Lexington hires state-title winning football coach from Saluda

Stewart Young has been introduced as the new leader of the Wildcats
Former Saluda coach Stewart Young has been named the new head football coach at Lexington.
Former Saluda coach Stewart Young has been named the new head football coach at Lexington. / Lexington Football

Lexington is hiring as its new football coach someone who has been there, done that, walked the walk.

Stewart Young, who won a South Carolina state championship in 2019 at Saluda, is the Wildcats’ new coach and he was introduced in a press conference on Thursday at the school.

Young is making the jump from a Class AA program to a Class AAAAA program.

“Saluda is something that has been very special to me,” Young said at the press conference. “I’ll say that. I want to make sure that is understood – memories, accomplishments, moments I that will never, ever forget. It is a special place and always will be to me and my family. 

“But the opportunity to be here at Lexington was one that, at the time of my career, I couldn’t turn down. This is a prestigious football program. This is a prestigious school and a prestigious community. …”

Young is replacing Dustin Curtis, who stepped down after two seasons but is remaining at Lexington as athletic director. 

“Not only has he had success but in today’s day and age, he’s really paid his dues,” Curtis said at the press conference. “And he really worked his way up.”

Young had spent his entire 18-year coaching career at Saluda, first as an assistant coach. He became the head coach in 2014 and compiled a 93-37 record. 

The highlight of the Young era at Saluda came in 2019 when the Tigers won the Class AA state championship, the program’s first since 1963, when legendary coach Mooney Player led them to the summit.

Saluda, which had reached the state semifinals from 2015-17, falling to Abbeville each time.

The Tigers left no doubt in 2019, finally knocking off Abbeville in the semifinals and then throttling Barnwell 39-14 in the championship game. 

Saluda was 9-2 in the 2024 season and reached the second round of the state playoffs.

Curtis, a Lexington graduate, was 12-10 in his two seasons as head coach – 7-4 in 2023 and 5-6 in 2024.

Lexington won nine games in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons.


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Mike Duprez
MIKE DUPREZ

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.