2026 Preview: Aiken Hornets

The signs were there early last season that a long-suffering Aiken High football program was taking big steps in the right direction.   It wasn't just that the Hornets started 2-0 for the first time 2010, or that just by winning those two they had their first multi-win season since 2021, or that their 44-0 win over Airport was their largest margin of victory since 2006.   It was how they were doing it. A talented junior class could finally play freely without worrying when the crushing mistake may come, and a star-studded crop of freshmen brought a winning attitude from Schofield Middle that hadn't been shown on the varsity roster since well before they were born.   Those would be the last two wins of the season for Aiken, but head coach Steve Hibbitts knew in his first year to look beyond the end result and instead focus on how it happened. A few close losses offered valuable learning opportunities, as did the more lopsided ones, so a 2-8 record on paper didn't do much to diminish the Hornets' excitement for 2026.   "Being able to compete every week. I know last year we started off 2-0, come back to the home crowd fired up. This year I think we have a really good team, so hopefully all of Aiken comes out and comes to support us," wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1840715' first='Tarrant' last='McKenzie'] said at last week's Prep RedZone Media Days series at Gilbert. "I think a lot of people have confidence in us this year. Also we have a lot of older guys, too, that can lead the charge. If there are any younger guys on the field, we can support those guys and show them how we play our Aiken football and hopefully get back in the right category. Week by week, don't look at the long run. Just hone in on the game that we've got that week, and hopefully it comes out with a good outcome."   Aiken used a multi-faceted run game to do most of its damage on offense, with star freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1840730' first='Michael' last='Francis'] looking ready to one day take over as a feature back before missing some time due to injury. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1530765' first='Darius' last='Walker'] finished the season as the team's leading rusher, and junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1853105' first='Tanner' last='Padgett'] proved to be an effective runner in short-yardage situations. The Hornets didn't pass it a ton, but that was by no means because of a lack of trust in Padgett, and he showed he can get it downfield in a hurry during a furious comeback attempt against Midland Valley.   A strong defensive front set the tone on that side of the ball, and the Hornets bring back five of their top seven players in tackles for loss. Rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1467819' first='Brandon' last='Poston'] is the headliner after a 10-sack, 21-TFL season, and [player_tooltip player_id='1840750' first='Jayden' last='Merriweather'] is primed for a big senior season after racking up 15 tackles for loss. [player_tooltip player_id='1840755' first='Malik' last='Cuyler'] burst onto the scene as a sophomore, and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1054957' first='Gray' last='Kitchings'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1274484' first='Zion' last='Lewie'] continued to set the tone with their playmaking ability and leadership qualities. Kitchings is moving back to a hybrid linebacker/safety position, and he'll work with rising senior safety [player_tooltip player_id='1840661' first='Jordan' last='Cannon'] (pictured) to give the Hornets a veteran back end.   In all, 16 starters are set to return - eight on offense and eight on defense. This group will be the most senior-heavy Aiken has had in quite some time, and the Hornets' leaders are looking forward to setting a winning example for their younger teammates to carry forward in the years to come.   "Everybody's fired up. I think everybody's on the same page with a similar mentality in the weight room, on the field, everything," Kitchings said. "Bigger group. We've got more depth at every single position. I think all the seniors are ready. It's our last chance, so I think all the seniors are ready to give it a good shot."   The Hornets' focus will be tested right away against a schedule without very many "gimme" games, but they'll know from experience not to get too far ahead of themselves if they get off to another hot start.   STARS SET TO SHINE   [player_tooltip player_id='1467819' first='Brandon' last='Poston'] DL, 2028 - Poston is a monster coming off the edge, and the 6-foot-2, 233-pounder was already drawing serious attention from college coaches even before ranking among the state's leaders in sacks a year ago. He gets into the backfield in a hurry, and he often doesn't arrive alone.   [player_tooltip player_id='1840771' first='Darrenton' last='Jones'] OL, 2028 - A lack of continuity on the offensive line has plagued Aiken during its down years, but Jones is the kind of guy who can change that. The 6-foot-3, 305-pounder continues to make big strides toward being an anchor up front, and he recently received his first Division I offer from Georgia State.   [player_tooltip player_id='1840715' first='Tarrant' last='McKenzie'] WR, 2027 - McKenzie has played a ton of football during his years at Aiken, and at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds he defies the "basketball player playing football" stereotype. Yes, he can go up over defensive backs to high-point the ball, but he's also a smooth route-runner who can be just as dangerous in the screen game.   [player_tooltip player_id='1054957' first='Gray' last='Kitchings'] LB/DB, 2027 - Kitchings led the team in tackles last year and can also pop into the backfield for some carries when the offense needs it. Now he'll be spending more time in the secondary in his hybrid safety role, where we expect him to have even more opportunities to make big plays.   FILM REVIEW   [player_tooltip player_id='1530765' first='Darius' last='Walker'] RB, 2027 - To paraphrase Hibbitts at Aiken's spring game, give the ball to [player_tooltip player_id='1530765' first='Darius' last='Walker'] and good things will happen. The Hornets' leading rusher a year ago, what we like most about Walker is his versatility. He has the size, patience and vision to go between the tackles to grind out short gains, he has the explosiveness to turn those short gains into long runs, he's a crisp route-runner coming out of the backfield, and he gets moving downhill quickly from a variety of depths. Hibbitts isn't married to one particular style and is willing to try whatever it takes to put the Hornets' offense in position to succeed. We like for Walker to factor heavily into whichever choices are made in that department.    BIGGEST LOSSES   Caleb Griffin WR/DB - Aiken didn't have many seniors on the field last year, but Griffin was certainly a key piece of the offense. He was the team's second-leading receiver and also returned kicks.   [player_tooltip player_id='1840728' first='Jaydon' last='Moore'] DB - Moore was one of several big-time freshmen who gave Aiken fans plenty to be excited about for the future, but in Moore's case that excitement is now on the other side of town at rival South Aiken.   UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL   Armani Jones WR, 2028 - A big-time piece for the basketball program, Jones will compete for significant playing time at receiver. At 6-foot-3 with a relentless motor, he could give opposing defenses lots of problems.   Zion East LB, 2029 - East and [player_tooltip player_id='1840741' first='Johnny' last='Dobbs'] give the Hornets a pair of potential sophomore starters at linebacker, and considering the defensive linemen named above there should be plenty of alley ways for East to make an early impact.    Pope got his feet wet last season as a freshman, appearing in seven games for the Hornets and catching five balls for 88 yards and a touchdown. He showed plenty of promise in the Aiken County Jamboree, and it didn't take him long to show why the coaching staff was eager to get him onto the field so early.   He wasted little time making a splash during the offseason, clocking in at 21.24 miles per hour during one of the Hornets' spring practices. After a full year in Aiken's weight program, he's ready to compete for one of the starting wide receiver spots.

