Hampton County looking forward to the future

By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Varnville – The Hampton County Hurricanes in their first year of competition captured eight region championships in Football, Girls Tennis, Girls x-country, Boys x-country, Boys basketball, Girls Soccer, Boys Track and Girls Track, they won lower state titles in boys and girls track and field and played for the lower state championships in football and boys’ basketball so you could say it was a great start for a new school that figures to be on of the top programs in the state in class AA for years to come.

        Heading up the athletic program is long time Wade Hampton coach Rob Hanna. Hanna wears a lot of hats as he is the Athletic Director, head football coach and the boys’ track and field coach.

        Hanna led the Hurricane football team to a 12-2/4-0 record, a region championship and a spot in the lower state championship game. He did one better in track and field as his team won the lower state championship. The track and field team placed fifth at the state meet.

        “The biggest reason for our success was that the coaches and players bought into what we were trying to do to bring the two communities together (Estill and Wade Hampton). The coaches in all sports did an outstanding job of getting the message across to the kids. I could not be prouder of the job everyone did this year,” said Hanna.

        Coaching the girl’s track and field team is Myrriah Hanna. Her girls also captured a lower state championship before finishing in sixth at the class AA state meet. She also coaches the x-country teams. The girls placed sixth and the boy’s placed 14^th at the state x-country meets after winning the region 6AA crown.

        Romon Gray led the boys’ basketball team to another lower state championship game appearance after winning another region championship. His team finished the year 25-6/8-0 and has compiled a record of 128-43 over the past eight years.

        Leading the volleyball team and girls’ basketball team to the playoffs was head coach Anthony Elam. The girls’ basketball team made it into the second round of the class AA playoffs while the volleyball made a first-round exit.

        Steve Crosby’s girls’ tennis team advanced into the second round of the playoffs after winning the region while Barry Whittington won another region championship in girls’ soccer to advance to the class AA playoffs.

Baseball head coach Cody McCollum led his team to the district five tournament while Jesse Rooker led his boys’ soccer team to a playoff berth.

”There is a lot of excitement for the program, not just for the athletic programs, but our school as well. ” said coach Hanna. “I am fortunate to have an excellent coaching staff both in football and the other sports. The coaches are committed to the kids, the school, and the community. I m excited for the future and the direction the we are headed.”

Now with year one being in the books the Hurricanes can look forward to getting into a new as they have begun construction on a new school and new athletic facilities which will bring more excitement to Varnville and to Hurricane athletics.