Latta returns entire football coaching staff

Latta – While Latta High School lost several key players from last season’s 9-2 football team,

Brandon Iseman does have his entire coaching staff returning for the 2024 season.

The veteran head coach said that is a good thing for the program and his student-athletes.

           “This is a great coaching staff that not only has a wealth of football knowledge, but does a great job of mentoring and building relationships with our kids.” Iseman said.

Matt Caulder is the offensive coordinator, Freddie Sawyer is coaching the offensive linemen,

Brandon Page the defensive linemen, Robbie Brown the wide receivers and defensive backs, Pierce

Watson the defensive ends and Chris Page the running backs.

           Latta has had a couple of changes among his varsity head coaches. Bobby Richardson is taking over the girls basketball program, replacing Sandra Gomillion. However, Gomillion will remain with the school and will serve as the boys golf coach.

Anna Rogers is the new boys and girls cross country head coach.

Brown is returning as the athletic director and baseball head coach. He led the Vikings to the

Class A lower state championship, reaching the state championship series against Southside Christian School.

           Latta, which finished with a 23-12 record, didn’t chart an easy course to get to the championship series. In the District 7 tournament, the Vikings pounded No. 1 seed Bamberg-Ehrhardt 16-3 in their opener. That was followed by a 3-1 loss to No. 2 seed Johnsonville. Latta beat B-E 16-6 in an elimination game to get to the championship round against Johnsonville. It needed two wins to advance to the lower state tournament and it got them by the scores of 2-1 and 9-5.

The Vikings were joined in the lower state tournament by two of their region foes, champion

Lake View and second seed Green Sea Floyds, and East Clarendon. They opened with a 15-4 win over GSF before falling to Lake View 1-0.

           Latta topped EC 6-5 in an elimination game to get to the championship round. It needed two wins to advance and again it got them, beating Lake View 2-1 and 12-11 in eight innings.

           Jenny Melton is back as the softball coach, Chris Page is back for his second season as the boys basketball coach, Sport Sawyer is the boys and girls track and field coach and Jodie Branham is the cheer coach.

Latta is remaining in Class A after the South Carolina High School League’s reclassification.

The other members of the 7-team region will be Carvers Bay, Green Sea Floyds, Hannah-Pamplico, Hemingway, Johnsonville and Lake View.