Thomas Heyward Has Dominant 12-1 State Championship Football Season

From Staff Reports

Ridgeland – Thomas Heyward Academy completed a highly successful football season, in Taylor Malphrus’ first season as the head coach at his alma mater with a 23-8 win over Williamsburg Academy at Charleston Southern University in mid -November.

Malphrus has been named the HSSR-SCISA Class A Coach of the Year while highly regarded junior prospect Tony O’Banner has been named the HSSR-SCISA Class A Player of the Year. 

Since he was a small boy growing up as lifelong student at Thomas Heyward Academy, Malphrus has lived for Rebels football. Now, he has the memory of knowing he led the Rebels to a state championship in his first year as the head coach.

Malphrus is a 2007 graduate of Thomas Heyward and became a coach inside the football program as a part-time assistant late in the 2015 season. The next year, Malphrus became a full-time coach and was a part of an amazing run of four consecutive state championships from 2018-21. The 2022 team also reached the state finals but finished as the runner-up.

Malphrus stepped away from the program for the 2023 season but was hired as the head coach last spring.



“It’s sort of been a whirlwind season, seems to have gone by quickly,” the coach said prior to the state finals game. “It’s really exciting and a great opportunity for the guys. For me, it’s definitely special because most of these seniors and some juniors were on the first jayvee team that I coached. We went 8-0 and I knew they were a special bunch. Now to be back with them in this season, as their coach, is really special. I am very fortunate to be a part of this program.”

The Thomas Heyward program has won 75 games since the 2018 season. The 76^th win against Williamsburg Academy in the state championship game is a nice number to be proud of.

While far from a one-man show, the Rebels do have one of the best players in SCISA football in junior running back Tony O’Banner, who scored touchdowns on runs of 48 and 52 yards to lead the rebels on offense against the Stallions. He began the season as the quarterback but is a full-time at running back. O’Banner finished the season with 1,970 rushing yards on 155 carries and 27 touchdowns.

“Tony is an incredible player, everyone knows that,” Malphrus said. “But he has plenty of help around him and he would tell you that his success is due to the other guys doing their part. I know we are glad he is on our side.”

QB Boggess has steadily improved as a passer over the course of the season with more than 600 yards and nine touchdowns. Aiding in the run game was s Colton Young who finished the season with 838 yards on 96 carries and 10 touchdowns.  The Rebels, as an offense, rushed for 3,478 yards on the season.

The three primary pass-catchers were Eli McLemore, Josh Gibson and Kelan Fripp with Gibson leading the way with 396 yards and five touchdown receptions on the season.

Malphrus says the offensive line has been a work in progress all season but has seen them play their most consistent football over the last part of the season. Starters along the front include tackles Angus Crider and Dawson Drew, center Jaiden Edwards, and guards Beau Pinckney and Dodge Peeples.

Pinckney also is a team leader defensively, racking up 148 tackles on the season with 14 TFL.  Peeples and Drew were starters along the defensive line, along with freshman Ben Gibson.

O’Banner saw time defensively at linebacker, sharing time with senior Gus Twenge. Fripp is a starting OLB, with Mitchell White (76 tackles) and Owen Palazzo. Fripp finished with 79 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss.

In the secondary are Young and Nicholas Robinson played well at the corners, with Donovan Robinson and Josh Gibson at safety. Gibson and Donovan Robinson each had four interceptions. The Rebels had 19 interceptions during the 2024 season blocked three punts and three field goals this season.

“Our defense has been a solid group,” Malphrus said. “They play hard and are very disciplined. They’re a hungry group. The score of the game doesn’t affect the effort. They go hard from start to stop.”