With the official — unofficial — start of the South Carolina high school golf season set for Monday at the annual Red Raider Classic at Greenville Country Club’s Riverside Course, the state’s golf coaches have released their preseason rankings.

It has become what could best be described as “round up the usual suspects,” borrowing the famous line from Casablanca.

When it comes to predicting the top teams in each of the six classifications, sometimes looking back at last year is the best way to forecast what’s ahead.

5A Division II: TL Hanna Chasing History

At the top level, 5A Division II once again runs through TL Hanna.

The Yellow Jackets will attempt to win their fourth straight state championship — and if there were a composite ranking of every team in every classification, it would be hard not to make Hanna the unanimous No. 1.

Yes, some depth was lost to graduation. But the firepower at the top remains as strong as any team in recent memory.

Coach Eric Bona will once again send out one of the most decorated trios in the state:

• Bennett Scaletta – Two-time SCGA Jay Haas Award winner and future Clemson Tiger
• Erik Erlenkeuser – Jay Haas Award winner in between Scaletta’s two honors and future Georgia Southern golfer
• Cal Harbin – Tournament-tested and experienced, giving Hanna exceptional balance

It’s rare to see this kind of talent stacked at the top of a lineup. Only a few powerhouse programs in state history — AC Flora in its prime or Dorman during the DJ Trahan era — have matched this level of firepower.

Riverside and Gaffney finished last season playing some of their best golf and are expected to challenge as Nos. 2 and 3 in the poll.

5A Division II: Will Ruth Eyes Rare Three-Peat

On the other side of 5A, Dorman senior Will Ruth has a chance to accomplish something only PGA Tour winner Jacob Bridgeman achieved in South Carolina high school golf — three straight individual state championships.

Several players in state history have won three titles. But Bridgeman was the only one to capture medalist honors three consecutive years.

Now Ruth, who will continue his career at UNC Wilmington, has the opportunity to match that feat.

Defending team champion River Bluff is ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll, followed by Dorman, Mauldin, and a consistently dangerous Lexington squad.

4A: Blue Ridge Reloads Around Szabo

In Class 4A, Dawson Szabo led Blue Ridge to a state title last year alongside Owen Kinnunen.

Kinnunen — the reigning Carolinas Golf Association champion — has graduated, meaning Szabo will have a new supporting cast.

The future South Carolina Gamecock remains one of the state’s premier players, but the coaches poll gives Bishop England the edge entering the season.

Blue Ridge will once again be in the hunt — but the road looks tighter in 2026.

3A: Familiar Names in New Classifications

Class 3A features programs that built success in smaller classifications before being moved up under the SCHSL multiplier system for private schools last year.

Oceanside Collegiate Academy of Mount Pleasant enters as the coaches’ pick, with Greenville’s Christ Church and Southside Christian expected to contend.

2A and 1A: Championship Aspirations

Chesnee holds the preseason No. 1 spot in 2A, while Bamberg-Ehrhardt is projected as the top team in Class A.

Winning a state championship is always the goal. But this year, simply reaching the state finals carries added incentive.

Four of the six state championship events will be played in Myrtle Beach, Each team making the championship will have the opportunity to take in the PGA Tour event at The Dunes Club the week prior — an added bonus for qualifying.

The Season Begins Monday

While Monday’s Red Raider Classic is not an official SCHSL event, it has served in recent years as a reliable scene-setter.

A few seasons ago, an unranked North Augusta team used a big performance in Greenville as a springboard to a state championship.

Last year, Dorman’s Ruth opened his title defense with an individual win at Riverside.

With state championships scheduled a week earlier this year, the already short high school season becomes even more compressed.

If the weather cooperates, we’ll soon see whether the coaches truly “rounded up the usual suspects” — or whether a few new names emerge in what could be another outstanding year for South Carolina high school golf.