Woolbright named new football coach at Lexington

Perry Woolbright won’t have to move too far for his next coaching job.

The Batesburg-Leesville coach and Lexington resident has been named the new football coach and athletics director at Lexington High. Woolbright replaces Josh Stepp, who resigned in December to take a coaching position at Georgia State. He will begin his new job Feb. 20.

“It’s a big thing that I won’t have to move my family. My kids can stay in the same school,” Woolbright said. “Lexington is one of premier high schools in the state of South Carolina, and when opportunity comes along to have a chance and be football coach and the athletics director, it’s too good to pass up.”

The 36-year-old was 27-12 in three seasons with Batesburg-Leesville, won a region title in 2014 and led the Panthers to the Class 2A state championship game this season. B-L finished fourth in its region and won all four playoff games on the road in advancing to the title game against Abbeville.

Before coming to B-L, Woolbright coached four seasons at North Myrtle Beach and led the Chiefs to a 9-3 record in his final season, one of the biggest turnarounds in school history, and a second-round playoff appearance.

Woolbright comes from a coaching family. His father, Marty, coached 38 seasons at Lower Richland, Gilbert, Clover and Audrey Kell (N.C.). Cecil Woolbright, Perry’s grandfather, was a hall of fame coach in South Carolina and won back-to-back championships at Chapin in 1973-74. The field is named in his honor. His uncle, Roger, also was a high school coach, along three other relatives in the profession.

“I am delighted to have Coach Woolbright join our Wildcat family," Lexington principal Melissa Rawl said. “Being a third-generation winning football coach, he fits right in with Lexington High School’s tradition of excellence. His caring nature for students, his support of all sports teams, and his roots in our community will make his transition seamless.”

Lexington went 6-6 this season, a year after making it to the Class 4A Division II title game in 2015. The Wildcats knocked off region champion Sumter in the first round of the playoffs before losing to White Knoll.

The Wildcats graduated 26 seniors and had five headed to play college football.

Woolbright said there’ll be some changes schematically, but will keep the spread offense

“They got great kids who always play hard and love the game of football,” Woolbright said.

Note: Westwood offensive coordinator Matt Quinn was named the new coach at Union Pines High in North Carolina on Monday. Quinn was at Westwood one season and was an assistant at Westside and Darlington high schools.

This story was originally published February 13, 2017 at 10:12 AM with the headline "Woolbright named new football coach at Lexington."