Ridge View Embraces Grueling Early Schedule in Pursuit of a South Carolina State Title

With quarterback Tre Howard healthy again, the Blazers hope a daunting non-region schedule prepares them for another run at the South Carolina Class 5A playoffs.

Ridge View quarterback Tre Howard prepares to receive a snap during a preseason practice. | Thomas Grant Jr.

With a fully healthy Tre Howard back at quarterback, the Ridge View Blazers look to build off the challenges of a formidable non-region football schedule to reach their South Carolina championship goals.

A freak foot injury ended Tre Howard's 2025 season before it ever began and the lengthy recovery forced the senior into a different leadership role.

“I was pretty good at still being involved in the gameplan,” Howard said. “To make sure I was the best leader for Ashton (Chapman) and Bijon (Virgo) as they went in and played. I was trying to be a bolt of energy, just being around the guys, keeping everybody excited and uplifted.”

Howard Returns Healthy

After months of rehabilitation and 7-on-7 passing drills, Howard is back in his familiar on-field role. He returns to lead Ridge View through what could best be described as a “championship gauntlet” to open the season.

Ridge View head coach Derek Howard | Thomas Grant Jr.

Championship Gauntlet Awaits

It starts with a road trip to Rock Hill to face defending Class 4A champion South Pointe.

A week later, the Blazers will play their inaugural Bojangles Kickoff Classic at home against 4-time defending Class 5A champion Dutch Fork. Last year’s game saw the Silver Foxes rally for a 28-21 victory thanks to a 28-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jake Knotts.

The “Tour of Champions’ ends in Week 2 at two-time Class 3A champion Oceanside Collegiate Academy. Ridge View then plays host to Nation Ford before closing out the non-region schedule following a bye against Rock Hill.

“You want to be the best, you’ve got to play the best and I really feel like we’ve been working hard,” Howard said. “It’s very important that we come out strong which is practicing hard out here and just getting good preseason reps against other teams and that’s going to carry into the season.”

The daunting schedule is something Howard’s father and head coach Derek Howard sees as the end result of being a Class 5A program. He also pointed out the RPI system, which factors strength of schedule into playoff seeding. 

“We’re not upset about playing really good 5A programs because that comes with being a 5A school,” the elder Howard said. “But obviously, we want to start hard. We want to be able to play at a tempo that championship-caliber programs play at. We want to be able to keep at that level so that we’re playing our best brand of football when we get in the playoffs and we understand what’s expected if we’re going to compete against the high-quality teams you’re going to see in 5A.”

Ridge View practice | Thomas Grant Jr.

Offensive Weapons Return

Tre Howard is not the only returning starting senior for Ridge View. Running back Stephen Bobian is back and will look to run through holes created by South Carolina offensive lineman commit James Ross.

Deep-threat wide receiver Khristian Jackson, whose 2025 season was cut short by a shoulder injury, is joined by transfers Isiaiah Small and Kanye Reed. Howard also has high expectations for freshman tight end Adrian Johnson.

Young Defense Faces Challenge

Freshman defensive lineman Kendrick Davis has already earned snaps with the varsity during preseason practices. The Blazers lost eight starters on defense to graduation, meaning they will rely upon the leadership of linebacker D.J. Epps and safety Kingston Lucas.

More than competing, Howard believes the non-region schedule will test how the Blazers handle adversity and respond “when things aren’t going their way”.

“I don’t question our talent, I don’t question our ability,” he said. “We lost eight starters on defense. But obviously, we want to get better every game on defense. We lost four starters on the offensive line. We want to make sure that we get some confidence on the offensive line and we’re able to establish ourselves as a running football program.

“Those are things I would like to see on both sides of the ball. But ultimately, at the end of the game, I want to see us compete at a high level versus high level quality competition.”

2026 SCHEDULE

AUG. 21 – at South Pointe

AUG. 28 – DUTCH FORK

SEPT. 4 – at Oceanside Collegiate Academy

SEPT. 11 – NATION FORD

SEPT. 18 – Bye

SEPT. 25 – at Rock Hill

OCT. 2 – at White Knoll

OCT. 9 – at Spring Valley

OCT. 16 – SUMTER

OCT. 23 – GRAY COLLEGIATE ACADEMY

OCT. 30 – at Blythewood