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Abbeville – Now in his third season as the head baseball coach, Abbeville’s Daniel Little is starting to put together the type of program he desires in his efforts to contend for a state title. The baseball program at Abbeville has been one of the top AA programs in the state for a long time and Little has worked to build the program even higher. Last season, the Panthers reached the district championship game, overcoming a slow start to finish on a high note. Little feels his 2024 team can be well in the AA mix come playoff time, if they can survive a very competitive region which includes Mid-Carolina, Ninety Six, Saluda and Newberry. “Time will tell but I like this team’s potential,” Little said. “We’re a competitive team but it’s hard to tell how good we are because of the strength of our region. We were able to split with Saluda, which is a good start. They have a good club. “We are still finding out a lot about what type of team we can be. I like this team’s attitude and work ethic. We have been able to get off to a good start and build some early confidence. But we have to finish strong. Hopefully we can finish strong and a make a run.” Abbeville won 11 of their first 13 games overall to start the season and head into spring break with a good feeling. The Panthers meet Mid-Carolina on Apr. 9 and Apr. 12 in two key region games. The two region games with Newberry come on Apr. 16 and Apr. 19. Abbeville took two games from Ninety Six just before spring break. “I keep telling the guys that we can’t take one night off in this region,” Little said. “One good team from this region will be sitting at home when the playoffs start. Finishing in the top four is going to be a challenge for every team.” Abbeville has solid playing experience on the field, returning seven or eight players that saw a lot of playing time in 2023. The roster is junior heavy with a few key seniors. On the mound, Abbeville’s top guy is senior Hunter Overholt, who also excels at shortstop. “He’s the ace and we have a chance to win every time he toes the rubber,” Little said. Sophomore right-hander Grady Overholt is the No. 2 starter and senior Jude Dowis is the third starter. Working in relief is senior Thomas Booth, a three-year starter in the outfield and behind the plate. Most of the catching this spring is handled by junior Ben Overholt, who hits third in the order and has a year of experience. Junior Justin Oglesby is a returning starter at first base while Grady Overholt and Dayne Botts work at second. Overholt moves over to short when Hunter Overholt pitches. Dowis is the starter at third. With Booth in center, senior Ryan Hughes starts in left and junior Lohen Nickles starts in right. Sophomore Easton Townsend is the starting designated hitter. Rounding out the roster this spring are Jake Clemmons, Cohen Grounsell, Ben Thomasson, and Tyrique Cunningham.
Abbeville – While there is no doubting that football is king when it comes to Abbeville High athletics, the boys basketball program has been doing plenty of winning as well. Doug Belcher took over as the boys basketball coach for the 2012-13 season and has done nothing but win since taking the helm. The 2023-24 Panthers had another solid season, finishing with a 12-6 record overall and a 6-2 record in region 2-AA. Belcher has had only one losing season (8-9) since taking over. The Panthers have had seasons with 21 wins, 20 wins, and two with 17 wins under Belcher’s leadership. After this season, the coach has an unofficial coaching record of 173 wins and 72 losses. For the second straight season, the Panthers were eliminated from the Class AA Upper State playoffs in the second-round by perennial power Gray Collegiate, which won their sixth state title in seven years on Mar. 1. Abbeville did notch an impressive first-round playoff victory, beating Silver Bluff in over time. Abbeville basketball routinely gets off to somewhat of a late start due to extended playoff runs deep into November by the football program. Belcher does not schedule many games early on, choosing to wait for the football players to get their basketball legs under them. On this year’s roster, all but two players were on the football team. This year’s basketball team was fairly young and inexperienced overall as Belcher had a bevy of sophomores and juniors this winter. The coach said earlier in the season that those young but talented players would have to provide solid minutes. “Pretty much sophomore and junior loaded,” Belcher said. “We have some experience but a lot of young guys who will need to perform for us. We have three seniors but none of those start. Most of the playing will come from underclassmen. We’ll have some growing pains but I think we will compete. The guys will work hard.” One of the top players this season was sophomore guard JD Baylor, who has twice been named all-region in just two varsity seasons. Baylor again put up solid numbers this season, averaging 12.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Sophomore Justin Rollinson did not play last season but made a huge impact this season. Rollinson led the Panthers in scoring at 16.4 points per game. He also added 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Rollinson and Baylor are sure to be a dangerous tandem next season. In the playoff win over Silver Bluff, each scored 22 points with Baylor grabbing eight boards. Another sophomore, Darius Riley, averaged 9.5 points per game this season, and sophomore Jaylen Baylor also was a significant contributor. Junior Demarcus Leach, a 6-3 post player, was a key mainstay in the paint. Leach quarterbacked the football team this fall and is a Division I football prospect. On the court this season, Leach averaged 7.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. In the win over Silver Bluff, Leach scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Junior Altavious Patterson averaged just under six points and six rebounds per game, putting together 11 points and eight boards in the playoff win over Silver Bluff. Wrestling Update Abbeville’s Na’Gaevian Calhoun competed in the Class AA state wrestling individual tournament after winning the 215-pound weight class in the Upper State qualifier. Calhoun reached the finals of the state tournament but came away with a silver medal. Carter Eby also qualified for the state tournament after finishing third at 150 pounds in the Upper State tournament. On the girls side, Brittany Gordon finished fourth at 135 pounds in the state open tournament. Also qualifying for the tournament were Cecilia Cramer (130) and Kylee Price (110).
