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  • Brandon Wilds called up by Jaguars

    Brandon Wilds (22) showing a glimpse of what made him a star at Blythewood and the University of South Carolina.

    JACKSONVILLE, FL – Leonard Fournette was a stellar collegiate football talent at LSU and was the fourth overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2017 draft. However, Fournette went down with a strained hamstring in the opening week of the 2018 season, and this opened the door for Blythewood native Brandon Wilds to be activated from the Jaguars’ practice squad.

    Wilds, a former PrepStar All-American and North-South All-star, was a running back for the Bengals from 2007 until he graduated in 2011, and he had superb career at Blythewood. As a junior, he became the first player in school history to accumulate 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. He finished his junior year with 1,551 yards and 20 touchdowns.

    He followed his stellar junior season with another strong season the following year. Wilds tallied 881 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior year. After his Blythewood career was said and done, he had racked up 500 carries for 2,700 yards and 29 touchdowns.

    He was ranked a three-star prospect and the 29th best player in the state by Rivals.com coming out of high school. Scout.com slated Wilds as the 115th running back in the country and also named him as a three-star prospect.

    East Carolina, Illinois, Arkansas and Maryland were among the major universities that showed interest in recruiting the tough running back. Eventually, Wilds elected to take his talents to the University of South Carolina and play for Steve Spurrier.

    Wilds was listed as the fifth running back on the Gamecocks’ roster heading into his freshman season in 2011, but team injuries allowed him to make an immediate impact. He started five games as a true-freshman and ran for over 147 yards against the University of Tennessee, 120 against Florida and hung 109 on the Citadel. His 486 rushing yards in his freshman season were good enough for the third highest total on the team.

    A high-ankle sprain led to Wilds being red-shirted in 2012. He kicked off the 2013 season by earning the Joe Morrison Offensive Player of the Spring at the Garnet and Black game. Despite the positive spring performance in sophomore year, he had to fight through injuries most of the 2013 season and only started two games.

    Wilds had a much better season in 2014, finishing second on the team in total rushing with 570 yards on 106 carries with four starts in 12 appearances. He had a 24-yard, game-winning touchdown that season to knock off the number-six ranked Georgia Bulldogs, and, in a game against Auburn, he became the 42nd Gamecock to ever amass 1,000 total rushing. His 143-yard performance against Tennessee that year turned out to be a career-high, and he also had a career-long 70-yard touchdown in the same game.

    The 2015 season was a big one for Wilds. He led the team in rushing in his senior year with 567 yards in nine starts and was invited to play in the National Football League’s Player’s Association Collegiate Bowl. He finished his Gamecock career as the 20th leading rusher in school history with 1,844 yards and piled up seven 100-yard rushing games.

    Wilds was not selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, but quickly signed a free agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons. He had 26 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown in his NFL preseason debut against the Washington Redskins. The following week against the Cleveland Browns, he had 49 yards on eight carries and a 32-yard touchdown. Shortly after the Browns game, Wilds was waived by the Falcons.

    After his release from the Falcons, he signed to the New York Jets practice squad and got his first shot of regular season action in late 2016. His first regular season game was against the San Francisco 49ers in December, and he had four yards on two carries. He played again a couple of weeks later in a loss to the New England Patriots, but was waived the following offseason.

    Wilds had a short stint with the Cleveland Browns after his Jets’ tenure, but injuries prevented him from seeing any playing time. He signed to Jaguars practice squad on Oct. 9, 2017. He will wear no. 34 for Jacksonville.

  • Let The Games Begin – Fall Sports Preview is here

    If you are like us, you flipped the calendar to August and felt a slight shift in the air. The days are slowly getting shorter and soon, maybe…hopefully, the weather will get a little cooler.

    For us, the spectators, seasons are just getting started. But for athletes and coaches, preparation started months ago. While others’ summer days were filled with sleeping in and relaxing by the pool, these coaches and athletes spent their days designing schemes, running sprints, lifting weights, swimming laps. Getting stronger. Getting faster. Getting better. Because that’s what makes the difference come October and November. That’s what gives one team an edge.

