Top 10 high school mascots in South Carolina: Vote for the best

From Diamond Hornets to Kingfishers to Swamp Foxes, meet the best high school mascots in South Carolina
The University of Illinois isn't the only school in the country with a Kingfisher mascot.
The University of Illinois isn't the only school in the country with a Kingfisher mascot. / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

High school mascot history runs deep in South Carolina, as any fan of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion can tell you.

But we're uncertain how Diamond Hornets factor into that history.

Over the past few months, SBLive/High School on SI has been featuring the best high school mascots in every state, giving readers a chance to vote for No. 1 in all 50.

The winners and highest vote-getters will make up the field for our NCAA Tournament-style March Mascot Madness bracket in 2025. The Coalinga Horned Toads (California) are the defending national champions.

Here are High School on SI's top 10 high school mascots in South Carolina (vote in the poll below to pick your favorite):

The poll will close at 11:59 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 7.

1. Auctioneers (Mullins HS)

Founded in 1872, the city of Mullins became the tobacco capital of South Carolina by the end of the century. Oddly enough, that history is where the name Auctioneers came from at the high school. Once called the Tornadoes, the school needed new uniforms and tobacco businessmen came to the rescue. The school changed its mascot to the Auctioneers to salute the auctioneering process for tobacco sales.

2. Battling Bishops (Bishop England HS)

Seven other U.S. high schools go by the Bishops, but Bishop England has the only Battling Bishops in the country. One incarnation of its mascot is among the most amusing in U.S. history — an angry-looking bishop wearing boxing gloves who looks ready to defend his fighting spirit.

3. Blue Flame (Pickens HS)

Pickens used to be among the many Wildcats in U.S. high school sports, but that changed in the 1920s thanks to a local sports editor who wrote that Pickens was “burning through the defense of the opposition like a blue flame.” They’ve been the Blue Flame ever since.

4. Devildogs (Travelers Rest HS)

Travelers Rest became the Devildogs in 1950, when football coach Chico Bolin named the team in honor of the U.S. Marines who fought in World War II. Travelers Rest had a unique mascot past before 1950 as well, formerly competing as the Purple Flashes and Swamp Rabbits. 

5. Diamond Hornets (Lower Richland HS)

We searched hard but couldn't figure out exactly why these Hornets are called Diamond Hornets. They go by either the Hornets, Diamonds or Diamond Hornets, and they've produced some big-time athletes over the years — from Richard Seymour on the gridiron to Pokey Reese on the diamond.

6. Kingfishers (The Georgetown School)

The University of Illinois drew lots of attention last year by adding a Kingfisher mascot at its games, but in the high school ranks, The Georgetown School got there first.

7. Landsharks (Oceanside Collegiate Academy)

Oceanside Collegiate Academy is very close to the Atlantic Ocean, but certainly not on the ocean, so Landsharks technically makes more sense than Sharks. And these Landsharks can play — they won seven state championships in 2022-23 and took the 3A football title in December 2024.

8. Siberian Tigers (Greg Mathis)

Not only are these the only Siberian Tigers among U.S. high schools, their logo is absolutely on fire.

9. Swampcats (Laurence Manning HS)

From the school website: "The legend of 'The Swampcat' mascot evolved from the local newspaper report of sightings and evidence of a large, mysterious, cat-like swamp creature that was preying on livestock on the farmland on which the new school would be built. Such a fierce mascot as this was readily adopted."

10. Swamp Foxes (Marion HS)

Francis Marion was known as the Swamp Fox during the Revolutionary War because of his camouflage skills in the forested surroundings. Marion the town was named after the military hero, and the high school took it even further by taking his nickname.

Top 10 high school mascots in South Carolina: Vote for the best (Poll Closed)
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Total Votes: 16
 

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports


Published
Mike Swanson, SBLive Sports
MIKE SWANSON

Mike Swanson is the VP of Content for High School On SI. He's been in journalism since 2003, having worked as a reporter, city editor, copy editor and high school sports editor in California, Connecticut and Oregon.