The Chesnee Eagles are coming off a tough 2022 season. They started out 0-7 before taking consecutive victories over Blacksburg and Ninety Six. Those were their only 2 wins, but coming in-region, it was enough to earn the Eagles a berth in the playoffs, where they were eliminated in the first round by Strom Thurmond.
The 2022 squad had 11 sophomores and 2 freshmen on it along with a bevy of 14 juniors.
The most notable losses from a year ago are Fullback/Defensive end Nick Hofer, Guard/D Tackle Ezequiel Lazarin, and Guard/D Tackle E’torian “ET” Valentine. In total, Coach Clay Lewis’ Eagles lost just 8 seniors while they will bring back 21 lettermen for 2023, including 9 starters on offense and 6 starters on defense, including junior quarterback K’Jay Proctor, junior running back/safety Kyle Martin, Senior Tackle Zabian Kendrick, Senior Guard/D Tackle Bryson Avery, Senior Running Back/Strong Safety Noah Lawter, Junior Guard/D Tackle Wesley Wilkie, and Senior Running Back/Outside Linebacker Austin Bigford.
According to Coach Lewis, Senior Running Back Adonis Burgess is poised to be a major impact player this season, and as far as the newcomers to his roster goes, he is most excited about Junior Tight End/Defensive End Paul Martin. The Wide Receiver room looks to be the strength of the team, which Clay Lewis touts has a great chemistry this year with the growth and added experience the guys who were sophomores and juniors a year ago bring to the table.
Chesnee’s 2023 schedule features yet another tough non-region slate, which Coach Lewis believes will really battle-harden his guys as they go to region play and help them be competitive so long as they can stay healthy this year. That non-region slate includes opening the season at home against Blue Ridge, as well as Broome, Walhalla, R-S Central (NC), and Woodruff.
The 2023 season gets underway August 18th at 7:30.
