Coach Jackie Hayes
Dillon head football Coach Jackie (Coach) Hayes will begin his 26th season at Dillon.
Coach has 291 wins under his belt with only 52 losses at the school where he once was quarterback.
In fact, in November, 1979, Jackie tossed 13 completed passes in a row.
This season Coach Hayes should pick up his 300th win.
The Dillon Wildcat football team has enjoyed a run of state championships for four years in a row and lost last year in the bid of a fifth year 29-27 to Chapman in Columbia last December.
The Dillon varsity football team has been blessed with great players and great coaches.
Dillon has seen very little turn-over in the coaching staff in many years. Zach Hayes is the assistant athletic director and running backs coach while Jason Gunter returns for his 47th year for the offensive line along with Norman Quick. Alan McLaurin, in his 23rd year, heads up the receivers and is assisted by Ryan Young. Kelvin Roller is in charge of the quarterbacks and also serves as offensive co-coordinator.
Coach Marty McIntyre, who graduated from Dillon, heads up the defense while Chris Ray coaches the defensive line. Lee Page is in charge of the defensive backs, and Lee Spivey is in charge of the linebackers. While attending any Dillon varsity game, one will see Mott German who is know as the “Team Mom,” and Maurice Bethea is the team psychologist.
In preseason Dillon is ranked number 2 in 3A football.
In June of this year, senior defensive lineman ZaReon Hayes, 6 ft. 2″, 235 pounder, committed to Appalachian State. Hayes also doubles as a running back and Wildcat quarterback. Dillon returns five starters on offense and five starters on defense.
Dillon has been working all summer long preparing for the upcoming football season. Dillon has participated in seven-on-seven passing competitions this summer. Not only have the players been working hard this season but also the coaching staff has been very dedicated to preparing Dillon for the upcoming season.
Dillon will host Hartsville here this Friday. Dillon will also scrimmage Scotland County on Thursday, August 10, in the Lumberton Jamboree. The Wildcats will play Lamar in the Jamboree to be held in Bennettsville on Friday, August 11.
Coach Daryl King
The defending Class A Lake View Wild Gators led by Head Coach Daryl King is preparing for yet another great season of football.
The Wild Gators lost some top players from last season such as Player of The Year quarterback Duane Nichols who led the offense with his outstanding play. Running back Tyshawn McDaniel who played extremely well in the playoffs is also gone.
Lake View’s top rusher Randall Washington also graduated. In fact, Lake View will return only 37 of the 59-member state championship team from last year.
Lake View should once again be competitive this year but must work to find replacements for key personnel no longer with the team.
Head football coach Daryl King, a 1994 graduate of Lake View, has won 76 games and lost only 37.
Coach King was a member of the 1991 state championship team as a player. He has participated in three state championships as a coach. Last December he picked up his first state championship. Lake View lost under his leadership in 2011 and 2014.
King coached as an assistant to Coach Jewell McLaurin. When McLaurin retired in 2007, King took the leadership role of head coach of the great Lake View Wild Gators.
Coach King and his coaching staff always stress discipline, hard work, and commitment to the game.
Lake View is preparing for the upcoming football season and attempting to fill the void left by so many great players.
Dillon Christian School Athletic Director Christian Wolfe
The Dillon Christian School Warriors, defending SCISA Class A state champions (13-0 last year), are poised and ready to repeat as state champions again this year. However, the Warriors must replace two of the best players ever at the school…quarterback Michael Minges and linebacker Luke Price.
Athletic director and varsity head football coach Christian Wolfe has a lot of senior returners from last season and is ready for the season to begin. The experience that his seniors possess will aid in preparing the younger guys for a great season. Senior Diaz Alexander, quarterback and defensive back, weighs only 150 pounds and is 5’7″, is returning this season.
Last year he rushed for over 1,200 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. He had 14 interceptions on defense.
Senior linebacker Garrett Collins had 91 tackles last year. He also had a sack. Collins is 5’10’ and weighs 165 pounds.
Senior receiver Wolfe caught 29 passes for 660 yards and scored 9 touchdowns. He weights 140 pounds and is 5’8″.
Senior offensive lineman Evan Paul had 30 tackles on defense last year. He has worked in the weight room since last year and has added a great deal of strength. He should be quite impressive on the offensive line. He weighs 245 pounds and is 5’10”.
There is seven returning starters from last year’s squad including Jared Ivey, John Rourke, Hamilton Hodge, Montez Alford, Gage Hunt, Corbin Washington, and Walt Bailey (who also plays offensive tackle). Evan Paul, Diaz Alexander, Bryan Davis, and Garrett Collins also play offense and defense.
Junior kicker George Bazemore returns from last year’s squad where he scored 61 points. He also serves as the placekicker. Senior left tackle Samuel Coleman also returns from the state champs of last year plus Ereck Eck who anchors the right guard spot for the Warriors.
The Dillon Christian School Warriors will host Dorchester Academy on Friday, August 18.
Latta High School Head football coach Brandon Iseman
The Latta Vikings varsity football team under the direction of Coach Brandon Iseman won 8 games and lost only 4 during last season. In round one of the AA playoffs Latta defeated Calhoun County and lost to Bamberg-Erhardt in round two.
This season Coach Iseman will be in his third year as head coach for the Latta varsity squad. Prior to coming to Latta he served as a head coach for 2 years and has been coaching for a total of seven years.
Coaching staff members returning from last year include Coach Iseman, Chris German, Donald Cribb, Brandon Page, Robert McIntyre, and Courtney Page. Two new members have been added: Brandon Proctor will be DC and Andy Herring will be LB and JV DC.
The team was very committed to the off-season conditioning, and they have been excited about practice and everything related to football. The much-improved Latta team is anxiously awaiting this season.
Latta lost twelve players from last year’s team. However, Latta possesses a good group of underclassmen, and they work hard each day. The coaching staff stresses the importance of improvement each day from each member of the team in each facet of the game.
“We’re looking for more depth at every position,” stated Coach Iseman.
Latta has a great deal of experience in the skill positions but is short on experience in the offensive and defensive lines.
Latta will host in-county rival Lake View on Friday, August 18.
