Lamar makes run to Class A football state championship game after slow start

Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • December 5, 2025

Silver Foxes to face undefeated Bamberg-Ehrhardt for crown

         Lamar – There was a wait-and-see attitude concerning the Lamar High School football team entering the 2025 season and rightfully so. There was a lot of talent returning from a 9-4 team that pushed eventual state champion Abbeville to the limit in the quarterfinals of the Class A state playoffs. However, LHS would have to adjust to a new head coach in Tyler Boyd.

 

           Fast forward five months though and the Silver Foxes are still waiting to see -- if they are going to be state champions. They beat Lewisville 48-27 for the upper state title and will take on undefeated lower state champion Bamberg-Ehrhardt  for the state title on Friday, December 5, at South Carolina State’s Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.

 

           “Maybe surprise isn’t the right word because we just didn’t know what to expect,” said Boyd, who played both football and baseball at Lamar for his father, J.R. Boyd, who led LHS to three straight football state titles from 2002 through 2004.  “There may be a little surprise from how we started the season. We had to get a lot better than we were at the beginning of the season and we did.”

 

                      The Foxes lost two of their first three games. They lost to Darlington County  rival and AAAA school Darlington 22-13 in the season opener. In the third game, they suffered a 55-20 loss to Central, which played for the AA lower state title last week.

 

           Since then, Lamar has reeled off 11 consecutive victories to take a 12-2 record into the title game. The winning streak started with a 62-36 shootout against Lake City.

 

           “Lake City was the turnaround game for us offensively,” Boyd said. “Our offense just looked way better. Over that one week we got a lot better.

 

“It was just a matter of doing what we were supposed to do. We had the athletes to put up the points We went from people not knowing exactly what to do to not having nearly as many missed assignments.”

 

Lamar is playing in its first championship game since 2018 with its last state title coming in ’17.

 

 LHS is led by senior quarterback Zori Pierce. A Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl all-star game selection as an athlete, Pierce is a 4-year starter behind center.

 

           Pierce has completed 95 of 156 passes for 1,851 yards and 16 touchdowns against just four interceptions. He has rushed for 793 yards and 19 TDs on 130 carries.

 

“He’s been solid and consistent all year,” Boyd said. “He tells half the team what to do along with trying to see what the defense is doing. He’s crucial to our success.”

 

 Starting at wide receivers are seniors Julian “JuJu” Morris and Kamiil McCoy. Morris is the leading receiver with 27 catches for 567 yards and eight scores, while McCoy has 26 receptions for 422 yards and four touchdowns.

 

 Sophomore Lamont Williams is the starting tight end and has eight grabs for 167 yards and two TDs. Junior H back DeChayzar Green has 19 catches for 338 yards and one score.

 

 The Foxes are averaging 246.6 rushing yards per game. Senior Nygel Eady starts at running back and is the leading rusher with 1,271 yards and 17 touchdowns on 161 carries.

 

 Sophomore TJ Samuel and junior Jaquez Dargan  also get plenty of totes at running back. Samuel has 51 carries for 418 yards and seven TDs, while Dargan has 70 carries for 392 yards and six scores.

 

 Opening up the running lanes and protecting Pierce are junior Messiah Simes at left tackle, sophomore Travionne Goodson at left guard, junior Roy Vest at center, senior Tom Katko at right guard and senior Da’vaughn Locust at right tackle.

 

 The defense had to go through some growing pains as well. After giving up 134 points in the first four games, Lamar has allowed 83 in the last eight contests with 49 of those points being allowed in a 44-22 win over Hunter-Kinard-Tyler and the 27 it allowed against Lewisville last week.

 

 “I think for the defense it turned around against North Central,” Boyd said of a 47-0 triumph the game following the Lake City win, the first of four shutouts. “I think everybody started knowing their responsibilities, trusting each other and not trying to do too much.”

 

To say Lamar has a big play defense might be an understatement. The Foxes have 145 tackles for a loss, 37 quarterback sacks, 18 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries. Adding to that is the fact they’ve scored six defensive TDs, five on Pick 6s and the other on a scoop and score.