The signs were there early last season that a long-suffering Aiken High football program was taking big steps in the right direction.

It wasn't just that the Hornets started 2-0 for the first time 2010, or that just by winning those two they had their first multi-win season since 2021, or that their 44-0 win over Airport was their largest margin of victory since 2006.

It was how they were doing it. A talented junior class could finally play freely without worrying when the crushing mistake may come, and a star-studded crop of freshmen brought a winning attitude from Schofield Middle that hadn't been shown on the varsity roster since well before they were born.

Those would be the last two wins of the season for Aiken, but head coach Steve Hibbitts knew in his first year to look beyond the end result and instead focus on how it happened. A few close losses offered valuable learning opportunities, as did the more lopsided ones, so a 2-8 record on paper didn't do much to diminish the Hornets' excitement for 2026.

"Being able to compete every week. I know last year we started off 2-0, come back to the home crowd fired up. This year I think we have a really good team, so hopefully all of Aiken comes out and comes to support us," wide receiver Tarrant McKenzie Tarrant McKenzie 6'1" | 170 lbs | WR Aiken | 2027 State SC said at last week's Prep RedZone Media Days series at Gilbert. "I think a lot of people have confidence in us this year. Also we have a lot of older guys, too, that can lead the charge. If there are any younger guys on the field, we can support those guys and show them how we play our Aiken football and hopefully get back in the right category. Week by week, don't look at the long run. Just hone in on the game that we've got that week, and hopefully it comes out with a good outcome."

Aiken used a multi-faceted run game to do most of its damage on offense, with star freshman Michael Francis Michael Francis 5'6" | 165 lbs | RB Aiken | 2029 State SC looking ready to one day take over as a feature back before missing some time due to injury. Junior Darius Walker Darius Walker 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Aiken | 2027 State SC finished the season as the team's leading rusher, and junior quarterback Tanner Padgett proved to be an effective runner in short-yardage situations. The Hornets didn't pass it a ton, but that was by no means because of a lack of trust in Padgett, and he showed he can get it downfield in a hurry during a furious comeback attempt against Midland Valley.

