ORANGEBURG, SC — In a historic moment for Hampton County, the team captured its first-ever state runner-up trophy in the program’s history, despite a tough loss to Strom Thurmond in the SCHSL AA State Championship on Saturday.

The Hurricanes managed to score a single touchdown, courtesy of Desmond Mathis, just seconds before halftime, bringing the score to 18-7 as they headed to the locker room. Mathis has been a standout this season, leading his team with 638 receiving yards and securing four touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Jaylen Singletary, the team’s star running back, wrapped up an extraordinary season with an impressive 2,482 rushing yards and an astounding 42 touchdowns on the ground.

Despite the loss, head coach Rob Hanna remains optimistic about the future and is determined that this won’t be Hampton County’s last appearance in a state title game.

“Our goal is to be in this position every year,” Hanna stated confidently. “We have incredible fans who support us wherever we go, and this team is doing wonderful things for our community.”