Class A - Sweet 16 Poll - Lewisville on Top Again

HSSR Class A Sweet 16 Football Poll - (As of October 1, 2023)

1.  Lewisville

2. Bamberg-Ehrhardt

3. Christ Church

4. Southside Christian

5. St. Joseph’s

6. Lake View

7. Latta

8. Blackville-Hilda

9. Whale Branch

10. Hunter-Kinard-Tyler

11. Lamar

12. Calhoun County

13. Cross

14. Denmark-Olar

15. Wagener-Salley

16. Johnsonville

Congratulations to Christ Church's Dashun Reader, RB for selection to the 87th edition of SC Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas roster!  The game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec 16th at Spartanburg High School.

 An Inside Look Inside Top Ranked Lewisville’s Return To The Top Of Class A Football 

 By Billy G. Baker

 Publisher 

 Lewisville—We all like to hear about turnaround programs; especially those with rich traditions like the Lewisville Lions, proudly displaying four Class A state football championship trophies in the trophy case at their small rural school. 

In 2021, Lewisville had only 19 football players on their varsity roster. They finished the season 3-6 as a team, and 0-4 in the region, losing those 9 games by a composite score of 265-214. Changes were made after the season and Lewisville was looking for a new head football coach. 

 Believe it or not, Leon Boulware, had come to Lewisville at the start of the 2021-22 school year as the school ISS officer, and he was not even coaching football at the school as an assistant. He had won two state wrestling titles at Indian Land High School a few years ago where he first learned how to recruit kids for his wrestling program out of the hall way.

 Coach Boulware had applied for head football coaching jobs before. He had made the finals four times, and each time that school chose the other person. He was out of coaching in 2021, and if Lewisville had not hired him to breathe life back into their rich football tradition, he was making plans to move to North Myrtle Beach, where his mother had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. He also had been offered the head wrestling job at North Myrtle Beach had he left Lewisville. 

On a “gut feeling” Coach Boulware got a warm response when he asked the school administration if they would be okay when he applying for the head job. He had played high school football and he had been an offensive coordinator at Northwestern prior to leaving coaching for a short while. Prior to getting the job at Lewisville. Coach Boulware had spent three straight years (2018-2020) trying to become a head football coach, without success. 

“I got hired as the head coach at Lewisville in late November of 2021, and I took over the program and was announced as the head coach in December,” said Coach Boulware. “I trusted the process and this time I was fortunate to get a head coaching job.”

Coach Boulware was confident that having built a wrestling program to state championship status that he could also do the same with a football program, down but not out. “I began recruiting kids in the hallway as soon as I got the job,” said Coach Boulware. “I remember walking down the hallways of the school and telling myself that this place is a sleeping giant. I knew Lewisville could get back to where it once was.”

Coach Boulware loves to greet students every morning at Lewisville High, whether they play sports or not. “My motto is to mentor young people and encourage them to “Win the Day” and I mean each and every day,” said Coach Boulware. “I am always big at telling students, and my football players also, to strive to improve one per cent every day.  By doing this you make great strides over time. You have to engage the process of maturity and growth.”

Lewisville is a rural community in rural Chester County just off of I-77. The high school draws students from the communities Richburg, Lewisville, Fort Lawn, and Edgemoor. “I would say the total population of all the areas combined is no more than 800 people,” said Coach Boulware. “We probably have a total high school population of around 215 students.” 

In his first season as the head coach at Lewisville in 2022 the Lions dressed out over 50 varsity players and they finished 11-2.   “Many of those 19 players who had stuck it out in 2021 came back in 2022 and they were rewarded for not leaving the program and moving to other places to play,” said Coach Boulware. 

 One major transfer from Northwestern got the program pointed in a positive direction to start the 2022 season. Quarterback Ian Grissom (6-1,175) brought a strong arm, and quick feet, to the program and the Lions liked to both run and pass out of a pro-style offense. Grissom finished his sophomore season completing 96-of-147 passes for 1,558 yards and 22 touchdowns. 

 In 2022 the running game was dominated by junior Damion Fee who gained 709 yards on 103 carries with eight touchdowns.  The receivers were young too. Sophomore De’adrian Robinson (5-10,145) led the team with 16 catches for 443 yards and four touchdowns. Denari Garcia was a junior in 2022 when he caught 22 passes and scored five touchdowns. Junior JaCorreun Howze (5-8,150) caught 15 passes for 287 yards with one touchdown. 

