Countdown to Kick Off
The Palmetto Sports Network begins its 34th year of covering high school football in the Upstate
The wait is almost over. High school teams are wrapping up their final practices before the numbers on the scoreboard finally start to matter.
The first ranking of the top teams in South Carolina is out, and—no surprise—it’s a mix of the usual suspects along with a few programs making significant moves in the world of Palmetto State football.
As I’ve said in my nearly 50 years of watching high school football: Early in the year, you bet on the jockey, not on the horse.
In other words, veteran coaches—the ones who reach the playoffs year after year—usually get their teams off to fast starts. The coaches who can keep their core group of assistants intact, and maybe get lucky with a transfer or two, tend to have the best chance to keep winning.
How the 2025 Preseason Rankings Stack Up
This year’s preseason rankings come from the men and women of the media who cover the high school game. While they’re not necessarily a prediction of how the season will end, these reporters know their stuff.
When I used to vote in these polls, I always began with the defending state champions in each classification. It looks like the voters in this year’s poll followed a similar approach.
- Class 5A: Dutch Fork has dominated this classification for years, and the Silver Foxes start the 2025 season on top.
- Class 4A: South Pointe, the defending state champion, begins right where it ended last year—at No. 1.
- Class 3A: Oceanside, from Mount Pleasant, moved up during the recent realignment meant to balance competition between charter/private schools and smaller public schools. The Landsharks are expected to contend again.
- Class 2A: Clinton returns to the top after earning another state championship.
- Class 1A: Abbeville—a near-permanent fixture at No. 1—once again leads the preseason poll.
You can see the complete preseason rankings in our Who’s Number One column.
Countdown to Kickoff
The Greenville Tech Scoreboard kicks off its 34th season in just a few weeks. Speaking for myself and Coach Mike Anthony, who joins us each week—we’re just about ready.
Good luck to all the teams! We’ll be here every week bringing you the scores and all the information you need to enjoy another great season of high school football.
Stan Olenik – Palmetto Sports Network
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