The South Florence High School football team earned its first victory of the season on Friday, September 4, defeating West Ashley 41-23. This marks a significant turn for the Bruins under first-year head coach Scott Braswell, who previously served as defensive coordinator at Dutch Fork.
South Florence, which had an 0-2 start to the season with road losses to Hilton Head Island (38-21) and James Island (34-14), now holds a 1-2 record. The team had previously competed for four consecutive AAAA state titles, winning two, under former head coach Drew Marlowe.
Senior running back Cameron James was a key offensive force in the win, rushing for 267 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. Senior quarterback De’Eric Davis contributed with 14 completions on 27 attempts for 122 passing yards, and added 82 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Senior Malik Robinson led the receiving corps with seven receptions for 60 yards. The defense also made an impact, with Thomas Wilson returning an interception for a touchdown against James Island, and another interception by Sammy Milton setting up a touchdown run by James.
Looking ahead, the Bruins are set to face archrival West Florence on September 11 in their Region 7-AAAA opener. West Florence currently holds a 1-2 record after a 35-0 loss to Sumter. Their season began with a 16-14 loss to Carolina Forest, followed by a 49-38 victory over Hartsville in Week 2. In the Hartsville game, Matthew Benjamin rushed for four touchdowns, Jeremiah Bryant added two more rushing scores, and Corey Patterson caught a touchdown pass from Markell Scott. On defense, Evan Deas, Isaac Green, and Jawaun Gamble each recorded an interception. Chad Wilkes is in his second season as head coach for West Florence, having previously won a state championship at Oceanside Collegiate Academy.
Meanwhile, Wilson High School, another Florence team in Region 7, improved its record to 2-1 after a 33-30 win against Darlington. The Tigers, in their second season under head coach Brian Wilson, lost their opener to Hartsville 55-34 but then secured a 21-0 victory over defending AA lower state champion Hampton County. All of Wilson’s points against Darlington came in the second half, with Kayden Bethea scoring on a 72-yard run in the third quarter, followed by a two-point conversion by Mark Law. In the fourth quarter, Taylor Brand caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Nabryson Eliott, and Zyier Lyde scored on a 5-yard run, with Brand kicking the extra point. The Tigers’ defense was led by Quiyon Bryant with 13 total tackles, Jordan Davis with seven tackles including two for loss, and Jabron McFadden with a team-high three tackles for loss. Joseph Wilson also contributed with two interceptions. The Tigers will begin their region schedule on September 18 against Conway.
