How do you name “a winner” of courage?
That was a dilemma for organizers of the first ESPYs-style Laurens County Sports Awards program held at Presbyterian College. It was an extension of the Laurens County Hall of Fame inductions that have been conducted since 2017, at The Ridge in Laurens; but this time, organizers wanted present-day student-athletes to see and hear from some legends.
And, to have the legends – there are 27 inductees in the only Hall of Fame to be countywide in scope – be able to see and hear about what today’s student-athletes are all about.
Almost all the awards were something about numbers – yards per carry, sets won on the tennis court, times for runners, distances for jumps – but Courage was different.
Coaches were asked to describe their most courageous athlete.
“After reading these four stories,” said event organizer Billy Dunlap, “tonight, all four are going to win the courage award” which favors resiliency over results.
It is designed for a person who “keeps going when life gives you every reason to stop.”
Dunlap said the award recognizes that “some heroes simply show up.”
Zaine Kellett, a Laurens District High School wrestler, moved out on his own and moved in with his brothers, and all three have jobs to keep the household running. Zaine works at a lawn care company with his brother, Dakota McCall, and Zaine became a state qualifier in his first year as a wrestler. His nomination adds that he is “an even better person.”
Zaine heads to the Navy in July. At 17, he sought emancipation “to secure his future,” his nomination says.
Raiders tennis coach Lynne Todd wrote that helping Zaine “has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.”
Ry’Daijia Mars (inset above) fought back from injury to be a vital part of Clinton High girls’ basketball’s run this past winter to a place in a AA Final Four at Florence. She tore both ACLs in separate injuries and fought back to play for a teams that won Region Championships twice and the Final Four qualification. “She could have quit several times, but she never did,” her nomination says.
“Toughest kid I’ve ever coached,” John Gardner, CHS girls’ basketball head coach, says.
Kemonte Pitts of Thornwell Charter School has dealt with severe loss since his toddler years and now has navigated his high school years. He served as the football manager; and since basketball is not as much of a contact sport, it allowed him to have a high school athletics career. His nomination says he epitomizes “the courage to show up without seeking praise or recognition.”
It adds, “As he graduates, he leaves behind a powerful legacy, not just in athletics and extracurricular involvement but in true character.”
Two years ago, Elijah Strait and his family moved to Laurens County from Colorado; and Elijah struggled with a rare cancerous brain tumor. In his first year at Laurens Academy, it was hard for him to be in school and in treatment at the same time. By Christmas he had “received incredible news that he was cancer free and his port was removed” – in January, he was cleared to resume playing. Last season he scored his first point for the Crusaders; this year, as a senior, he played the entire season. Elijah has been awarded a full scholarship to John Brown University in Arkansas.
Other special recognitions of the night were Scholar, Performance, and People’s Choice.
The Scholar Athlete is Clinton High’s William Reid, who has a 5.25 GPA and placed 2nd at the state track meet in the 3200 and set schools records in cross-country and track in the 5k and the 3200. Other nominees are Logan Martin, Abby Howard and Nahla Vargas.
For Service, the award recipient is Carley Porter, a 3-sport athlete at Thornwell Charter Schools, who takes leadership roles in the student council and the FCA. She works at the Laurens County Humane Society and is an active member of Davidson Street Baptist Church in Clinton. Other nominees are Ben Willis, Brett Young, and Hack Hardy.
The Best Performance award went TCS’s Zaylen Washington who dropped 47 points in basketball against Greenwood Christian on 15 of 28 from the floor, 9 for 15 behind the arc, with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals. Other nominees are Zoe Young, Javen Cook and Garrett Murphy.
In the People’s Choice award, the recipient was based on the 32 weeks and 3,210 votes cast for the Players of the Week on golaurens.com. The recipient was Payton George, of LDHS.
