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Hayes Will Get 200th Win Early In 2010 Season

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Dillon—Dillon ended the 2009 football season with their second straight AA football title leaving head Coach Jackie Hayes with a career record of 199-45 through 18 seasons.

To the best of all existing information, Coach Hayes will be the first coach in state history to achieve 200 wins in just 18 seasons plus a game or two. By comparison John McKisisck of Summerville had 167 wins after 18 seasons in Summerville. 

If anyone knows Coach Hayes it is his good friend Dillon Superintendent Ray Rogers. Rogers hired Hayes back in 1992 after the Wildcats had gone 1-21 under another coach. “At Dillon one of they keys to Jackie’s success is that his coaches support each other and care for each others,” said Rogers. “It’s like a big family. They eat a lot together and they talk together and they plan together. It’s hard to imagine a closer knit coaching group anywhere in South Carolina.”

Coach Rogers said he views Coach Hayes like a “younger brother.” “We’ve been through a whole lot together; good times bad times,” said Rogers. “We have been there for each other. If he knows I need something he is going to be there and if needs something I am going to be there. We entered this relationship to make it better for these kids in Dillon and to help make the school system better as well as the sports program. When we were 1-21 we had to make a change and make something happen. I am just real pleased that Jackie was the man chosen to get things turned around.

“The key thing with Jackie is that he truly cares about the kids at Dillon. He takes care of them and he tries to help them and their families with a whole lot more than just football. I’ll say this; when Jackie is through coaching he’ll be remembered as one of the best to have ever coached in South Carolina. It’s because of his sincerity and I have never seen anybody who works as hard as he does.”

Rogers pointed out that people ride are impressed to ride by Dillon High in the summer and see Coach Hayes cutting not only the grass on the practice field, but the grass around the school. “He works in the flower beds and spreads pine straw too,” said Rogers. “He doesn’t have to do these type things but he does it because of his pride in Dillon High.”

Dillon will begin the season against Cheraw at home on August, 20.

Dillon High Coaching News    

The success of the Dillon football program certainly includes a group of veteran assistant coaches who have stayed together for a number of years.

Two assistants, Gerald Reeves and Jason Gunter have 42 and 41 years of experience between them. Reeves has been chosen the “Assistant Coach of the Year” by the SCACA and he will be honored at the clinic during the Hall of Fame banquet ceremonies. Reeves is the Wildcat defensive coordinator and he coaches the defensive line.

“Defense has always been important here at Dillon,” said Reeves after the state title game last December. “People love their football here.”

Gunter works with the offensive line. Earlier this year Coach Gunter commented, “Every since I’ve been at Dillon, our coaches have tried to sell our football program to our kids and our kids have believed in the program and their coaches. We strive for excellence. If we don’t win at least ten games every season we don’t feel like it was a successful season.”

Quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Robbie Brown returns for his 19th season at Dillon along with co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Alan McLaurin who also has 19 years under his belt at Dillon.

Former Dillon stand-out Marty McEntyre is in his third year coaching linebackers and veteran baseball coach and defensive backs coach Greg Dozier begins his 17th season in the program.

The jayvee team is coached by Famon Whitfield along with Johnny Dew and Johnny B. Dew IV. The “B” team is coached by Laurence Brunson, Charlie Wright, Robbie Hinson, and Harold Wilson.

  Dee Conn, with 33 years experience, is the athletic program’s assistant athletic director and head volleyball coach. The volleyball team made it to the third round of the playoffs.

 Shirl Carter is the softball coach and her team advanced to the third round of the AA playoffs. Harold Wilson will once again coach the boy’s basketball team while Johnny Dew coaches girl’s basketball. Wayne Alston is the head girls track coach and Coach Gunter works with the boy’s team. Wanda graham is once again working with the Dillon cheerleaders and Patrick Grimsley is the boy’s tennis coach.

        “Everybody gets along real well here at Dillon,” said Coach Hayes. “We all pull for each other. We are very pleased to see Coach Reeves selected as Assistant Coach of the Year. We all just work hard and the kids believe in what we are doing.