 In the first season the defense was sparked by players like freshman Daquan Evans, athlete Jordan Strong (5-8,150), sophomore stud Zach Rogers (6-0,170) and junior DL KJ Davis (6-0,170) among others.

 “We made it to the third round of the playoffs last season, and we found out really quick that we were not ready for championship football when we lost on the road at Christ Church 47-14 to end our season,” said Coach Boulware. “They were bigger, stronger and faster and I felt like even the moment was lost in our minds. On the long bus ride home we all did some soul-searching and you could sense with the majority of the team coming back for the 2023 season that things were going to be different this season. “

Coach Boulware is also the weight lifting coach at Lewisville High and the need to get bigger, stronger and faster was put into full force shortly after the soul- searching loss to Christ Church. Over this past summer, Coach Boulware and his staff, took the Lewisville team to 7-on-7 passing skills camps and competitions at the University of South Carolina, the University of Alabama, several big high schools in the Atlanta area before wrapping up the summer season at Fairfield Central and at Lewisville High. 

 “I will never forget being at the Alabama 7-on-7 passing drills competition when the coaches at Alabama moved up Ian Grissom to the elite group of high school quarterbacks for individual work-outs,” said Coach Boulware. “He is an impressive quarterback on the field and an even better kid off the field. Ian is going to work his tail off to help our team win. He can make all the throws. I have seen him throw a football 70-yards on a straight-line right-on target. “

At the start of the 2023 season, Lewisville was already returning 18 starters when former Lewisville star, South Carolina star, and 12-year NFL veteran with $32 million dollars in career earnings decided to move back to his family home in Fort Lawn, along with his wife Ginney and wide receiver son Dion (5-11, 150). Dion had caught 48 passes for 1,050 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior at Clover. 

 When Clover head coach Brian Lane left to take the head job at Westside High, Sheldon Brown had already met Coach Boulware, and he and his son liked Coach Boulware’s approach to football, and his strong positive philosophy of teaching Winning the Day, EVERY Day!  Sheldon’s father had passed away a couple years ago so the family home where he grew up was available to the family once again. 

 After seven games of the 2023 season Lewisville is 6-1 and they have defeated teams by the combined score of 326-50. After losing to Oceanside Collegiate 24-7 to start the season the team won their next games by the score of 284-0! They beat Chesterfield (58-0), Blacksburg (63-0), Ridge Spring Moneta (71-0), and Andrew Jackson (43-0) over a five- week period. 

 The HSSR was on hand on September, 29 when the Lions opened up region play with a 35-6 win on the road at CA Johnson. After the game CAJ head coach Scotty Dean said, “We just lost to a great football team. “

 If readers view the Modern Turf stats page located elsewhere in this issue (also at hssr.com) you will notice that Lewisville has numerous players at the top, or near the top, of several stat categories important to winning football games. Gerald Doolittle has been keeping stats for the HSSR on a statewide basis from day one back in 1987. When this writer phoned in the latest Lewisville stats to Doolittle on Sunday October 1st the 80-year-old “King of Doodles Doodles” said “My Mercy” several times when recording the stats, he was taking over the phone for this issue and for our companion web site at hssr.com.

 Lewisville has a bye this week before closing out the regular season against region foes Great Falls, Whitmire, and McBee. Their team stats should be completely off the chart by the end of the regular season but for now here are some of impressive ones. Grissom leads the state of South Carolina is passing having completed 101-of-139 passes for an eye popping 2,093 yards and 26 touchdowns.   

 Grissom, just a junior, was invited to attend a game at Charleston Southern this past weekend and he and is family went to see the Bucs play. After this writer saw him “dart” a pass down the center grid 40-yards, in-between two CA Johnson defenders on Friday night, right into the belly button of Dion Brown I have the sense that Grissom will be getting some power five offers after this season. After seeing that pass delivered, I said “My Mercy” also.       

Three Lewisville receivers are among the top 9 in the state. Brown (runs in the 4.4 range) is ranked number five with 24 catches for 572 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jacurreun Howze is number six with 26 catches for 556 yards and 12 touchdowns and De’Adrian Robinson is number 9 with 21 catches for 538 yards and six touchdowns.

In the rushing department Damion Fee has rushed for 572 yards with six touchdowns.

 The defense has been lights out literally. Sophomore “athlete” Jordan Strong leads the state in interceptions with 8. Junior linebacker Elisha Baker is number two in the state in sacks with 9 followed by defensive lineman Monte Fletcher with six and defensive lineman K.J. Davis has five sacks. 

