Jamison Estep steps down as Lake City football head coach
Estep goes 13-30 in 4 years after stepping in to replace Ronnie Baker following serious accident
Lake City – Despite the Lake City High School football team going 2-8 in the just completed season and missing out on the AA state playoffs, Jamison Estep believes a bright future awaits the program.
Only Estep won’t be sharing in it, at least as the Panthers’ head coach.
Estep resigned his post following the conclusion of the season, ending his 4-year tenure in charge.
“There was a lot of effort put into this from the staff and the kids,” Estep said. “Unfortunately, the effort didn't show up in the results. I thought we were better than what our record said. There were three or four games we could have won, should have own. At the end of the day, the results were what they were.
“I think big things await this program, whoever it is in charge.”
The first two years Estep was the interim head coach after longtime head coach Ronnie Baker was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Estep was officially named the head coach for the 2025 season after Baker’s legal issues were cleared up.
The Panthers were 13-30 in Estep’s four years. They went 4-7 each of the first two year and 3-8 in 2025.
Three of Lake City’s losses were by eight points or less. The Panthers struggled putting points on the scoreboard as they only managed to score 138.
Lake City was breaking in a new quarterback in sophomore Jayce Edwards after the graduation of 4-year starter Amari Hanna. Through the first nine games, Edwards completed 70 of 145 passes for 928 yards and eight touchdowns. He had also rushed for 228 yards and two scores on 40 carries.
However, in Lake City’s season-ending 40-24 loss to Waccamaw, Edwards easily had his best night. He connected on 20 of 31 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 23 yards on nine carries.
“Jayce is a gamer, a 3-sport athlete,” Estep said. “Everything he does, it’s about being a competitor. He competes his tail off. Sometimes he’s his own worst enemy.
“I think over the next two years he’s going to be one of THE guys in the Pee Dee.”
Sophomore Ziyre McFadden had three catches for 61 yards and a score, sophomore Xykerian Hickson had four receptions for 49 yards and a TD, and senior running back Catlin Anderson had a 14-yard scoring reception.
Hickson finished the season with 38 catches for 588 yards and five touchdowns.
Estep has been on the coaching staff at Lake City since 2008. He isn’t sure what the future holds, but he is not averse to being an assistant on the new head coach’s staff.