Abbeville – The wrestling program at Abbeville High appears to be thriving in the 2023-24 season as both male and female grapplers are competing at a high level. Abbeville fields a Co-ed team in most varsity matches but the female members also branch out on their own and compete in duals and individual events, with great success. For the past few seasons, the school has not had enough participation to put a full team on the mat but the Panthers have still competed well with the numbers they have out. Coach Bill Glace, himself a former Abbeville wrestler and a 2008 graduate, is quite pleased with the performance of all of his athletes. He is excited about the new wrestlers that have taken up the sport and are finding success as well. “We are having a really good year for us,” Glace reports. “We have a good number of “new blood” that has joined the team, as well as some returning studs that are all contributing to the success of the team.” Of the first-year performers, Glace mentions Collins Brown, Brice Williams, Parker Henderson and Caleb Hanson. The standout of that group is Brown, who was runner up at our Area Qualifier at BHP, won the Upperstate Qualifier at Hillcrest, and qualified for the Carolina Invitational at Lexington. “This group has made contributions for varsity while really finding success in the junior varsity circuit tournaments that are sponsored by the South Carolina Wrestling Coaches Association. These guys are making huge strides, will continue to develop, and be expected to really stand out in years to come.” The returners, who lift this year’s team up and really do the heavy lifting, are Jantzen Barnes, Carter Eby, Na'Gaevien Calhoun and senior Zack Arrowood. “These guys have been finding a lot of success on the varsity mat (in duals), as well as in the individual tournaments. We are hopeful that these guys and, fingers crossed, a few others will find themselves competing in Anderson the last weekend in February,” Glace said. The last weekend of February is the Class AA state individual tournament. Wrestlers must qualify through region and Upper State tournaments. On the girls side, Abbeville does not have a fully-sanctioned team but has been competing in several all-girl individual tournaments and duals, with solid successes. The girls are 3-2 in dual matches with two wins over Dixie and a win over North Augusta. The two losses came to Greenwood by a total of nine points. “They have done really well at the individual tournaments all year with their last one being at the Bearcat Invitational where Dallas McCurry and Kylee Jo Price finished third, and Brittany Gordon and Cecilia Cramer finished in fourth. “We have one young lady that has come out this year as a senior, Natalie Guire, and she has really been tearing it up. She has placed in a lot of tournaments and compiled a record of 18-4 with 13 pins.” Glace says the true breakout season has been turned in my Brandi Guzman. A second-year wrestler, Guzman has come into her own this year. “She really put the team on her back the other night in the dual with Greenwood and then with Dixie when she pinned both of her opponents which was the surprise upsets in both of those duals and was a real determining factor for both duals,” Glace said.”
Abbeville – By mid-December, most of the state’s high school basketball teams have played at least six games of the 2023-24 season. Many have played even more contests prior to the Christmas holiday break. That is not the case for the Abbeville High boys basketball team. The Panthers did not play their first game of the season until Dec. 15. And this is normally the case every year. Abbeville’s football program is one of the top Class AA programs in the state, often advancing deep into the state playoffs. It is not unusual for the football team to play for the Upper State or state championship, which extends the season past Thanksgiving. Abbeville basketball coach Doug Belcher, entering his 12th season, says starting basketball practices and games in early December does not make sense, primarily because many of the players on his basketball team also play on the football team. The coach is not worried that his team will be behind while other schools get a head start on the season. “It’s not a problem, in fact it’s a great thing,” Belcher said. “I want our players to enjoy their opportunity to win a state championship in football. For me, it’s not a negative thing. When the football season is over, we start basketball. I don’t worry about playing a bunch of games in December. The most important part of the season is region play and that’s in January. We take our time to get in basketball shape and we play when we are ready. We know here that every football season is going to go longer so we just let those guys focus on football and then we focus on basketball.” Abbeville has been a solid, competitive basketball team for several years and Belcher likes the potential of his 23-24 team. The Panthers finished 13-5 last season and lost in the state playoffs to eventual state champion Gray Collegiate. All but two players on this year’s team played football and this year’s team is less-experienced than his teams of recent years. He knows patience will be the key. “We’re pretty much sophomore and junior loaded,” Belcher said. “We have some experience but a lot of young guys who will need to perform for us. We have three seniors but none of those start. Most of the playing will come from underclassmen. We’ll have some growing pains but I think we will compete. The guys will work hard.” One of the top players this season will be sophomore guard JD Baylor, a returning all-region performer who was the second-leading scorer last season. Sophomore Justin Rollinson did not play last season but Belcher expects him to be a major contributor. Sophomore Darius Riley and sophomore Jaylen Baylor also will be significant contributors. Junior Demarcus Leach, a 6-3 post player, will be a key mainstay in the paint. Leach quarterbacked the football team this fall and is a Division I football prospect. “Playing as a team will be important and we need every player to contribute in his role,” Belcher said. “We’re athletic and we need to use that on the defensive end. We have good speed that allows us to press. I think team speed is probably our biggest strength.”
