Four former athletes and coaches will be inducted in the third class of Florence County School District Three's Athletic Hall of Fame Friday, Sept. 16.
Isaac “Ike” Green, Harris Jones Jr., Mickey Moss, and Mark Tillotson will be inducted during a halftime ceremony of Lake City High School's football game against Darlington at Ward Memorial Stadium.
The Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding athletes, coaches and others who contribute to athletics from current and past high schools in the district.
"Florence County School District Three has had a number of outstanding student-athletes and coaches," said Matt Apicella, Lake City High athletic director. "We are committed to honoring these individuals for their contributions to this community and exemplifying the type of people this athletic department strives to produce. These people are the epitome of hard work and dedication."
Any athletic alumnus, coach, or significant department advocate is eligible for nomination by an alumnus of a current or former high school in Florence County School District Three. A nominee must be at least five years removed from graduation or employment with the district. The selection committee is comprised of the FCSD3 Superintendent, Lake City High principal, athletic director, assistant athletic director and district communications director. Nominations must be submitted to the athletic director.?
Isaac “Ike” Green
Isaac “Ike” Green was a standout running back for Lake City High School from 1996-99. During his career, the 2000 graduate was a four-time All-Region and three-time All-State performer for Coach Mickey Moss’s Panthers. In his senior season of 1999, he set the South Carolina single-season rushing record with 2,920 yards on 301 carries (9.7 yards/carry), scored 34 touchdowns, was selected to the North-South All Star Game and was named as the South Carolina Offensive Player of the Year.
For his career, Green accumulated over 5,000 rushing yards and scored more than 80 touchdowns despite usually only playing in the first half of contests as the Panthers tallied 31 wins in that span.
Green originally committed to Clemson University before heading to Southwest Mississippi Community College and Oklahoma State University before a string of injuries ended his career.
Green currently resides in Lake City and is married to Shawn (Burgess) Green. They have one son, Isaac II, who plans to play football at Lake City High School and top his father’s records.
Harris Jones, Jr.
A 1963 graduate of Carver High School, Harris Jones, Jr. participated in football, basketball, played French horn in the band, and was a member of Future Farmers of America and the Drama Club.
After graduation, he attended Johnson C. Smith University where he played defensive end on the football team before joining the U.S. Army and being stationed in Babenhausen, Germany, with the 36th Infantry. While enlisted, Jones participated in football and basketball while being named to all-star teams in both sports and the All-USAER football MVP in 1969.
Upon receiving an honorable discharge in 1969, Jones received a tryout with the San Diego Chargers and played offensive guard for two seasons. He then spent an additional two NFL seasons with the Houston Oilers and was featured in Ebony magazine.
After retiring from the NFL, Jones completed his degree in economics from Johnson C. Smith University and took over as president of a Charlotte-based nonprofit group before relocating to York in 1979 and finishing his career as the Superintendent of American Eagle Wheels Corporation.
Jones currently resides in York and has been married for 45 years to his wife, Linda. They have three children, Harris III, Christopher, Falisha and six grandchildren.
Mickey Moss
After leading East Clarendon High School to the 1985 football state championship and a short stint at Saluda High School, Coach Mickey Moss arrived at Lake City High School in 1991 to take over as the head football coach and athletic director.
Over the next 13 years, Moss not only became Lake City’s all-time winningest coach with 86 victories and a 1994 lower state runner-up finish, but he also mentored hundreds of young men with dozens earning college scholarships and a few making it to the professional ranks.
Beyond the football field, Moss is credited with taking the Lake City Athletic Department to new heights as he oversaw the completion of the LCHS gymnasium project, renovated Ward Memorial Stadium with new bleachers and playing turf, constructed the current baseball and softball fields, and created the soccer and wrestling programs.
Moss is already enshrined in the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. As stated by former FCSD3 Superintendent Dr. Lane Floyd, “Coach Moss always did things ‘the right way.’ He had very high expectations for himself and the athletic programs. He took LCHS athletics to levels our programs had never before reached.”
Moss resides in Blacksburg with his wife of 44 years, Cathy. They have two sons, Mike and Matt, and four grandchildren.
Mark Tillotson
A 1982 graduate of James F. Byrnes High School in Spartanburg, Coach Mark Tillotson won state championships in football and wrestling during his playing days for the Rebels. However, he made his mark at Lake City High School as the founder of the Panthers’ wrestling program in 1994.
Over his eight year stint as the Panthers’ head coach, with the motto “building championship wrestlers with championship character,” Tillotson made Lake City into one of the premiere wrestling programs in the state as he compiled over 100 dual-match wins, eight individual state champions, 20 all-state wrestlers, 10 North-South All-Stars, two AAA Wrestlers of the Year, four Lower State Runner-Up squads, and was named as the 2002 State Wrestling Coach of the Year as Lake City captured the 2002 SCWCA team state championship. Tillotson was selected twice as the North-South All-Star team coach.
Tillotson currently resides in Spartanburg.