District Five students, coach make the 2014 Shrine Bowl roster
October 13, 2014
IRMO, SC –Three student-athletes from Lexington-Richland School District Five made this year’s rosters for the 2014 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas.
Chapin High School offensive lineman Stephen Haralambis, Dutch Fork High School running back Matthew Colburn and Dutch Fork High School defensive back Jonathan “Lane” Ecton will be among the elite high school football players in the South Carolina vs. North Carolina match-up. Chapin High School football coach Justin Gentry will be an assistant coach in the game, and Chapin High School senior Jake Kea has been named one of two student correspondents.
This year’s Shrine Bowl will be played Dec. 20 at Wofford College’s Gibbs Stadium. The Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas was first played on December 4, 1937 in Charlotte, N.C., making it one of the oldest high school football all-star game in the nation. Traditionally held on the third weekend in December, the annual game is played to benefit the Greenville, SC Unit Shriners Hospital for Children© and other Shriners Hospitals for Children© nationwide.
This year’s roster has added significance for Chapin High School, Gentry said. Haralambis will be the first Eagles player in the Shrine Bowl since 1996. “I am very excited and proud of Stephen. He has worked extremely hard on and off of the field to get to where he is today. We have built this program the right way, and it is always nice to see your young men get rewarded. Even though this is Stephen’s individual award, he would not be where he is today without his ‘Band of Brothers.’”
Chapin Principal Dr. Akil Ross congratulated Kea for being selected a student correspondent. “Jake voluntarily served as the lead broadcaster for CSPN Eagles Sports and spent countless hours preparing for and calling football and basketball games,” Ross said. “It’s a huge honor to be named one of only two student correspondents for this event. We are so proud of Jake, and I know he will do an excellent job representing himself and the Chapin community as a student correspondent for the Shrine Bowl.”
Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts said Colburn and Ecton are “true student-athletes.”
“They will represent Dutch Fork High and our district well,” Knotts said. “Lane, who has committed to Ga. Southern, will play safety. Matt, a Louisville Cardinals commit, will play running back. Both are fierce competitors that have been leaders in everything they have done. Their year-round dedication has been exemplary, with their off-season work in the weight room and track not only making them excellent players but also motivating others to do the same.”
Knotts added that the two players were key factors in the team’s state championship last year.
“Lane is a quality DB that has a real nose for the football; his instincts make opposing teams acknowledge his location and account for him on every play. Matt is the complete package of strength, power, speed and agility when he runs with the ball. He also excels in the passing game, being both a great pass blocker and receiver. They were able to lead Dutch Fork to the past two state championships, claiming Dutch Fork’s first state championship in 2013!”