Abbeville – Getting through the first round of the Class AA Upper State playoffs wasn’t very difficult. Surviving what lies ahead will be more of a challenge for the Abbeville Panthers. As the defending state AA champion, and with a 10-1 record, the Panthers certainly are one of the teams that many feel will survive the Upper State AA playoff gauntlet. Abbeville head coach Jamie Nickles, who is the school’s winningest coach with more than 210 wins and has won eight state titles as head coach, feels grateful to be playing into November. But the road will not be easy. Abbeville defeated Columbia High in their first-round game and is set to host Newberry on Nov. 10 for round two. The Panthers have lost only eight games since the start of the 2015 season. “If you get this far, you have to feel pleased with your team because it’s never easy,” Nickles said. “But it definitely gets tougher with each round, starting with the second round. We are playing a really athletic Newberry team. They are rolling right now and they have our full attention.” Nickles complimented his team for their focus and attention to getting better over the course of the season. Though his team is banged up a bit, the coach says most teams are at this stage of the process. “This group has worked hard all season,” Nickles said. “I would say we have over-achieved a bit, considering the holes we had to fill and the schedule that we have played. I am really proud of them. Nothing is guaranteed. We have to go out and improve every day and this team has managed to do that for the most part.” Since the early part of the season, junior Demarcus Leach, a starting defensive back, has taken over at quarterback. Former quarterback Jay Hill is working at receiver and also in the secondary. The move was made to create more athleticism at the position and Leach is a capable passer as well as runner. The bread and butter for the Panthers remains the running game. Anchoring that load have been three juniors - Karson Norman, Altavious Patterson and Jha’louis Hadden. The trio has combined for more than 2,000 yards on the ground this season. The offensive line returned just one starter when the season began, senior Carson Porter. The rest of the unit is comprised of underclassmen. “We are still a work in progress,” Nickles said. Senior Jae Harris has been a key leader along the defensive line, along with senior Thomas Booth. Gavin Calhoun and Mikhelyn Bowie are top performers at linebacker. Leach remains a top prospect in the secondary. The 6-3 junior holds early offers from South Carolina and Virginia Tech. Abbeville’s volleyball team capped off a great season with a region championship this fall. The Panthers won a first-round game in the AA state playoffs, beating Silver Bluff. The season ended with a second-round loss to Chesnee. Senior Garianna Burton was the region player of the year and earned Class AA all-state honors. She also was selected to play in the annual North-South all-star game for the state’s top senior players. Burton and fellow senior Josie Evans were the team captains this season. The other seniors on the team included Neveah Leach, Jordin Oglesby, and Tori Cannaday. Junior middle hitter Jaylin Vickery will be a key returner next season. Also expected back at starting libero Ella Atkins, starting rightside Baylee Wilson, both sophomores, and starting setter Bella Evans, an eighth-grader. Junior Anecia Dawson also will factor in on next year’s roster. The Abbeville girls cross country team finished third in the team standings at the region 2-AA meet. Junior Megan Wachs was the top finisher from Abbeville, placing eighth overall, while senior Madeline Cramer was ninth. Finishing 12 th in the race was junior Kylie Price and senior Natalie Guire finished in 20 th . Rounding out the Abbeville contingent was eighth-grader Sara Kennedy, who finished 23 rd overall. Two boys competed in the region meet as well. Coleton Price finished in 23 rd and Micah Hall ran in 31 st place.
