With three Class A state titles on his resumé, J.R. Boyd’s return to the sideline at Lamar undoubtedly changed expectations in the community and on the team.
A season-opening 42-0 loss to two-time defending Class 2A state champion Cheraw might have changed them back.

A year after shattering nearly every school record last, the young Hartsville offense has started to turn the corner. The Red Foxes’ point totals have increased each week — from 14 to 27 to 35 to 55 last week against Wilson.

The Darlington Falcons had the best of all possible scenarios late in the fourth quarter of their game against Lamar. The Falcons had the lead, the ball deep in Lamar territory and the Silver Foxes were out of timeouts. All that changed in one play.

The Darlington Falcons christened their new home with a 14-7 win over McBee last week, their first victory of the season. Now they’re hoping to carry some of that momentum to a Friday night showdown against county rival Lamar in the Morning News Game of the Week.

For the Lamar Silver Foxes, Friday’s game marked the return of legendary coach J.R. Boyd. For the Cheraw Braves, it marked the return to business as usual. The defending 2A state champs routed Boyd’s Silver Foxes to open the season at Donald R. Poole Stadium.

There were plenty of people who felt bad for Charlie Poole a few months ago when he lost his job as Lamar’s football coach. The man who took Poole’s place — J.R. Boyd — didn’t publicly garner nearly as much sympathy.

J.R. Boyd left an indelible mark on the Lamar football program in his first tenure there, capturing three straight Class A state titles. Now, he begins anew.

With J.R. Boyd back in charge of the program, thoughts of returning to the state championship are probably on the minds of every Lamar football fan. They’ll get an early chance to see how realistic those expectations are.

J.R. Boyd is back in Black and Silver.  The Silver Foxes have their championship coach, but many other questions remain as they prepare for their Week Zero opener against Cheraw.

Former Lamar standout Jeff Jeffords was one of the 17 players and coaches ejected during the first inning of Thursday night’s brawl in a minor league baseball game between the Dayton Dragons and the Peoria Chiefs.

Jeff Jeffords clearly is enjoying being a minor-leaguer. The former Lamar and South Carolina standout is in his second season in the Cincinnati Reds organization and likes the life that goes with it, including long bus rides, staying in cheap hotels and showing up to the park three or four hours before a game.

If you turned back the clock four years, seeing J.R. Boyd lead Lamar in a spring practice wouldn’t look so out of the ordinary. But after three years away from the position where he won three state titles, you can’t blame Lamar fans if they crack a smile to see him back.