Wedding & Event Venue Near Camden, SC.

CAMDEN, S.C. — The days of urging businesses and people to migrate south are officially over, or they should be. We’re becoming overpopulated so quickly here that resources are strained, traffic is jammed and people are getting grumpy.

Energy officials recently warned that South Carolina’s power grid is overburdened, and brownouts are likely in our not-distant future. Not all agree on the reasons. State Sen. Tom Davis (R), who is proposing reform legislation, says the problem is bad state policy and poor planning by monopoly utilities.

This might be right, but it’s also true that millions of people are invading the Southeast and raising the demand for housing and utilities. We’re simply in no position to keep growing at our current pace in our current circumstances.

As of June, 2.2 million people had moved to the Southeast in the past two years alone, according to Bloomberg News, and in 2020 and 2021, the nation’s economic center of gravity shifted to the tune of $100 billion in new income to the region. Gee, wow, that sounds excellent, doesn’t it?

But everything comes at a price, especially growth. Yet public officials intone the word “growth” as if it had mystical power and was immune to negative consequences. Migration and population increases are nothing new, of course, but the scale of what’s happening now is sometimes horrifying to those of us who live here.

Allow me to introduce you to my hometown as a microcosm of what’s happening all over the region. Camden is South Carolina’s oldest inland city — the poor man’s Charleston — and its pitch to visitors is “history, horses and hospitality.” In the past couple of years, however, the area has exploded. Some of the resulting change is welcome: Long-ignored buildings downtown are being restored by thoughtful, preservation-minded developers. On the other hand, about a mile up Broad Street, the main drag, where it intersects with Interstate 20, there’s a new crop of hospitality-related edifices that seem to have been designed by Soviet architects.

They are the usual hotels seen at interstate exchanges everywhere, probably not shocking to casual passersby. But the core of Camden is on the National Register of Historic Places and deserves better from those who wish to profit from its hospitality. Ideally, some thought would have gone into matching the style of Camden’s history, which also includes a Revolutionary War park, a section of the American Battlefield Trust’s Liberty Trail, and an abundance of antebellum houses and other notable historic landmarks.

As the fifth of these hotels is constructed, it is a moment to recall Camden’s previous “hotel era” (1882-1941), when wealthy Northerners and Midwesterners “wintered” here with their polo ponies and horses. We have great footing in Camden — that is, sandy soil that allows horses to be run within an hour of heavy rains. These polished visitors were migratory birds who sought better weather for a time, then returned home. Most sat out the winter months at one of three well-staffed hotels, stimulating the local economy while conducting “one giant house party,” as one wag described life at the Kirkwood Hotel.

Of course, few towns demand quality development along interstates, for fear that developers will go elsewhere. But they should realize by now that they can ask for what they want. The growth that started with pandemic migration doesn’t seem to be abating. Elected officials and city managers needn’t apologize for insisting on high construction standards. If fast-food restaurants decide to opt for a cheaper deal at the next exit, then vaya con Dios, amigo.

Drive the roughly 30-mile stretch along I-20 from Camden to Columbia, and you’ll notice that the forestland has been replaced with chock-a-block housing, with nary a tree in sight. Many of these developments not only are offensive to the eye but also are destroying wildlife habitat beyond what should be acceptable. And traffic is becoming a nightmare.

The view is much the same if you take I-26 from Columbia to Charleston. Miles before you reach the coast, the landscape is pocked with developments and industrial installations that can’t even be identified. There seems to be no end to the bulldozing and burning of what nature had provided. South Carolina’s coastline has been thoroughly overdeveloped, increasing the potential toll of the next destructive hurricane.

Charleston, for its part, has become a Disney-fied interpretation of its former grandeur. You can trust that it’s nothing like the original, dowdy and downtrodden though it was. Unquestionably, new people and new money have saved the city’s crumbling architecture from further decay, but the patina, mystery and allure of this old port town are mostly gone. And so it goes until the Southern states will begin to look like all those places the migrating millions have fled. Prettier, perhaps, but thus it has always been.

Oh, well, you say, c’est la guerre. This is the way of things, and it’s not Ukraine or Israel or Gaza. But the South must wake from its multibillion-dollar trance and realize that while growth creates, it also destroys whatever stands in its way.