Abbeville – With more experience and solid team chemistry, the Abbeville High volleyball team is having a good 2023 season. The Panthers, coached Anne Marie New, went 9-3 in their first 12 matches, including a 4-1 start in region 2-AA play heading into a Sept. 29 contest against Saluda. New says having three starting seniors is an advantage this fall. The Panthers had just two seniors on the roster last season. “This year's team plays with so much chemistry and love for the game! They play well together and enjoy the game,” reports the coach. The team is led by senior captains Garianna Burton and Josie Evans. Both also were captains last season, a true testament to their leadership capabilities. “They lead the team on the court in kills and aces, and off the court, as they are both involved in numerous extra-curricular activities and are ranked in the top five of their graduating class,” New said. They are joined in the starting lineup be senior Neveah Leach. Burton and Evans are outside hitters while Leach works in the middle of the net. Junior Jaylin Vickery also starts in the middle. Sophomore starters include Libero Ella Atkins and rightside Baylee Wilson. Eighth-graders Bella Evans is the starting setter. Other team members include seniors Jordin Oglesby and Tori Cannaday, and junior Anecia Dawson. New says this year’s team is gaining confidence with each victory and is enjoying being a competitive program. The team has finished with a losing record in each of the last three seasons but has turned it around this fall. “This year the girls have figured out how good it feels to work as a team to be successful,” New said. “The hope is that the young girls playing on varsity will carry this team-centered culture with them and pass it on to the younger players in the future. We have always had some talented players but talent doesn't get you far when there's not a positive team culture.”
HSSR Class AA - Sweet 16 Football Poll 1. Gray Collegiate 2. Oceanside Collegiate 3. Abbeville 4. Woodland 5. Hampton County 6. Saluda 7. Marion 8. Fairfield Central 9. Silver Bluff 10. Strom Thurmond 11. Barnwell 12. Ninety-Six 13. Edisto 14. Andrew Jackson 15. Andrews 16. Lee Central Congratulations to these two Class AA athletes selected selected to represent the state of South Carolina in the 87th edition of the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas . Marion High School - Quay'Sheed Scott , DB Silver Bluff High School - Jayden Fuller , DL The game, which pits the best from the Palmetto State against the best from North Carolina , will be played on Saturday, December 16 , at Spartanburg High School . Top AA Ranked Gray Collegiate Playing Nationally Ranked Teams To Get Ready For AA State Title Run By Billy G. Baker Publisher Moncks Corner — With region play starting those teams who played a very competitive non-region schedule are likely to be rewarded in upcoming games where fourth quarter conditioning, and limited penalties, are rewarded with close wins in toss-up games. Whether you lose by one point, or 30 points, you still lost. Preparing for success by competing against a strong non-region schedule gives most teams a competitive edge. As the late John McKissick always said, “Winning is positive and losing is negative. Give me players who will stick their noses in the briar patch and we will find a way to win.” (That sounds painful, doesn’t it?) The HSSR’s top three teams in AA have been consistent from week-to-week since early in the 2023 season. Talking about a tough schedule let’s justify why we have Oceanside Collegiate (4-2) ranked number two behind sister charter school Gray Collegiate (8-1), even though the Land Sharks have two losses. Oceanside’s two losses were to top ranked South Florence (28-6) on August, 25. On September, 22 head coach Chad Wilkes took his team to his old work place Sumter High and the Land Sharks went toe-to-toe with a AAAAA team, before losing 17-10. Oceanside has also defeated the consensus number one Class A team in South Carolina, the Lewisville Lions by the score of 24-7. Strength of schedule benefits Oceanside for sure. So, the HSSR feels strongly that Oceanside Collegiate is ready to make a run in their region and another deep run in the AA playoffs. Abbeville , ranked number three in AA defeated Powdersville (35-34 in OT) and then played a competitive game against a 5-1 Westside team before suffering their only loss of the season 48-13. Abbeville, ranked number three, has also gained valuable experience from having played a tough non-region schedule. The Panthers defeated Powdersville and their only loss was to Westside (5-1). The HSSR’s top ranked AA team, Gray Collegiate , is mired in a charter school controversary with all fellow member schools in Region 4-AA. In an exclusive interview with Gray Collegiate head coach and athletic director Adam Holmes on October 1st, he told the HSSR, “We appealed the decision of schools in our region taking volunteer forfeits (without penalty) not to play us, to both the SCHSL and the Appellate Panel, and neither body chose to make a ruling, or get directly involved in finding a solution to what created the problem. “In all honesty, I am most surprised as to why a very competitive football program like Fairfield Central (currently 5-1) would not want to play us with a chance to win a region title and get four home games in the playoffs as region champions,” said Coach Holmes. “They are losing a lot of money and having to go on the road at some point in the playoffs.” Coach Holmes told the HSSR that Gray Collegiate has asked to be moved up to the AAA classification with realignment happening for the 2024 season. It is unclear, at this point, what controversy might lie ahead for Gray even if they move up to AAA next season. “The whole issue could be solved with an amendment to the SCHSL by-laws that would prevent any league member from participating in the play-offs in any sport if they voluntarily forfeit a region game,” said Coach Holmes. “Right now, there is no provision in the by-laws for teams who forfeit region games and hopefully after the season this situation can be reviewed.” Gray Collegiate will play a Top 70 nationally ranked team Clearwater Academy International from Clearwater, Florida on October, 6 th . The conflict forced Gray to find new teams to play, which the SCHSL has allowed. They recently travelled to Top 30 national power St. Johns High in Washington DC on September, 16 and lost 42-28. On September, 29 they Gray defeated Portal High , from Georgia 56-35. Earlier in the season Gray hosted three home games on their brand new on-campus artificial turf field with wins over Christ Church (49-21), Crestwood (62-20) and Camden (30-12). They won an away game at Hammond 52-14. Counting their forfeit wins, they are currently 8-1 on their way to play Clearwater Academy in Florida. “We are getting paid to play these out-of-state nationally ranked teams, so we are still making money,” said Coach Holmes. “We feel good about having several home games in the playoffs and we hope to compete for a state title.” Coach Holmes said that beyond the game with Clearwater this week no other games have been picked up just yet. Coach Holmes is still trying to complete a schedule to keep the team prepared for the upcoming playoffs. One idea could be to challenge the IMG Academy team in Bradenton, Florida and that team is among the best in the nation.
