Class 1A Lewisville is ranked No. 1 in the state, and consistently winning big

Lewisville’s football team likes to dominate.

The Lions, now boasting a 5-1 record, have won five consecutive games -- four of which were against higher classification teams -- by a combined score of 284-0. The media rankings have Lewisville as the No. 1 Class 1A team in South Carolina.

Head coach Leon Boulware Jr. says the team is still improving.

“We’re still trying to peak at this moment,” Boulware said last week. “But the guys are doing a really good job. We’re right where we want to be at the moment, so we’re getting ready for our region, and going to try to put ourselves in position to play in the postseason.”

Lewisville’s offense features a potent passing game led by junior quarterback Ian Grissom. His 1,793 passing yards lead the state, while his 23 passing touchdowns rank second.

The rushing attack is led by senior Damion Fee and sophomore Mikel Hutchins, with the tandem combining for 684 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The defense is led by senior linebacker Joaquan Howze, who ranks sixth in the state with 74 tackles, while sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Jordan Strong is tied for the state lead with six interceptions.

Boulware said his team isn’t trying to embarrass their opponents; he just wants his team to perform at a high level every week, and that’s led to their dominant stretch of play.

“The defensive guys are doing a heck of a job executing the game plan that we put in front of them every week,” he said. “Offensive guys are really starting to click together and meshing. Of course, special teams is doing what they’re supposed to be doing as well. We’re clicking on all three phases of the game right now, and that’s important. That shows up on the scoreboard on Friday night.”

Strong leadership

Two high-impact players have been senior wide receiver Dion Brown and defensive back Cade Pilgrim -- two players who transferred to the program this past summer from Clover.

Brown has 21 receptions for 480 yards and five touchdowns, while Pilgrim has accounted for 15 tackles and two tackles for loss.

Dion’s father, former NFL cornerback Sheldon Brown, played in high school at Lewisville. Sheldon played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns. The Brown family has played a key role in the life of Pilgrim since he moved to South Carolina in 2018.

Boulware said the two players have been important to the team’s success. He pointed to the leadership of Brown and Pilgrim, on and off the field.

“Dion has elevated our receiver room,” Boulware said. “He’s like another coach on the field. He’s smart and can help push our guys to the next level. He’s been real good for our quarterback, so he’s been communicating and talking to him.

“Cade’s IQ on the defensive side of the football, he’s been elevating our defensive guys on the back end, especially in helping them learn how to communicate. Those two guys have really helped us jump some levels really fast.”

A bright future

Lewisville’s lone loss came over a month ago, 24-7 to Oceanside Collegiate -- the No. 3 Class 2A team in the state and last year’s 2A state runner-up. Heading into the game, Boulware said he felt his team was being underrated. He said no one gave the Lions a chance to avoid a blowout loss.

“You hate to say you had a good loss, but that loss really helped wake us up for the season,” Boulware said. “If you look at that game, we were going into the fourth quarter down 14-7. ... Our guys got out (to practice) and pushed themselves a little harder and trained a little harder. As a coaching staff, we buckled in to make sure we’re not on that side of the scoreboard again.”

And Lewisville has a bright future.

The team has only 11 seniors and underclassmen play some key roles. Boulware said he’s not afraid to use a younger player during important points in games.

One of these players is sophomore Jacorreun Howze.

The 5-foot-9 wide receiver leads the team with 23 receptions, 483 yards, and five touchdowns.

“It’s good to know that he trusts me,” Jacorreun said. “That means if he trusts me, I know all my other guys around me trust me. So it feels good.”

After the season-opening loss to Oceanside, every future game became personal for the team. And that’s the energy he and his teammates will carry through the rest of the season.

“We’ve been getting better as a team,” Jacorreun said. “I feel like if we keep on playing how we’re playing as a team, we’ll be hard to stop.”

“Our first goal is to keep dominating. Our second goal is to repeat as region champs. Third, it’s to get that (state championship) ring. We have to get it. We’ve worked too hard to not get it.”

Lewisville begins its region crown defense Sept. 29 as the Lions head to Columbia to play C.A. Johnson. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

This story was originally published September 29, 2023 at 12:06 PM.