Brndon Cantrell puts together first Kingstree football coaching staff
Shrine Bowler Mycheal Edwards-Wallace killed in drive-by
Kingstree – New Kingstree High School football head coach Brandon Cantrell has brought some familiar names and big names to his first coaching staff.
The biggest name is Dr. Jerry Brown, the Hall of Fame coach who will serve as an offensive analyst and consultant. He has won five state titles over his legendary career and is the only coach to win championships at three different schools.
“Dr. Jerry Brown is a big addition,” Cantrell said. “He will help as a consultant and an analyst for us. I played for Coach Brown at Berkeley from 1996-1999.”
The familiar names are Jason Meyers, James Price, Antwan Brunson and Diallo Cooper. Meyers, Brunson and Cooper are all Kingstree graduates while Price has been at the school for seven years.
Meyers will be the defensive coordinator, the same post he held last year at Lamar. He has played under and coached will Cantrell. Brunson, who has coached with Cantrell before as well, will coach wide receivers and defensive backs. Cooper will coach the offensive backs.
Price, who was the defensive coordinator last season under former head coach Brian Smith, will coach the defensive line this season. Richard Montgomery will coach both the offensive and defensive lines, while Sharvis Graham will coach the offensive line.
Taylor-Rae Danforth is the certified trainer, and Nick Marcus is the strength and conditioning coach.
Price is also the athletic director and the girls basketball head coach, having developed the program into one of the more solid ones in AA. Shawnte’ Evans returns for his second year in charge of boys basketball. Also back are Ameisha Owens, who will coach both volleyball and softball, and baseball head coach Leonard Montgomery.
Meyers will be the boys track and field head coach, while Christi English will coach the girls team.
“I am super excited about the opportunity for our athletic program to grow at Kingstree High School in the 2025-26 school year,” Price said. “Not only were we able to retain great coaches from last year, but we were also able to hire some great new coaches with tons of experience. That can only help grow and develop our scholar-athletes in and out of the classroom.”
SHRINE BOWLER MYCHEAL EDWARDS-WALLACE KILLE IN DRIVE-BY
Recently graduated Shrine Bowl lineman Mychael Edwards-Wallace was killed in a drive-by shooting in Kingstree.
The 6-foot-1-inch, 340-pound Edwards-Wallace was slated to begin his collegiate career at Newberry College in the fall. He started on both sides of the football for the Blazers, at guard on offense and tackle on defense. He collected 45 tackles, 16 of them for loss, last season to go with two interceptions.
Smith, his former head coach, was stunned by Edwards-Wallace’s death, as was the community.
“Mychael was one of the gentlest, humblest people on earth,” Smith said. “He was always willing to help others. He was a leader, on the field, in the classroom and in the community. He was a singer at his church, just an awesome human being. I don’t understand why anyone would want to do him harm. He was an angelic presence on earth.”
