Chapin makes hire for next football coach. Here are the details
Chapin High’s search for its next football coach didn’t last long.
The Eagles have promoted defensive coordinator Ryan Cole as their successor to Justin Gentry, who announced early last month that he was retiring. The move was approved at Monday’s Lexington-Richland 5 school board meeting.
Gentry was the head coach at Chapin since 2010 and saw the program go from Class 3A to Class 5A, the state’s highest classification, during his tenure. He was the second-longest-tenured coach in school history behind Eddie Muldrow (1981-2005).
Cole has been the Eagles’ defensive coordinator the past three years. He previously coached defensive backs at Dutch Fork before going to Chapin.
Cole is expected to meet with his players late Tuesday morning for the first time as head coach. He was one of eight candidates to interview for the position, with three of them coming from Chapin’s coaching staff.
The Eagles went 6-5 in 2023 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Chapin will begin spring practice this month.
Chapin will open the 2024 season Aug. 23 at Catawba Ridge.
The Eagles will have several key players back from last year’s team, including quarterback Brady Albro, second-leading receiver Kalen Bostick and its two top tacklers on defense in Gavin Stam and Tanner Short.
Chapin is the sixth school from the Midlands to have a new head coach next season. Other schools that have filled their openings are Gilbert, Gray Collegiate, Heathwood Hall, Lugoff-Elgin and Swansea.
SC High School Football openings
School — Former Coach — New Coach
Bishop England — John Cantey — Logan Hall
Chapin — Justin Gentry — Ryan Cole
Chesnee — Clay Lewis — Brett Chappell
Easley — Jordan Durrah — Sam Houston
Fort Dorchester — Josh Smith (interim) — Shaun Lorenzano
Gaffney — Dan Jones — TBA (Jones retiring at end of 2024 season)
Gilbert — Chad Leaphart — Ozzie Exume
Gray Collegiate — Adam Holmes — De’Angelo Bryant
Great Falls — Brian Kane — Syvelle Newton
Greenville — Greg Porter — Jaybo Shaw
Heathwood Hall — Rick Reetz — Tymere Zimmerman
Hilton Head Prep — Dustin Etheridge — Doug McFadden
Laurens — Darryl Smith — Greg Porter
Lewisville — Leon Boulware — Trent Usher
Lugoff-Elgin — Matt Campbell — Leon Boulware
Marlboro County — Quinn McCollum — Cory Johnson
Rock Hill — Bubba Pittman — Randy Birch
Stall — Benjamin Lailson — Ken Freeman
Scott’s Branch — Randall State — Patrick Fleming
Silver Bluff — De’Angelo Bryant — Matt Hayes
St. John’s — Mike Howard — TBA
Swansea — Brent Wilder — Willie Fox
Union County — Brian Thompson — Quinnon Isom
Wade Hampton — Travis Miller — Reuben Wright
Wagener-Salley — Willie Fox — Blaze Gillespie
Wando — Rocco Adrian — Isaiah Perrin
Wilson — Rodney Mooney — Glenwood Ferebee — Daryl Page (interim)
