By Jim Seay

During the 2004 high school football season, The Columbia Star has chronicled the gridiron play of high school athletes from A.C. Flora, Cardinal Newman, Dreher, Hammond School, Heathwood Hall, and Lower Richland. The following is a salute to the players as selected by thecoaches. Some positions are duplicated.

Offense

Quarterbacks

Brandon Gantt – Heathwood Hall (1,082 yards rushing, 15 TDs/ 1,177 passing, 23 TDs) 3,359 yards total offense – 38 TD responsibility.

Frank Martin – Hammond School (784 yards rushing – 7 TDs/ 1,803 passing – 13 TDs)

Running backs

Nicholas Bethea – Dreher (1,439 yards rushing – 17 TDs)

DeMarcus Jones – Dreher (1,182 yards rushing – 11 TDs)

Nick Theodore – Hammond School (901 yards rushing – 15 TDs)

Mike Culbertson – Cardinal Newman (1, 143 yards rushing, 2 TDs)

Fullback

Tyler Whalen – Heathwood Hall (14 short yardage TDs)

Receivers

J.D Whalen – Heathwood Hall (15 TDs, 2 rushing TDs)

Matt Andrews – Hammond School (927 yards, 8 TDs/ 8 TDs rushing)

Linemen

Allen Wilkerson – Heathwood Hall (49 knockdown blocks)

Lance Lipscomb – Heathwood Hall

Danny Daniels – Lower Richland

Chase Campolong – Heathwood Hall

Gus Herlong – Heathwood Hall

Kicker

Parker Moore – Heathwood Hall (49 PAT, 4 FG, 61 points)

Punter

Matt Andrews – Hammond School (38.6 yards per kick)

DEFENSE

Ends

William Ross – Heathwood Hall (83 tackles)

Robert Dinkins – Lower Richland (79 tackles)

Wilson White – Heathwood Hall (71 tackles)

Linemen

Giacomo Ray - Cardinal Newman (97 tackles)

Nathan Steele - Heathwood Hall (72 tackles, 6 for loss)

Adam Walker – Heathwood Hall (72 tackles, 7 for loss)

Allen Wilkerson–Heathwood Hall (71 tackles, 10 for loss)

Linebackers

Omar Kinlaw – A.C. Flora (125 tackles)

Crawford Prezioso – Heathwood Hall (99 tackles)

Brandon Knox – Hammond School (98 tackles)

Tyler Whalen – Heathwood Hall (89 tackles)

Secondary

David Kirby Free Safety – Heathwood Hall (166 tackles, six blocked kicks)

CB Carter Scott – Hammond School (97 tackles)

Safety Montgomery Morris – Heathwood Hall (89 tackles)

CB Tim Beyerl – Hammond School (64 tackles, 3 int.)

Playing for the north team in the S.C. Independent School’s North/South All Star game Friday night at Sumter’s Wilson Hall are Justin Corley, Joe Hayden, and Chris Scott from Cardinal Newman; Pete Billas, Tom Gandy, and David Strickland of Hammond School and Heathwood Hall’s Tim Beyerl.

In the SC/GA All Stars Border Battle at Macon, GA Saturday, Matt Andrews and Frank Martin will represent Hammond School. From Heathwood Hall are JD Whalen, David Kirby, and Nathan Steele.

Dreher’s DeMarcus Jones will play in the SCADA North/South All Star Game at Coastal Carolina University on December 11.