“This is Sports’ Biggest Night in Laurens County,” Dunlap said. “This county is absolutely bursting with talent.” This is the only Hall of Fame honoring all of Laurens County - there are 27 inductees into the LC HOF and it lost two members to death this year, both from Clinton High, Kinard Littleton and Kevin Long.
These are the 2025 Hall of Fame inductees:
The late Hall King – football at CHS - accepted by his grandson, Scott King.
“As great an athlete as Hall was,” King said, “he was a greater father and grandfather.” He attend Clemson but didn’t like the military environment. He enrolled at Presbyterian College for one year and that was the last time PC beat Clemson in football – Scott King said Hall enrolled for one class but he was working full time; the one time he earned time off to attend that class, the professor cancelled the class – “he played football for a year without ever attending a class,” Scott King said. “He was proud of that. He raised a tremendous family.”
Travis Langford was honored for his mentorship of girls’ basketball at LDHS – his 1998 team won the state championship with a 29-0 record. Langford praised LDHS for its supportive environment – he and wife Candy have three children, all of whom are LDHS and University of South Carolina graduates. Langford said that one of his proudest accomplishments is, under his tenure, LDHS had 12 players compete at the college level.
Andy B. Young said his talk “will be just like me, short and sweet”. The retired Clinton High football coach and athletics director and 2009 State Champion head coach said what he misses most about coaching is the camaraderie with the assistant coaches. “The community of Clinton has built something special. Red Devil pride runs deep in our community,” he said.
Young left the audience with a signature quote, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight. It’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
Stan Whitlock said he was privileged to be able to play football under age 28 under 55 coaches, as a kicker for LDHS, Wingate University, the NFL with Dallas and Chicago, and in Arena Football. In high school, when he was not playing at KC Hanna stadium, his next favorite place to play was Wilder Stadium (against Clinton) where he went 8 for 8 in scoring kicks and kicking two field goals in front of 10,000 fans at a home Laurens – Clinton game. Wingate gave him “the keys” to drive all three aspects of the kicking game; and at his college combine, he was the only D2 kicker on the field and that showed him he could hold his own against kickers from the big D1 schools. He signed his first NFL contract on his mom’s birthday.
Whitlock advised the student-athletes, “as a former athlete turned educator, say thank you to your teachers.” As an athlete you will be measured and timed in many ways by your teams, he said, but “you can’t measure the heart.”
Laurens baseball legend Ed Prescott thanked his mom and dad, and his coaches for being strong role models. “Many thanks to the hundreds of guys who played (baseball) and made it happen,” he said – as players they have forged bonds that have lasted 40 – 45 years -- “the players are directly responsible for our success.”
Prescott called his family, “The best team that I was blessed to be part of.”
Male Athlete of the Year – Tushawan Richardson
Female Athlete of the Year – McKenzie Clark
Team of the Year – Clinton High School football
Scholar Athlete of the Year – William Reid
Best Performance of the Year - Zaylen Washington
Service Award – Karleigh Porter
People’s Choice Award – Peyton George
Courage Award – Zaine Kellett, Kemonte Pitts, Elijah Strait, Ry’Daijia Mars
Coach of the Year – Shannon McGee
Football Player of the Year – Garrett Murphy
Baseball Player of the Year – Bennett Edwards
Wrestler of the Year – Dakota McCall
Boys Tennis Player of the Year – Price Turner
Girls Tennis Player of the Year – Libbey Dailey
Softball Player of the Year – MeMe Smith
Boys Basketball Player of the Year – Tushawan Richardson
Girls Basketball Player of the Year – Zoe Young
Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year – William Reid
Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year – Elizabeth Reid
Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year – Jabari Dillard
Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year – Audri Dixon
Boys Soccer Player of the Year – Chris Fortman
Girls Soccer Player of the Year – Lillie Corley
Volleyball Player of the Year – Campbell Sherman
Competitive Cheerleader of the Year – Mary Frances Kennedy
Boys Golfer of the Year - Luke McMurray
Girls Golfer of the Year – Mia Carles