 

 LHS uses a 3-man front on defense with Locust starting at noseguard with freshman Robert Cooper  and senior Travis Durant on either side of him as defensive ends. Locust has 38 tackles, 11 TFLs and two sacks, Cooper has 33 tackles, seven TFLs and two sacks, and Durant has 67 tackles, a team high 21 ½ TFLs and 5 ½ sacks.

 

Williams and Eady start as outside linebackers , while Green and Dargan are the inside backers. Each is a big play waiting to happen.

 

 Green has four of the six defensive TDs. He’s returned three of his five picks for scores and returned a fumble for a TD. He leads in tackles with 101 and in interceptions to go with 17 TFLs and 2 ½ sacks.

 

 Williams leads the team in sacks with 12 and has 20 TFLs among his 70 tackles. Eady has 67 tackles, 13 TFLs, three picks and 1 ½ sacks, and Dargan has 60 tackles, nine TFLs and one sack.

 

 Sophomore Nygerion Quillen sees plenty of action at OLB and has 43 tackles, 12 ½ TFLs and 4 ½ sacks. Junior Torin Carroway is a backup ILB with 25 tackles and three TFLs.

 

 Starting in the secondary are sophomore Jaylen Morris and McCoy at cornerbacks, Pierce at free safety and sophomore Jeremiah Moses at strong safety.

 

 Jaylen Morris has four INTs, returning one for a score, 26 tackles and one TFL, McCoy has 32 stops and one interception, Pierce has 13 tackles and one interception, and Moses has 37 tackles and one TFL

 

 Senior Isaiah Chacon is the placekicker and is 45 of 59 on extra point attempts. JuJu Morris handles the punting duties. Eady has returned a kickoff for a touchdown, while Jaylen Morris has taken a punt back for a score. 


STARTING LINEUP

OFFENSE

QB – 1 Zori Pierce Sr.

RB – 19 Nygel Eady Sr.

H BACK – 2 DeChayzar Green Jr.

WR – 3 Julian “JuJu” Morris Sr.

WR – 4 Kamiil McCoy Sr.

TE – 8 Lamont Williams So.

LT – 66 Messiah Simes Jr.

LG – 51 Travionne Goodson So.

C – 77 Roy Vest Jr.

RG – 55 Tom Katko Sr.

RT – 72 La’vaughn Locust Sr.

 

DEFENSE

DE – 25 Robert Cooper FR.

NG – 72 La’vaughn Locust Sr.

DE – 54 Travis Durant Sr.

OLB – 8 Lamont Williams So.

ILB – 2 DeChayzar Green Jr.

ILB – 21 Jaquez Dargan Jr.

OLB – 19 Nygel Eady Sr.

CB – 9 Jaylen Morris So.

CB – 4 Kamiil McCoy Sr.

FS – 1 Zori Pierce Sr.

SS – 15 Jeremiah Moses So.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – 31 Isaiah Chacon Sr.

P – 3 Julian “JuJu” Morris Sr.


State Championships

At Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

In Orangeburg

Friday, December 5

3A

Belton-Honea Path (14-0) vs. Oceanside Collegiate (12-2), 12:06 p.m.

1A

Lamar (12-2) vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt (14-0), 4:06 p.m.

5A Division II

Northwestern (12-1) vs. Irmo (12-1), 7:36 p.m.

 

Saturday, December 6

4A

South Pointe (13-1) vs. South Florence (13-1), 12:06 p.m.

2A

Strom Thurmond (12-2) vs. Hampton County (11-3), 4:06 p.m.

5A Division I

Dutch Fork (11-1) vs. Summerville (12-2), 7:36 p.m.

High School Sports Report 40th Annual Prep Football Media Day set for Wednesday, July 22, at USC's indoor practice facility

By Staff reports • July 15, 2026
Players from around the state are invited to the Jeri and Steve Spurrier Indoor Practice Facility from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Saluda Football Uses Spring To Build Depth

