GreerNews.com - Sports

18 MONTHS AGO, God called Lonnie McGee home. 🐝🕊️

Lonnie McGee, known affectionately around town simply as “Gee,” was a staple in the Greer community.

McGee loved Greer more than anyone has ever loved anything. He adored the city and the community — especially Greer sports.

There were church league basketball games in Greer where “Gee” would run up and down the sidelines, blowing his own whistle and making his own calls.

But who could forget McGee’s larger-than-life presence at Greer High football games, where he would march with and lead the Yellow Jacket band down to the field before kickoff?

Some of the most iconic photos ever taken of McGee show him conducting the Greer High band on Friday nights with his trademark whistle in his mouth.

“There’s a picture of Lonnie holding the state championship trophy in 1994,” recalled former Greer High free safety and city councilman Lee Dumas. “He’s smiling so big in that picture, like it’s the pinnacle of his life. He loved [Greer football], and we truly loved him even more.”

In January of 2025, heaven came calling for McGee. Greer leaders quickly moved to name the city’s football field in his honor.

McGee was a window into what so many aspire to be. When folks saw McGee dancing and laughing, running and jumping down the sidelines, they got a peek at a life lived with abandon — a life free of care, unbound by worry.

At McGee’s field dedication ceremony in October 2025, his presence was felt. Greer High’s band played a medley of Lonnie’s favorite songs. 🎵

Only this time, Gee was leading his favorite band from a different place. A place even better than Greer.

“I know deep down, what I tell people, is that heaven must have needed a drum major,” said Perry Dennis, a close family member of McGee.

“That’s why God called Lonnie home.”

18 days until high school football is back. 🏈

THE LATE 1900’s for Blue Ridge football were defined, largely, by one man: Jim Howard. 🐅🏈

Howard was the football head coach and athletic director at Blue Ridge High School from 1981-97. In that timespan, he became the all-time winningest head coach in program history.

When Howard took over the Tigers in 1981, Blue Ridge had gone without a winning season for over 20 years.

“When I got here, they told me ‘we’ve never won, we don’t expect to win,’” Howard told WYFF-4’s Marc Whiteman. “They just wanted someone to come in and run a good, clean football program.”

Howard did that, but he didn’t agree to the terms of not expecting to win. In his tenure, Howard led the Tigers to 9 winning seasons, 7 playoff appearances, and the first 2 playoff wins in program history.

Howard built lifelong relationships, not just with the over 200 players he coached at Blue Ridge, but with teachers, fans, and so many community members. He quickly won (and kept) the adoration of those at Blue Ridge.

Howard was the head coach in 1986, when Blue Ridge unveiled a brand new school — and in turn, a brand new football facility. He was instrumental in those facilities, especially the new stadium, being developed. Howard coached over 60 games at that field.

No one brought more victories to “The Ridge” in that stadium than Howard.

Fitting, that 25 years after Howard resigned from Blue Ridge, the Tigers’ stadium was named in honor of the man who helped bring it to life.

Howard was there with family and friends as he became immortalized in BR history.

“I’m very humbled. It’s a great honor,” said Howard. “I consider it a tribute to the Blue Ridge community, and all of the coaches and players I had the opportunity to work with.”

19 days until high school football is back. 🏈

20 YEARS AGO, ESPN came knocking on Byrnes’ door. 🗡️🏈

And the Rebels answered.

On a Saturday afternoon at Nixon Field that’s remembered for, perhaps above all else, being BLAZING hot, Byrnes took on Glades Central (FL) in a matchup of top-5 nationally-ranked HS football teams.

ESPN chose to televise the game. For the first time, a true national audience got a chance to see what the 2000s Byrnes dynasty was all about. There wasn’t an open seat at Nixon Field that day.

Highly-touted Byrnes QB W***y Korn threw 3 touchdown passes. Randall Hawkins was Korn’s favorite target on the day, hauling in 9 passes for 149 yards and 2 TDs. An at-the-time unknown freshman Byrnes RB, who we’ll meet later, ran in the game-sealing 10-yard touchdown.

No. 2 Byrnes defeated No. 5 Glades Central, 27-15.

But perhaps the most impressive storyline of the day? What Chris Miller’s Rebel defense was able to do against a Glades Central offense loaded with future D-1 talent.

Miller’s defense held a powerful Raider passing attack to just 97 yards. Glades Central fared no better on the ground, averaging just 1.8 yards a carry.

