Roebuck – Jake Morris is the new football head coach at Dorman High School. Morris being
in that position is about the only thing new between him and the school though
Morris was a senior captain and offensive lineman on the Cavaliers’ 2009 state championship
team under veteran head coach David Gutshall. After starting for four years at North Greenville
University, Morris returned to his alma mater to serve as an assistant coach, the first seven under
Gutshall before he retired, and this past season under Dustin Curtis.
“It's a lifelong dream,” Morris said of being selected as DHS’ newest head coach. “It's a place I
love. It means a lot to me and my family. It's home. It’s one of the most humbling experiences of my life.”
Morris just completed his first spring practice as head coach. He thought things went fine, even
though the players had to make a few adjustments.
"These guys know me,” he said. “The players know me, the coaches know me, but practices are a
little different to me than practices are to Coach Curtis or to Coach Gutshall.
“Our practices are more physical,” he added. “We all had that mindset. We had our practices more
physical because we want our games to be easy.”
Morris is one of only three new varsity head coaches to the staff. The others are Laura Maurer
in girls golf and Zach Clary in wrestling.
Thomas Ryan returns as the boys basketball coach after leading the Cavaliers to the AAAAA
state title. Ashlen Dewart-Dorn returns as the girls hoops coach. Amy Bailey is the boys and girls swim
coach, MK Flynn is the girls tennis coach, Brian Owen is the boys tennis coach, Josh Eskew is the boys
soccer coach and Carlos Osorio is the girls soccer coach.
Paula Kirkland is back for her 43rd year as volleyball head coach and has won 14 state titles. She
led the Lady Cavaliers to a 31-6 record and to the upper state championship match.
Drew Copeland returns as boys volleyball head coach, a sport that will have a South Carolina
High School League sanctioned state championship for the first time. Jerry Kimbrell will be the girls
cross country coach, while Jeff Buys will be the boys cross country coach.
Kim Hames returns as the softball head coach after leading Dorman to the championship round of
the AAAAA upper state championship tournament. Jack Jolly is the baseball coach, Jeff Johns the boys
track and field coach, Cassandra McKenzie the girls track coach and Brad Kelly the boys golf coach.
Peter Mezzanote is the boys lacrosse coach, Ashley Brown the competitive cheer coach and
Ryan Switzer the bass fishing coach. A girls lacrosse head coach has yet to be hired.
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