Wedding & Event Venue Near Orangeburg, SC

This week’s South Carolina High School League football state championship games are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at S.C. State’s Oliver Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.

Listed times are for game kickoffs; TV broadcasts begin on the hour or half-hour

? Class 2A: Barnwell (13-1) vs. Clinton (11-2), 2:06 p.m. Thursday

About Barnwell: The Warhorses are making their first championship appearance since making back-to-back trips in 2018-19. Barnwell’s last state championship came in 1988. Barnwell QB Cameron Austin, the Class 2A Lower State Offensive Player of the Year, has thrown for 2,058 yards and 35 total touchdowns. Running back Nehemiah Brown rushed for 172 yards and a touchdown in last week’s Lower State championship game against Manning. Logan Sturkie leads the team in sacks with six and Damajahi Devoe has a team-high four interceptions. Barnwell’s lone loss this year came against Class 4A South Aiken.

About Clinton: The Red Devils are in their first championship game since winning it all in 2009. Clinton has won eight state championships, tied for seventh-most all-time in state history. Head coach Cory Fountain won two state championships as a head coach at Lamar and has four straight 10-win seasons with the Red Devils. Offensive lineman Tre Aiken has several Power 4 offers, including South Carolina. Running back Javen Cook has rushed for a team-high 1,740 yards and 21 touchdowns. Brett Young leads the team with 104 tackles. Clinton’s base offense is the shotgun flexbone and averages 340.1 yards per game rushing.

Prediction: Clinton

? Class A: Cross (12-2) vs. Abbeville (12-1), 7:36 p.m. Thursday

About Cross: The Trojans have won a school-record 12 games and are appearing in their second state championship in school history, winning it all in 2012. Cross has outscored its opponents, 564-95, and allowed just 33 points during its 10-game winning streak. Linebacker Karmello Jones was named the Class A Lower State Defensive Player of the Year and has 69 tackles (17 for loss) and two interceptions. He also leads the team in rushing with 1,881 yards and 31 touchdowns. Sophomore QB Tyler Harris has thrown for 1,427 yards and 17 touchdowns. Linebacker William Grant leads the team with 87 tackles and seven sacks.

About Abbeville: The Panthers are making their 17th state championship appearance and going for their 13th title, which would move them into second place all-time in state history, and be their seventh in the last 10 years. Head coach Jamie Nickles is tied with Dutch Fork’s Tom Knotts with eight state titles in South Carolina. The Panthers’ lone loss came against Batesburg-Leesville on Sept. 6. Abbeville’s Demarcus Leach, a South Carolina signee, is the Class A Upper State Defensive Player of the Year and also is the team’s quarterback. Leach has 26 tackles on defense and has thrown for 996 yards and 16 touchdowns, and rushed for 917 yards and 17 scores. Abbeville is averaging 50.1 points a game.

Prediction: Abbeville

? Class 5A Division I: Summerville (13-0) vs. Dutch Fork (12-0), 2:06 p.m. Friday

About Summerville: It’s the Green Wave’s first championship appearance since 2007. They’re looking for their first title since 1998, which was their last unbeaten season. Summerville has won 12 state championships, tied with Abbeville for second-most in state history. Summerville quarterback Jaden Cummings, a Dartmouth signee, has thrown for 2,329 yards and has 44 total touchdowns. Sophomore running back Jayven Williams has rushed for 1,877 yards and 24 touchdowns. They are 0-7 all-time against Dutch Fork, with six of the losses coming in the playoffs.