Camden is still a horsy town with a healthy porch culture, but for how much longer? The 385-acre Camden Training Center is being offered for sale, and one proposal circulating features 800 homes on 200 of those acres. The owner of the property — once owned by Marion duPont Scott, revered horsewoman and wife of actor Randolph Scott — certainly has a right to sell. But a coterie of preservation-minded citizens and “horse people” are hoping for something more creative and, preferably, equine-related.

The battle is on. Small, perhaps, in the scheme of things, but symbolic of all that might be lost to the gods of growth for its own sake and their enablers in banks and city and county governments across the Southeast. The most important challenge now is to manage responsible growth while preserving the integrity of the environment, our history and one thing you can’t buy back once it has sold: quality of life.

The Southeast is at a critical juncture concerning its future. You can see it, feel it, hear it and smell it. Shrugging in resignation at things you think you can’t control isn’t an option. If we don’t control the growth now, we might lose our last chance. Like kudzu, unbridled growth consumes everything in its path.

For now, might we politely suggest that some of you migratory birds wing it westward? California housing prices are dropping, I hear, and the heat there, if you don’t mind wrinkles, is gloriously dry.

The Camden girls basketball team found itself in a little uncharted territory Thursday night.

The top-ranked Bulldogs were playing on the road in the playoffs in front of their most raucous environment in the last three seasons. Camden also had to do it without one of its top players — Zyasia Carter.

But behind South Carolina signee Joyce Edwards and the rest of the veteran supporting cast, the Bulldogs left the Diamond Mine with a 47-28 win over Lower Richland in the third round of the Class 3A playoffs.

“The environment was crazy,” Edwards said. “Personally, I love playing in big environments like this. We just rose to the occasion and that is all that matters.”

It was Camden’s first true playoff road game since 2022 against Orangeburg-Wilkinson. The Bulldogs have won 47 straight games against in-state opponents.

Camden will face Region 6-3A foe Darlington at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Class 3A Lower State championship at the Florence Center. It is the Bulldogs’ third straight semifinal appearance.

Camden was without Carter, the team’s starting point guard who suffered a knee injury in practice on Tuesday and is likely done for the season. She was on the bench with a leg brace and was encouraging her teammates throughout the game. It was the first time she wasn’t in the Camden lineup since the eighth grade.

“We were all brokenhearted taking the floor without Zy,” Camden coach Natalie Norris said. “... We felt like we had some good players and didn’t want to change a whole lot with how we played. But we had to ask people to do a little bit more than they were used to doing.”

Norris moved freshman Braylin Mungo to the point guard slot and moved freshman Shanaryah Wright in the starting lineup. Both played well in their new roles against the Diamond Hornets.

Edwards also helped out handling the ball at times and made shots in the second half. The South Carolina signee finished with 23 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks.

“She (Carter) told us to stand on business and that is what we did. We did it for her,” Edwards said.

The game was a rematch of last year’s Class 3A Upper State final won by Camden, which went on to win the state championship.

Lower Richland came in with a solid game plan, trying to slow it down and move the ball around the perimeter. The Diamond Hornets hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter, including one by Sydney Cunningham at the buzzer to take a 14-10 lead.

But the Diamond Hornets’ next points didn’t come until less than a minute left in the second quarter. By then, Camden built a 25-16 lead going into halftime.

Jhnai Sumter’s 3-pointer cut Camden’s lead to 26-22 with 56 seconds in the third. But the Bulldogs scored the final four points in the third and then Morgan Champion’s 3-pointer put them up, 35-32 with 4:56 left.

Korie Corbett and Jayden Pretty each scored 14 points as Ridge View defeated Wilson, 56-53, on the road in the third round of the Class 4A boys playoffs.

The Blazers will play James Island, which defeated Westwood 75-72 (OT), in the state semifinals at 8 p.m. on Wednesday in the Florence Center.

The Blazers trailed 45-41 with 4:46 left but went on an 8-2 run. Reggie Mack hit two free throws and put Ridge View up 49-47.

Ridge View’s lead was 53-50 and Wilson had a chance to tie but Tristan Thompson missed the game-tying 3-pointer. Thompson finished with 30 points.

