By MONTE DUTTON

In Union on Friday night, Corey Fountain coaches his 145^th game as a head football coach, beginning with five seasons at Lamar High School.

Fountain was 58-10, winning two Class A state titles with the Silver Foxes. Fountain won his third state championship with the Red Devils, where he has coached since 2019 and compiled a 55-21 mark.

This game marks the Red Devils’ final non-region test. Clinton (2-3), the reigning Class 2A state champion, won’t play a school from its own classification until the Region 1-2A schedule begins on Oct. 3 with Liberty (4-1) visiting Wilder Stadium. The alternate Red Devils visit Crescent on Friday night.

Clinton has defeated Class 4A Laurens (50-0) and 3A Chapman (40-34) and lost to 3A Woodruff (21-13), 3A Newberry (41-12) and 4A Daniel (41-33). Undoubtedly in consideration of its schedule, Clinton is ranked fourth in 2A according to the S.C. Media Poll

Five Red Devils have rushed for 160 or more yards, led by senior Javen Cook, who has rushed for 594 yards and nine touchdowns in 72 carries, averaging 8.3 yards for each one. Next in line are Angelo Cromer (46-282), Zy Butler (41-261), K.J. Vance (16-166) and quarterback Owen Glenn (28-160).

Glenn, a junior, has completed 25/65 passes for 341 yards. P.J McGowan has 10 catches for 153 yards.

Union County (1-4), coached by Quinnon Isom, has gone 3-12 in his two years at the helm. Clinton has won its last three games against the Yellow Jackets, who are 11-37 over the past six seasons. Union County’s only victory to date is over a future Clinton opponent, Blacksburg (49-7).

Clinton is 11-6 against Union County, which expanded in 2007. Union went 24-15-2 against the Red Devils in a series that dates back to 1921. As a result, the combined series record is 30-26-2 in Union/Union County’s favor. Last year the game was rained out.

The Red Devils now must reap the benefits of a stiff early schedule.

Elsewhere in Laurens County, Laurens (0-4) visits Lexington (1-3). The Wildcats won last year’s game, 29-0.

Laurens Academy (4-1) visits Newberry Academy (0-4), which it defeated, 30-14, in its first eight-man game of the season. The Crusaders play Newberry Academy, Wardlaw, Richard Winn and King twice.

Clinton defensive tackle Kynius Williams won the Laurens County Touchdown Club’s Player of the Week designation for his play in the Red Devils’ 41-33 loss to Daniel last week.

Williams made 9-1/2 tackles, one for loss.

 Corey Fountain said, “Kynius is a hard worker and brings a great smile, a great attitude and a high motor to practice everyday.  Kynius is a great young man and football player.”

Williams, a senior, will be honored at the TD Club’s Oct. 2 meeting at The Ridge, located at 301 Exchange Road in Laurens. Tickets for the noon meeting can be purchased at the door for $15. Catering this week is by Whiteford’s of Laurens.

The featured speaker is Ted Pitts, a Presbyterian graduate and football player who now works the Southeastern Conference as a referee. Pitts is a major in the S.C. Army National Guard who served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

He is a past member of the House of Representatives from 2003 – 2010 and the former Chief of Staff for Governor Nikki Haley.  

Clinton’s perennially strong girls’ tennis team improved to 4-0, 3-0 in Region 3-2A. Clinton plays in Region 1 in football and Region 3 in all other sports. The latest victory was 6-0 over Chester on Tuesday. The Red Devils have yet to lose a match in region play.

The Clinton-Union County football game is to be broadcast on WPCC (96.5 FM, 1410 AM, largetime.net) beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday. “Saturday Morning Rewind” airs at 9 a.m., followed by a replay of the game.

Laurens-Lexington is available through streaming at GoLaurens.com.

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