Colleton Prep grows into championship contender

  Walterboro – Colleton Prep head football coach Greg Langdale wasn’t sure what to expect from his 2025 team when practices began back in the heat of August.

           Langdale, the head coach since 2019, knew coming into the season that his team was very young overall and wondered if the lack of experience at key positions could hold his team back.

           When the Warhawks opened the season with a loss to John Paul II, the coaches and players knew there was plenty of work to be done.

           “I think that first loss really kind of shook us up and we realized we really needed to get to work,” Langdale said. “We had a young group. We had one returning lineman and our offensive line had a bad game in that opener. We knew we had to get better across the board if we wanted to have a good season. Credit to the kids, they went to work. This team had a great attitude and a willingness to work.”

           That attitude and work ethic paid off in the end. Colleton Prep lost only one other game during a 7-2 regular season. They avenged a loss to Dorchester Academy in the playoffs, reaching the Class A state title game against Williamsburg Academy.

Many (16) of the starters this season were underclassmen and many also were two-way starters. Steady growth and maturity led to a strong finish.

           “We got a little better every week and we played our best football at the end, which is what you want,” Langdale said. “I’m really proud of this group. We were not very big so we really had to focus on the fundamentals and play with effort.”

           Championship-level teams are good at quarterback and the Warhawks had solid play and leadership from junior Cale Owens, who saw varsity action as a freshman and was the starter in 2024. Owens has been ultra-productive this season, passing for more than 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for more than 1,100 yards and 18 more scores.

           “He’s had a great season,” Langdale said. “I think his experience has been a real plus.”

           Senior Tanner Wolf also produced in the running game with nearly 800 yards and 12 touchdowns. The trio of Perry Corbett, Charlie Walker and Hartman Fisk have been key receivers for Owens. Corbett has 41 receptions for 828 yards and 10 touchdowns while Fisk has 42 catches for 494 yards and Walker has 11 receptions for nearly 200 yards.

           The lone returning starter along the offensive line when the season began was senior Steven Crosby,  a third-year starter. Crosby played center for two seasons before moving to guard this fall. Tackle Grayson Catterton was the other starting senior. Sophomores Austin Murdaugh, Fripp Smoak and Aden Willis round out the starting unit.

           “They came along really well, worked really hard to overcome a lack of size by being good fundamentally,” Langdale said.

What the defense lacked in overall size, they made up for with quickness and effort, says Langdale.

           “We were under 200 pounds at most positions. We played hard and physical. We had to play wide open to be competitive. We bent some but we didn’t break. They played their best game against Dorchester (in the semi-finals).”

  Wolf, Braeden Hiers (51.5 tackles), Everett Temple (44.5 tackles) and freshman Kaiden Kinard were key players up front. Sophomore linebacker Ben Cain is the leading tackler with 56 total hits. Smoak starts at linebacker and had 49 total tackles. Tre Ferguson is the other linebacker.

         Corbett, Owens and Fisk start in the secondary, along with senior Jack Broderick.

          “This is a very competitive group,” Langdale said. “Not just in games but our practices are very competitive as well. They work hard and they love to compete against each other to make everyone better.”

          Colleton Prep’s last state title came in 2011. This season marks the fifth trip to the finals since that last title. The Warhawks were state runner-up in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2022.

          Though Colleton Prep did not play Williamsburg Academy during the regular season, the two teams did scrimmage in August.

“They are well-coached and they have some really good players,” Langdale said. “It’s no surprise they are in the finals.”

Offensive Starters

QB – 1 – Cale Owens

RB – 2 – Tanner Wolf

WR – 3 – Perry Corbett

WR – 8 - Charlie Walker

WR – 4 – Hartman Fisk

TE – 10 – Kaiden Kinard

OL – 61 – Aden Willis

OL – 69 – Steven Crosby

OL – 65 – Grayson Catterton

OL – 76 – Austin Murdaugh

OL – 66 – Fripp Smoak

Defensive Starters

DL – 0 – Braeden Hiers

DL – 2 – Tanner Wolf

DL – 55 – Everett Temple

DL – 10 – Kaiden Kinard

LB – 9 - Ben Cain

LB – 66 – Fripp Smoak

LB – 5 – Tre Ferguson

DB – 3 – Perry Corbett

DB – 4 – Hartman Fisk

DB – 7 – Jack Broderick

DB – 1 – Cale Owens

SCISA Championships

AA

Saturday

at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

in Orangeburg

Pee Dee (8-3) vs. Bethesda (11-0), noon

Class A

Saturday

at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

in Orangeburg

Williamsburg (10-1) vs. Colleton Prep (9-2), 3:30 p.m.

AAA

Saturday

at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

in Orangeburg

Wilson Hall (11-1) vs. Pinewood Prep (9-3), 7:30 p.m.