Abbeville – In case you have been dwelling in a cave, here is some news for you. Abbeville High is pretty good at football. In the town where a popular saying is “it’s all about the A,” it’s also about the W. As in winning. Last year’s Abbeville team won the Class AA state championship. It was the program’s 12 th state title, putting the small school in some big-time company when it comes to championships in the Palmetto State. Former panther player Jamie Nickles directs the program as it’s head coach and has hoisted the top prize eight times as head coach. He also played on the 1981 championship team and was an assistant coach on the 1996 team. Nickles became the head coach in 2004 and is now the winningest coach (more than 200 wins) in school history. Since 2015, Abbeville is a remarkable 104-7 and has posted double-digit wins in all but four seasons since 2004. So it should come a no surprise that Abbeville enters the 2023 season as the top-ranked team in Class AA by the High School Sports Report. The Panthers opened its season on Aug. 18 with a solid 65-12 win over McCormick. Now begins the rest of a very tough non-region schedule that includes Powdersville, Southside Christian, Westside and Crescent. Powdersville went 13-2 and played for the Class AAA state title last season. Southside Christian is 61-12 since 2017 and Westside was 10-3 last year. Abbeville lost to Powdersville and Westside last season, their only two losses of the season. “It’s a tough stretch but we feel like it prepares us for the playoffs,” Nickles says. “The next few weeks are a big step up. We got a long way to go as a football team. We are really young and inexperienced in some areas and that’s what these early games are for, getting experience and improvement. Perhaps the No. 1 strength of the 2023 Panthers is the offensive backfield, particularly at running back. Shouldering the load are three juniors, all with experience, in Karson Norman (5-9, 165), Altavious Patterson (5-11,230) and Jha’louis Hadden (6-0, 215). Senior Jay Hill is a first-year starter at quarterback but has some playing experience. Sophomore J.D. Baylor is looked to be one of the top pass-catching threats. The offensive line is one of the concerns for the coaching staff with only one returning starter, senior Carson Porter. Also working to build the chemistry are juniors Cooper Hansen, Will New and Kadon Harrison, and sophomore Kamyron Jones. Junior Brody Graham is the starting tight end. Anchoring the defensive line is senior returning starter Jae Harris, one of the top senior players on the team. Joining in the work are senior Thomas Booth, and juniors Gage Evans and AJ Speech. Junior Gavin Calhoun returns as a starting linebacker, as does Mikhelyn Bowie (5-11, 220). Dayne Botts is a starting outside linebacker, along with sophomore Jaylen Baylor. Abbeville’s top college prospect is junior safety Damarcus Leach (6-3, 180), who already has obtained scholarship offers from Virginia Tech and South Carolina. Senior Dee Washington will be a starter in the secondary, along with junior Jakwon Elmore and sophomore Justin Rollinson. Levi Paul also will see time in the back end and handles kickoff duties as well. Handling Abbeville’s placekicking duties is Parker Henderson, who was nine-for-nine on extra points in the season opener.
