5A
Clover
Last year: 6-5, lost in the first round of the 5A state playoffs to Spartanburg
Last 5 years: 11-44, 1 playoff appearance
Returning starters: 4 offense, 3 defense
Seniors graduated: 24
Players to watch: Jr. RB Semaj Lakin (rushed for over 900 yards and 10 TDs); Jr. QB Garrett Miller (5 rushing TDs, threw for over 600 yards, 4 TDs); Jr. OL Garrett Lutz (college prospect and 2015/16 starter); Jr. DL Devin Chisholm (6.5 sacks); WR Jaylin Lane; Soph. WR Hezekiah Massey; WR Zion Robbins
2017 schedule: August: 18 at Ashbrook (NC); 25 Forestview (NC); September: 1 Hunter Huss (NC); 8 at South Point (NC); 22 York; 29 at Nation Ford; October: 6 at Fort Mill; 13 Northwestern; 20 Rock Hill; 27 at Boiling Springs
Northwestern
Last year: 9-2, lost in the first round of the 5A state playoffs to Gaffney
Last 5 years: 59-10, 5 playoff appearances, 2013 and 2015 state champions
Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense
Graduated seniors: 27
Players to watch: Jr. WR Jamario Holley (offers from Florida State, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee); Sr. DE Christian Steele (8 sacks); Jr. OL Josiah Ivey (12 pancakes); Jr. OL K.D. Canaty (83 percent blocking grade); Jr. WR Jordan Starkes (two-sport star, OF/leadoff hitter on baseball team); Jr. WR Dequez Harris (versatile offensive weapon, 443 yards receiving and 120 yards on the ground);
2017 schedule: August: 18 at South Pointe; 25 Dorman; September: 1 at South Meck; 8 Byrnes; 15 at Spartanburg; 22 Gaffney; 29 Fort Mill; October: 6 Open; 13 at Clover; 20 Nation Ford; 27 at Rock Hill
Rock Hill
Last year: 2-9, lost in the first round of the 5A playoffs
Last 5 years: 16-41, 2 playoff appearances
Returning starters: 4 offense, 4 defense
Graduated seniors: 29
Players to watch: Fr. WR Antonio Barber (11 catches); Jr. DB Jordan Morris (66 tackles); Soph. DL Logan Hicks (40 tackles, 9 tackles-for-loss); Jr. RB Des Buchanan (580 yards rushing, 2 TDs); Soph. RB/LB Narrii Gaither (529 yards rushing, 5 TDs); Jr. QB Logan McFadden (threw for over 500 yards, 3 TDs in multiple starts); Jr. OL Devin Cannon (2016 starter); WR Raphael Wright; Soph. DB Anthony Jackson
2017 schedule: August: 18 Blythewood; 25 at York; September: 1 South Pointe; 8 at Boiling Springs; 15 Dorman; 22 Open; 29 at Gaffney; October: 6 at Nation Ford; 13 Fort Mill; 20 at Clover; 27 Northwestern
Fort Mill
Last year: 3-7
Last 5 years: 29-26, 3 playoff appearances
Returning starters: 7 offense, 6 defense
Graduated seniors: 28
Players to watch: Jr. RB/DB Ryan Heriot (iron-man athlete with 70 tackles and nearly 400 yards rushing); Jr. DB/WR Grant Stevens (All-Region, 104 tackles and blocked a kick); OL/DL Quinn Vandermark (2016 starter); Jr. OL Trey Reed (2016 starter); Jr. RB Jackson Randall (245 yards rushing); DB Bartow Keller (22 tackles)
2017 schedule: August: 18 Spring Valley; 25 West Florence; September: 1 Lancaster; 8 at Orangeburg-Wilkinson; 15 at York; 22 Open; 29 at Northwestern; October: 6 Clover; 13 at Rock Hill; 20 at Dorman; 27 Nation Ford
Nation Ford