And that Rebel defense? It was loaded. Absolute units — guys like Stanley Hunter, Jr., Albert Lemus, Chad Diehl, Everett Dawkins — just to name a few. And in the blazing heat, those men introduced the nation to what Byrnes’ “Strike Force” defense was all about.

“When we have 11 guys that wanna get to the ball and a couple backups that have that same mentality, it's gonna be nasty,” said Hunter after the win. “Our defense is great."

"I thought we came out and stopped [Glades’] speed sweep early,” said Byrnes defensive coordinator Chris Miller. “It kind of changed their game plan a little bit."

The Byrnes brand reached new heights that day. But the Rebel dynasty was hardly even halfway over. Coincidentally, it would be Miller himself who would take the reins as HC just a few months after that nationally-televised win.

But once again, we’ll get to that later. We’ve got plenty of time. 🙂 Because there are still…

20 days until high school football is back. 🏈

21 YEARS AGO, Don Frost made Riverside football believe again. 🛡️🏈

After years of Riverside being perennial minnows in a stacked Class AAA, Don Frost was hired as the school’s football head coach and athletic director in 2001.

Frost’s first three years in charge of the program? Just 4 wins and 26 losses.

On the surface, it looked like more of the same for the Warriors. But within the program? The culture was shifting. Things were changing for a Riverside team desperate to compete with the big dogs.

The work was being put in. And that hard work began to bear fruit, beginning with the 2005 season. That 2005 campaign saw Riverside improve and finish 5-5, headlined by a 20-16 upset win over Union County. That put the Upstate on notice — and for good reason.

The next two seasons saw the Warriors play some of their best football in program history. Riverside finished 8-5 in 2006 and advanced all the way to the Class AAA state quarterfinals. In 2007, the Warriors finished 9-3, claiming a historic co-region championship.

Frost’s teams sent dozens of players to play high-level college football and helped bring Riverside into a new era of football relevance in SC.

After Frost departed Riverside in 2008, he was hired as the head coach of Christ Church. He would soon go on to become one of the most successful modern-era coaches in the state.

Frost captured four consecutive state championships with Christ Church from 2011-2014. He led the Cavaliers to a 55-game win streak, a mark that still sits alone as the longest in SC history.

Frost would eventually stop coaching after suffering cardiac arrest in a Memphis, TN airport in 2019.

He remains one of the greats, largely for what he accomplished at Christ Church. But he looks back upon his time at Riverside — and that 2005 season — with a smile and heart full of gratitude.

“Those guys, and those [Riverside] seniors in 2005, they built the foundation for what was to come,” said Frost. “To love and play for each other, that was the job.”

21 days until high school football is back. 🏈

2 FAST. 2 STRONG. Mike Srock, with those simple words, laid the foundation for a Byrnes dynasty. 🗡️🏈

Srock was hired in 1998 as a full time Strength and Speed Coach at Byrnes. That was rare for the time — full-time HS strength coaches — but it proved to be one of the best hires in Byrnes history.

Srock, in his trademark humility, insists that the buy-in from the kids was the real secret to his success as a coach. That likely played a big role.

But Srock revolutionized the idea of HS strength, speed, and conditioning in S.C. His training sessions were hellish and unrelenting, but ultimately, rewarding. He placed heavy priority on what Byrnes athletes did and ate outside of the bounds of school.

And the results were evident quickly.

He insisted that his players would be “too fast, too strong” for opponents to keep up with. That quickly became the case for Byrnes football, which, throughout the 2000’s, began to resemble the shape, size, speed, and athleticism of college programs — all under Srock’s careful preparation and guidance.

Srock stayed in his role at Byrnes from 1998-2021. In that timespan, Rebel athletic programs won a total of 18 state championships, including 8 football titles.

“He’s one of the hardest workers on this Earth,” said former Byrnes football HC Bobby Bentley. “He helped me build the program daily. He made us better because his work ethic was contagious, which in turn built resilient players.”

Srock was honored last week with the SCACA Distinguished Service Award. In 2021, he was inducted into the National High School Strength Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Srock was the sturdy foundation of an era of Byrnes football — and athletics as a whole — that will be near-impossible to replicate.

Srock’s still seen frequently around town and on campus. If you see him at the bank or grocery store, say hi. He’s one of the kindest, most down-to-earth people you’ll meet.

