Palmetto Spotlight: Upstate athlete, impactful on both sides of the ball
Senior Cade Eavenson (Seneca High, Seneca, SC) played in his final prep game on Nov. 11 when Seneca fell 29-57 to Chapman High (8-3) in the second round of the 3A playoffs.
Seneca finished with a 9-3 record and behind Daniel High in Region 3-A (4-1).
Even though the result was disappointing for Eavenson, the two-way player had a fantastic game. He rushed for 171 yards with two touchdowns on offense and made an eye-opening 20 tackles on defense.
Eavenson, a four-year starter at safety, finished with a career-high 127 tackles (65 solo) surpassing his junior total of 121 (64). He also had six interceptions, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and six tackles for loss in 2022, which led to him being named Region Defensive Player of The Year.
Additionally at running back, he rushed for 1,478 yards with 17 combined offensive touchdowns and caught five passes for 73 yards.
Eavenson accumulated his rushing total in 10 games after starter Camsley Campbell suffered an injury in the first half of the third game. He averaged over 140 yards and 6.3 per carry despite having only one rush for three yards in the 48-6 lopsided victory over West Oak.
So what side of the ball or position does Eavenson prefer?
"Strong safety," replied the 5-foot-11, 175-pound athlete. "I've always mostly played defense most of my career and then this year, I had to take a bigger role and play both ways more."
He may prefer defense but in his second game in the backfield against Woodmont, he rushed for 240 yards on 31 carries. The 240 yards were a season and career-high and Ingles tabbed him their Player of the Week. The following week against Crescent, Eavenson rushed for 190 yards, which earned him The Fan Upstate Player of the Week.
Why does he think he was so effective as a runner this season?
"Yards after contact for sure," noted Eavenson. "I run really hard and that's something I've always prided myself in."
Moreover, he works hard in the weight room and has impressive numbers there -- 225 pounds on the bench, 405 on the squat, and a deadlift of 450 -- which aids him in breaking tackles and crushing ball carriers and receivers on defense.
Eavenson has work ethic and impressive stats but according to him, a scouting report of Cade Eavenson won't be complete without two words.
"IQ and toughness," he said are also components of his play. "I'm a football nerd. I watch a lot of film."
Eavenson has an offer from Anderson University and a preferred walk-on invite from a Division 1 program. He has interests from others and likes Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina of the Sun Belt Conference.
Eavenson said his recruitment is currently wide open but like any recruit, he wants his final choice to have certain requirements.
"Definitely in the southeast, possibly close to home, and I would like a school that has a good business program, for sure."