL, 1 sack, 9 QBPs, 2 PBUs, 2 FFs, FR

DB/LB: Ja’leo Williams | Sr. | Wade Hampton

106 tkls (60 solo), 9 TFL, 4 QBPs

DB: Lamar Knight | Sr. | Beaufort High

30 tkls, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 2 QBPs, 3 PBUs, FF

DB: Jamar Knight | Sr. | Beaufort High

31 tkls, 3 TFL, 0.5 sack, 2 INTs, 5 PBUs

Photo by Justin Jarrett

ALL-LOWCO HONORABLE MENTION

Alonzo Allen
LB/RB | Soph. | Whale Branch

Brian Andrade
OL | Sr. | Bluffton

Damar Bodison
DL/OL | Sr. | Colleton Co. 

Samari Bonds
QB | Soph. | Beaufort High

Devin Broaddus
OL | Sr. | Battery Creek

Maurice Brown
QB | Jr. | Ridgeland

Brandon Bryant
WR | Jr. | Bluffton

Roderick Buxton
RB | Sr. | Bluffton

Tyquan Calloway
LB | Sr. | May River

Dom Camacho
DB | Jr. | Beaufort High

Ty Emmert
LB/DB | Sr. | Battery Creek

Cory Foulk
DB | Sr. | May River

Damien Freeman
RB | Soph. | Battery Creek

Landon Garvin
OL/DL | Sr. | Colleton Co. 

Adrian Gaston
DL | Jr. | May River

Jayven Grant
WR |Sr. | Ridgeland

Jake Huggins
WR | Jr. | HHIHS

Tanner Macy
QB | Soph. | May River

Jeremiah Mceachin
RB | Sr. | Battery Creek

Jakhi Pusha
ATH | Sr. | Whale Branch

Jamarikwon Roberts
OL | Soph. | Estill

Alex Ruckno
LB | Sr. | HHIHS

Carter Saleeby
LB/DB/K | Sr. | HHIHS

Benjamin Sanchez
OL | Sr. | Whale Branch

Nigel Solomon
ATH | Sr. | Wade Hampton

Ethan Sprinkle
DL | Soph. | May River

Zach Talbert
LB | Sr. | Beaufort High

Chris Terry
QB | Soph. | Wade Hampton

Connor Wiendl
LB | Soph. | HHIHS

Shawn Winfield
WR/DB | Jr. | Colleton Co. 

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