By Thomas Grant Jr.
Carter Coleman is back in View County.
The Richmond wide receiver spent last season at rival Blythewood before returning to Ridge View for his senior year.
Monday’s two-quarter scrimmage against preseason Class 4A top-ranked South Pointe saw Coleman make his “Homecoming” in winning fashion. His touchdown reception from quarterback Tre Howard with 1:50 left gave the Class 5A 10th-ranked Blazers a 14-6 win.
“It’s kind of like a heartbeat, didn’t miss a beat,” said Coleman about reuniting with Howard. “I came back and it was just a dynamic connection again. We didn’t really have to rekindle the connection. It was just kind of snap back. So, to catch that touchdown and couple of passes today from Tre today, it just felt natural. It felt great.”
Head coach Derek Howard was just as happy to see Coleman back in the purple and silver.
“Carter’s my guy,” he said. “He’s known it from the very beginning. I’ve always been a Carter fan and I’m glad to see him back because I trust me with him, honestly, and I know he trusts me as well and trust what we’re doing over here. So I think that it’s good to have him back home where he belongs and just have an opportunity to experience his senior year with the guys that he came in with. I think that’s important.”
Howard also threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Mack and a long reception that set up the game-winner to Coleman. The Blazers got key runs out of the backfield from Spencer Bobian and Aiden Keefe playing on the newly-refurbished field.
Providing the blocking upfront were senior center Joseph Braveboy, his brother Joshua, tackle Jordan Senior, and newcomer James Ross Jr.
What excited the senior Howard even more was the inspired play of the defense. With assistant coaches preaching it’s a “New Day in View County,” the defensive group collected an interception, forced several 3-and-outs, and made key stops to keep South Pointe to one score.
The seniors leading the defense are linebackers D’Juan Franklin and Jaiden Brown, defensive back Jordyn Best, and flex Alante Morrison.
“It lets you know they’re competitive and they appreciate the challenge,” Howard said. “It doesn’t matter whether you’ve got 80 yards to go or whether you’ve got 15 yards to go. They’re going to ‘bow their necks, they’re going to do their job, which is to stop the other team.”
Ridge View closes out the preseason Friday in the Spartanburg School District Two Jamboree at Boiling Springs High School. The Cavaliers will face Dorman in the second scrimmage at 7 pm
Ridge View 2025 Schedule
(All Games Start at 7:30 pm)
August 22 – Fairfield Central
August 29 – at Northwestern
September 5 – at Dutch Fork
September 12 – Camden
September 19 – Bye
September 26 – at Westwood
October 3 – Spring Valley
October 10 – at Lugoff-Elgin
October 17 – West Florence
October 24 – at Sumter
October 31 – Blythewood
S.C. Prep Football Media Preseason Poll
Class 5A
1. Dutch Fork (16), 2. Summerville, 3. Gaffney, 4. Northwestern (1), 5. Irmo, 6. Spartanburg, 7. Greenwood, 8. Sumter, 9. T.L. Hanna, 10 (tied). J.F. Byrnes and Ridge View
Others receiving votes: White Knoll; Hillcrest; JL Mann; River Bluff; West Florence; Dorman; Berkeley; James Island; Catawba Ridge; Clover; Nation Ford; Boiling Springs