James Island 75, Westwood 72 (OT): The Islanders overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to defeat the Redhawks, who were looking for their first trip to the state semifinals.

Westwood led 50-42 going into the fourth quarter and were by two points late in the game. But JI’s RJ Simmons at the buzzer to tie it at 63.

Westwood led 70-68 in overtime but Simmons hit a four-point play to put the Islanders ahead 72-70 with 36.7 seconds left.

The Redhawks had a chance to tie it at the end of regulation but the Islanders stole the inbound pass to end it.

North 81, CA Johnson 66: North used a 15-5 run to start the fourth quarter to advance to the Class A semifinals.

North plays Christ Church at 4 p.m. on Monday at the Florence Center.

This story was originally published February 22, 2024, 10:10 PM.

Grayson White’s name is etched throughout the Camden High School football record books.

Now, the senior quarterback and his teammates have another chance to finally get that elusive state championship ring.

White rushed for four touchdowns and running back Averee Hickmon added two scores as the Bulldogs defeated Brookland-Cayce, 46-30, on Friday in the Class 3A lower state championship game.

Camden will play Daniel in the state title game on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at S.C. State’s Oliver Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.

“We have a bunch of goals that Coach (Brian) Rimpf sets for us throughout the season,” White said. “The top one is a state championship. I’ve been a lower state champion, rivalry champion, but I haven’t got that championship ring yet. So that’s definitely the goal.”

It’s Camden 17th state championship appearance in school history and third in the last five years. All three of those state title games have come against Daniel.

White, a converted linebacker, has been the Bulldogs’ quarterback the past three seasons. This year, he’s accounted for more than 4,000 yards of offense and 54 touchdowns.

Against B-C, White was 21-of-27 for 309 yards and 20 carries for 69 yards. He also ran in a pair of two-point conversions.

“I hope every coach has a chance at some point in their coaching career to have a player like our No. 15 (White),” Rimpf said. “Whenever Grayson White is on the field, we feel like we are going to win the game. He set almost every record or at least tied everyone at Camden High for quarterback play. And we have a long, rich tradition.

“We’ve got one more game together. We are excited.”

Camden’s offense was hard to stop most of the night and didn’t punt once. The Bulldogs scored on their first four drives, the last touchdown coming on Hickmon’s 25-yard on fourth-and-2 to make it 30-14 with four minutes left in the second quarter.

B-C answered quickly as Will Young scored on a 25-yard run on fourth-and-3, and the Bearcats made the two-point conversion to cut the deficit to 30-22. Young finished with 123 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bulldogs looked to score right before half as White hit Aidan Heriot on a long pass play, but B-C’s DeShaun Washington stripped the ball and Jvonn Edwards recovered it inside the 10-yard line.

The Bearcats’ defense came up big to start the second half as they forced two more turnovers with Camden driving inside the 20-yard line. The Bulldogs’ defense didn’t allow B-C to capitalize.

Hickmon scored his second TD of the night and a two-point conversion put Camden up 38-22. He finished with 73 yards rushing.

Heriot led Camden with six catches for 128 yards. Ja Mayrant had nine catches for 69 yards.

B-C didn’t go away and Washington scored on a 5-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut the Camden lead to 38-30. Washington rushed for 75 yards.

But the Bearcats never got the stop they needed. Camden scored on its next drive, a five-yard run by White on fourth-and-2. Camden converted on a pair of fourth downs in the drive.

The senior flexed his muscles as he crossed the goal-line to put the game away.

“I had to let them know we can run the ball too,” White said of the gesture. “We can beat them at their game.”

The loss ended Brookland-Cayce’s season at 11-3. The Bearcats were making their third state semifinal appearance under coach Rusty Charpia.

“Of course we are disappointed because we felt like we had a chance,” Charpia said. “But Camden is a good team, well-coached and you can’t take anything away from them.

“... I’m proud of my guys and the season we had.”

This story was originally published November 24, 2023, 11:44 PM.

ORANGEBURG – Daniel football made a defensive play to win the state championship.

Three other ones made it possible.

The Lions stopped a two-point conversion in overtime Saturday night to beat Camden, 49-48, at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium and take their third Class AAA title in four years. Daniel finished a perfect 15-0 season and in fact has lost only one game in this four-year dynasty.