About Dutch Fork: The Silver Foxes are making their 12th state championship appearance, all under Tom Knotts and all coming since 2012. Dutch Fork is going for its third-straight state title and ninth in school history. The Silver Foxes’ eight titles are tied for seventh-most in state history. Knotts is making his 23rd state championship appearance as head coach, with the other 11 coming in North Carolina. Dutch Fork’s defense has a school-record six shutouts and has a chance to give up the fewest points in a season in school history. The Silver Foxes have allowed 73 points all year. The school record is 94 from the 10-game, COVID-shortened season in 2020. Dutch Fork is allowing 197.8 yards a game and has a pair of Division I signees in linebacker Josh Smith (South Carolina) and defensive back Elgin Sessions (Georgia Tech). Smith leads the team with 91 tackles and tied for team lead in sacks with nine. Daniel Williams leads the team with 26 tackles for loss and is tied with nine sacks. As a team, Dutch Fork has 36 sacks. Running back Maurice Anderson has rushed for 1,032 yards and 19 touchdowns. QB Ethan Offing has thrown for 2,722 yards, rushed for 429 with 30 total touchdowns. Boykin Bickley leads the team with 53 catches for 1,011 yards and seven touchdowns.

Prediction: Dutch Fork

? Class 4A: South Florence (11-3) vs. Westside (13-0), 7:36 p.m. Friday

About South Florence: The Bruins are making their third-straight championship appearance, winning it all in 2022 and losing to Westside last season. South Florence has won 10 or more games in three straight seasons, the longest stretch in school history. The Bruins rallied from a 20-0 deficit to defeat North Augusta, 27-20, last week in the state semifinals. QB Messiah Jackson has thrown for 1,933 yards and 36 total touchdowns. Running back Tre Leonard has rushed for 1,287 yards and 15 scores. Receiver Jayden Sellers, a South Carolina signee, has 1,737 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns. Defensive end Amare Adams, a Clemson signee, leads South Florence with five sacks. Junior Willie Kennedy leads the team with 108 tackles.

About Westside: The Rams are the defending state champions and won their first title since 1969 last year with a win over South Florence. Westside has a 27-game winning streak dating back to last year. The Rams have scored 40 points or more in 11 of their 13 games this season. Quarterback Cutter Woods, a South Carolina signee, has thrown for 3,048 yards and 37 touchdowns. Woods is a finalist for the state’s Mr. Football award. Chamarryus Bomar leads the team with 45 catches for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns. Running back Sharode Richardson has rushed for 1,111 yards and 18 scores. Bomar and Richardson are tied for the team lead in interceptions with three.

Prediction: Westside

? Class 3A: Oceanside Collegiate (10-3) vs. Belton-Honea Path (10-3), 12:06 p.m Saturday

About Oceanside Collegiate: The Landsharks are making their third-straight championship appearance, with the last two coming in Class 2A. John Patterson is the interim coach and took over after Chad Wilkes resigned in August. Two of Oceanside’s three losses came against Irmo and Dutch Fork, which are playing for state titles this weekend. Sophomore quarterback Aiden Manavian has thrown for over 3,181 yards and 38 touchdowns, including five last week in the state semifinal against Loris. Will Virgilio and Peyton Shaw both have 10 TD catches. Virgilio leads the team with 65 catches for 1,030 yards and 10 scores.

About Belton-Honea Path: The Bears are making their second championship appearance, winning it all in 2004. BHP’s only loss came against defending 4A champion Westside. Belton-Honea Path rallied from a 16-7 halftime deficit to defeat Mountain View Prep, 30-22, in last week’s state semifinals. Running back Marquise Henderson, a Clemson signee, has rushed for 1,934 yards and has 2,502 all-purpose yards to go along with 31 touchdowns. Henderson is a Mr. Football finalist and has 6,392 rushing yards and 98 career TDs. Justin Lathon leads BHP with 10 sacks and Kelsey Miles has four interceptions. QB Noah Thomas has thrown for 1,791 yards and 26 touchdowns. Tajeh Watson-Martin leads the team with 41 catches for 883 yards and 13 scores.

