When Greg Porter took the head coaching job at Laurens, he knew exactly what he was stepping into. With only one winning season in the past four years, the Raiders were looking for someone who could return the program to it’s former glory.
In the past, the Raiders have shown a lack of motivation under the lights at K.C. Hanna Stadium. To address that issue, one of the tricks that Porter brought with him to Laurens was a new mentality. If anyone can change that, then it is Porter, and, when you ask him, their going to have to start from the bottom up.
“The preparation before the season is everything and we want to be consistent and disciplined in everything we do,” said Porter. “It’s an all day thing. It starts with your attendance and academics and then that translates onto the field.”
Porter knows the situation all too well: a struggling program in desperate need of someone to step up and turn things around. Porter is that someone. During his previous stops at Hillcrest, Southside and Greenville, Porter posted nine 10-win seasons in 16 total seasons as a head coach.
“I just have this passion about seeing things be rebuilt and turned around,” said Porter. “I love the way that everyone has been buying in and I hope to see them reap the benefits for their hard work in the future.”
One of the major pieces that Porter brought in is senior quarterback Will Thompson. Thompson stands at 6-foot-5, weighs 220 pounds, and has a rocket of an arm. Thompson has weapons to throw to as well in Josh Goodwin, Jireh Brown and Jaden Williams lining up at receiver for the Raiders. With Thompson under center and explosive receivers to make his job easier, Porter is confident that his team’s offense will do great things.
“There are so many pieces that we have to work with,” Porter said. “We’re relying on a lot of new guys to come make an impact for us, but we’re also expecting the guys that have been here to continue to get better.”
On the defensive side, the Raiders are led by senior defensive back Javaye Suber and senior defensive end Mike Brown. Brown is due for a big season as the captain of the defensive line with Malik Jackson now at Limestone, and Suber has leapt into a leadership role for the defense. Suber was an all-region selection last year for the Raiders and, when you ask his head coach, he is due for an even bigger season in 2024.
“Javaye (Suber) has been really working to get better ever since I got here,” said Porter. “I love that kid, but what I really love about him is his work ethic. He shows up, gives 110 percent, and outworks everyone.”
Schedule Prediction:
While the Raiders are set for an improved season, they have a juggernaut of a nonregion schedule. The Raiders open versus Hillcrest followed by Clinton, BHP, A.C. Flora and Lexington. The Raiders should be able to compete in the majority of each of these games, but they will definitely be the underdogs heading into them. On a brighter note, Laurens was placed in a considerably weaker region than the rest of the Class 4A regions in the newest South Carolina High School League realignment, with the exception of Westside. If everything goes their way, including a win over Wren, then the Raiders could find themselves finishing second in Region 1-4A. Overall, the Raiders should have a much improved season and judging by his history, Porter has them in store for greener pastures in the future.
Final record: 5-5, third in Region 1-4A, and loss in first round of the playoffs.