Dillon — Despite graduating 16 seniors from a Dillon football team that finished 13-1 last season, the cupboard is hardly bare in this tradition rich program, as 90 player recently participated in Spring football drills hoping to earn positions on either the varsity or junior varsity teams for the 2023 season.
Head coach Kelvin Roller will begin his third season as the head football of the Wildcats after taking over for Hall of Fame coach Jackie Hayes who retired after the 2020 season. Coach Hayes compiled a 336-56 career coaching record over 29 seasons that including seven state titles.
Coach Roller is well on his way to his own “Hall of Fame” coaching career. His first two teams finished 22-2 and played for the AAA Lower State championships in 2021 and 2022.
“What we hope we accomplished during our Spring work-outs was developing strength and speed in our skill position players, while we continue to work hard to develop needed depth in our offensive and defensive lines,” said Coach Roller. “At Dillon, our goal will always be to compete and play for a state championship every season.
“For us to reach that goal it will depend on how hard we work during the off-season, in the weight room, and in outside conditioning,” said Coach Roller. “What we get accomplished between now and the start of August is very important to our goals.”
One very significant coaching change on the staff is the hiring of former Scotland County N.C defensive coordinator Will Scott, who will be in charge of molding the Nasty Cats into a championship unit. Clark comes to Dillon as a highly respected defensive coach with innovative ideas.
On the offensive side of the ball, Dillon is fortunate to have national offensive linemen recruit senior Josiah “Big Cat” Thomspon (6-6,285) back to anchor the trenches. Thompson, the number one rated 2024 prospect in South Carolina by the HSSR, committed to the University of South Carolina back on April, 14 at a ceremony held in the school district auditorium.
Thompson chose the Gamecocks over Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Clemson, and Tennessee.
At the signing ceremony, Coach Roller was asked about his prized recruit. “Josiah comes from a great family and they love and support him so much,” said Coach Roller. “You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who does not like him because he is such a humble and thoughtful person. He will have success in all aspects of his life for sure.”
Coach Roller was asked if Thompson is the most talented football player ever at Dillon? “We have had many great football players come through, so that might be hard to answer, but I can tell you that he is probably the most recruited football player, from schools all over the country, we’ve ever had at Dillon, and I will let that speak for itself.”
Rising sophomore quarterback Josiah Oxendine (6-0,185) is already getting national recruiting attention. He has been extended offers from Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Akron, Georgia Southern, and Appalachian State among others.
“Josiah has a great skill-set and he is a major D-1 prospect in my mind,” said Coach Roller. “He has a strong arm, quick feet, and a very high football I-Q.”
The challenge for the Wildcat staff is to develop some wide receivers around Oxendine and numerous offensive linemen to protect him in passing situations. Coming out of Spring drills the receiver group consists of returnees Brandon Allen and Kamarion Singletary and Zay Robertson.
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