    We don’t see the countless hours of blood, sweat and tears poured into these teams in the offseason. But we cheer for a return on those investments for athletes and coaches.

    Westwood athletics saw some returns last year. Volleyball and football made it to round three of the playoffs.  Cross Country runners made a showing at State. Many of the athletes from these teams return this year, looking to avenge their season-ending losses.

    Eagle football was bumped in the first round last year, but looks to push farther this year. To do so, they’ll have to get past newly realigned region foe Wardlaw. Cross Country enters its second season in school history with a new coach – Kristen Chaisson. Volleyball will have to overcome last season’s leadership struggles to find success on the court, especially against a tough Laurens team.

    The Griffin tennis program returns strong players and a settled coaching staff. The sky could be the limit for Syreeta Thompson’s squad. Football had a bumpy start last season, but had a strong run until Emerald dashed their playoff hopes in the third round. The region realignment places Keenan into the region, but they expect the toughest opponents continue to be Chester, Camden and Indian Land.

    Blythewood’s region shifted with the loss of White Knoll and addition of Lugoff-Elgin. Bengal volleyball, tennis and golf look to build on the foundations established last year. Will Epps returns for a second year as head of boys’ cross country and Aleshia Hawkins takes over the girls’ squad.  Perhaps the biggest change comes with the new face of the football program, Jason Seidel. Seidel, looking to change the culture of the program after its dismal 2017 season, is ‘all in.’

    Soon the stadiums, courts and gyms will be filled with our cheers (or silent golf claps). Exciting, isn’t it. A blank slate – a new season on the horizon. Where will we end up in October and November?  Only time will tell.

    Honor Roll

    We thank the many talented people who helped make the 2018 Fall Sports Preview happen. First, our sports writers.

    They report weekly from the trenches, day and night, near and far – Ross Burton, Worthy Evans, Martha Ladd and Blake Wooten.

    And our photographers who contribute vivid images of our athletes in action: Ross Burton, Leroy Howard, DeAnna Robinson, Joe Seibles, Martha Ladd and Kristy Kimball Massey, Carolina Sports Photography and especially our designers Ashley Ghere and Callie Ladd Sims.

    We also thank the following for their time and contributions: Paul Brigman, Ross Burton, Kristen Chaisson, Dustin Curtis, Demetrius Davis, Kelly Edrington, Will Epps, Robin Gaithers, Mary Hall, Aleshia Hawkins, Mary Hunter,  Ciji Kuhlmann, Brice Mann, Jason Minkel, Rachel Peake, Jason Powell, Terrell Roach, Jason Seidel, Syreeta Thompson

    Pick up a copy of the Fall Sports Preview (28 pages) today!

  • Finney invited to try out for US National Training Team

    Finney, No. 5
    Finney

    BLYTHEWOOD – The summer of 2018 is shaping up well for both former and current members of the Blythewood Bengal family. First, former Bengal Jordyn Adams was picked up in the first round of the MLB draft, and then volleyball standout Colleen Finney received an invitation to the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Training Team Roster.

    If Finney, a rising junior and Clemson commit, delivers a strong outing, she could earn one of 12 available spots on the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team, where she could potentially compete in the 2018 Under 18 NORCECA Continental Championship.

    The Bengals went 28-9-3 last season, with a solid 10-2 record in region play, and Finney contributed 59 kills and 33 triple blocks. She heads to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado to train from July 20 to Aug. 3.

  • Greiner makes major league debut

    Greiner singled in his first Major League appearance at the plate. | John Sleezer – The Kansas City Star

    KANSAS CITY – Grayson Greiner, former Blythewood Bengal standout who went on to be a third round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers organization, received his call up to the majors last week and made his major league debut on Sunday.

    Greiner, who was called up as a replacement for injured perennial all-star Miguel Cabrera, singled in his first at bat of his Major League career and finished the day 1-for-4. He also tied the Major League Baseball record for the tallest person to play catcher. Greiner and two others are the only players to play behind the plate at 6’6”.

    Prior to the season, The Detroit News ranked Greiner as the Tigers’ 23 best prospect. So far this season he has hit .259 with one home run in 17 games for the Toledo Mudhens.