Abbeville – According to athletic director Maggie Jameson , there are few high school athletic programs with more dedicated coaches and more community support than Abbeville High’s athletic program. As a one town, one school model, Abbeville has one of the state’s top programs. The Panthers may not win a state championship in every sport but its not due to lack of effort or commitment. In a small town, raising money for high school athletics can be difficult but Jameson says the Abbeville community answers the call as often as possible. “Abbeville has the most supportive fans who come out to events by the bus load and are always there to support out athletes in every way possible,” says Jameson, who is entering her third year as athletic director. “Without the community, the fans, the businesses, we could not run our athletic department.” Along with community support, Jameson sees a coaching staff that works extra hard to give their athletes the best opportunity to compete and win championships. And, coaching at Abbeville is about more than wins and losses. “Our coaches do a phenomenal job of not only coaching our athletes in their respective sports, but also coaching them in the game of life,” she says. “They work so hard to ensure that we succeed on the field, on the court, on the mat, and in our community.” Most often in communities like Abbeville, athletes perform and graduate but rarely leave Abbeville. Those who attend college often find themselves back home as fans and supporters. Some end up on the coaching staff of a particular sport. The highly successful football program is led by a former Panther player, Jamie Nickles. Abbeville’s football program won its 12 th state championship last December and Nickles has played a part in 11 titles. He played on the 1981 state championship team and was an assistant coach on the 1996 title team. Nickles became the head coach in 2004 and is now the winningest coach (more than 200 wins) in school history. He has been the head coach for eight state championship teams (2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022). Since 2015, Abbeville is a remarkable 104-7 and has posted double-digit wins in all but four seasons since 2004. Offensive line coach Wayne Botts also is a former Panther player. His father, Dennis, is a former head coach of the Panthers. Two defensive assistants that joined the staff last season are secondary coach Jaquavious Gilchrist and linebackers coach Tanko Rayford. Both played for the Panthers. Defensive line coach Rex Pelfrey is the elder statesman of the staff, having played on Abbeville’s first-ever state championship team in 1971. Assistant head coach Ellis Belton played on the 1991 state championship team. Two junior varsity football coaches, Tim Collins and Jermaine Paul, are former Abbeville players. Collins also is the head softball coach. “It definitely helps a lot to have coaches who have played here and know the tradition,” Nickles said. Two other varsity head coaches at Abbeville are alumni. Daniel Little is the head baseball coach and Bill Glace is the head wrestling coach. Also returning to the varsity football staff is offensive coordinator Gil Cade, who also coaches the quarterbacks. Shane Cox and Jim Porter are junior varsity coaches.
Gray Collegiate, Oceanside Collegiate 1-2 In HSSR AA Pre-Season Ranking With Abbeville & Marion In The Hunt Also By Billy G. Baker Publisher Moncks Corner — Year-end and year-out the AA football classification is perhaps the most competitive classification in the state of South Carolina and the 2023 season will be no different. The HSSR is honesly not trying to fuel anti “Charter School” issues by having sister schools Gray Collegiate (8-4) and Oceanside Collegiate (12-2) ranked 1 and 3 in AA in the pre-season. We are just simply following the information available to us. Rounding out the top five in the HSSR AA pre-season ranking is second ranked Abbeville , Marion is 4 th and consolidated Hampton County (Estill and Wade Hampton have merged) rounds out the top five in a very competitive AA field. The HSSR went face-to-face with Gray head coach Adam Holmes gazing out at the brand- new turf stadium on the school campus, being used for the first time by the soccer team in the upper state championship game on May, 8 th . Coach Holmes said that he and his staff were working out 65 varsity and junior varsity candidates during Spring drills at the time. “We are super excited to have our own facility now and we worked out on it earlier this afternoon before the soccer match,” said Coach Holmes, a Manning High graduate who went on to play football at South Carolina . “We only had five seniors on our team last year, so we do not really lose a lot.” One key player for Gray in 2022 was junior QB Riley Staton (6-2, 185) who passed for 2,126 yards and 24 touchdowns. Staton transferred to Gaffney after the season and he did not participate in Spring drills with the War Eagles. However, Gray will return six other players who were either AA all-state or all-region in 2022 that saw the War Eagles lose to Saluda 23-16 in the second round of the playoffs. Among the six next level prospects returning are senior OL J.T. Sowell (6-4,265) who is pledged to Appalachian State and he has been a four-year starter up-front. Speedy senior WR Zai Offord (5-10, 170) has several offers also. “Zai is a most electric player on the field with the ball in his hands,” said Coach