Brandon Cantrell is new Kingstree football head coach
Salters, McDonald place in AA boys track and field state meet
Kingstree – Brandon Cantrell got his start as a high school football coach at Kingstree High School. He was there five years, so when he saw the head coaching job was open he didn’t hesitate in putting his name in the hat.
Now Cantrell will be getting his start as a head coach at Kingstree as well. Cantrell was recently selected as the Blazers’ new head coach.
“I had been there before, living in the community, building relationships with people,” Cantrell said. “I had good relationships with the players, good relationships with the community, and I knew Kingstree always had good athletes.
“When I got the phone call that I had gotten the job, it was exciting for me and my family.”
Kingstree athletic director James Price believes Cantrell will be a good fit.
“I am excited that we were able to get the caliber of coach to lead our football team in Coach Cantrell,” said Price. “He presented us with an amazing plan for success on the football field and in the classroom.”
Cantrell’s first assistant job was at Kingstree under head coach Wiil Lampkin in 2006. He remained at Kingstree through the 2010 season. He has since spent time at Lakewood, Manning, Timberland, Berkeley and Fort Dorchester.
He was the offensive coordinator for Timberland when it won a state championship in 2014. He comes to Kingstree from Fort Dorchester where he served as the quarterbacks coach the past two seasons.
Cantrell will be in charge of the offense. He is looking to put together the most effective unit as possible.
“We’re going to take a look at our personnel and see what fits us best,” Cantrell said.
As far as defense goes, he wants an aggressive unit.
“I just want us to be an attacking defense,” Cantrell said. “I want them to play with great effort, to get to the ball quickly. I’m really wanting to do it based out of a 3-man front. We want to get them moving to the gaps, playing fast and presenting problems for the offenses we see. If we get them to line up right, read their keys and attack the right gaps, I’ll be very happy.”
Cantrell replaces Brian Smith, who was part of a controversial firing in January. Smith was fired, sparking outrage from many in the community. That led to the district saying that Smith had been reinstated as the head coach. However, Smith recently accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Lynn Classical High School in Lynn, Massachusetts.
Smith was the head coach at Kingstree for two years, taking over when C.E. Murray, at which he had tremendous success as a head coach, consolidated with Kingstree. The Blazers made the AA state playoffs both years, going 5-6 the first season and 5-7 last year, in which they won a first-round playoff game.
SALTERS, MCDONALD PLACE IN BOYS AA TRACK STATE MEET
Malcolm Salters finished sixth in the shot put and Karl McDonald was seventh in the 400-meter dash to score points for Kingstree in the boys portion of the AA track and field state meet at Spring Valley High’s Harry Parone Stadium in Columbia on May 16.
Salters finished sixth in the shot with a throw of 13.8 meters. McDonald finished seventh in the 400 with a time of 51.89 seconds.