And he knows where his heart will always belong.

“Byrnes is a special, special place,” said Srock. “I’m always going to be passionate about the school and the community. Just like everyone here, I bleed blue.

“Once a Rebel, always a Rebel.”

22 days until high school football is back. 🏈

Dylan Duty almost gave up playing football after his freshman year. 🏈

Now, as a senior, he’s got several college football offers and will anchor a talented Blue Ridge OL as the Tigers look to make noise in Class AAA. 🐅

Blue Ridge High School
Blue Ridge Tigers Sports Network

Duty preparing for big senior year, anchoring Blue Ridge with renewed faith Dylan Duty is a standout offensive lineman for Blue Ridge who, going into this season, has several college offers and will be a centerpiece for the Tigers’ success.

24 YEARS AGO, Byrnes returned to the mountaintop. 🏆🏈

The Rebels took down Conway, 34-28, to win the 2002 Class AAAA Division II State Championship.

Byrnes quarterback Justin Fulbright was golden in the first half. Fulbright connected nonstop with standout WR Bradley Robinson to build a big Byrnes advantage.

The pair of seniors combined for 3 first-half touchdown passes — of 33, 41, and 63 yards — as the Rebels built a 31-14 halftime lead. Conway rallied to make it a game in the end, but Bobby Bentley’s Rebels pulled out a deserved victory when the clock struck zero.

A late stop by Byrnes defense — led by players like LB Drew McClintock, DE Josh Brock, DB Octavius Love, and many other standouts — sealed the win.

This was Byrnes’ first football championship since 1986.

HC Bobby Bentley, a Byrnes grad in his 7th season in charge, had briefly considered retiring when he brought that title back to his Alma mater.

But after getting a taste of his first, Bentley quickly changed his tune.

“I want to get another one now. I said I might retire when I won one, but I'm not going to now," Bentley told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. "We worked too hard to win this one; now I want some more."

And that he got.

2002’s state title would be the first of 4 state titles in a row Byrnes captured under Bentley, from 2002-2005.

This was the also the beginning of a run where Byrnes won 8 state titles in 10 seasons. We’ll circle back around to the back half of that run — and the people who made it possible — later.

24 days until high school football is back. 🏈

26 DAYS Greer’s Travis Perry spent in hospice care.

Perry’s bile duct cancer had returned just months prior. This time around, the disease was relentless… and ultimately, unforgiving.

But before Perry entered hospice care — rounding the corner toward the eternal paradise awaiting him — Greer showed up for Perry. 🐝

The community was shaken by the news of Perry’s deteriorating condition. Greer wanted to show Perry just how much he was loved.

On April 30, 2020, hundreds of Perry’s former and current Greer players, coaches, friends, and students stood outside his home.

They waved to Perry and cheered him on, shouting words of encouragement to a man beloved by all. Perry was a genuine, kind-hearted human being who embodied everything Greer has ever stood for.

Perry was, by all accounts, a Greer boy through and through. He graduated in 1988 after playing quarterback for the Yellow Jackets. He returned almost immediately to become a coach, helping bring home two state titles for Greer — in 1994 as an assistant, and in 2003 as head coach. 🏆

As Perry’s time on Earth waned, however, tributes poured in. Thousands showered Perry and family with adornment and encouragement via social media. Perry never met a stranger, and he made an impact on every life he touched.

“During my time at Greer, Coach P was my rock,” said Sinclair Cannon, Perry’s quarterback during Greer’s 2003 state championship. “Everything I had a question or concern about, he would take a deep breath, lick his lips, clutch his hands together, and give me his honest advice… Whenever my parents couldn’t take me to college visits or to games, Coach P would take me.“

Through an open window, and through tear-stained eyes, Perry watched that day as hundreds whose lives he touched came to love on him in his final moments. They shared stories of Perry and prayed over him.

Perry passed peacefully on May 29, 2020 at the age of 49. He spent 26 years as teacher and coach at Greer.

As head coach of Greer’s football team, Perry would stand at the top of the Dooley Field bleachers with his team — as “2001: A Space Odyssey” blared over the speakers — leading the team on the walk down to the field.

“No better feeling than this, men,” he’d often say to his players as they stepped onto the grass.

Have to imagine that feeling was only topped for Perry one time.

On May 29, 2020, when the pearly gates opened for Perry — and he stepped into eternal life.

26 days until high school football is back. 🏈