Prediction: Oceanside Collegiate

? Class 5A Division II: Irmo (12-1) vs. Northwestern (13-0), 6:06 p.m. Saturday

About Irmo: The Yellow Jackets are making their seventh championship appearance and first since 2006. Irmo won the 1980 title, its lone one in school history. The title game appearance is the second for Irmo coach Aaron Brand, who led Vance (NC) to championship in 2018. Irmo’s lone loss came against Dutch Fork in the regular-season finale. Quarterback AJ Brand, a Virginia Tech signee, was named S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year last week. Brand has thrown for 2,449 yards, rushed for 1,861 yards with 53 total touchdowns. Junior Donovan Murph leads the team with 88 catches for 1,205 yards and nine touchdowns. Murph is reclassifying into the Class of 2025 and will announce a college commitment in January. Sophomore Maleek Miler has 1,649 all-purpose yards and 13 scores. Sophomore Jaiden Bryant leads the team with 92 tackles and 18.5 sacks. Senior Matthew Blocker leads the team with four interceptions.

About Northwestern: The Trojans are making their 11th championship appearance and second in the last three years. Northwestern has won five championships, with the last coming in 2015 under Keith Richardson, who is now an assistant coach at Clemson. Northwestern is averaging 50.4 points per game. Quarterback Finley Polk, a Gardner-Webb signee and Shrine Bowl selection, has thrown for 3,284 yards and has 56 total touchdowns. Polk was the 5A Division II Upper State Offensive Player of the Year. Jayden Nichols has 68 catches for 957 yards and 10 TDs. Kameron Vance has 61 receptions for 962 yards and 14 touchdowns. Zymier Gordon-Miles has rushed for 1,198 yards and 16 touchdowns. Mason Grier has a team-high 20 tackles for loss. Jonathan Spurgeon leads the Trojans with four interceptions.

Prediction: Irmo

? Last Week’s Predictions: 9-3

? This Season: 283-53

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at gofan.co. No tickets will not be sold on site at the championship games. The stadium will be cleared after each game. Fans must have a ticket for each game, and no re-entry is allowed.

Gates will open for fans no earlier than one hour prior to the posted game time. Home fans will enter through Gate 1. Visiting fans will enter through Gates 1 and 2 and walk across behind the end zone. Lower State champions are the home teams.

Parking lots open 1.5 hours prior to the first game time of the day. It is $10 per car and parking passes are available through Gofan.co. Vehicles with trailers, pull behind grills and RVs will cost $50. Tailgating is allowed when lots are open.

All six games will be carried on Sinclair Broadcasting stations across South Carolina. Affiliates are WMYA (My40 Asheville-Greenville), WACH Fox digital channel (57.2/1250/Columbia), WCIV (MyTV Charleston) and WWMB (CW21, Florence/Myrtle Beach).

The Dutch Fork-Summerville game will be carried on WACH Fox’s main channel in Columbia area.

All six games also will be streamed on www.nfhsnetwork.com. A subscription ($11.99) is required but is good for all of the games and monthly subscription.

The Abbeville-Cross game will be on and streamed on radio station 92.1 WZLA FM

The Irmo-Northwestern game will be on and streamed on radio station WRHI 100.1 FM and the WRHI mobile app

This story was originally published December 11, 2024, 9:56 AM.

The State

(803) 771-8419

Lou Bezjak is the High School Sports Prep Coordinator for The (Columbia) State and (Hilton Head) Island Packet. He previously worked at the Florence Morning News and had covered high school sports in South Carolina since 2002. Lou is a two-time South Carolina Sports Writer of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.

The schedule is set for the South Carolina High School League’s 2024 state football championships.

The games will be held Thursday through Saturday (Dec. 12-14) at S.C. State’s Oliver Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.

——Thursday, Dec. 12——

Class 2A

Clinton vs. Barnwell, 2:06 p.m.

Class A

Abbeville vs. Cross, 7:36 p.m.

——Friday, Dec. 13——

Class 5A Division I

Dutch Fork vs. Summerville, 2:06 p.m.

Class 4A

Westside vs. South Florence, 7:36 p.m.

——Saturday, Dec. 14——

Class 3A

Belton-Honea Path vs. Oceanside Collegiate, 12:06 p.m.

