Sandlapper Shrine Bowl Roster Released For Annual Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Game
South Carolina has another outstanding staff coaching our 2026 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas Sandlapper team.
By Scott Chancey
Special Correspondent
Blackville--South Carolina Shrine Bowl head coach Dwayne Garrick, the head football coach at number one Class A Div. II ranked Blackville Hilda, is more about the team than he is about highlighting specific players. And he is not as much about his honor coaching in the game, as he is about giving praise to those who inspired him in his journey as a high school football coach spanning several decades at numerous high schools across the state.
When it is time for kickoff at 1 p.m. Dec. 19 at Spartanburg High School, his 44-player South Carolina squad battles against North Carolina in the annual charity event, Coach Garrick will be thankful for everything in what will be the 90th edition of the country’s oldest all-star high school football contest that benefits the Shriners Hospital for crippled children in Greenville.
“To me, it will be about all those guys who went before me,” said Coach Garrick, who graduated from Palmetto High. “There are the Keith Richardson’s and other guys that I looked up to. There are coaches like Doug Shaw and Mac Wier, who inspired me as much as anybody.
Coach Garrick, who was an assistant under Coach Weir when the Warhorses reached the 1997 state football finals, recalled his inspiration from Wier.
“He just worked hard at everything he did to give his team’s a chance to win,” Garrick said. “His teams were always disciplined, and it paid off. He was just one of those guys who made sure everything he did was geared toward winning.”
Garrick also has a Shrine Bowl lineup that he thinks is capable of winning the highly competitive game with bragging rights on the line.
State championship quarterbacks Xavier Means (Northwestern), and Jaxon Knotts (Dutch Fork) will rotate behind center. Means is a commitment to East Carolina. Knotts passed for 1,234 yards and rushed for 221 more for 22 total touchdowns through the first five games this season. And Means has passed for 1,066 yards and rushed for 315 more for 17 total touchdowns. during the first five contests.
Running Backs will feature Tiyon Fanning (Lugoff-Elgin), James Madison pledge Jayven Williams (Summerville), and Rutgers commitment Trenton Lynch of (Spartanburg). Through five games, Fanning rushed for 860 yards and 11 scores, and Williams has rushed for 699 and seven touchdowns.
Seven wide receivers are on the team, and they include Khristian Jackson (Ridge View), Coastal Carolina commitment Eric Richardson Jr. (Lugoff-Elgin), Royce Williamson (Gray CollegiateAcademy), Virginia pledge Tajeh Watson-Martin (Westside), Xavier Huggins (Powdersville), Appalachian State commitment Kyson McLeod (South Aiken) and Tyquarius Shannon (FairfieldCentral).
Tight ends are Sam Crompton (James Island) and Ja'Shon Williams (Hampton County).
Here are the Shrine Bowl selections on the offensive line: Georgia commitment Ty Johnson (Lucy Beckham), South Carolina commitment James Ross Jr. (Ridge View), C.J. Brooks (Gaffney), Navy commitment Nolan Giet (Summerville), Reed Paolucci (Blythewood), Hayden Crockett (Hilton Head), Liberty commitment Israel Harris (James Island) and Jeffery Williams (Loris).
Defensive line selections are Simeon Jones (North Augusta), East Carolina commitment James Porter (Dorman), Ray Harris (South Aiken), Tyrone Jennings (Irmo), Miami commitment Jaiden Bryant (Irmo), and Clemson commitment Jaden Wuerth (Dutch Fork).
Linebackers are Kendaris Bailey (Gaffney), K.J. Burg (Northwestern), Antwoine Tarrence (Dorman), Myjae McCoy (Marlboro County), Yachin Gamble (Crestwood), Jayden Wertz (Powdersville), and Andrew Massey (Hilton Head Island).
Defensive backs are James Madison pledge Kaiden Watkins (Rock Hill), Jeremie Jean (Woodland), Amari Dogan (South Pointe), Colorado commitment Jaiden Kelly-Murray (OceansideCollegiate Academy), Brian McMillian (Bamberg-Ehrhardt), Clemson commitment Christian Chancellor (Daniel), and Michael Pembleton of (Andrew Jackson).
Specialists are combo-kicker Noah Hardy (Fort Mill) and long-snapper Charles Bieda (White Knoll).
Coach Garrick will be assisted on the Sandlapper squad by Bamberg-Ehrhardt head coach Corey Crosby, Dorman head coach Jason Farmer, Woodland High head coach Eddie Ford, Powdersvillehead coach Robert Mustar, Fairfield Central head coach Demetruis Davis, and Woodmont head coach Andy Hallman.
