Category: News

Adkins Named Football Coach of the Year

After leading his team to the inaugural New South Athletic Conference title, Clayton State University head coach Kevin Adkins has been named the conference Coach of the Year.

Adkins guided the Lakers to a 9-1 record including a 25-14 win over NAIA foe Point University. CSU was also undefeated in NSAC play at 4-0, capped off with a 42-28 win over Lighthouse for the NSAC Championship. Adkins’ team included 10 All-Conference performers including Offensive Player of the Year Sire Hardaway and Special Teams Player of the Year Darrel Bland, Jr.

After a successful stint as head coach at Gordon State, Adkins founded the Clayton State football program in 2024 and took the Lakers to the National Club Football Association title game in its first year before falling to Ohio State.

Congratulations to Kevin Adkins, the NSAC Football Coach of the Year!

Image courtesy Clayton State Football

Inaugural Football All-Conference Team Announced

The first-ever New South Athletic Conference Football All-Conference Team has been selected as voted by the league’s coaches.

NSAC champion Clayton State led the way with quarterback Sire Hardaway voted as Offensive Player of the Year and returner Darrell Bland, Jr. selected as Special Teams Player of the Year.

Lighthouse safety Kemontre Current was voted as the Defensive Player of the Year.

“My congratulations to each team and player for a tremendous first season,” said NSAC commissioner Mike Davis.” These young men have laid the foundation for success that others will build on in the coming years.”

2025 NSAC All-Conference Football Team

FIRST TEAM

Apprentice:

  • TK Petty
  • Hunt Kendall
  • Brian Lucas
  • Caleb Davidson
  • Wilberto Sanchez

Atlantis:

  • James Lewis
  • Cris Thornton

Clayton State:

  • Sire Hardaway (Offensive Player of the Year)
  • Savion West
  • Darrell Bland, Jr. (Special Teams Player of the Year)
  • Cendray Dixon
  • Davion McGill
  • Maxton Patterson
  • Charles Gordon

Gordon State:

  • Dontevius Williams
  • Marvin Howard

Lighthouse Christian:

  • Kemontre Current (Defensive Player of the Year)
  • Jamarkus Jefferson
  • Josh Crandle
  • Paul Gatley

SC Central Christian:

  • Kelvon Lee
  • Kylar Barkley

Westgate Christian:

  • Kiram Dallas
  • Jonathan McCoy
  • Josh Miller

SECOND TEAM:

Apprentice:

  • Chase Gayness
  • Logan Eastman
  • Baker Green

Atlantis:

  • Thomas Schuck
  • Jamarri Wright
  • Christopher Hamilton
  • D’Ryan Bartley

Clayton State:

  • Danirion Moxey
  • Clinton Rafe
  • Matthew Faulkner

Gordon State:

  • JD Trail
  • Jaden Dorsey

Lighthouse Christian:

  • Kabron Purifoy
  • John Sessions
  • Troy Medlin
  • Deontae Reinhart
  • Bryce French
  • Bodie Hardy

SC Central Christian:

  • Dexter Gunter
  • Nicholas Holmes
  • Timyris Lippett
  • Joseph Tolbert

Westgate Christian:

  • Jayir Nelson
  • Darren Durand
  • Maurice Hubbard
  • AJ Scott
  • Tresean Wiley

Photo by George Pisarevsky on Unsplash

Hardaway Scores 3 TDs as Clayton State Downs Lighthouse for NSAC Title

ELLENBORO, Ga. — All three phases of the game got into the scoring as Clayton State held off Lighthouse Christian College 42-28 and claim the inaugural New South Athletic Conference football championship on Saturday.

Quarterback Sire Hardaway led the Clayton State offense, completing 15 of 18 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Savion West had a monster day for the Lakers with three catches for 142 yards and a touchdown and rushed for two more. Danimon Moxey also added a TD run. Hardaway added nine carries for 18 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Darrel Bland Jr. electrified the crowd with an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, helping push the lead. The defense got into the scoring action as well when Ebine Griffin picked off an Ashton Nunes pass and went 43 yards to the house.

Lighthouse quarterback Nunes threw 14 of 22 for 134 yards and a touchdown and one interception. Nunes and Deonte Reinhardt combined for 123 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Jamarkus Jefferson added 81 yards on 14 carries.

Clayton State amassed 429 total yards, outpacing Lighthouse’s 323, and maintained control of the game despite a late push by Lighthouse’s ground game.

Image courtesy Clayton State Football

Clayton State, Lighthouse Dominate Division Championships, Setting Up Title Tilt

After Saturday’s action, the stage is now set for the first-ever New South Conference Football Championship.

