By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
With the 2026 high school football season just a month away and with fall practice beginning in less than two weeks, the prestigious McDonald’s Kick-off Classic is gearing up for its eighth season.
As one of the state’s hallmark preseason events, the McDonald’s Kick-off Classic began in 2019 as a collaborative effort between McDonald’s and the South Carolina Officials’ Association to bring top-quality football teams together for a competitive showcase to inaugurate the season.
While it began as a JV only event to help fund extra officials for middle school and junior varsity games, it has since become a top preseason showcase of talent in the Palmetto State.
The event has expanded exponentially to four host locations and over 30 teams and helps raise money for Ronald McDonald House, Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, and Touchstone Energy North/South game charities.
On July 16, many participating teams and coaches gathered inside the new Woodruff High School’s auditorium for the annual event press conference and dished on the event, their respective teams, and their anticipations for the upcoming season. The featured guest speaker was Rick Patterson, a 30-year NFL official and veteran of three Super Bowls, who retired from the professional ranks and will now referee high school ball in South Carolina as a way to give back to the sport.
“Enjoy the moment that you have,” stated Patterson. “So many people get wrapped up in what am I going to be doing next year. All of you in here, it’s not about what you’re going to do next year. It’s about what you’re doing right now. If you don’t enjoy the moment, then the future will never get here.”
Woodruff’s Varner Stadium is a host site for the second consecutive season, and the Wolverines will take on the Greenville Red Raiders in the nightcap on August 10. Woodruff head coach Brett Sloan is excited to once again be a part of the Kickoff Classic, which the Wolverines have participated in for three seasons now.
“We look forward to the opportunity to host such a great event and to compete with such a respected opponent in Greenville High School,” said Sloan. “It will be a great test for us, and we will learn a lot about ourselves.”
Other match-ups at Varner Stadium will include Fountain Inn vs Newberry and White Knoll vs Westside, helmed by former Woodruff head coach Brian Lane. Woodruff will also participate in night two of the event, on August 14, when they take on the Laurens Raiders at Byrnes High School’s new Nixon Field.
Joining Sloan at the podium were Woodruff players Connor Davis (quarterback) and MiCah McClintock (receiver and tight end). The Wolverines, riding high expectations upon their return to the 2A ranks for the first time since 2015, are looking forward to getting the season underway.
Davis is especially ready to kick off the campaign.
“Playing with the same guys I have played with since WYFL. It makes it even better knowing we can accomplish the ultimate goal,” he said. “Winning a state championship has been my dream since I was little growing up in Woodruff and hearing the stories from my dad and grandfather (dad’s dad) about their state championship victories in 1956-57 and 1983-84. Also, just the group of guys, we all love each other a lot, and we are a true team, which is what small town high school football is all about.”
Other schools joining the press conference festivities included coaches and players from Byrnes, Gaffney, and Chapman, all of whom are host locations for this year’s event. Other teams present were Greer, Landrum, Chase (NC), Chester, and Greenville, among others. Also in attendance were McDonald’s owner/operators Terry Stephenson, Hector Sepulveda, and Randy Mason, as well as representatives from the South Carolina Football Officials’ Association.
Lee Smith, a Woodruff native and president of the SCFOA, is one of the event’s founders and is looking forward to the best year yet for the McDonald’s Kick-off Class.
“This event started as a means to an end, but also a means to a beginning,” explained Smith. “We donate to three charities, and one of the most important ones we donate to is the Ronald McDonald House. If you have never went through that, or seen that, or toured that, I encourage you to. It’s very eye-opening. It’s very humbling. We try to give back to you guys as much as you give back to us, and we appreciate the partnership.”
With the start of the season just weeks away, Coach Sloan is looking forward to being back on the field and playing tough competition as the Wolverines look to be in the hunt for a state championship.
“One of the things we talk about in our program, and we’re constantly reminding kids, what is the most important play in football, and it’s the next play,” added Sloan. “For us, it’s about what’s next. We believe in our players and coaches, we believe in our culture, and we’re really looking forward (to the season).”
