Lee Academy football trying to get back on track
Cavaliers split first two games of season
Bishopville – Lee Academy is hoping the 2024 football season was just an anomaly.
The Cavaliers went 3-7-1 last season after posting an 89-26 record over the nine previous seasons. That included playing for a state championship on six occasions, including the four most recent seasons.
Getting things back on the right path was a topic of conversation leading up to the season.
“It has come up quite a bit,” said new head coach Justin Logan, who took over after Will Furse left for Williamsburg Academy after one season. “I don’t think our record was indicative of how good a football team we were. Anything that could go wrong, did. Injuries, turnovers. Everything just seemed to work against us.
“We’re going to play the players we have and see what happens. We’ve got to win the second half of games and finish ball games.”
Things didn’t get off to the best start as Lee fell to Spartanburg Christian Academy 34-14 in its season opener on August 15. After a bye week, the Cavaliers defeated Dillon Christiani School 42-25.
Sophomore Brayden Davis will return at quarterback and senior Andrew Bowers will be back at running back. The other running back will be junior Landon Olsen with the wide receivers senior Paxton Greene and senior Cain June. The tight end will be sophomore Luke McCathery.
The offensive line will have senior Luke Richardson at right tackle, senior Grant Hawkins at left tackle, senior Hampton Layton at left guard, sophomore Carter Berenzen at right guard and senior Collins Drayton at center.
“The offensive line has been fluid as we try to find the right combination,” Logan said. “We’re having to work other guys in, so it’s been a challenge.”
The defense returns eight starters and will have Berenzen and Richardson starting up front along with junior Gavin Makela. The four linebackers will include Layton, senior Tucker Boyce, Olson and sophomore Tyler Gilbert.
The secondary is made up of Davis, newcomer Cary Privette, Bowers and June.
Tucker Rodgers will handle the placekicking duties and Davis will do the punting.
Logan was an assistant to Furse last season after one season as the head coach at Clarendon Hall in 2022, posting a 6-5 record. Prior to that, he was a longtime assistant to former head coach David Rankin.
“It’s been a little bit of adjustment, mixing some things a little,” Logan said. “ Most of the guys, we’ve coached together before, and (former standout quarterback) Bryce (Barrett) was a welcomed addition. There’s a core of respect among the coaches. We’re on the same page, coaching the same things, that the players are hearing the same thing from multiple coaches.”
