The Greer Yellow Jackets are coming off season where they finished the year at 6-6 overrall but won their region by finishing 4-0. They were able to advanced to the second round of the playoffs before falling to a strong Greenville High School team. The Yellow Jackets will look to build off their season from a year ago and making a deeper run in this years playoffs.
Like always Greer faces a tough non-region schedule to open the season. They do this to prepare them for their region schedule. They open the year against Boiling Springs, then they have BHP, Hillcrest, and Byrnes to finish out thier non-region schedule. Region play begins on September 20th as they open up against Berea, the rest of the region games include TR, Pickens, Blue Ridge, Seneca, and Daniel.
The Yellow Jackets offense has lost a pair of playmakers. Chris Hall, who graduated was over 1,000 yards rushing with 14 touchdowns. Hall also threw for over 1,ooo yards and 14 touchdowns. Their star back LaDainnian Martin, who is a Senior this year transferred to JL Mann. So replacing those guys will be no easy task especially Martin, but this Greer we are talking about they always find a running back. Perhaps that will be Senior Nick Holmes who rushed the ball 15 times last year for 156 yards averaging 1o.4 yards per carry.
The offensive line is returning several experienced players as they have six guys returning from last season includidng having 5 seniors on the line. Those guys include Blake Taylor, Gavin Conklin, Kaleb Nelson, Taylor Jones, and Namir Lee. The experince line is a huge advantage for the Yellow Jackets espeically for a team that loves to run the football.
Behind center should be Senior Kaden Rowland, who attempted 55 passes last year for over 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. Others guys could get snaps as well like Junior QB Keedyn Platt, who had 27 attmpts last year. The leading reciever for them returing is Brock Diggins, who had 28 catches for nearly 45o yards and six receptions touchdowns.
Defensively they Yellow Jackets were very young last year, which means they are returing a lot of players. The linebacker core is led by a pair of seniors Quamine Dodd and Brody Diggins. Diggings had 3 interceptions last year so he is capable of getting his hands on the football and getting a take away.
The defense line was the youngest group of the defensne last year they were filled with Freshman and Sophomores so it was expected to have some growing pains with young players but with a season under their belt look for their defensive line to take a big step foward this year.
Overall, The Jackets did lose a lot of key players but they are also returning a lot of talent, I look for this team to be around .500 during their non-region scheudle and see them finishing in second place in the region behind Daniel. I see them once again in the playoffs with a chance to make a run!