Last year: 7-4, lost in the first round of the 5A playoffs
Last 5 years: 32-29, 4 playoff appearances
Returning starters: 5 offense, 9 defense
Graduated seniors: 26
Players to watch: Jr. OL/DL Travell Crosby (43 tackles); Soph. WR Dewuan McCullum (47 catches for 769 yards and 3 TDs, 23 yards per punt return and 20 yards per kickoff return); Soph. CB Malik Barber (34 tackles); Jr. DB/WR Ben Tuipulotu (87 tackles); Jr. LB Vinny Catan (120 tackles); Jr. OL Jack Snowberger (2016 starter); Jr. K Skyler DeLong
2017 schedule: August: 18 at Irmo; 25 South Pointe; September: 1 Open; 8 York; 15 at Lancaster; 22 at Indian Land; 29 Clover; October: 6 Rock Hill; 13 Byrnes; 20 at Northwestern; 27 at Fort Mill
4A
South Pointe
Last year: 14-1, won the 4A state championship
Last 5 years: 64-10, 5 playoff appearances, 2014, 2015 and 2016 state champions
Returning starters: 5 offense, 8 defense
Graduated seniors: 25
Players to watch: Jr. QB Derion Kendrick (2016 All-Area Player of the Year, 3,348 yards and 37 touchdowns passing, 630 yards and 8 touchdowns rushing); Jr. DE Eli Adams (95 tackles, 17 tackles-for-loss, 10 sacks); Jr. WR/DB Steven Gilmore Jr. (Offers from South Carolina, Georgia, Duke, Maryland); Jr. OL Jaydon Collins (2016 starter); Jr. LB/DB B.J. Davis (80 tackles, scored two defensive touchdowns); Soph. CB Jaylen Mahoney (68 tackles, 9 pass break-ups); Jr. DB Jamari Currence (7 interceptions).
2017 schedule: August: 18 Northwestern; 25 at Nation Ford; September: 1 at Rock Hill; 8 Open; 15 at Buford (Ga.); 22 Shelby (N.C.); 29 at Ridge View; October: 6 at Westwood; 13 Lancaster; 20 at Richland Northeast; 27 York
York
Last year: 6-6, lost in the second round of the 4A playoffs
Last 5 years: 46-19, 5 playoff appearances, 1 state title appearance
Returning starters: 5 offense, 5 defense
Graduated seniors: 24
Players to watch: Jr. DE Shamari Williams (has an offer from Cincinnati); Jr. LB J.T. Sanders (107 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss); Soph. WR Ladarius Allison (nice-sized receiver caught 55 passes); Soph. OL Lane Towery (big tackle with college potential); Soph. QB Ethan Mitchell (threw for nearly 1,700 yards, 10 TDs, completed 63 percent of pass attempts); Jr. DB Tajh Reid-Stanley (over 70 tackles)
2017 schedule: August: 18 Bank of York scrimmage; 25 Rock Hill; September: 1 at Union; 8 at Nation Ford; 15 Fort Mill; 22 at Clover; 29 at Richland Northeast; October: 6 Ridge View; 13 Westwood; 20 Lancaster; 27 at South Pointe
Lancaster
Last year: 5-6, lost in the first round of the 4A playoffs
Last 5 years: 25-31, 3 playoff appearances
Returning starters: 5 offense, 7 defense
Graduated seniors: 15
Players to watch: Jr. DE Markees Watts (Tri-County Coaches Association 4A/5A defensive player of the year, 17 sacks, multiple D-I offers); Soph. OL Fred Reid (2016 starter); Jr. OL Kevius Barnes (2016 starter); Soph. OL Jalen Tatah (2016 starter); Jr. WR Desmond Stowers (13 catches, 1 TD, offer from Naval Academy); 8th grade RB Nygel Moore
