Stephen Roberson returns to Midlands to coach another high school football program
Stephen Roberson is returning to the Midlands as the new football coach at Columbia High.
Roberson replaces Jason Bush, who was fired in December. Bush has since joined the staff at Swansea High.
Roberson has been at Purnell Swett in southeast North Carolina for three seasons and went 4-17 with two of the years shortened because of COVID-19.
Before Purnell Swett, Roberson coached at South Robeson and Westover in NC and also at CA Johnson in Columbia from 2017-19.
At CA Johnson, Roberson led the Hornets to a 4-7 record in his final season. The four wins were their most since the 2013 season and helped lay the foundation which has continued with coaches Walt Wilson and Scotty Dean. The Hornets have had three straight winning seasons.
Columbia went 2-9 this season and made the playoffs for the second straight year. The Capitals lost in the first round to eventual state champion Abbeville.
Columbia hasn’t had a winning season since 2011 when the Capitals went 6-5. They had a successful run in the early to mid-2000s under Kemper Amick and made it to the state semifinals in 2007. Columbia won 10 games or more three times during that stretch.
Columbia’s hire leaves two openings in the Midlands at Blythewood and Airport. Blythewood is expected to take a name before the Richland 2 school board on Tuesday. Airport is starting to interview possible candidates this week.
SC High School Football openings
School — Former School — New Coach
Aiken — Olajuwon Paige — Dwayne Garrick
Airport — Andre Cook — TBA Beaufort Academy — Mark Clifford — Nic Shuford Barnwell — Dwayne Garrick — Brian Smith Battery Creek — Terrance Ashe —TBA Berea — Julius Prince — Drew Chisholm Berkeley — Jerry Brown — Eric Lodge Clover — Brian Lane — Perry Woolbright Colleton County — Kris Howell — Adam Kinloch Columbia — Jason Bush — Stephen Roberson Conway — Carlton Terry — Josh Pierce Darlington — Raymond Jennings — Jamie Johnson Dillon Christian — Christian Wolfe — Donell Stanley
Dorman — Dustin Curtis — Jake Morris Eau Claire — Shaq Hilton — Demarcus Simons Edisto — Preston Deaver — TBA First Baptist — Johnny Waters — Jamaal Birch
Georgetown — Jimmy Noonan — Bradley Adams
Great Falls — DeMarcus Simons — TBA Green Sea Floyds — Joey Price — Patrick Martin Hanahan — Art Craig — Milan Turner
Hannah-Pamplico — Jamie Johnson — Trey Woodberry Heathwood Hall — Danny Lewis — Rick Reetz Hillcrest — Anthony Frate — Bennett Swygert John Paul II — Chris Myers — Shayne Milligan Lamar — Josh Pierce — Stephen Burris Landrum — Jason Farmer — Brent Bridges Lexington — Perry Woolbright — Dustin Curtis Mauldin — Sayre Nesmith — Andre Cook May River — Rodney Summers — Richard Bonneville Mullins — John Williams — TBA
Ninety-Six — Matthew Owings — Matthew Bennett North Central — Ryan McDonnell (interim) — Daniel Sisk North Charleston — Devon Smalls — TBA Northwood Academy — Armando Allen — Johnny Waters Orangeburg Prep — Andy Palmer — Don Shelley Palmetto — Doug Shaw — Ryan Norton Pickens — Chad Smith — James Reynolds Pinewood Prep — J.W. Myers — DeVonte Holloman Ridge-Spring Monetta — Brian Smith — TBA Spring Valley — Robin Bacon — Nygel Pearson Thomas Heyward — Nic Shuford — Tony McGeary
Walhalla — Padgett Johnson — Chris Stone Ware Shoals — Chris Johnston — Chris Dodson Westside — Scott Earley — Brian Lane Williamsburg Academy — Don Shelley — Tyler Boyd Woodmont — Jeff Murdock — Ty Sutherland Woodruff — Bradley Adams — Brett Sloan Wren — Jeff Tate — Anthony Frate