To get to the extra period, though, Daniel had to find some way to knock Camden (11-4) off schedule. The Bulldogs, mostly with their power running game led by 250-pound quarterback Grayson White, never punted.

But he was intercepted three times. And that was the difference. All three were critical.

Tremaine Davis Jr. had two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown and another in the end zone. Isaac Turner had another on a tip by teammate Preston Rollins. Daniel turned those into 21 points, including a possible 14-point swing on the second interception by Davis.

“Our defense has been working so hard,” Daniel coach Jeff Fruster said. “They’ve been opportunistic all year. We definitely won the turnover margin for the season and until lately, it wasn’t even close.”

Daniel went up, 28-14, in the second quarter on the 51-yard touchdown by Davis.

“I felt like it was a momentum-changer,” Davis said. “After that, we got on a roll. It was one of the biggest plays, I think.”

On a quick pass toward the Camden sideline, Davis jumped into the route and never stopped until he got to the back of the end zone.

“I’ve been talking all week about how I was going to get that pick,” Davis said. “I’ve been watching film every day. I just knew they were going to do that play and I saw it coming.”

In the fourth quarter, Davis intercepted a fourth down throw to the end zone by White.

“I should have batted it down. Honestly, I thought it was third down,” Davis said. “But I just wanted the ball so bad.”

LIGHTNING STRIKE:Westside football's lightning-strike offense has finest moment in winning Class AAAA state title

Turner said he had a serious case of pregame anxiety that was still there during the first half.

“I had some jitters,” Turner said. “I just had to shake that off at halftime and get myself ready. It’s always hard for me to get going right off the bus, but guys were talking to me and helping me out.”

Turner's interception led to the second of three TD runs by Jakari Bennett and put Daniel up by 14 points again in the third quarter.

“I think it’s natural to have a little bit of jitters, especially on a stage like this,” Fruster said. “You just have to overcome that, which I feel like we did. We talked Friday about not letting your anxiety outmatch your hunger.”

CAMDEN — Camden star Joyce Edwards, the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2024, is staying home.

Edwards, a 6-foot-2 forward, committed to South Carolina women's basketball and coach Dawn Staley on Wednesday, choosing the Gamecocks out of a top three that included LSU and Clemson.

She is South Carolina's highest-rated signee since No. 2 Raven Johnson in the Class of 2021 and the sixth top-5 recruit since 2019.

Edwards is the highest-rated prospect from the Palmetto State since A'ja Wilson, who was ranked No. 1 overall in 2014. She averaged 28.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.9 assists in her junior season, when she led Camden to the 3A state championship. She also helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer alongside Gamecocks sophomore Chloe Kitts.

Staley has now signed six of the state's top-35 prospects since 2014 and seven of 10 since she took over the program in 2008. The Gamecocks have signed a player from the state in each of their past three classes, most recently Columbia native MiLaysia Fulwiley, the No. 13 prospect in the Class of 2023.

They signed two other top-100 players last week: No. 12 Madisen McDaniel and No. 33 Adhel Tac.

McDaniel, a 5-9 point guard from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was South Carolina's first commitment in the class. She averaged 18.6 points, 5.4 assists, 5.2 steals and 4.3 rebounds per game in her junior season at Bishop McNamara.

Tac, a 6-5 center from Grand Prairie, Texas, once ranked as high as No. 12 but dropped after she missed most of her junior year with an undisclosed season-ending injury. She averaged 14.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a sophomore in 2021-22.

After graduating its entire 2022-23 starting lineup, the No. 1 Gamecocks opened the 2023-24 season with two blowout victories over top-25 teams. They beat No. 14 Notre Dame 100-71 in Paris on Nov. 6, then set program records for points scored and margin of victory against a ranked opponent in a 114-76 rout of No. 19 Maryland.

South Carolina (2-0) hosts Clemson (3-0) at Colonial Life Arena on Thursday (7 p.m., SEC Network) and will be playing for its 13th straight win in the series.

Follow South Carolina football beat reporter Emily Adams on X @eaadams6 and subscribe to The Greenville News for exclusive Gamecocks content: https://subscribe.greenvilleonline.com/offers.

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