A strong defensive front set the tone on that side of the ball, and the Hornets bring back five of their top seven players in tackles for loss. Rising junior Brandon Poston Brandon Poston 6'2" | 235 lbs | EDGE Aiken | 2028 State SC is the headliner after a 10-sack, 21-TFL season, and Jayden Merriweather Jayden Merriweather 5'11" | 250 lbs | DL SC is primed for a big senior season after racking up 15 tackles for loss. Malik Cuyler Malik Cuyler 6'0" | 240 lbs | DL SC burst onto the scene as a sophomore, and juniors Gray Kitchings Gray Kitchings 6'0" | 205 lbs | DB/RB Aiken | 2027 State SC and Zion Lewie Zion Lewie 5'11" | 200 lbs | LB/WR Aiken | 2027 SC continued to set the tone with their playmaking ability and leadership qualities. Kitchings is moving back to a hybrid linebacker/safety position, and he'll work with rising senior safety Jordan Cannon Jordan Cannon 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB Aiken | 2027 State SC (pictured) to give the Hornets a veteran back end.

In all, 16 starters are set to return - eight on offense and eight on defense. This group will be the most senior-heavy Aiken has had in quite some time, and the Hornets' leaders are looking forward to setting a winning example for their younger teammates to carry forward in the years to come.

"Everybody's fired up. I think everybody's on the same page with a similar mentality in the weight room, on the field, everything," Kitchings said. "Bigger group. We've got more depth at every single position. I think all the seniors are ready. It's our last chance, so I think all the seniors are ready to give it a good shot."

The Hornets' focus will be tested right away against a schedule without very many "gimme" games, but they'll know from experience not to get too far ahead of themselves if they get off to another hot start.

STARS SET TO SHINE

Brandon Poston Brandon Poston 6'2" | 235 lbs | EDGE Aiken | 2028 State SC DL, 2028 - Poston is a monster coming off the edge, and the 6-foot-2, 233-pounder was already drawing serious attention from college coaches even before ranking among the state's leaders in sacks a year ago. He gets into the backfield in a hurry, and he often doesn't arrive alone.

Darrenton Jones Darrenton Jones 6'3" | 305 lbs | OL Aiken | 2028 State SC OL, 2028 - A lack of continuity on the offensive line has plagued Aiken during its down years, but Jones is the kind of guy who can change that. The 6-foot-3, 305-pounder continues to make big strides toward being an anchor up front, and he recently received his first Division I offer from Georgia State.

Tarrant McKenzie Tarrant McKenzie 6'1" | 170 lbs | WR Aiken | 2027 State SC WR, 2027 - McKenzie has played a ton of football during his years at Aiken, and at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds he defies the "basketball player playing football" stereotype. Yes, he can go up over defensive backs to high-point the ball, but he's also a smooth route-runner who can be just as dangerous in the screen game.

Gray Kitchings Gray Kitchings 6'0" | 205 lbs | DB/RB Aiken | 2027 State SC LB/DB, 2027 - Kitchings led the team in tackles last year and can also pop into the backfield for some carries when the offense needs it. Now he'll be spending more time in the secondary in his hybrid safety role, where we expect him to have even more opportunities to make big plays.

FILM REVIEW

Darius Walker Darius Walker 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Aiken | 2027 State SC RB, 2027 - To paraphrase Hibbitts at Aiken's spring game, give the ball to Darius Walker Darius Walker 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Aiken | 2027 State SC and good things will happen. The Hornets' leading rusher a year ago, what we like most about Walker is his versatility. He has the size, patience and vision to go between the tackles to grind out short gains, he has the explosiveness to turn those short gains into long runs, he's a crisp route-runner coming out of the backfield, and he gets moving downhill quickly from a variety of depths. Hibbitts isn't married to one particular style and is willing to try whatever it takes to put the Hornets' offense in position to succeed. We like for Walker to factor heavily into whichever choices are made in that department.

BIGGEST LOSSES

Caleb Griffin WR/DB - Aiken didn't have many seniors on the field last year, but Griffin was certainly a key piece of the offense. He was the team's second-leading receiver and also returned kicks.

Jaydon Moore Jaydon Moore 5'8" | 145 lbs | DB South Aiken | 2029 State SC DB - Moore was one of several big-time freshmen who gave Aiken fans plenty to be excited about for the future, but in Moore's case that excitement is now on the other side of town at rival South Aiken.

UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL

Armani Jones WR, 2028 - A big-time piece for the basketball program, Jones will compete for significant playing time at receiver. At 6-foot-3 with a relentless motor, he could give opposing defenses lots of problems.

Zion East LB, 2029 - East and Johnny Dobbs Johnny Dobbs 6'0" | 190 lbs | LB Aiken | 2029 State SC give the Hornets a pair of potential sophomore starters at linebacker, and considering the defensive linemen named above there should be plenty of alley ways for East to make an early impact.