By Dennis Brunson • July 3, 2026
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Saluda – The Saluda High School football team will have a good amount of experience returning for the 2026 season. The Tigers have six starters back on offense and eight on defense from a team that went 6-6 and reached the second round of the AA state playoffs. However, they didn’t get a lot of work in during spring practice because many of them were on the school’s baseball and track and field teams that made deep runs in the postseason. Saluda head coach Greg Woerner found a silver lining in that though. “We were only able to get eight days of spring practice in and made the most o it and got better learning the offense and defense and developing some depth with the younger guys,” said Woerner, who will be in his second season as head coach. “A lot of our returning starters were making playoff runs in baseball and track, so we got a good luck at our depth.” Saluda returns four players who were selected to the All-Region 2-AA team last year. They are rising junior placekicker Ericson Vasquez , senior running back Tristan Daniels, senior tight end Jahmeer Myers and junior defensive back Ceddion Springs . Vasquez was named the Region 2 Special Teams Player of the year. Woerner is hoping the Tigers can be productive in the month of July leading into the start of fall practice. “For the remainder of the summer we’re really just looking forward to continuing to get stronger but also focusing in more on football,” Woerner said. “We had a good June competing in 7-on-7s (competitions) and getting better at our passing game and pass defense. July will focus more on getting better at the whole game.” The Tigers completed their 7-on-7 competition in June. Their first scrimmage will be on August 6 at Woodland before coming home to scrimmage Gilbert on August 10. Saluda is scheduled to open its season on August 21 at home against Abbeville . The Tigers will be part of a new region in Region 4-AA. The region will include two old Region 2 foes in defending state champion Strom Thurmond and Pelion to go with American Leadership Academy , Orangeburg-Wilkinson and Silver Bluff . MILLER MARTIN SELECTED TO AA ALL-STATE SOFTBALL TEAM Sophomore pitcher Miller Martin , a key figure for Saluda’s AA state championship softball team, was selected to the AA All-State softball team announced by the South Carolina Association for Women’s Sports . Martin had a 15-3 win-loss record and struck out 248 batters in 139 2/3 innings while posting a 0.70 earned run average. At the plate, Martin had a .308 batting average with five home runs and 32 runs batted in. Martin was also named the Region 2 Co-Player of the Year. Martin was joined on the All-Region team by Amy Sorcia , Zoey Springs and Nyla Jordan . Tigers head coach Hannah Towery said the program’s first ever state title sets a precedent for the future. “Future players will walk on to that field knowing a championship can be achieved because this team proved it,” said Towery, who guided Saluda to a 29-3 record. “The banner will hang, the trophy will be displayed, and the record books will always show who did it first. “History remembers champions, but it especially remembers those who paved the way. This team just didn’t win a state championship – they built a legacy.”

Jefferson Davis football focusing on the basics over the summer

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • July 3, 2026
Raiders return everyone along the line from 8-4 team that reached 8-man semifinals

OCA Football Sets Sights On Four-Peat

By David Shelton • July 2, 2026
Oceanside's rising senior QB, Aiden Manavian is nearing 10,000 career passing yards and threw 42 touchdown passes last season.

W W King Holds Spring Athletic Banquet

By Gerald Doolittle • July 1, 2026
By: Gerald Doolittle Contributing Writer, HSSR Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. -W.W. King Academy held its Spring/Winter Athletic Banquet in mid-May to honor their 2025-26 athletic efforts. All the Knight teams were very competitive in their SCISA Class A region where they competed against Wardlaw Academy, Newberry Academy, Cambridge Academy, Richard Winn Academy and Anderson Christian . The Varsity Baseball team won the SCISA Class A Title . The Varsity Softball team was very competitive in the playoffs. Coach Jessica Anderson presented the Varsity Girls Basketball Awards . Blythe Buzhardt won the All-Around Excellence Award. Kenzie Morse won the Defensive Player-of-the-Year Award. Coach Dennis Gibson presented the Varsity Boys Basketball Awards. Spencer McCormick received the Most Outstanding Player Award. Brady Goff received the Sharp-Shooter Award. Coach Allen Guy presented the Varsity Softball Awards. Blythe Buzhardt received the Most Outstanding Player Award. Abby Aull received the Leadership Award and Kenzie Morse received the Iron Athletic Award. Coach Zach Matthews presented five awards to his Varsity Baseball State Champion players. Elijah Hutto received the Offensive Player of the Year Award. Luke Harvey received the Defensive Player of The Year Award. Wyatt Burbank, Zed Watkins and Smith Kirby shared the Team Leadership Award. Athletic Director Kathy Gibson assisted in presenting the Senior Awards. Smith Kirby and Abby Aull received the Senior Student Athlete of the Year Award. Wyatt Burbank and Kenzie Morse received the Athlete of the Year Award. Spencer McCormick and Abby Aull received the Christian Leadership Award. Wyatt Burbank and Kenzie received the Varsity Year-Round Athletes Award.

