Highlanders Working To Stay Focused On Season Goals

By Worthy Evans

Contributing Writer

Columbia – With Heathwood Hall’s season-opening 41-14 loss at Pinewood Prep Aug. 21, last year’s run to the SCISA AAAA state championship game is cast far into the past.

The Panthers, who finished 10-3 last year, scored all of their points in the first half, going into intermission with a 41-7 lead.

“We finished the game strong. We came out in the second half totally different,” head coach Tymere Zimmerman said. “But that first half was still a part of the game. That’s how that goes.”

It was a good sign that the Highlanders stopped the bleeding in the second half even though the game was lost. The team has just nine seniors but many on this year’s team saw a lot of action last year.

While quarterback Patrick Belk and other players graduated, the Highlanders have a solid core of players returning, including standout wide receiver Keon McKinley, who had 56 catches for 756 yards and three touchdowns last year. Also returning is running back Heyward Belser.

Five offensive linemen return, Hill Belser, Dub Taylor, Levi Glass, Oliver Logson and A.J. Morgan.

Succeeding Belk at quarterback is junior Harrison Hartley, who transferred from Gray Collegiate Academy.

Heathwood Hall’s defense also returns many. Glass and Cole Moore return to anchor the line, and Evan Johnson returns healthy at defensive end after missing most of last year to injuries.

Cornerback Liam Edwards returns to lead the secondary and will also be kicker and punter.

While depth will be at issue this year, Zimmerman feels like this year’s team can go far in carrying on the standard set by the team in 2025.

“One thing I tell the guys is that it’s a testament to the program that if we control our attitude and our effort, those are things we absolutely can control,” Zimmerman said. “We didn’t play our best football and it was because we lost our effort and attitude in the first half. We left with our heads down, but one thing I know is that you can’t win a championship in one game.”

Zimmerman knows his team has left last year far behind, and that it’s up to the team to determine its own identity among the opponents to come.

Last week the Highlanders traveled to Northwood Academy, which beat them 61-7 in the AAAA state final last year. Heathwood Hall made the game much more competitive than last year’s showing, but fell 21-14.

Next on the schedule comes an improved Cardinal Newman (2-0), which went 1-9 last year, followed by a home game with Great Falls Sept. 11. Further down the schedule the Highlanders play at Florence Christian, face Ben Lippen at home, Porter Gaud on the road, Trinity Collegiate at home, Augusta Christian on the road, and a regular-season finale home game against arch-rival Hammond.

 “With SCISA, you get a measuring stick with the teams we play,” he said. “If you want to play in the playoffs, you have to beat those teams.”