State championship basketball coach coming back to Columbia to fill open job
Daryl Jarvis is coming back to Columbia.
Dreher announced Jarvis as the school’s new boys basketball coach. The move was approved at Tuesday’s Richland One school board meeting.
“This is a blessing and I had to jump on the opportunity,” Jarvis said. “Definitely glad to get back to Columbia with the competition level and I love the challenge. I know Dreher has an outstanding history of being good. ... I want to to help resurrect the program and get them back to prominence.”
Jarvis replaces Steven Moore, who has been at the school since 2016. Frank Pennix and Chris Stolpa co-coached the team this year while Moore was on medical leave. Dreher went 6-19 and hasn’t had a winning year since 2016-17.
“Excited to bring Daryl on board,” Dreher athletic director Jeff Dibattisto said. “He has a history of building programs and sustaining them on a high level, including multiple region titles and a state championship. He brings much-needed enthusiasm and energy to a proud basketball tradition.”
Jarvis was 35-17 overall at West Florence the past two seasons, making it to the second round of the 5A playoffs each season. The Knights lost to 5A Lower State champion Dutch Fork, 57-52, this year in the postseason.
This will be Jarvis’ second stint in Richland School District One. He went 62-51 at C.A. Johnson from 2011-16 and led the Green Hornets to their first state title in 25 years in 2014. In Jarvis’ final year, C.A. Johnson went 13-10 and advanced to the Class A Upper State final before losing to Calhoun County.
Following that game, Jarvis was critical of the officiating, among other topics. He was told by school officials that his comments and actions during the game were detrimental to the school, team and officials.
Jarvis and CAJ parted ways and he was out of basketball for two seasons before taking the West Florence job. The Knights’ 18 wins this year were the most since 2017.
“I was fairly young when I got the C.A. Johnson job. You have to save the world mentality,” Jarvis said. “But being able to be out for a while, I was able to self-reflect.. I understand the blueprint now and relationships better. I am able to have relax and enjoy what I do.”
Jarvis said he will bring on his own staff with him including former Eau Claire standout Curtis Faust, Richard Scofield and AJ Caldwell.
Dreher will be moving into Region 4-4A and competing with AC Flora, Irmo, Westwood and Richland Northeast and Lugoff-Elgin. The Blue Devils return rising junior Devario Sheppard, who led the team in scoring at 11 points a game.
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 1:27 PM.
