By Thomas Grant Jr.

Ridge View football has taken an early approach towards the preseason.

At around 5:45 a.m. Monday, the Blazers were dressed in shoulder pads, jersey and helmets practicing on the field. Given the enthusiasm displayed during Monday’s 2-hour session, working out in cooler conditions served the team well.

“The kids have a great attitude, whether it’s early or whether it’s late,” head coach Derek Howard said. “But obviously, we’re out here because of the temperature. We want to make sure that we’re able to have an effective practice and kids came out here with great energy, great attitude. I thought we got a lot of work accomplished.”

Ridge View has, in Howard’s words, a “challenging” opening schedule which reads like a ‘Champions’ Tour’. Starting at South Pointe Aug. 21, followed by the home opener Aug. 28 against Dutch Fork (The inaugural Bojangles Kickoff Classic) and Sept. 4 at Oceanside Collegiate Academy, the Blazers are facing defending champions in Classes 4A, 5A and 3A, respectively.

“We’re not upset about playing state champions,” Howard said. “We’re not upset about playing really good 5A programs because that comes with being a 5A school. But obviously, we want to start hard. We want to be able to play at a tempo that championship-caliber programs play at. We want to be able to keep at that level so that we’re playing our best brand of football when we get in the playoffs and we understand what’s expected if we’re going to compete against the high-quality teams you’re going to see in 5A.”

Despite graduating nine seniors, including eight starters on defense, Ridge View got an off-season boost with the healthy return of starting quarterback Tre Howard. The coach’s son saw his junior season abruptly end due to foot surgery, but looked in regular season form throwing the football.

“Tre has been following what the doctors have been asking him to do,” Howard said. “He’s pretty much been full. He went through spring. He’s gone through everything through the summer. We really haven’t held him out of anything. But I guess that’s the benefit of his injury being so early in the football season. So, he’s been 100 percent and I think he’s gained a lot of confidence in his ability to kind of return to where he was and actually be a senior.”

Other returning seniors include University of South Carolina commit offensive lineman James Ross, wide receiver Khristian Jackson, running back Spencer Bobian, linebacker D.J. Epps and safety Kingston Lucas.

Howard also has high expectations with freshman Adrian Johnson and defensive lineman Kendrick Davis and sees them having special careers for Ridge View.

The Blazers will have a Friday scrimmage at Berkeley.

2026 SCHEDULE

AUG. 21 – at South Pointe

AUG. 28 – DUTCH FORK

SEPT. 4 – at Oceanside Collegiate Academy

SEPT. 11 – NATION FORD

SEPT. 18 – Bye

SEPT. 25 – at Rock Hill

OCT. 2 – at White Knoll

OCT. 9 – at Spring Valley

OCT. 16 – SUMTER

OCT. 23 – GRAY COLLEGIATE ACADEMY

OCT. 30 – at Blythewood