‘He’s a freshman!’: Segarra balancing grades, football, soccer in first year

One of Tre’s best performances in his freshman season came against Greer, when he accounted for three total touchdowns in just one half of play.

Over half a decade ago, Byrnes assistant football coach David Segarra sat watching television on the recliner in his basement.

On the far right side of the room, his 7-year-old son was off in his own little world.

“We had this soccer goal down there, and he’d have this little headset on,” said Segarra. “He’d be practicing all these different moves, like step-overs or “Maradonas” or things like that.

“But then one day, I came in and saw him standing on the actual recliner. I looked at him and asked him, ‘what in the world are you about to do?’ So, he takes the ball, throws it and ricochets it off the wall, leaps off the recliner and heads the ball into the goal. His mom probably would’ve stopped him before it happened. I was too curious.”

That kid’s name? Tre’ Segarra. And Tre’s soccer abilities have only skyrocketed over time.

He currently stars on his high-level CESA (Carolina Elite Soccer Academy) team as a striker. He travels all across the country on weekends— even as far as California — to compete. Segarra is one of the premier soccer talents for his age in South Carolina.

One might be a little more familiar with his work on Friday nights, however.

Tre’ Segarra is also Byrnes football’s star running back, accounting for over 1,100 all-purpose yards so far this season. He’s one of the key components in the Rebels’ 10-1 record, region championship, and ongoing playoff run.

Oh, and he’s only 15 years old.

He’s balancing being a star on the pitch and on the gridiron at the same time.

“I think my time is split pretty evenly between both soccer and football,” said Tre’. “I go to football practice almost every day, and some days my coaches let me leave practice early for soccer.
“If I had to estimate, I probably spend 10 hours a week working on football, and counting the time I spend working at home, 8 hours doing soccer.”

Tre’ has always been a naturally gifted athlete, but football wasn’t his first sport. Soccer held his heart from a young age, and he plays at an extremely high level to this day.

All of this while maintaining straight A’s in school. It’s a challenge to keep up with, but Tre’s found an incredible balance and has navigated the whirlwind of the past three months well.

“It’s a lot, but I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

A SPARKLING DEBUT

Back on August 19, Byrnes began its season with a trip to Charlotte, N.C. to face powerhouse North Carolina program Hough and its dominant defensive line.

Being a freshman, Tre’ assumed that the first game of the season would be an opportunity to find his bearings and just get his feet wet. His father assumed the same.

They couldn’t have been more wrong.

“My wife and I were coming down for the game and missed warmups, but we got there for the first drive,” said David. “We look out on the field, and I look at her and go, ‘Wait? Is that Tre’? He’s starting?’ I couldn’t believe it.”

“[Byrnes head coach Reggie] Shaw let me know before the game that I was going to be the starter,” said Tre’. “That’s always meant a lot to me, the fact that the coaching staff has faith in me at such a young age to go out there and help the team.”

Their faith paid off in massive dividends. Tre’ rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown in his first-ever start. He also brought in a 62-yard touchdown reception to help seal the 24-9 win in the fourth quarter.

“He’s a freshman! He’s a freshman!” chanted his teammates as Tre’ received the Player of the Game award after the victory.

“I’ve been trying to tell people, man. That dude is just different,” said Shaw.

Shaw praised not only Tre’s performance and work ethic but his high character, as well.

“You can’t talk about Tre’ without talking about the kind of person he is,” said Shaw. “He’s a straight-A student, a high-character kid. He’s this rare combination of athleticism, strength, and high character.”

Segarra has proven throughout this season that he’s no one-game wonder, either. He has accounted for 854 yards on the ground and 277 through the air over 11 games.

Throughout the season, Tre’ has often been on “pitch counts” during his football games, meaning only receiving a certain amount of carries or touches per game to preserve himself for both football and soccer.

“Balancing the time isn’t really the biggest problem usually, it’s the toll everything has on my body,” said Tre’. “But I do cryotherapy every other weekend, and that really helps a lot. It’s like a full reset.”

FULL STEAM AHEAD

It’s playoff time now for Byrnes, which means full steam ahead for Tre’. The “pitch counts” are lifted and all systems go. He rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown on Friday to help Byrnes crush rival Dorman, 44-17, in round one of the Class 5-A playoffs.

He’s poised to help lead Byrnes to its first state title since 2011. Finding such success as just a freshman, he’s already being compared to former Rebel legends who played the same position.

“Guys like [former Byrnes running backs] Marcus Lattimore and Rahjai Harris are the only guys I’ve seen like him at such a young age,” said Shaw. “He’s incredible.”

Tre’ is very familiar with those names, as well.

“I’ve watched Marcus’s highlights a lot,” he said. And Rahjai was actually here while my dad was coaching, so I used to see him play all the time.”

Tre’ has caught plenty of eyes himself, too. Not just from college programs (he’s already received two Divison-1 offers), but from former Rebel legends, as well.

Former Byrnes star running back Tony Ashmore — who played in the early 2000s — gushed about Tre’ when asked about the freshman’s play.

“I honestly think Tre’ is the best running back to come through that program, ever,” said Ashmore. “I played running back and I’ve got some records there. And I’m good friends with Marcus [Lattimore]. And Marcus would tell you the same thing. Tre’ is going to be the best running back to come through Byrnes.

“He’s big, fast, and explosive. He’s a smart football player. The future is super bright for Tre.’ I watched him when he played in eighth grade, because my brother used to rave about him. He’s the future. The ceiling is high for him. He’s got potential to be a top-five guy in his class in the country.”

Tre’ hears the positive chatter, and he appreciates the attention. He’s already being projected as one of the top recruits in the 2027 class. But at the moment, he’s not paying it much mind. He’s focused on one thing and one thing only at the moment.

“We still have more work to do,” said Tre.’ “We’ve got one goal, and that’s to win a state championship. And I really believe we have the talent to do it.”