Class 5A Division II

Northwestern vs. Irmo, 6:06 p.m.

——Class 5A Division I——

Dutch Fork 24, Spartanburg 0

Summerville 35, Sumter 6

——Class 5A Division II——

Northwestern 58, Gaffney 40

Irmo 29, White Knoll 25

——Class 4A——

Westside 35, South Pointe 14

South Florence 27, North Augusta 20

——Class 3A——

Belton-Honea Path 30, Mountain View Prep 22

Oceanside Collegiate 42, Loris 7

——Class 2A——

Clinton 32, Fairfield Central 21

Barnwell 37, Manning 14

——Class A——

Abbeville 42, Lewisville 18

Cross 36, Lake View 7

Tickets are $15 can be purchase at gofan.co or through each of the schools before gameday. No tickets will not be sold on site at championship games. The stadium will be cleared after each game. Fans must have a ticket for each game, and no re-entry is allowed.

Gates will open for spectators no earlier than one hour prior to posted game time. Home spectators with tickets will enter through Gate 1. Visiting Spectators with tickets will enter through Gates 1 and 2 and walk across behind the end zone. Lower State champions are the home teams.

All six games will be carried on Sinclair Broadcasting stations across South Carolina. Affiliates are WMYA (My40 Asheville-Greenville), WACH Fox digital channel (57.2/1250/Columbia), WCIV (MyTV Charleston) and WWMB (CW21, Florence/Myrtle Beach).

All six games also will be streamed on www.nfhsnetwork.com. A subscription ($11.99) is required but is good for all of the games and month subscription.

This story was originally published December 6, 2024, 10:35 PM.

If you only have one day to visit Orangeburg, South Carolina, you’re in for a treat. This charming small town is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty, making it an ideal destination for a quick getaway. The city of Orangeburg was named after William IV, Prince of Orange, who was married to Princess Anne, the daughter of King George II of England. But today, Orangeburg is known for being home to two historically Black colleges, Claflin University, a liberal arts college, and South Carolina State University, a public university.

Beyond visiting these two campuses, here is everything you absolutely can’t miss during your visit.

Start your day at the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum, where you can delve into the town’s vibrant history through fascinating exhibits that showcase local art, artifacts, and stories. Through powerful exhibits, photographs, and artifacts, the museum honors the struggle for equality and justice while educating visitors about South Carolina’s role in the movement.

Next, head to Edisto Memorial Gardens, a stunning escape featuring beautiful azaleas, camellias, and a picturesque view of the Edisto River. The gardens also have walking paths and a lovely gazebo, perfect for a peaceful stroll or reflection. With over 4,800 rose plants within, this is the place to be to see some of the best blooms in town.

After enjoying the gardens, make your way to downtown Orangeburg, where you’ll find a variety of shops and restaurants. Stop for lunch at one of the local eateries, such as Squeaky's Grill, known for its hearty Southern fare. Don't miss trying the fried chicken or a classic Southern BBQ sandwich—both are local favorites. It's comfortable, casual, and just good food.

As the sun begins to set, return to downtown Orangeburg to unwind at a local café or grab a sweet treat Whipped Sweets & Treats on Rodriguez Street. If you really want to indulge in a classic, the banana split is one of the most popular items.

With its blend of history, nature, and Southern charm, Orangeburg offers a delightful experience for any visitor. Make the most of your one-day adventure by exploring these must-see attractions that showcase the best of this underrated gem in South Carolina.

Want to explore Orangeburg, SC soon? Check out these South Carolina hotels and start planning your trip today!

Published: Nov. 11, 2024 at 6:06 PM PST|

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WIS) - Students in Orangeburg County will return to class Tuesday after widespread flood damage to roads from last week’s heavy rain canceled classes for three days.

Orangeburg County School District will operate under the following modified school schedule:

• Tuesday, November 12, 2024 – 2-Hour Delay

• Wednesday, November 13, 2024 – 2-Hour Delay

• Thursday, November 14, 2024 – 1-Hour Delay

• Friday, November 15, 2024 – 1-Hour Delay

In addition to the schedule changes, all out-of-district field trips are canceled for this week.

