The Dutch Fork football program has become a dynasty, winning six out of the past seven state championships. The Silver Foxes didn’t lose to an in-state opponent this year and defeated Fort Dorchester 47-10 in the Class 5A championship game. “It never gets old,” says coach Tom Knotts.
Sports provide awards, accomplishments, and benefits not often found in other walks of life. With the salaries of professional players skyrocketing to astronomical numbers and the newly minted NIL deal in college sports, for now, high school athletics remain the purest form of sports competition. High school athletes may hope one day to be the featured one on a college campus or a professional playing field, but honing those skills as a 15, 16, 17, or 18-year-old still brings opportunities for glory and triumph. And it means something to the schools, communities, and towns that are able to find athletic success.
Reflecting on the 2022-2023 school year, several team and individual state championships were awarded in the Midlands area, while others came very near their goal. Here is a look at the highest level of achievement across Kershaw, Lexington, and Richland counties since the South Carolina High School League started handing out state championships in early November.
The Midlands area was home to the 2022 Class 5A girls golf individual state champion when Blythewood freshman Caroline Hawkins earned the top honors. She fired a 1-under par 143 to win by one shot and give the Bengals their first-ever individual state champion in golf. Caroline finished fifth in the state as an eighth grader the previous year. Chapin finished as state runner-up in the team scores with Mia Andrade and Lilly Black both finishing in the top 10.
Boys and girls swimming didn’t see any teams take home top honors, but several competitors were individual winners. A.C. Flora’s Tate Darden won the state championships in Class 4A 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke. The Falcons’ Hannah Montgomery won the 100-yard breaststroke for the girls. Dutch Fork’s Kate Bogan was also a two-time winner in Class 5A. She won the individual 50-yard freestyle, then teamed with Ava McCarty, Joani Oliver, and Emily McMahan to win the 200-yard freestyle event. Chapin’s Simon Thompson was also a two-time champion, placing first in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. River Bluff’s Maecy Wells won the girls 100-yard butterfly.
Dreher had a season of firsts in boys cross-country. The Blue Devils won the Class 3A team title as well as top individual honors when Sam Kolowith finished first in the statewide meet. It was the first boys cross-country championship for a Richland One school since 1985. Seniors Liam Jones and Ivan Diaz also earned All-State honors for Dreher.
The Lexington girls cross-country team captured the Class 5A state championship after finishing state runner-up the past two seasons. The Wildcats had four top 15 finishers with Kendra Miles leading the way. Lydia Metz, Laurel Walls, and Ava Kanikar all made All-State.
“We finished state runner-up the past two years and were getting tired of silver,” says Lexington coach Tanner Graham. “They worked tirelessly day in and day out to achieve their goal. They put in the hard work.”
Lexington volleyball made a historic run in the Class 5A state championship bracket. After finishing second to River Bluff in region play, the Wildcats stormed through the lower state bracket to reach the finals against Dorman. Lexington lost that match in straight sets but along the way accomplished some great feats.
The Wildcats won on the road at Wando, something that hadn’t been done in at least two decades. It was the second time Lexington made the state finals since 2019, but they are still looking for their first-ever volleyball state championship. “It was really special. We hadn’t beaten Wando at their place in 25 years,” says Lexington coach Eric Shick. “That was a good experience for the girls. Not a lot of people expected us to be there. We peaked at the end and played our best volleyball at the right time. I’m proud of the effort they showed until the end.”
Girls tennis saw the Midlands have another special run by an individual in the state tournament. Dreher’s Mary Kat Stricklin powered through the Class 3A/2A/A state bracket and lost a three-set tiebreaker in the championship match to finish as a state runner-up.
Lexington, River Bluff, and Chapin finished 1-2-3 for competitive cheer in Class 5A. It marked the sixth straight season that teams from that region swept the top honors. Lexington’s win was the first state championship since 2020. Coach Leigh Watson credits the Wildcats’ success to the support they receive. “It’s not lost on me that not every school has that. So, we’re very blessed to have the support of the administration,” says Leigh.
Gray Collegiate won the Class 2A title for the first time in school history. “It was a lot of work,” says Gray Collegiate coach Griffin Woods. “We practiced five days a week from June all the way until late November, with the exception of the dead weeks. It takes so much time, and they even put time in on their own outside of regular practice. It took a lot of dedication to pull it all together.”
Next up was Dutch Fork flexing its muscle on the football field, something we’ve grown accustomed to over the past seven years. The Silver Foxes won five straight state titles from 2016-2020. They made the finals in 2021 but came up just short before redeeming themselves with a vengeance this past season. The Silver Foxes didn’t lose to an in-state opponent and defeated Fort Dorchester 47-10 in the Class 5A championship. “It never gets old,” says Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts. “Every one is special, especially a state championship. After what happened this past year, it was our focus. It was our drive, and there wasn’t a day that went by that we didn’t talk about it, that we didn’t reflect on it, and that we didn’t try to learn from our mistakes. This was the result of it — a 47-10 thrashing.”