Clayton State asserted control and defeated the Apprentice School 42-13 on Saturday at Steele Road Stadium in Morrow, Georgia, clinching the NSAC North Division championship.

The Lakers opened the scoring early in the first quarter when Zsewaun Smith powered into the end zone from three yards out, putting the Lakers ahead 7-0. The Builders responded with a 3-yard run by Alvin Hicks, knotting the game at 7-7. But Clayton State took over before the quarter ended, with quarterback Sire Hardaway throwing a 43-yard touchdown pass to Savion West, and Avon Findley running in from a yard out to cap the opening stanza on a 20-7 lead.

The second quarter saw the Lakers extend their lead when Ray Storey intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. That made it 28-7 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Clayton State delivered the knockout blow on a single play: Smith found Clenton Rafe on an 80-yard touchdown pass. That put the Lakers ahead 35-7. And in the fourth quarter, after a short scoring push by the Builders, a 1-yard run by Kendall Hunt, the Lakers answered with a 72-yard pass from Hardaway to West, sealing the 42-13 outcome.

Clayton State outgained the Builders 495 yards to 313, including 352 passing yards and 143 rushing yards. The Builders managed 240 passing yards and 96 rushing yards. Turnovers also hurt the Builders with three fumbles lost, while Clayton State lost one.

For the Lakers, Hardaway was 14-24 passing for 272 yards and two TDs, while Smith added the 80-yard scoring strike and also rushed for 94 yards and a TD.

For the Builders, Kendall Hunt completed 11 of 28 for 240 yards, but threw two interceptions and no touchdowns.

The win moves Clayton State to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play. Apprentice School falls to 5-4 overall, 3-1 in conference.

Also on Saturday afternoon, Lighthouse Christian ran away from Atlantis 48-6 in Milton, Florida to lock up the South Division Championship with an 8-1 overall record and 3-1 in conference play. The Makos were led by Kemontre Current’s stellar defensive performance with four interceptions, including three consecutive pick-sixes to put the game away.

That sets the stage for the inaugural New South Athletic Conference football championship between Clayton State and Lighthouse on November 15 at Steele Road Stadium.

Photo by Keith Johnston on Unsplash

Builders Win Senior Day Showdown Against Keystone

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Apprentice School football team used all three phases of the game to take down Keystone Saturday afternoon, 45-21, on Senior Day.

With the win, the Builders send their record above .500 for the first time this season. They also stretch their winning streak against teams from Pennsylvania to two games.

Keystone took the opening kickoff but couldn’t do anything with their drive as the Builders forced a punt. Baker Green took that punt and returned it 84 yards down the sideline and put the Builders on the board. After the Giants’ offense fumbled on their next drive, Apprentice got deep into Keystone territory before the drive stalled, allowing Logan Eastman to hit a 20-yard chip shot to push the lead to 10-0.

The Giants answered with an eight play drive that spanned 70 yards to cut the lead to 10-7, but just 16 seconds after giving up a touchdown, the Builders hit one of their own as Kendall Hunt found T.K. Petty for a 68-yard strike to push the lead back to 10. The 68-yard passing score was the second longest offensive play this season. Then, 17 seconds after Petty’s score, Keystone’s quarterback dropped back to pass and threw an interception to Jabari Anderson that was returned to the house, pushing the score to 24-7 with 4:14 to go in the first.

After trading possessions, Keystone got back to work, putting together an 11-play drive that took over five minutes off the clock, scoring on a 5-yard pass to trim the lead down. The Giants then got an interception and put together a nine play drive that resulted in a touchdown, cutting the lead to 24-21 with 5:07 to go until half. The Builders missed a field goal on their ensuing drive, giving Keystone a chance to get points before halftime. After driving down deep into Builder territory, Keystone looked as if they were going to score again, but Anderson stepped in front of another pass and had no one in front of him for a 93-yard pick-six to take a 31-21 lead into halftime. That marks the second longest interception return in program history.

The Builder offense then controlled the tempo the rest of the day, scoring on a Hunt 27-yard run and a Tyreon Taylor 5-yard run in the third quarter to get to the final score.

Hunt finished the day 15-of-23 for 182 yards and a touchdown. He added 96 rushing yards on 13 carries.

The Builders will jump back into New South Athletic Conference play next week for a North Division matchup with Barber-Scotia. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Eastern time.

Story courtesy of Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics; Image courtesy Kaitlyn Olson/@shotsbyk8lyn