Junior quarterback threw for nearly 4,000 yards in leading Westside to first state championship in 54 years.
Each year since 2006, MaxPreps has recognized outstanding performers in high school football. America's source for high school sports continues the tradition to close out the 2023 season by naming the top player in each state. Selections are based on team success and individual excellence in addition to local and state accolades.
Cutter Woods of
Westside (Anderson) is the 2023 MaxPreps South Carolina High School Football Player of the Year. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior quarterback led the Rams to a 14-1 record and Class AAAA state title – the school's first since 1969.
For the season, Woods threw for 3,915 yards and 42 touchdowns while completing 69.4 percent of his attempts. He added 345 yards and five scores on the ground.
Cutter Woods of Westside is the MaxPreps South Carolina Player of the Year after leading the Warriors to their first state title in over 50 years. (Photo: Brian Bodine)
In a 34-32 win over South Florence (Florence) in the championship game, Woods threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns and had over 300 yards of total offense. He led the Rams on a 78-yard drive in the final three minutes culminating with a 17-yard TD pass to Tank Boston on fourth down with 15 seconds remaining.
Woods put up a season-high 456 yards through the air in a 52-7 win over Pickens in October. He threw for 334 yards and four touchdowns in a semifinal win over Greenville.
Coastal Carolina, Liberty, Miami (Ohio), Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are among 11 FBS offers Woods has received to date.
Each state's MaxPreps Player of the Year will be considered for inclusion in the MaxPreps All-America Team.
Past MaxPreps South Carolina Players of the Year
2020 — Will Taylor, QB, Dutch Fork (Irmo)
2021 — Antonio Williams, WR, Dutch Fork (Irmo)
2022 — Jarvis Green, RB, Dutch Fork (Irmo)
