Porter Gaud still looking to play complete game

Neill Kirkpatrick • October 7, 2024

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By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Charleston – The Porter Gaud Cyclones are maybe a quarter and a half away from being undefeated this season but head coach Brad Bowles knows his team still has a lot of work to do if they are to accomplish their goals this season.

“We have played some good football teams but we have not played our best. We still have lapses, missed assignments but we are getting better,” Bowles said. “We have some good football players and when we play to our abilities we can be very good but we have not put a full game together.”

That quarter and half of football was against top ranked and reigning SCISA AAAA state champion the Hammond Skyhawks. In three possessions the Skyhawks turned a tie game into a twenty-point lead in route to a 27-15 victory.

Since that that game Cyclones have ripped off three straight lopsided wins including handing AAAA Bishop England it is only lose 34-14.

Offensively, the Cyclones are led by a road grading offensive line of Frank Schmidt, Haze Marchant, Alexander Stiglic, James Temple, and Kyler Boggan. They get off the ball well and get to the second level to allow their backs to gain junks of yardage. They have paved the way to the tune of 2704 yards.

JJ Fludd and Tony Brown have been the primary beneficiaries of the offensive lines work. Fludd, the 50^th ranked player in the state by the HSSR, has rushed 1092 yards and 17 touchdowns while Brown has rushed for 748 yards and 10 touchdowns. They are averaging over 10 yards a carry.

Quarterback Nolen Shuman has shown the ability to hit the big play in the passing game but his forte is running the option. He does a great job reading and getting the ball in the hands of his backs. He has over 700 yards of total offense.

The defense has gotten better as the season has gone on. They have only given up 33 points in the last three games after giving up 99 points in their first four games.

Leading the defense are sophomore Daven Brown, seniors Hugh Buxton, Chase Anderson, and Mills Knapp and sophomore Julian Buxton. Knapp and Anderson lead the team in tackles with 69 and 60 respectively while Brown leads the team in sacks and Julian Buxton leads the team in tackles for loss with 10.

Cyclones are headed to undefeated Northwood Academy (7-0,3-0) on Friday night in what will be the game of the night in the low country.

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By David Shelton • July 30, 2025

By David Shelton Senior Writer Charleston – First Baptist School has new leadership within its football program and athletic department for the coming 2025-26 school year. Kevin Mapp was hired as the new head football coach in the early spring and Jay Godbolt was hired as the new athletic director at the start of the summer. Mapp has extensive coaching experience on both the college and high school levels while also working in law enforcement. First Baptist is his first head coaching position. Mapp last coached defensive linemen at James Island Charter High and has had coaching stints at James Madison, Hampden-Sydney, Georgetown, Marshall, Missouri State and Coastal Carolina. Mapp graduated from James Madison and was a defensive lineman on the 2004 Division I-AAA (now FCS) national championship team. “Coaching has always been my passion,” Mapp said. “Ever since I was playing, I wanted to be a coach. I have always found a way to coach while working in law enforcement. I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunities to do both.” Mapp has been with the Charleston County police department for the last 10 years. He took some time away from coaching to start a family. “I felt like First Baptist was the perfect fit for me and my family,” Mapp says. “It’s a great opportunity at a great place. The kids here work hard and there is a lot of support from the administration. I’m excited to be the head football coach at First Baptist.” Mapp has hired coordinators on both sides of the ball. Will McCombs , once the head coach of the program, will call the offensive plays. Chris Hart comes over from James Island as the defensive coordinator. “Our numbers are improving and the kids are working hard,” Mapp said. “I feel like we can be a competitive team. It’s year one of the building process.” Godbolt has been a coach and athletic director in the Charleston area for nearly two decades. As the boys basketball coach at Charleston Collegiate, Godbolt coached three state championship teams. He also has been a coach and athletic director at Lowcountry Leadership Academy. Godbolt has more than 450 career victories as a head basketball coach. Current First Baptist basketball coach Antoine Saunders was Godbolt’s assistant at Charleston Collegiate.