The district also says after-school programs at North Middle/High School and Dover Elementary School have been suspended for the week as a safety precaution.

District officials said it will return to a normal schedule on Monday, November 18, 2024.

Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster told WIS News 10 bus drivers came to work on Monday and drove their routes in their personal vehicles looking for alternate routes to schools.

One parent said they felt reservations about the return to classes with more than 100 road closures in the county.

“I really do think they should leave the kids home until they get the roads situated. I do care about the other kids, the bus drivers, safety for everybody,” said Dynekeqwa Robinson.

“Our bus drivers. I want to commend them. They came in today. In their personal vehicles they are driving their routes to see how to make modifications and/or adjustments,” said Foster.

“We want kids in school but the fact of the matter is in many circumstances, we couldn’t have gotten them there anyway,” Foster added.

In addition to the reopening of schools, Orangeburg County Emergency Management said the shelter at Orangeburg city gym, and the water distribution site in Neeses both closed Monday after opening last week upon Gov. Henry McMaster’s declaration of a State of Emergency.

A spokesperson with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division says the State of Emergency is still in effect.

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ORANGEBURG – Heavy rains caused record flooding in the Orangeburg area Nov. 6 and 7, with local emergency responders performing water rescues from cars and buildings and travel in the area crippled by washed-out roads. One death has been reported.

Between seven and 10 inches of rain fell in the Orangeburg area, with some localized areas receiving 15 inches, according to the National Weather Service in Columbia.

The Edisto River in downtown Orangeburg — near its historic Edisto Memorial Gardens — crested at 15.34 feet. The water levels broke all time records from 1928 and 2015 by almost a foot, flooding nearby roads, buildings and vehicles.

The river had begun to recede the morning of Nov. 8, the NWS said.

Local law enforcement in boats rescued several people from buildings in downtown Orangeburg, and at least one person was pulled from a nearly submerged vehicle in the town of Norway in western Orangeburg County, according to social media posts from law enforcement and residents.

The search for a missing 66-year-old Cordova woman ended tragically when her car was discovered in flood waters near Glover and Andrew Dribble streets, according to a social media posting from Sheriff Leroy Ravenell. Valerie Goff was reported missing after she left in her Nissan Cube to go to the local pharmacy when apparently flood waters overwhelmed her car. Ravenell asked for prayers for her family.

Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Nov. 7 as the flooding continued overnight.

"Team South Carolina has been responding to the impacts of flooding and subsequent road closures in portions of the state throughout the day," McMaster said in a statement. "The State of Emergency will ensure that our response teams have every tool at their disposal to continue their efforts."

Local law enforcement and government agencies urged residents to use caution while driving through the area. Around 35 roads were reportedly closed due to flooding Nov. 7, the state Department of Transportation said in a social media post.

Orangeburg County Schools were closed on Nov. 7 and 8 due to road closures. Orangeburg’s public utilities department reported flooding-related power and water outages. The city's public gym had opened as an emergency shelter, the city said.

Social media users reported difficulty traveling through the area with the number of closed roads, with some unable to find a way to leave their homes.

“Please keep our County in your thoughts and prayers as we face unexpected flooding. Emergency personnel are working tirelessly to restore safety and order,” Orangeburg County officials said in a Nov. 7 social media post. “Everyone, please stay safe, avoid any flooded areas, and be patient as we work through this together.”

Officials in nearby Bamberg and Calhoun counties also reported significant flooding and urged caution.

“River flooding will continue along portions of the Edisto River into next week,” the governor’s office said in the Nov. 7 statement. “However, South Carolina is not expected to see significant rainfall totals over the next few days.”

Local law enforcement said the state Department of Transportation was keeping track of the closed roads.

“As the waters recede, SCDOT crews will assess the damaged areas and prepare to make repairs as quickly as possible,” the DOT said in a social media post.