High School Standouts: Fran Campbell, Wren Basketball
PIEDMONT, S.C. (WSPA) – This week's high school standout has made a career of developing high school standouts.
Fran Campbell spent 41 seasons guiding the Wren Hurricanes. In that time, he picked up 738 wins on the way to 17 regions championships, three Upper State championships and a state title in 2023.
Campbell is a two-time South Carolina Coach of the Year (1994, 2023) and closes this chapter as the third most winningest coach in the state, according to South Carolina High School League records.
For more from Campbell on his 42 years in the Wren community, watch below:
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New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Kristian Campbell clears the air on alleged beef with Rafael Devers
First things first. On opposite coasts and now in different organizations and at different levels of baseball, Rafael Devers and Kristian Campbell agree that Devers — who was traded to the Giants on Sunday — never took issue with his former Red Sox teammate agreeing to move from second base to first base to help the team when Devers himself wasn't willing to make the same kind of selfless switch. Yahoo Sports reported that Devers felt the top prospect Campbell's willingness to change positions to first base was a 'slight to his own stature' given the saga surrounding Devers all season. Advertisement Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell (28) makes a catch for an out against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning at Fenway Park on June 15, 2025. Eric Canha-Imagn Images Devers didn't want to move off third base to make way for newcomer Alex Bregman but ultimately settled in at designated hitter. Then he refused to learn first base after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury, so the Red Sox turned to Campbell to take grounders before games. Advertisement 'Yeah, that was false,' Campbell told reporters at Triple-A Worcester, after he was sent down by the Red Sox. 'First off, Raffy never came to me. Never had a problem with it. We were always cool. He is an extremely great friend, extremely great person. Very kind person and a good teammate. 'Secondly, I never went to the Red Sox wanting to play first base. They came to me and asked me if I could play first base because we didn't have one at the time. That's when Casas went down. I said I would do it if it makes the team better. I would be willing to learn the position. That's basically how it went down.' Neither of them is playing first base for the Red Sox now because Campbell's struggles got him returned to the minors and Devers was traded to the Giants last week in a surprise blockbuster. Ahead of his second series with the Giants — against the Red Sox, of course — Devers denied having an issue with Campbell doing what he wouldn't. Advertisement San Francisco Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers (16) waits to bat against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Oracle Park on Friday night. Eakin Howard-Imagn Images 'I didn't say anything like that,' said Devers, via his interpreter when asked if there was any validity to the past reports. 'I really don't want to talk about it. I want to concentrate on what is ahead for me.' Devers is expected to play first base at some point for the Giants and said he would have for the Red Sox if they had asked him to pick it up during spring training rather than during the season.
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Boston Globe
Kristian Campbell returns to Worcester for a reset at the plate, learn how to play first base
'We just talked about controlling the environment,' relayed Campbell. 'When the game speeds up on you, kind of having my own whistle like a basketball game, being able to control what's going on, call timeout when I need to, take a deep breath when I need to.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up With Campbell hitting .223/.319/.345 and struggling defensively, the Sox called timeout. After the series against the Mariners in Seattle, Campbell was optioned to Triple A Worcester. He joined the WooSox on Friday, spending time working in the cage and taking part in defensive drills at first base — a position where he's expected to start getting game exposure next week. Advertisement Campbell accepted the assignment without dismay. Though he cracked the Opening Day big league roster and Advertisement 'I got drafted in '23. This has been fast in general,' said Campbell. 'A lot of players who are playing Major League Baseball at a super-high level right now went through the same thing when they first debuted. It's nothing new. It's just a learning moment. All I can do is continue getting better, work on my craft, and be ready whenever they want me back. . . . This is just a bump in the road.' Campbell has a checklist of to-do items in Triple A. The Sox want the 2024 Minor League Player of the Year to get back to hitting the ball hard in the air rather than getting tied up by fastballs on the inner third of the plate and hitting everything on the ground. 'A big part of his training will be focused on being on time,' said Red Sox director of hitting Jason Ochart. 'His point of contact has dropped back, and it's just hard to be successful when you're hitting the ball really deep.' Related : Campbell will also get game exposure at first base. Advertisement 'The main [defensive] priority, I think, is going to be The Red Sox optioned Kristian Campbell to Worcester on Friday. Alex Speier But most importantly, the Sox want to allow Campbell to use the whistle — to call timeout, to apply the lessons he'd gotten in the big leagues while working in a minor league training environment where it's easier to make adjustments. Both Campbell and WooSox manager Chad Tracy suggested a need for him to be an athlete, to think about intent — hitting the ball hard in the air — rather than getting lost in thoughts about how to cover the way pitchers are attacking him. 'Broader picture of him being here, there's a little less pressure. . . . I told him today, 'I want you to go out there and play the game with no fear,' ' said Tracy. 'Yes, we have to capitalize on anything we see fundamentally at first base we can help with. But I also want the athlete to come out and just relax and play the game, because when he does, we've seen it, it's pretty special.' The Sox believe Campbell's potential remains elite. When manager Alex Cora and assistant GM Paul Toboni informed Campbell he was being sent down, they reminded him that With that in mind, Campbell viewed the return to the minors not as discouraging but as an opportunity to reassert himself. Advertisement 'I had a really good first month in Major League Baseball,' said Campbell. 'I'm just trying to take in a breath and get back refocused on what I need to get better at, sharpening up some of my skills, keep developing and I'll be ready to go again soon.' Alex Speier can be reached at
USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
Lone Dolphins player makes ESPN All-Quarter-Century Team
Lone Dolphins player makes ESPN All-Quarter-Century Team A lone Miami Dolphin found their way onto ESPN's All-Quarter-Century Team for the 2000s. ESPN's All-Quarter-Century Team consisted of 25 offensive players, 23 defensive players and five special teams palyers. It also featured one head coach and three coordinators. Naturally, the list included some of the great names in the NFL from the past quarter-century. Quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Patrick Mahomes all made the cut. Plus, defensive stars like Aaron Donald, J.J. Watt and Ray Lewis made the squad. The one Dolphin that found their way onto the team is a recent veteran that played in South Florida last season. Defensive tackle Calais Campbell is the lone Miami player that made the 53-man roster. Though Campbell has had the benefit of a 17-year (and counting!) career, his numbers are truly quite remarkable. He's only one sack shy of passing Donald's career total, while his total plus-EPA ranks fourth among all players and first among interior defenders. Campbell has moved around a lot over his career, but he'd play the 3-technique for this team (that's the position he has played the most since NFL Next Gen Stats tracking data started in 2017). - Seth Walder, ESPN. Though he only played for the Dolphins during the 2024 season, Campbell was still productive with 52 tackles, five sacks, five passes defended and one forced fumble. In his 17-year playing career, Campbell has racked up 917 tackles, 110.5 sacks, 63 passes defended, 18 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries and three interceptions. Campbell signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Dolphins ahead of the 2024 season. The Miami Hurricanes alum inked a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals in April to return for his 18th NFL season. Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey was also chosen as a practice squad player on ESPN's All-Quarter-Century Team.
