2025 Preview: Rock Hill Bearcats

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2004 was the last time Rock Hill won a state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And who was a part of that team that won it then under coach Jim Ringer?&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Leon Boulware.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fast forward over 20 years later, Boulware now has the opportunity to lead his alma mater as the new head coach for the Bearcats after spending last season in the Midlands at Lugoff-Elgin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“To be honest with you, I was in a good situation. (We) really turned the program around there, but it was a no brainer. You see that home needed to be fixed. You want to be able to come back home and pour back into the same community that poured into you as a player and as a young adult. So that opportunity presented itself and (it was) something I couldn't pass up,” Boulware told us at the Prep Redzone Media Day at Catawba Ridge on June 20th.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What was the one word that kept coming up when we spoke to the players when we asked them what they would carry out of the summer after a 5-6 2024 season and a second round playoff loss to River Bluff? Trust.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I think relationships on and off the field matters. You need to know who you're playing with and ball out for and I think that's really good for a team like us,” wide receiver <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1676087' first='Kamron' last='Wilson'] </strong>said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The offense will have several key pieces back, starting on the offensive line with <strong>James Haas </strong>and <strong>Devan Erby </strong>at running back. Boulware brings in offensive coordinator Jamie Bolton, who has spent time up in North Carolina. On defense, the Bearcats will be led by defensive coordinator Michael Allen, who was previously the head coach at Nation Ford. Keep an eye on <strong>Jojo Brooks </strong>at defensive back as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boulware knows what it's like to have been to the top of the mountain at Rock Hill as a player, and as the 2025 season opener approaches at home against River Bluff on August 22, he, the staff and players are working to implement a physical brand of football.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We had a standard at Rock Hill and we're bringing that standard back to Rock Hill, hey, when we get off the bus, you got the city across your chest and the fact (is) that you got to understand one thing that (is) we didn't take it lightly at home. And regardless of what the score was, win or lose, you're going to feel us on Saturday mornings. And so that was one of our standards when I played here. It's going to be the standard here now. We're going to play physical football.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='618765' first='Katarius' last='Gill'] </strong>LB, 2026 – Gill will be one of the leaders for the Bearcats' defense after a strong 2024 campaign that saw him register 60 solo tackles and 5 tackles for a loss. Gill has visited camps at Lenoir Rhyne and Clemson this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Improvements heading into 2025: “My strength in the weight room and the effort. The new coaching staff is really big on effort and I feel that's going to be a good improvement from last year.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Focus heading into the season: “We have new teammates. The trust that we built during the summer outside of the pads, (we want to) have that same trust going into the fall with the pads on. And trust everyone around you.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820809' first='Tolton' last='Wintering']</strong> WR, 2026 – Wintering could be a weapon on the outside in the slot, as he's shown an ability to make a catch and get a quick five to 10 yards on a quick bubble screen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Transition with Coach Boulware: “I thought we've been executing in all the 7-on-7s, the weight room and it's all (going to) transition to the field come the fall.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734628' first='Jason' last='Horton'] </strong>QB, 2026 – Horton (pictured above) has transferred to Rock Hill from Cardinal Newman. He has great zip on his throws and can launch it deep down the field. With the group of receivers that he has at his disposal, the potential is there to light up the scoreboard in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Improvements heading into 2025: “Getting better at strength in the weight room. (It's my) last year with Coach Boulware and his staff. Coach (Jamie) Bolton is helping me with my progressions and my speed and my timing and my drops. (He's) helping me with actual reads and stuff and I'm getting better at that.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Focus heading out of the summer into the fall: “Trusting the coaches and the players (and building) better relationships and bond with the team, really. That will help us carry on from the summer into real football in August and help us battle through wins and get through hard games. I feel like that will help us a lot.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1088328' first='Nigel' last='Lightner'] </strong>DB, 2027 – Lightner is an aggressive defensive back who can come up and lay the lumber on the ball carrier. There were several times where he got in on the play and was disruptive. He can also read the quarterback's eyes well and make plays on the ball. Boulware is excited about what he can do in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>KEY LOSSES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Malik Clark </strong>WR – Clark is now at the University of South Carolina, and replacing the production he brought especially in the deep passing game will be key.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ian Grissom </strong>QB – Grissom lit it up for the Bearcats during his senior year, and he'll be another key player the Bearcats will look to replace offensively. He is now at Western Carolina University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1635381' first='Kaleb' last='Wright'] </strong>LB, 2027 – Wright could be another impact player on the Bearcats' defense this fall. He can fly around to the ball and can drill the ball carrier, like we saw on his film against Indian Land. He has a motor that's running and won't stop until the whistle blows.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/22704094/67376aa6397c5479839092cb' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-686d5904c071c"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP AND COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='952537' first='Ashton' last='Carter'] </strong>DB, 2028 – Carter is a sure tackler in space and can come up and limit the gain on things like scrambles and short completions. He diagnoses plays quickly to be able to limit those plays, which is a credit to his instincts and athletic ability.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jonah Torres </strong>WR, 2027 – Torres proved to be a quick go-to target on the outside at receiver for the Bearcats. Whether it's a screen pass or a quick out, he is dependable as they come and we expect him to be a frequent target for the quarterback in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1676087"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-686d5904c2c56"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Get to know the name now, because we have a feeling he could have a big impact in the Bearcats offense this fall. He excels in the quick game in making the routine catches. He has good size for the position and has the ability to make moves in space and get yards after the catch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><em>Improvements heading into 2025: “For me, I got better at working my technique, my route running and where I need to be at on the field and I think this staff really helped me improve way more.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/20518158/671b9c31627ae3ca67d68c32' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-686d5904c2cb8"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->