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The selection of the Shrine Bowl team saw five players from the Midlands make the 44 man roster and there were no big surprises. I talked about the Dutch Fork situation on Twitter earlier in the year and the dilemma that there were at least four players who could be one of the top two at their positions, but only two players from a team can make it. I predicted it would be WR Jalin Hyatt and that was a no brainer, as the top WR in the state. But I felt like the Sandlappers would go defensive line and take Trey Irby, NG, because that was a position of need and he is the best in the state at wrecking a backfield from the middle of the line.
Lugoff-Elgin OL Parker Clements was an easy selection, as was White Knoll OL Nick Taiste. River Bluff running back Braden Walker made the team and I can’t say that is a surprise either, as he is one of the All-Midlands players I selected in the preseason.
Sumter had two players make the team. WR Tylee Craft, who is committed to UNC, and DB Odennell Fortune, who is committed to USC, both were great picks. Sumter is somewhat like Dutch Fork in there were several players who could have made it.
Calhoun County OL Tyshawn Wannamaker, also a USC commitment, rounded out the selection of eight Midlands players.
But what about the guys that didn’t make it and should they be on the North-South teams?
I will start with Dutch Fork, the obvious, and talk about Quarterback Ty Olenchuk. Olenchuk could have easily been the No. 2 QB taken behind Myrtle Beach’s Luke Doty for Shrine but with the other two Silver Foxes taken, it leaves Olenchuk the top QB candidate, along with Carolina Forest QB Mason Garcia, for the South team. Also from Dutch Fork were OL Ta’Chawn Brooks and DBs Tyrik McDaniel and Dimarco Johnson.
I really felt like Gray Collegiate WR OD Dollison would be one of the top WRs taken but he wasn’t. So that makes him available, along with QB Hunter Helms, for the North team should they have the needs at those positions.
Other WRs I felt like could have been selected for this team were Christian Horn of Westwood, Mike Jones of Swansea and Tony Dinkins-McCall of Sumter.
In the secondary, Blythewood’s Chase Atkinson, who is also an outstanding return man, and Ke’Shoun Williams of Batesburg-Leesville, along with the aforementioned Dutch Fork players, were guys I felt like were deserving and could be excellent choices for North-South.
The linebacker group for this Shrine team is one of the strongest I’ve seen in years but a couple of guys I feel like would be excellent choices for the North-South are Blythewood’s Brandon Edwards and Lexington’s David Cromer. I also like White Knoll’s Jajuan Johnson of White Knoll.
Quarterbacks who could get looks for North-South will be White Knoll’s Aveon Smith, Westwood’s Ahmon Green, Saluda’s Noah Bell, and, already mentioned, Gray’s Hunter Helms.
I could see Chapin OL Josh Taylor at a shot for North-South in the trenches.
