Game Notes: Trinity Collegiate at Florence Christian

OPENING KICKOFF: Friday's Region matchup marks the 8th meeting between Trinity Collegiate (5-4, 2-1 SCISA 3A Region II) and Florence Christian (6-2, 2-1 SCISA 3A Region II) in a series that dates back to 2016. The Titans lead the all-time series 5-2, although the Eagles won the last matchup in 2024.

WHEN LAST WE MET: In the first meeting between the two teams since 2019, the Eagles pulled out a narrow 16-13 win in a defensive battle. Davidson Lynch (Florence, SC/All Saints Episcopal Day School) threw for 205 yards and was also the Titan's leading rusher with 62 yards on the ground. Mac Burch (Florence, SC/All Saints Episcopal Day School) and Walker Willcox, Jr. (Florence, SC/Royall Elementary School) each had 15 tackles to lead the defense. James Herbert chipped in with 10 tackles, three for loss, and a forced fumble in the final home game of his storied Titan career.

LAST TIME OUT: The Titans fell at home to rival Laurence Manning Academy, 37-20. The Swampcats took advantage of short fields and hit three long field goals to pull away on senior night. Davidson Lynch threw two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, all to Garrison Copeland (Hartsville, SC/Hartsville Middle School). Robert Mack (Hartsville, SC/Hartsville Middle School) paced the Titans on the ground with 77 yards, including a 28-yard scamper for a touchdown on the games' final drive. Desmond Williams II (Florence, SC/Wilson High School) had six receptions for 70 yards. Defensively, Walker Willcox, Jr. made a statement, tying his own school single game record with 24 tackles, six of which went for loss. In the process he also set the school record for tackles in a single season. 

WITH HONORS: Several Titans players rank among the national and state leaders in various statistical categories. Walker Willcox, Jr. ranks tied for 41st nationally in tackles with 141. This is good for second among all South Carolina schools and first in SCISA and the Pee Dee Region. Davidson Lynch ranks 10th in South Carolina in passing yards and third in SCISA. Garrison Copeland ranks sixth in South Carolina in receiving yards. 

LEADING THE WAY: The Titans have a senior-heavy squad this year, with eleven total seniors on the roster. They are: Oliver Brodie (Charleston, SC/Briggs Elementary School), Mac Burch, Johnathan Charles (Florence, SC/Wilson High School), Drew Cockrell (Chesterfield, SC/Chesterfield Ruby Middle School), Johnathon Cottingham (Darlington, SC/Darlington Middle School), Matthew Dameron (Hartsville, SC/Hartsville Middle School), Kyler Johnson (Darlington, SC/Darlington Middle School), Davidson Lynch, Jy'ell Preston (Darlington, SC/Darlington Middle School), Walker Willcox, Jr. and Desmond Williams II.

STRONG FOUNDATION: The Titans are playing their 17th season of football, entering play with a 114-82 overall record. After spending their first three seasons playing eight-man football, during which they recorded a 9-21 (.300) record, the Titans are 105-61 (.633) since moving to eleven-man football for the 2012 season. Trinity is the only SCISA school to have competed across all five classifications of football offered by the league (eight-man, 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A). 

YOUTH MOVEMENT: Eighth Grader Dre'den Bethea (Florence, SC/JL Cain Elementary School) is the third leading receiver for the Titans this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS STANDOUT: Parker Phipps (Florence, SC/All Saints Episcopal Day School) has scored thirty points this season, the most for a Titan kicker since 2021. 

DEFENSIVE DYNAMO: Walker Willcox, Jr. leads the Titan defense from the inside linebacker position. Willcox ranks tied for 41st nationally with 141 tackles, 33 of which went for loss. He ranks fourth nationally in tackles for loss. He has also forced two fumbles and recovered one as well. Willcox's 141 tackles are a new single season school record, surpassing Spencer Scott's 13-game total of 133 from the 2021 season.

TWO-WAY STAR: Robert Mack impacted both offense and defense. Offensively, he scored a touchdown and led the team in rushing. Defensively, he collected 10 tackles, one for loss, and a sack.

DEFENSIVE STATEMENT: The 176 points allowed on the season are the least allowed by a Trinity defense in their first nine games since allowing 173 points during the same span of the 2019 season.

TITAN TIDBITS: This is the second game in the history of Trinity Collegiate football to be played on October 31st. The Titans are 1-0 on this date. On October 31st, 2014 the Titans defeated Lee Academy 43-34…This is the first meeting between the Titans and Eagles in Florence since 2019. In that matchup, the Titans prevailed 53-21 in route to capturing the 2019 SCISA 2A State Championship. 

COACHES' CORNER: Shawn Fagan enters his first season as Head Football Coach at Trinity Collegiate School, bringing 14 years of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels. He has a record of 5-4 at Trinity Collegiate School.  A Florence, SC native, Fagan attended Charleston Southern University, where he earned his degree and began his coaching career. From 2008–2011, Fagan served at Charleston Southern as a student assistant on defense before coaching outside linebackers. During his tenure, the Buccaneers posted the highest win percentage in the Big South Conference and competed against top-ranked opponents, including the No. 1 Florida Gators in 2009. Fagan's coaching journey has taken him to a variety of programs, including Kentucky Christian University (Running Backs Coach, 2015), Northwood Academy (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Special Teams Coordinator, 2016–2018), Cathedral Academy (Head Coach, 2019–2021), Pinewood Preparatory School (Co-Offensive Coordinator, 2022), and St. John's Christian Academy (Running Backs/Special Teams, 2023; Offensive and Defensive Line Coach, 2024). His leadership has helped teams earn multiple postseason appearances, including a playoff berth with Northwood in 2016, a semifinal run with Pinewood Prep in 2022, and a playoff appearance with St. John's in 2023.

THE WORD ON FLORENCE CHRISTIAN: This is Florence Christian's 9th game of the 2025 season. The Eagles are 6-2 on the year with losses to Wilson Hall and Williamsburg Academy and wins over Dillon Christian, Thomas Sumter, Heathwood Hall, Pee Dee Academy, Camden Military, and Northside Christian.