“We have good help and I like to work so I guess that is a winning combination,” said Coach Hayes. “I also take a lot of pride in my school.”

 

 

son.  "We hope to get a good seeding in the playoffs and go as far as we can towards a state championship."
Coach Wilson said his team's best chance to win is built around a fast paced game and "we love to run the floor and play strong on defense and we are all about controlling the boards."
Coach Wilson said, "It starts on the defensive side of the ball for us," said Coach Wilson. "When we can rebound and get it up the floor quickly we are playing Wildcat basketball."
The team beat Fairmont, N.C. and South Robeson, N. C.
And they lost to Pernell Sweat N.C. and they lost to Latta by two points.
The starting group is built around Jarvis Williams, a senior point guard who has started the past two years. "He's a good assists player and last year he was our second leading scorer at 15 points a game," said Coach Wilson. "He led the team in steals last year at three per game."  
Quincey Bethea is a junior shooting guard averaging around 15 points a game with a high of 22 against Latta. "He's a good athlete and once he gets in basketball shape he will be a very good shooter and a good defender," said Coach Wilson. "Bethea is a three year starter."
   Antwaun Blue made his first practice of the season on December, 20 due to his play in the Shrine Bowl. "He's good defender who runs the court well in our fast breaking style," said Coach Wilson. "This is Blue's fourth year on varsity."
 Senior James Roberts has been playing in Blue's place while he was at the Shrine Bowl. Jakell Whittington is a 6-2 junior forward who needs to improve his rebounding and inside scoring to help the team. The other forward is 6-3 senior Brandon McEachern who leads the team in rebounding at seven boards a game.

The first player off the bench is senior guard Reggie Nelson, who is expected to score like he did in getting 17 points in the season opener against Fairmont on December, 8. Other seniors contributing are senior forward Tommy Pittman, junior forward Rashad Miles, and junior guard Ridge Gurley. Bryan Windham is the tallest Wildcat at 6-7 and he is a developing junior forward.
Other members of the team include freshman guard Kenny Vanderhall, junior guard Bryan McLeod, sophomore guard Lavaris Hargrove, senior guard Tyquan Turner, and junior forward Marqul Campbell.  

Dillon Girl's Developing Well Under Veteran Coach Johnny Dew
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Dillon (12/21/09) Johnny Dew is starting his 10th year at Dillon and before that he spent 22 seasons in a similar job at Latta.  
"We want to be improving each and every week and be playing better as we start region play in January," said Coach Dew.  "We want to improve as the year goes along. At 2-2 we must improve from the perspective of how well our starting five plays together. We are not playing well as a team and we are not making our lay-ups and our fundamentals need some work.
"I am hoping between now an region play we improve on running our offense. This is a new group and these five have not played together that much.
On Monday December, 28th Dillon will once again compete in the Pee Dee Invitational hosted by South Florence. The Wildcats will play Timmonsville.
Sophomore point guard Chelesa Frazier started since 8th grade all-region and all-state as a freshman averaged 19 points a game. Frazier has already scored 25 and 23 points in two games this season. "She can be as good as she wants to be but she has to work at it. She just can't go thorough the motions. She can be to us what Ruby Lee Wright was to Latta. She has got to want the ball all the time."
Senior forward Depris Ford is in her third year and she is averaging 11 points a game followed by senior forward/guard Valetta Richardson who is averaging 10 points a game. Ashley Purnell is a senior forward starting for the first time. Ashley Smith a 6-0 junior center and this is her second year on the varsity and she needs to become more aggressive and physical.
The first players off the bench are usually Leigh Ann Moody who is in her first year every playing basketball and she has shown great improvement and sophomore guard Mircale Harley. Freshman Darby Hamer has seen a lot of playing time as a forward.
The other players include sophomore guard Alica Richardson who has been out sick and sophomore Levastia Crawford who has been slowed by a knee injury.          
"Last year we finished second in the region and lost in the first round to Kingstree by one point after going 4 of 24 from the foul line," said Coach Dew. "You can't win if you do that and we are working hard to be better on offense."