Kingstree Building Camaraderie and Staying Positive

BY SCOTT CHANCEY

Special Contributor

KINGSTREE – The Kingstree Blazers are starting to show signs of light after a 33-6 season-opening loss against Marion.

Second-year coach Brandon Cantrell’s program lost 48-20 on Thursday against Hanahan and he saw many things his program can build upon.

First of all, he likes the camaraderie on the sideline.



“I challenged them in between the first and second games to be positive with each other and play as a team and just be positive on the sideline and positive on the field and play four quarters as hard as you can,” Cantrell said. “And then, we’ll see what happens.”

What happened were four Kingstree touchdowns –plus another that was called back.

Jaward Cooper scored on a long TD run, and quarterback Randy McFadden threw scoring passes to Landon Hannah and Maleek Dukes. And McFadden scored the Blazers’ final TD by running the ball into paydirt.

Cantrell said he wants to keep seeing McFadden get better.

“He has the tools to be a region player of the year,” Cantrell said. “If he throws like he’s capable of, the sky’s the limit. He threw more good footballs in one game than I had seen the whole time I have been here.”

Dukes also has had a great season so far.

“He’s just a gamechanger out on that side of the ball, making plays and also making an impact from his position on defense,” Cantrell said. “He wreaks havoc in the backfield and causes all kinds of problems for offenses.”

Cantrell said he also wants to transform the program’s mindset.

“We had a full offseason, and all our players want to learn more about the importance of summer conditioning,” Cantrell said. “Some of the teams we face, they do this year-round. We all need to be here and make as much progress as we can.”

Cantrell said he can especially see progress with his offense.

“Although we still lost last Thursday, we moved the ball pretty well and ran the ball much more effectively,” Cantrell said. “We scored 20 points after scoring 6 the week before. And we had one touchdown on Thursday called back. I thought the kids played the way they’re capable of playing.”

After going 4-7 last season, the Blazers’ goal in 2026 is to win at least one more game. But after last spring’s graduation of star running back Tyleek Dukes, Kingstree must keep finding a way to move forward.

In the trenches, the Blazers will get help from offensive linemen Lazarus Moyd, Maurice Burgess, Kinnard Irving, Tor’Cari Smith and Charleek Nesmith. On the defensive line, help will also come from Datwon McElveen.