Holmes. Any time you have your quarterback back after an outstanding junior season, teams are usually a leg up in offensive preparation. Thus, third ranked Oceanside Collegiate is fortunate to have the services of senior Edward Reidenbach (6-1, 190) who completed 131-of- 187 passes thrown for 2,012 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Reidenbach was also a true dual threat, rushing for an additional 595 yards adding 19 rushing TD’s to the stat sheet. While the Landsharks better QB’s in AA, the 13 talented and graduated seniors they had on the team a year ago, accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the rushing yardage. On defense, the seniors made nearly 65 per cent of the tackles, as many of these players performed double duty as two-way starters. Oceanside will return five players from the state championship roster on offense and they have seven starters back on defense. Last year the team also had 10 juniors, 24 sophomores, and 8 freshmen on the championship roster. Oceanside returns three senior OL in the persons of guard Owen Millard , RT Ben Britton (6-3, 250), and guard Phen Johnson (6-2, 265). Highly regarded left tackle Monroe Freeling is now at Georgia where he is expected to see early playing time for the Bulldogs. Trey Brown (5-11, 220) will be a senior returning tight end. Graduated RB Vaughn Blue has taken his 1,266 yards and 9 TD’s of last season to (missed five games due to injury) Appalachian State. The top returning RB is senior William Virgilo (6-1, 170) who gained 167 yards last season with three TD’s. The top WR back is Brown who had 24 catches for 237 yards and two TD’s last season. On defense, the top returning tacklers are Britton, two-way lineman who had 77 tackles and 17 TFL last year along with junior LB Max Moorman who had 68 tackles and 5.5 TFL last season. Other defensive starters back include sophomore DL Michael Jones , junior DL AJ Johnston , Brown and Moorman two way at the LB slots, and junior DB Grayson Freeling and senior DB C.J. Moskos . In 2022, the HSSR made the trek to McCormick for a sideline “up-close” look when Abbeville , ranked number two in the HSSR pre-season ranking, started the season in mid-August defeating the Chiefs 40-3. Veteran head coach Jamie Nickles came into the season with 198 wins and it would the 5 th game of the year before he earned the milestone. After what Abbeville accomplished last season, overcoming the lost of their most talented player for the majority of the season ( Antonio Harrison ) due to injury, and then dominating a very talented Oceanside Collegiate team in the AA state finals with 275 yards of rushing offense that produced 35 points, pollsters will just have to understand that this tradition rich program can start off the season at 2-2 and still be in the hunt for a championship every season. This fact was verified last year. The Panthers was the top scoring offense in AA in 2022 with 663 points while giving up 198 points on defense, tying for 6 th best scoring defense with Andrews . The best scoring defense in AA last year was Central who allowed just 145 points all season but the Eagles finished with a 6-5 record. After the McCormick win, Coach Nickles shared these thoughts: “I consider Harrison among the top 15 skilled athletes in the state and we are hoping to have him back by mid-October,” said the coach. (Harrison had an ACL injury playing AAU basketball in the Spring and his injury since shock waves through the Abbeville community). “I thought we started slow but that is not unusual for our first game of the year,” said Coach Nickles. “On defense I felt like we were solid all night.” In the first game of the season McCormick stacked the box to stop the run and senior QB Zay Rayford completed four passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns. Highly regarded (then) sophomore fullback Jha’Louis Hadden (6-0,213) rushed for 50 yards against McCormick scoring a TD on a 29-yard run and he later scored on a 21-yard pass reception. After head coaching in his 8 th state title since taking over the program 13 years ago, Coach Nickles said this after his team’s gold medal win, “Nobody is in Abbeville right now, everybody’s out here,” said Coach Nickles. “This is emotional for me because these kids believed in us back in August when we were losing games, and that is not easy to deal with, but they kept believing in what we were doing, and our coaches do such a great job of coaching.” Abbeville’s state championship season was fueled by the play of 23 dialed in senior’s last season. The Panthers had 9 juniors, 17 sophomores, and one freshman on the state game roster last year. They also have one of the best feeder programs in the state and wearing that “A” on your helmet challenges you to give your all each and every game. The Panthers return three starters on offense and four starters on defense. Altavious Patterson and Hadden both return as potent junior RB’s. Hadden rushed for around 835 yards and scored 12 TD’s a year ago while Patterson averaged 8.9 yards a carry in gaining around 675 yards and scoring 12 TD’s. Jay Hill will also return as a senior WR. The Woodland defense will be led by junior Migule Rhodes (5-9,165) and Lavont Furray in the secondary. Jerrell Sullivan is a sophomore newcomer that will contribute at free safety. Sophomore Jaemin Pinckney (6-2, 170) is another strong candidate at free safety. Jaylen Samson will be a sophomore strong