By Mac Banks and John Turner
The Fort Mill Yellow Jackets are coming off their best football season in recent years after making the playoffs last year.
Fort Mill finished 2-9 last season after losing in the first round to TL Hanna, and while 2-9 might not seem like a good season, it has been an improvement for the Jackets from previous years as 2024 opens with several changes for the Jackets.
Fort Mill is in a new Region 3-5A with teams like Spring Valley and Blythewood out, while Catawba Ridge and Indian Land comes in, along with Northwestern.
“Our job is to stop the other team,” said head coach Rob McNeely. “We can’t continue to beat Fort Mill. It is hard enough to beat the other team.”
There are also some changes in coaching positions as former defensive coordinator Dennis Stokes has moved on to a high school in Georgia.
“I am taking back over the reigns of the defense,” McNeely said.
Fort Mill has been in a 3-4 defensive system for the past couple of years, but McNeely looks to switch it up with a 4-3 defense to stop the run more.
“You have to stop the run first,” he said. “If you don’t, it doesn’t matter because they would be able to run or throw then. We do have some limitations defensively, size, speed at some position but if you don’t lineup correctly, it magnifies those deficiencies. If you line up correctly, you have a chance, no matter size or speed.”
McNeely pointed out players like Jeremiah McNeil, who will play either safety or cornerback, on defense to help lead the secondary.
“He has been one of our hardest workers in the offseason and it has paid off for him,” he said.
On offense, Jon Leible will continue to plan the offense. McNeely said he has seen good competition between last year’s starter junior Quinn Kelly and sophomore Broden Mitcheson.
“They bring a couple of different things of their playing style to our offense,” he said.
Fort Mill’s offensive line has got another year under their belt, and despite not having the size as some, McNeely said they have gotten the experience as young players.
“(Grayson) Sykes is our biggest kid now, but you have guys like Sal DiStefano, he has put on 20 pounds,” he said. “I think those guys are going to be a lot better than last year.”
With the running game, Josef Anderson and Thomas Mabry are key running backs for Fort Mill.
“With our guys up front, who might not be as big as they need to be, we have to find an advantage in the run game and we feel like the triple (option) gives us that,” McNeely said. “We have to be able to run the ball better.”
When it comes to receivers, Tanner Mays will continue to be a weapon.
“We have to put the ball in his hands,” McNeely said. “We would like to be able to move him around. To be that big and athletic, its something we have to take advantage of.”
McNeil and Brandon Moore will also be targets for the Jackets’ quarterback.
Look for Noah Hardy to be the main kicker and punter Fort Mill uses to do punts and kicks for the Jackets.
Fort Mill will have a decent non-region schedule in opening Aug. 23 with Ballantyne Ridge, who is a new North Carolina school, and will be playing their first ever football game. They will host Chester, who is the No. 1 2A team in the state in the preseason. They also take on Blythewood and Lancaster, who has been a competitive foe for the Jackets in recent years.
Fort Mill will start their Region 3-5A schedule hosting Catawba Ridge Sept. 20. They will have home region games against Rock Hill Oct. 4 and Northwestern Oct. 11. They will travel to Clover Sept. 27, Indian Land Oct. 25, and Nation Ford Nov. 1 to finish the regular season.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
