BATESBURG, S.C. — The population of Batesburg-Leesville is 6,090. The capacity of the town’s high school football stadium is 6,600.
That tells you what’s most important in this South Carolina community that proudly sent Darris Morris off to Catawba four years ago.
In many respects, Batesburg-Leesville is like a thousand other tiny Southern towns. Rusting hulks of used-up cars outnumber shiny later models. The business district has its share of boarded-up buildings. American flags wave proudly from the front yards of houses and trailers alike, and a weathered Baptist church seems to guard every other intersection.
But Batesburg-Leesville’s amazing football program separates it from the herd.
Ed McDaniel, who played for the Minnesota Vikings, passed through here.
Nine times in the past 10 seasons, the purple-clad B-L Panthers have reached the state 2A semifinals. Five times in the last 10, they’ve played in the state championship game. Twice, in 1995 and 1999, the Panthers have hung banners.
When B-L (that’s how the natives refer to Batesburg-Leesville) has hosted recent state semifinal games, as many as 10,000 have shoe-horned their way into a stadium that proudly proclaims itself “Home of Champions.”
“When you grow up in this town, there are no dreams that don’t include football,” said Maurice Simpkins, the B-L linebacker who trailed Morris to Catawba, then followed coach David Bennett to Coastal Carolina.
Many of those dreams perish early, despite the steady stream of athletes that rolls through B-L.
Some aren’t quite blessed enough or not quite big enough. Occasionally, violence and drugs take their toll. Most often, apathy and failure to handle the academic workload prevent athletes from taking the step to the next level.
“We’ve had lots of great athletes here,” said boys varsity basketball coach Bob Roudybush. “But a lot of them are walking the streets. Not all of them had the character Darris had.”
“Not that many people get out of Batesburg,” confirmed Simpkins. “A lot of them don’t realize it takes more than athletics to succeed. Darris had the heart and will to do something and be successful. I tried to do like him. If you set your mind to it, you can get out.”
Each of the dozens of Catawba players who arrived at the school for Morris’ funeral on Wednesday noticed the giant state championship photographs in the lobby, stopped and stared. And then they pointed at the slightly skinnier Simpkins in the 1999 championship picture.
“I can always look at that picture and know I was part of something special,” said Simpkins. “The two biggest accomplishments of my life were that championship season and making it to Catawba.”
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Simpkins remembers telling Morris he was transferring to Coastal Carolina the last time they spoke in person.
“We were just chillin’ when I let him know,” he said. “Darris said he hated to see me go, but he understood.”
Ironically, Simpkins was back in Salisbury visiting friends when Morris was felled by a gunshot.
“I heard about it and couldn’t believe it,” said Simpkins. “Then I made a phone call and that confirmed it. It’s just too big a shock to believe.”
The pain will linger with Simpkins for some time. He lost more than a teammate when Morris was killed. He lost the inspiration who showed him it was possible to move beyond Batesburg.
“Darris was just four months from graduating and taking another big step in his life,” sighed the black-suited Simpkins. “It’s sad. Some people knew something about Darris because of football, but he was much more. He was a great person.
“Losing him hurts a lot of people at Catawba. It hurts even more people here in Batesburg.”
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Contact Mike London at 704-797-4259 or mlondon@salisburypost.com
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