safety/nickel back. Jarvis Guest (6-0,210) is a junior returnee at one outside linebacker slot. The Panther defense returns senior DL Jae Harris along with junior DL Gage Evans . Senior LB Nikelyn Bowie returns along with junior LB Demarcus Leach . Only seven teams in AA had double digit wins in 2022. Abbeville had the best over-all record at 13-2. Barnwell won 12 games in a row before playing very flat on the road at Andrew Jackson (11-3) to conclude the season 12-1. Former Warhorse head coach Dwayne Garrick has moved over to head coach at Aiken High this season. Former RSM head coach Brian Smith is now in charge of the Barnwell football program. The 11 th ranked Warhorses will be led by junior QB Cameron Austin (6-1,180) who is a two- sport prospect in both football and baseball. The Warhorses are likely to rely on the pass more as 2,000-plus rusher Tyler Smith is now at SC State . Austin, who has a strong accurate arm, completed 50 of 88 passes for 878 yards and 13 TD’s last season. Other starters back on offense include WR’s Jaquan Peeples and Logan Sturkie along with highly regarded OL prospect Slaton Ragsdale . On defense, only three starters return for Barnwell. They are LB’s Lex Thomas and Clayton Zissett along with DB Jordan Peeples . PK Lane Evans also returns for Barnwell. The Warhorses will be fielding one of their youngest teams in quite some time this season but they are expected to improve with every game. Saluda , loaded with senior leadership last season, finished with an 11-3 record. Oceanside Collegiate finished 12-2 but it be a while before the Land Sharks forget the 35-20 loss to the Panthers at Benedict College last season. Fairfield Central and Andrews each had 9 wins last season. Gray Collegiate , which could be a contender once again this season finished 8-4 over-all, but 6-0 in their region, and the War Eagles are excited about playing home games in their new stadium this season. The HSSR is also high on the deep playoff run potential of Woodland High coached by Eddie Ford . “We had a good group to work with in grades 9-12,” said Coach Ford who will be starting year five at Woodland this August. “Finding a quarterback to replace Sudarian Harrison (headed to Virginia) was one of our major focus points during our work-outs. I feel like we accomplished a lot over the two-week period.” Kam Pringle (6-7, 330) is a big- time four star OL who has committed to South Carolina and he will open up holes for talented RB’s . Joining Pringle in the offensive trenches are junior LG Antonio Ford (5-11, 320), and RG Xavier Green (6-3, 303). The top QB candidate coming out of Spring drills is soph Jaden Cato (6-0,180) who is moving up from junior varsity. “He is more of a runner but he has a decent arm,” said Coach Ford. “Our other candidate at quarterback is senior Tyree Edwards who has been a wide receiver. If Edwards does not become the quarterback, we know we will have an excellent receiver.” The RB position should be one of the strengths of the team. Senior Jayden Gardner was an all-region performer a year ago when he rushed for 700 yards and had 500 yards in receptions. Cane Bay RB transfer T. J. Wright (5-10, 205) has joined the Wolverines after he rushed 1,200 yards last season. Marion , at number four, is head coached by Brian Hennecy (31-13), and he has a team that could win it all in 2023. The Foxes return seven players on offense and 9 players on defense plus their combo kicker Cameron Felder returns. Over the summer Marion WR/DB Quay’sheed Scott (6-0,186, 4.3) committed to Kentucky after running 4.3 forty at every camp he went to. Scott has been compared to Deebo Samuel , former USC playmaker who is an all-pro with the 49’ers in the NFL. Also, WR/DB Tyshawn Sanders (5-11, 166) committed to Appalachian State over the summer. Coach Hennecy says coming into the season Marion is strong at all skill positions and in the secondary. He reports his team is still working on the kicking game and building team depth. Over the summer QB Gabriel Cusack (6-0,200) and WR/DE Jamorius Wilson (6-3, 200) also received a lot of recruiting attention from colleges. Marion will start the season on August, 17 against Lake View. Rounding out the AA top 5 is consolidated Hampton County and several next level players have come over from Estill that shut down to merge with Wade Hampton to form the new country wide public school this year. Last season, QB Xavier Garvin (6-0,165) and DL Ka'von Chisolm were HSSR all-state players at Estill. Chisolm has camped at FSU and is a top prospect in the defensive front. The team will also be supported by RB Zion Dobson . Head coach Rob Hanna says the strength of his team is at skill positions with good play makers. He says developing depth in both lines is a challenge coming into August drills. Hampton County will start the season away at Colleton County on August, 18. In Class AA there is parity and balance this year. The race for the gold is wide open! HSSR Class AA Pre-Season Ranking (As of July, 23) 1. Gray Collegiate 2. Abbeville 3. Oceanside Collegiate 4. Marion 5. Hampton County 6. Woodland 7. Fairfield Central 8. Silver Bluff 9. Andrew Jackson 10. Strom Thurmond 11. Barnwell 12. Saluda 13. Buford 14. Andrews 15. Keenan 16. Kingstree 17. Timberland 18. Central 19. Batesburg-Leesville 20. Lake Marion
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Recognizing the achievements of young athletes in South Carolina since 1986.