By MONTE DUTTON

The Clinton Red Devils were decked out in their game uniforms on Friday morning, and they looked proud, as well they should. The fact that they are the reigning Class 2A state champions naturally leads to the suspicion that they can do it again.

High expectations are, on balance, a good thing. Keith Richardson used to say, “If you won’t be beat, you can’t be beat.”

They lost a heap of seniors, but they’ve got a heap of seniors. They know it can be done because they have done it.

The coach in charge, Corey Fountain, is as consistent as an afternoon thunderstorm in August, which is why the Red Devils practice mostly in the morning. He has the knack of imparting the difficulty of the task ahead while, at the same time, nurturing a powerful belief system.

A belief system is roughly as important as special teams, or a linebacker with a nose for the football.

Occasionally, I hear from a non-believer who thinks the concentration on winning takes the fun out of sports..

Trust me on this: there’s no fun like winning.

A lot of it is about “stepping up.”

“Character wins, and part of having good character is being accountable, accountable every day, with your effort, your attitude, your toughness on the practice field, in the weight room and in the classroom,” Fountain said. “That’s something we try to preach to our kids.

“They’ve got some confidence. We’ve got some new faces in the offensive line. We actually have to replace three linebackers now. They’re going to have to play with a chip on their shoulder to prove they belong and that they can get the job done.”

Last season the Red Devils played every non-region game against a bigger school, which left them well prepared for the play in Region 1-2A and the playoffs beyond. They lost a close one to 3A Woodruff in the opener, defeated 4A Laurens, 3A Newberry and 3A Chapman, fell to 4A Daniel (there’s a name in rhe news) and got rained out against 3A Union County.

From that point on, they were off to the races. On a Thursday afternoon in Orangeburg, Clinton claimed its ninth state championship, 35-6, over Barnwell.

The schedule is the same, roughly as tough as can be, with the sites reversed. The first three games – at Woodruff, at Laurens and Newberry at home – are all rivalries. The beginning of the season was the same 50 years ago.

“We’re going to get the best performance from the first three opponents and from every opponent, because we were fortunate enough to win the state championship,” Fountain said. “We have a target on our back. Everybody’s going to give us their best game.”

They wouldn’t have it any other way, of course.

“We’ve got to match that with the same intensity, hunger and drive. You’ve got to hate losing even more than you like winning,” Fountain added.

The preseason scrimmages are tougher. Clinton is playing Class 4A Fountain Inn next Thursday in Woodruff, then 5A Chapin the Tuesday following, and 4A Gray Collegiate Academy at Chapin’s home field on Aug. 15.

I was reading about a prominent college team whose players almost get angry at any mention of last year, which, by the way, wasn’t too bad.

Maybe at the college level, it’s best to put the past behind. It’s best to keep a high-school state title fresh in the hearts and minds. It’s not the Pride of Clinton for nothing.

Once again Clinton is in Region 1 for football, Region 3 for everything else.

If the Red Devils were in Region 3, they would regularly test their mettle against Chester and Fairfield Central. Region 3 is better at the top but but bereft at the bottom. Region 1 is better top to bottom, but the top is held more securely by Clinton.

On the other hand, that was last year.

Tackle Tre Aiken is a North Carolina State commit who has another season here. Linebacker Luke Young is a baseball commit following his dreams there. The names and numbers change, but in sum, it’s a rolling stone, picking up momentum, speed and size, shedding a little here and adding a coat of mud there.

What sticks hardens.

Basketball announcers like to say a team “embraces its physicality.” I don’t see any getting around it.

Staff meteorologists show you a small thunderstorm and say they will “monitor it all through the night.” I don’t believe that. The same guy’s not even on at 11. A tornado, a hurricane, a wildfire, a flood, okay.

In conclusion, the top driver in ARCA is “Butterbean” Queen. Branden is from Chesapeake, Va., as well he should be.

I believe that Friday night’s race at Iowa Speedway had more fans than the Indy Car race there a few weeks back.

The fans may have gotten free coupons for a 12-pack of Budweiser for all I know, but though I hate it when people use these words to me, I’m just saying. Uh, writing.

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