Dram Shop Injury Attorney in Fork, SC

Scott Braswell is going from one state championship program to another. This time, he will be calling the shots.

The Dutch Fork defensive coordinator will be the next head coach at South Florence. Braswell replaces Drew Marlowe, who resigned last week to become new coach at Sumter.

Braswell was introduced at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

“It was so incredibly hard to leave Dutch Fork,” Braswell told The State. “The entire community had just become like a family and I feel like I had such great relationships with the faculty, staff and coaches. ... We are so excited to be at South Florence but very sad to be leaving the Dutch Fork community.”

Under Marlowe, the Bruins have had the best run in school history with four straight state championship appearances from 2022-25, winning it all 2022 and 2024. The 2022 championship featured future South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers and was the first title in program history.

The 36-year-old Braswell has been a hot name in the coaching hiring cycle in the state over the last few seasons. He was a candidate for a few jobs, most recently at North Myrtle Beach, who hired Perry Woolbright earlier this month.

Braswell said Tuesday he got discouraged after being passed over for other jobs and was a little hesitant when he was approached by South Florence athletic director Cody Slaughter.

“By default, I was a little hesitant to get too excited because of those close calls,” Braswell said. “But once we got into the process, spoke more with coach Slaughter, principal Josey, superintendent O’Malley, they kind of swept me and my family off our feet and made us feel wanted. I just became enamored and impressed with the South Florence High School community.”

Braswell has been at Dutch Fork since 2021 and was part of the Silver Foxes’ four straight state championship squads from 2022-25. The Silver Foxes’ 2024 defense had a school record for shutouts (6) and tied a school record for fewest points allowed in a season with 94.

This year’s Dutch Fork defense allowed 12.4 points a game.

“Coach Braswell works so hard and works so diligently,” Dutch Fork coach Tom Knotts said after the team set the record for shutouts against Spartanburg in 2024. “He puts this before everything, so I wanted the guys to know how important it was to get the shutout for him.”

Braswell talked about Knotts’ influence on him and what he can take from him at his first coaching job.

“Coach Knotts is great at attention to detail and accountibility,” Braswell said. “Holding all players, coaches and staff members to a high standard both in and out of the school building.”

Braswell comes from a coaching family. His father, Scott Sr., was a head coach in North Carolina and an assistant coach under Knotts at West Charlotte in the 1990s. The stadium at Hoggard High in Wilmington is named after the elder Braswell.

In 2013 interview with the Wilmington Star News, the younger Braswell credited his dad for wanting to be involved in coaching football. He was his father’s special teams coach at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia.

Braswell spent time as a defensive assistant at Methodist College and also did an internship at UNC Charlotte and coached at Ava Maria University in Florida.

Braswell Sr. and his wife was in attendance at the press conference and Braswell Jr. said his father will have a role on the Bruins staff. The younger Braswell said he plans on keeping several members of the current South Florence staff and likely will start at the school sometime in early March.

SC Football Coaching Openings

School — Former Coach — New Coach

AC Flora — Ken Floyd — TBA

Andrews — Scott Durham — TBA

Belton-Honea Path — Russell Blackston — TBA

Chapin — Ryan Cole — Cory Helms

Chester — Victor Floyd — TBA

Clover — Perry Woolright — Bennett Swygert

Colleton County — Adam Kinloch — Bradley Adams

Conway — Josh Pierce — Jody Jenerette

Goose Creek — Jason Winstead — TBA

Green Sea Floyds — Patrick Martin — TBA

Hillcrest — Bennett Swygert — TBA

Lake Wylie — (School opens in 2026) — N/A — Nick Pelham

Liberty — Paul Sutherland — Bobby Ruff

McCormick — Leroy Collier — TBA

Marion — Brian Hennecy — TBA

May River — Richard Bonneville — TBA

Ninety-Six — Matthew Bennett — Austin Sargent

North Myrtle Beach — Greg Hill — Perry Woolbright

Pelion — Cory Helms — TBA

South Florence — Drew Marlowe — Scott Braswell

St. James — Tommy Norwood — Stephen Cagle

Sumter — Mark Barnes — Drew Marlowe

Union County — Quinnon Isom — Bryan Robinson

Wagener-Salley — Blaze Gillespie — TBA

Whale Branch — Willie White (interim) — Dee Delaney

White Knoll — Nick Pelham — Victor Floyd

Class of 2027 three-star wide receiver Maleek Miller announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday his and his brother, Corey, intentions to transfer to Dutch Fork (S.C.) from Irmo (S.C.).

Both Miller brothers were both the leading wide receivers for Irmo, South Carolina’s No. 5 ranked high school football team, last season as the Yellowjackets made a run to the SCHSL Class AAAAA, Division 2 state championship game.

I will be transferring to Dutch Fork high school for the 26-27 school year !!

Maleek is coming off a stellar junior season for the Yellowjackets as the wide receiver hauled in 50 catches for 902 yards and scored nine touchdowns. On the ground, Miller rushed for 505 yards and punched in 10 scores.

The younger Miller was the second-leading receiver as a freshman for Irmo, finishing with 30 catches and 549 yards.

Dutch Fork, which won the SCHSL Class AAAAA, Division 1 state title in 2025, finished as the state’s No. 3 ranked team, according to the final South Carolina 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.

More about Dutch Fork High School

Dutch Fork High School, located in Irmo, South Carolina, is a distinguished public school known for its strong academics, competitive athletics, and vibrant extracurricular programs. Offering a range of AP and honors courses, the school prepares students for higher education and future careers. Dutch Fork’s athletic teams are highly successful, frequently achieving state championships and showcasing school pride. Emphasizing leadership, community involvement, and personal growth, the school ensures students are well-rounded and ready for future challenges.

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