Clinton High School celebrated the student-athletes who competed for and won Region, State, and District championships in this academic year, at last Wednesday night’s Athletic Awards program.
The State Champion Red Devil Football Team was honored Friday night in a ceremony at Wilder Stadium, a program that was free to the public. On Thursday, this Red Devil squad was named the Team of the Year for 2025 at the Laurens County Sports Awards program at Presbyterian College.
In the opening ceremony of Wednesday’s program, All-State & School Record athletes, Region Coaches of the Year were honored, and G Ramage was recipient of the Booster Club Bobby Simmons Award. Members of the Class of 1983 who have organized the Mike Morris Golf Tournament for the past 3 years were recognized.
Tournament organizers present a check for $6,000 to the CHS Athletic Booster Club to fund scholarships. After that, teams presented their awards and All-Region honors in breakout sessions throughout the high school.
In the breakout session for the C-team, JV and Varsity Red Devil baseball teams – varsity was the Class AA District 1 Champion this spring - Brett Young received a $1,000 scholarship funded by the Mike Morris Golf Tournament. Young is a Newberry College Football signee, inking his National Letter of Intent last Wednesday afternoon in the CHS main gym.
CHS Baseball won the 2023 AAA State Championship.
Peyton Spangler took over the program this season, as it transitioned to AA, and led the 21-8 Red Devils to a Region Championship and a District Championship. He said, “There is a lot of room for growth up here on this stage. We had three seniors. They each played a big part in everything we did. We had one senior who played almost every single game. The other two seniors were in and out, role player guys; but all of them led in a great way. All of them were really good teammates; and from my personal view as a head coach, I really appreciate those guys sticking through the ups and downs.
“There is a lot of work to be done so, parents, I have a challenge for you – don’t let these guys get lazy. Don’t let them get fat and happy and think we have accomplished something. The last thing I want to do it be negative, but I do want to be real, and there’s games being played today (the AA Upper and Lower State Championships) that I feel like were good enough to be playing in and, unfortunately, we are not. … This time next year I’d rather not be standing up here with a microphone in my hand ending the season. I’d rather be out there on that field competing for championships, and with the guys we have up here. I think that’s possible.”
In presenting special team awards and scholarships for the baseball team, Voice of the Red Devils Buddy Bridges talked about Spangler, whose senior season with Red Devil baseball was 2014, before he went on to a collegiate career at Newberry College – “I am so proud to see him and his staff who love your boys … Peyton Spangler, 30 years old, everybody says ‘the team grew up,’ Peyton Spangler grew up (this season).”
“27,” Spangler said.
“27?” Bridges said. “Ain’t even 30 years old. You watched a coach grow up this year, too. Proud of him. Let’s give a big hand to the 2025 Red Devil baseball team.”