2017 schedule: August: 18 Indian Land; 25 Open; September: 1 at Fort Mill; 8 Chester; 15 Nation Ford; 22 at Lugoff-Elgin; 29 Westwood; October: 6 Richland Northeast; 13 at South Pointe; 20 at York; 27 at Ridge View
3A
Indian Land
Last year: 2-9, lost in the first round of the 3A playoffs
Last 5 years: 17-38, 5 playoff appearances
Returning starters: 8 offense, 9 defense
Graduated seniors: 15
Players to watch: Jr. DB John Gregory (6-2, 190-pound college prospect); Jr. OL Jake Locklear (college prospect); Jr. QB David Loughry (threw for over 600 yards before breaking his leg last fall); Soph. QB Jay Hildreth (took over at QB after Loughry's injury); Fr. RB Tyree Sistare (rushed for over 300 yards as a freshman); Soph. LB Robbie Cshuta (74 tackles, All-Region); Jr. LB Nico Starcher; Fr. ATH A.J. Jefferson (started every game as a freshman)
2017 schedule: August: 18 at Lancaster; 25 at Buford; September: 1 Blacksburg; 8 at Broome; 15 Chesterfield; 22 Nation Ford; 29 Chester; October: 6 Open; 13 at Columbia; 20 Camden; 27 at Fairfield Central
Chester
Last year: 9-3, lost in the second round of the 3A playoffs
Last 5 years: 26-30, 2 playoff appearances
Returning starters: 7 offense, 9 defense
Graduated seniors: 8
Players to watch: Jr. DB/WR Quay Hardin (All-Region, 9 interceptions, 319 receiving yards); Soph. RB/DB Pha'Leak Brown (44 tackles, 4 interceptions; 607 rushing yards, 10 TDs); Jr. ATH John Erby (All-Region, 835 yards receiving, averaged over 21 yards per catch, handled all kicking duties); Soph. OL Wyatt Tunall (27 knockdown blocks); Soph. TE Leon Goldsborough (hasn't played HS football yet; nice-sized TE already getting college interest); Jr. WR T.J. Hollis (10 catches, 1 TD); Soph. LB Ira Grant (100 tackles, 9 tackles-for-loss)
2017 schedule: August: 18 Westwood; 25 Franklin Christian; September: 8 at Lancaster; 15 Lower Richland; 22 Carolina Pride; 29 at Indian Land; October: 6 Columbia; 13 at Camden; 20 Fairfield Central
1A
Lewisville
Last year: 10-3, lost in the third round of the 1A playoffs
Last 5 years: 29-27, 5 playoff appearances
Returning starters: 6 offense, 6 defense
Graduated seniors: 14
Players to watch: Jr. DT Josh Belk (78 tackles, 23 tackles-for-loss, Clemson commit); Jr. ATH Quentin Sanders (nearly 1,700 yards of offense, 19 TDs); Jr. DB/WR Mikial Fourney (85 tackles, 9 pass break-ups); Jr. LB/OL Jaylen McFadden (123 tackles, 17 tackles-for-loss); Jr. DB Chase Yoder (7 interceptions, 10 pass break-ups); Jr. OL Qay Simpson (81 percent grade-out, 34 knockdowns); Jr. ATH Johnny Courtney (slot receiving/kick return threat)
2017 schedule: August: 18 Andrew Jackson; 25 at Blacksburg; September: 1 at Buford; 8 Whitmire; 15 Eau Claire; 22 at C.A. Johnson; 29 McBee; October: 6 at Lamar; 13 Open; 20 at Timmonsville; 27 Great Falls
Great Falls
Last year: 0-10
Last 5 years: 18-37, 4 playoff appearances
Returning starters: N/A
Graduated seniors: 6
Players to watch: Jr. WR/DB Tommy Belk (caught 19 passes); Jr. LB/DL/OL Cody Spires (59 tackles); Jr. DT/C Artez Blackmon; Soph. QB Trent Isenhower; Fr. WR/DB Kelton Talford (caught eight passes).
2017 schedule: N/A (Great Falls is still filling its schedule)