Florence Christian football team lost a few players to more than just graduation

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • July 1, 2026
Eagles do return Region Defensive Player of the Year in Hayden Schwab

Lodge Begins Fourth Season As Berkeley Coach

By David Shelton • June 30, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Moncks Corner – After a pair of six-win seasons in his first two years , Berkeley head football coach Eric Lodge guided the Stags to a 10-3 record last fall. Lodge is hoping and expecting to see continued growth and development in 2026 and recently put his prospective team through spring drills. The purpose of the spring is to identify roles and hopefully find rising talent that can assist either as backups or starters this fall. “Our spring is about evaluating kids, all of them, to see where they fit in,” Lodge said, “Those practices are very important to the growth of the program. We get everyone involved amd work to get them up to speed. Once we get into the summer, we are working hard to get stronger in the weight room along with seven-on-seven stuff.” Lodge says most of the returning experience is on the offensive side and the Stags should be explosive. Henry Rivers , a senior, will be a fourth-year starter and rates as one of the best in the state. Hethres for more than 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, adding 803 rushing yards and 16 more scores. Returning at receiver are John Cleveland, Eli Mitchell and Johnathan Mitchell, who combined for more than 60 receptions last season. Anchoring the running game are returners Lawrence Washington, Bryson McGee and Jesse Brown . That trio will work behind a revamped offensive line but Lodge sees potential in the developing unit up front. “I like our depth at running back and receiver, and of course we have a veteran leader at quarterback,” said Lodge. There are significantly more holes to fill on defense. The Stags lost an all-state tackle and three starting linebackers that were three-year starters. There also are three holes to fill on the back endd. “We have identified some young men who we feel will step in and be solid players for us,” Lodge said. “Replacing the experience is tough but we have some guys who will learn and grow over time. We’re not new to having young guys on the field. The talent is there and there are opportunities for guys to get on the field.”

Pinewood Preparing To Move Up A Class

By Roger Lee • June 29, 2026
Expectations are high for Pinewood Prep quarterback Silas Brawner.

Cane Bay Football Looking To Get Back On Track

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Summerville – The last two football seasons have been sub-par for the Cane Bay Cobras but veteran head coach Russell Zehr believes the pieces are in place for a potential resurgence. The Cobras finished the last two seasons with three wins each but did win a region championship in 2024. Zehr and his staff have worked hard in the offseason to develop some up and coming talent. They did so through the weight room and spring practice. “We had a good spring overall,” Zehr said. “We were missing a handful of guys due to track but we had good numbers. We spent a lot of time getting everyone up to speed. It was an opportunity for us to see younger kids that are coming up and find out who can help us this season. We had about 80 kids during the sprng and about 75 of those have been consistent in their workouts over the summer.” The Cobras will have a new quarterback this fall. Zehr says senior Coran Houp e is moving from running back to run the option offense this season. Returning in the backfield are Mayson Samuel and Sam Rolston , with some talented backs coming from the lower levels. The offensive line returns two starters, Isaac Siefken and Eli Taylor . Junior JJ Rose is back as the leader along the defensive front, with ends Devin Cobbs and B rennen Shokes also returning. The linebackers will be new starters with only Jackson Williamson returning with experience. The secondary could be a strength with returners Tyrell Bess, Zion Bryant and Caeden Wilson . The kicking game is a solid strength with senior Aiden Thorne returning. Thorne is a deep threat on kickoffs and field goals. “He’s got a leg and can be a real weapon for us,” Zehr said. Cane Bay participated in weekly 7-on-7 passing league scrimmages during June and will play at The Citadel event in July.

Mckoy Continues To Build A Winner At James Island

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
Head football coach at James Island, Jamar McKoy has worked to build his program into one of the more consistent programs in the state.
More Posts