The Chesnee Eagles are in year 3 under Brett Chappell and are 2-0 for the first time since 2016. Chesnee didn’t play in week 1 but nabbed a 40-20 win over Broome and a 42-0 victory over Columbia in their first two home games. So far there’s been a common theme, and that has been the Eagles ground game led by three tremendous ball carriers who have each gone over 100-yards in Chesnee’s first two games.
The Eagles don’t throw the ball very often, with just 11 pass attempts as a team, but don’t let that trick you into thinking Chesnee doesn’t have a great quarterback. Sr Evan-Reece Lawter was phenomenal a year ago and already has 253 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2026. He had 142 yards vs Broome, and on Friday night vs Columbia I saw him put on a wonderful show. Lawter was dragging Capitals defenders for tons of yards after contact, while having the speed to dart around defenders as well. Lawter put up 101 yards on 10 carries with a long TD run and even a passing score to boot.
In the backfield Lawter is joined by Jr Marquez Franklin and So Brymeir Miller who are stars in their own right. Franklin is the team leader overall with 304 rushing yards and has 3 TDs to go with it. Against Columbia he posted 116 yards on just 6 carries, he looked like he was teleporting down the field at times. Both Franklin and the younger Miller had TD runs of 60+ but Brymeir also doubles as the Eagles primary kick returner.
Miller started the game off vs Columbia with a 36-yard kickoff return, and his long distance speed was what really stood out to me. Miller outran the entire Columbia defense on several occasions with 103 yards on just 5 carries. His 2 touchdowns were runs of 61 and 27 yards on the day.
The Eagles hit the road for the first time in 2026 next week as they take on R-S Central in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Chesnee has made the playoffs each of the first two years with Brett Chappell, but hasn’t advanced past the second round. The Eagles are hoping this run game can be what they need to do so for the first time since 2013.
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