PREP NOTEBOOK: Hartsville, Lamar to meet after more than 40-year layoff

After finding out Hartsville would be moving down from Class 4A to 3A, one of the first things Jeff Calabrese did was to make a call to Lamar coach J.R. Boyd.

Calabrese wanted to see if Boyd had any interest in scheduling a game between the two Darlington County schools. Hartsville and Lamar have not played each other in football since the 1960s because it would have hurt the Red Foxes in the Class 4A points system.

“Whether we won or lost it would have been a dropped game for us, which did not make a lot of sense to play,” Calabrese said.

But with the move in classifications, the Red Foxes don’t have to worry about that and the two teams will square off tonight at Donald R. Poole Stadium.

Calabrese said the matchup is good for the two communities and gives Hartsville a strong non-region opponent. In the past years, Hartsville has faced past state champions Byrnes and Myrtle Beach in its non-region schedule.

“We feel Lamar is that type of championship program that we need to play, and they are just down the street,” Calabrese said. “We are very thankful coach Boyd also felt the need to play this game, and hopefully it will continue for many years.”

 West Florence pays tribute to Hart

West Florence will honor former player Austin Hart in a ceremony before Knights’ game Friday against South Florence.

Hart, a four-year letterman for West from 2005-08, died of cardiac arrest from complications caused by his insulin-dependent diabetes in March during his sophomore year at Clemson.

“He was a wonderful kid and a tremendous person,” West Florence coach Trey Woodberry said. “He had a big heart and is missed tremendously.”

Woodberry said the team will present Hart’s No. 78 jersey to his parents, and the players will wear black ribbons with the No. 78 on the back of their helmets.

Familiar faces return

Aundres Perkins and Tymere Zimmerman are back at their old stomping grounds.

Perkins, who played at West Florence, and Zimmerman, who played at Marlboro County have joined the coaching staffs at their old high schools.

Perkins, who later went on to play at Coastal Carolina and some indoor football, is in his first year as an assistant with the Knights and is teaching special education.

Zimmerman, who starred at Newberry and also has played some indoor football, is coaching Marlboro’s junior varsity team and the school’s track team.

S.C. teams to play on ESPN

Three South Carolina teams will be playing on the ESPN family of networks this weekend.

Byrnes, South Pointe and Northwestern will participate in the inaugural ESPN RISE High School Football Kickoff, which will feature 16 teams from seven states and runs today through Sunday.

Byrnes will play Hoover (Ala.) in the first game of a doubleheader at Rock Hill Stadium on Saturday at noon on ESPN. South Pointe, which features the nation’s No. 1 prospect Jadeveon Clowney, will face Northwestern at 4 p.m. That game will air on ESPNU.

Players of the Week

Green Sea-Floyds running back Lasan Reeves and South Florence defensive lineman David Holland were named Morning News Players of the Week for their performances last week.

Reeves rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns in the Trojans’ victory over West Columbus (N.C.). He also returned a fumble 77 yards for a touchdown.

Holland led the Bruins in tackles with 18 as South held Blythewood to 129 yards of offense in the 14-7 loss.

Honorable mention (offense): Jabo Lee (Dillon) and Ernest Wallace (Hartsville)

Honorable mention (defense): Shannon Rodgers (South Florence), Tevin Jenerette (Green-Sea Floyds) and Dexter Scarborough (Hartsville)