The Silver Foxes were led by Jarvis Green, one of the most successful running backs in the area in recent memory. Jarvis has signed to play at Clemson. He battled early season injuries but finished with 2,272 yards rushing and 33 touchdowns. He also added 36 receptions for 527 yards and six scores. He accounted for 92 touchdowns in his career. He scored four touchdowns in the state title game. The defense was led by Chandler Perry, Landon Danley, and Jaylen Hinton.
Girls basketball was one of the more successful sports in the Midlands this season. Westwood was state runner-up in Class 4A. Keenan, Lower Richland, A.C. Flora, and Spring Valley all made the state semifinals in their respective classifications, and Gray Collegiate won the 2A championship, their first in school history. Jordan Mintz and Maliyiah Mason each scored 11 points that helped lead Gray Collegiate to the 40-32 victory over Bishop England. “For a first-year head coach, it’s a coach’s dream,” says War Eagles coach Brandon Wallace. “Obviously you get a job, and you want to build a program that competes for state championships. These girls believed in it, they trusted the process, and it ended up working out for us.”
Maliyiah says that the belief that this team could do something special started in early January when region play began. They lost to Keenan twice in region play but closed out the season by winning 10 in a row, including a victory over the Raiders in the Upper State championship. Nine of the 10 wins came by double digits.
“I didn’t think we would be here. Picking up little pieces and putting it together helped us. Coach Wallace coming in and being a good role model for us, figuring out our strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out what’s best for us — it feels good to get here and say we are champions,” says Maliyiah. “At region play, I felt like everybody stepped up. Everybody played their role, and going down the stretch, we realized we’re here. We came together, figured it out, and look where we are now.”
Boys basketball wasn’t far behind in success. Irmo won the Class 4A state championship, the sixth under legendary coach Tim Whipple but first since 2013. Lexington and Keenan made the state semifinals, and Gray Collegiate again won state, the fifth in the past six seasons. Avantae Parker and Braylhan Thomas each scored 13 points, and Gray Collegiate pulled away late for a 53-43 victory over Oceanside Collegiate in the Class 2A title game.
“I’m happy for all our kids at Gray Collegiate Academy. It’s truly a family there. There’s nothing like seeing those kids have the success they’ve had,” says Gray Collegiate coach Dion Bethea.
It was an emotional season at Gray Collegiate for a number of reasons for the War Eagles. Mychael Mitchell collapsed on the court with a seizure during a Jan. 17 game against Keenan and missed several games before returning to the lineup late in the season. He started the championship game and put up seven points, three rebounds, and two steals.
Assistant coach Louis Dreher was diagnosed with colon cancer and is going through chemotherapy. He was on the bench with the War Eagles, and the long-time area coach was able to celebrate another championship.
“We definitely wanted to win one for Mike and Coach Dreher, who is battling cancer — we wanted to get this championship,” says Dion.
Irmo won the Class 4A crown with a dominant performance over Lancaster. “This entire year, we tried to live in the moment. We didn’t look ahead. We didn’t look behind,” says Tim. “We didn’t let the good things or the bad things bother us. We never worried about what was ahead; we took care of the business that was in front of us.”
Track and field turned out to be a championship bonanza for the Midlands area, especially schools in Richland District Two. The Spring Valley boys repeated as the Class 5A state champions, while the Blythewood girls team dominated the Class 5A competition in winning the program’s first-ever state title. The Richland Two dominance carried over to the Class 4A girls, where Ridge View and Westwood tied for the state championship with 70 points.
Dreher boys took home the Class 3A state championship. Sam Kolowith won the 1,600 and 3,200, and he was also part of the 4x800 winning relay team.
Spring Valley’s Nigel Ancrum, a Tennessee signee, won the 100- and 200-meter dashes and was a part of two relay championship teams. Blythewood’s Arianna Williams won the 200 and 400 and was part of the 4x400 relay team in leading the girls to the state title. Westwood’s Brianna Rodriguez won gold in the 100 and 400 hurdles, while Ridge View’s Dania Staley won the 200- and 400-meter races.
River Bluff baseball capped the 2022-2023 athletic season in the Midlands with a sweep of Blythewood for the Class 5A state championship. The Gators were making their third appearance in the finals in the 10-year history of the school, and this was their first title.
Beau Hollins, son of former major leaguer Dave Hollins, hit 18 home runs in the season. Thomas Powell, a South Carolina commitment, shined on the mound and at the plate. Andrew Vaughan was the winning pitcher in the clincher and picked up a save in the first game.
“We have been so close here,” says River Bluff coach Mark Bonnette. “This was our third time to get to play for it, and there has been some heartbreak. But this team was special, and we were able to finish it.”
A hearty congratulations to all of our stellar high school athletes who make the Midlands proud!