 Senior linebacker Joaquan Howze (6-0,185) is leading the state in tackles with 96 solo, and he has 26 other assisted tackles. Linebacker Daquan Evans is number four in the state with 80 solo tackles.  

 Lewisville has an unreal coaching group of defensive coaches. How many high school teams at any level can boast of having two NFL veteran as voluntary coaches on defense? Sheldon Brown is coaching the defensive backs and former Lewisville High, Clemon, and NFL linebacker Mike Barber is coaching up the linebackers this season. Former Central of Pageland head coach Trent Usher is the co-defensive co-Ordinator along with Kevin Eaddy. Desmond Minton and Matt Cousar coach the defensive line.

“My back ground is more on the offensive side of the football,” said Coach Boulware. “With all those guys coaching up the defense I just trust them to come up with a great defensive strategy every week. Coach Brown and Coach Barber come to every practice and they are very serious coaches. They make adjustments all the time during a game. I feel fortunate to have all my coaches, but it is a little special to have two NFL veterans helping out.”

 On offense, Ontrea Johnson coaches running backs, while Dedric Wise and Rob Scott work with the receivers. Sherman Crumel gets down in the trenches with the offensive linemen. The special team’s coordinator is Blake Barron, the Pride of Turbeville.   The kicking coach is Braxton Seegars. Wayne Lockler is the equipment manager. David McGriff is in charge of football operations. 

“I look at Coach Brown and Coach Barber at our practices, and I tell myself how fortunate and blessed the program is to have guys with PHD’s in the game of football helping coach our team,”” said Coach Boulware. “All our coaches work well together and we are a very close-knit group.” 

 The sports minded Principal at Lewisville High is Dr. Kelly Grant, assisted by Jason Gayheart. Kirk Cannon is the athletic director and Gianni Cox is a well- respected athletic trainer. 

 Some of the hard-working offensive linemen on the team include junior Makiel Crane, senior Tyrell Heath, and senior center Cade Foster. Junior Ethan Shipman (6-2, 250) can play every position on the offensive line. Cade Pilgrim, a LHP USC baseball commitment, was a free safety lost to the season with a Tommy John injury earlier this season. 

 JaQuintas Cousar is a hard-working linebacker along with defensive lineman Jaquese Buchana. Elisha Baker has been moved from linebacker to the defensive front. Some other players in the secondary, who can also flip to offense, include Zach Rogers who has been invited to a junior showcase at Myrtle Beach after the season. Marcel Fee handles all the kicking and punting for the Lions. 

Against CA Johnson the Lions dressed out 55 varsity players. “I would say that we have around 85 football players in our junior varsity and varsity football program,” said Coach Boulware. “It is a very high percentage of the total male population of our high school for sure.”

“Coaching is all about building relationships and your players have to trust and respect you,” said Coach Boulware. “When I first took the job school morale was down. That is when I said I am going to arrive at the front door of the school at 6 am every morning and greet the students when they arrive at school, whether they are athletes, or not. 

“I talk about something new every day with the students when they arrive for school,” said Coach Boulware. “I am also the weight lifting coach and I enjoy the fact that every athlete the school is fighting to get in my class. They know I am going to take care of them number one and they know that my goal is to make them better athletes in all aspects of the sports they play. 

“I treat them all the same,” said Coach Boulware. “My goal will always be to help them “win the Day” every day.” My goal is to help young people reach their full potential in all aspects of their lives.”

Time will verify is Lewisville can get their 5th state football title at South Carolina State in early December. 

“Our goal is to be at South Carolina State and to be ready to take care of business when we get there,” said Coach Boulware. “That loss at Christ Church is still fresh on our minds. I knew coming into the season this group could be very special this season, and so far, I feel like they have been special. 

“It would be great to see a great person like Sheldon Brown hug his son on the sidelines if we are fortunate enough to win a state title at the end of the season,” said Coach Boulware.  “That would be a special moment.” 

 Coach Boulware is a strong family man with five children of his own. His is married to Malisa and their five children include: Javion (15), Josiah (11), Maliah (10), Madilyn (7), and MaKenzie (5). 

“Winning the Day” at Lewisville has spread like a wild fire all over the school. Challenging students to improve “one per cent each day” is also a strong point stressed by Coach Boulware. No doubt, Lewisville has found their guy to restore the football program to championship status.