Florence County School District Three

Five former athletes will be inducted in the tenth class of Florence County School District Three's Athletic Hall of Fame Friday, September 27.

Glen Ruthven, David Scurry, Jerry Singletary, Tamara Smith, and Randall State will be inducted during a halftime ceremony of Lake City High School's football game against Georgetown 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.

"This class of inductees is a very strong example of the products we strive to shape in Florence County School District Three,” said Lake City High School Athletic Director Matt Apicella. “These five inductees were not only tremendous athletes, but they are all amazing people dedicated to improving society.”

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.

Glen Ruthven

Glen Ruthven is a 1976 graduate of Lake City High School where he played basketball, baseball and golf.

Ruthven excelled at basketball, baseball, and golf during his Lake City High School career. He was named Best Offensive Baseball Player in 1973, his freshman year with The Panthers. He was an integral part of the Panthers during the 1976 Lower State Finals Basketball Team and the 1973 Lower State Finals Baseball Team.

In 1974, his sophomore year at Lake City High School, Ruthven set a school record for the Lake City Panthers by striking out 21 batters in a game against the then State Champion, Southside Falcons. He also led the Panthers with a .487 batting average. As a junior, Ruthven led all pitchers at Lake City High School with a 4-0 record with a batting average of .340. During his senior season, Ruthven was named to the Baseball Coaches Association All-State Team as he led the Panthers in home runs while batting .687 and spurring the team to the semifinals of the State AAA Championship.

In addition to his baseball prowess, Ruthven was named to the 1976 AAA Basketball All-Conference Team that year, and was a Medalist Golfer for the 1976 Lower State AAA High School Golf Tournament. He was named Lake City High School's Most Valuable Golfer for the 1975-1976 season.

Following graduation, Ruthven attended Francis Marion University to play baseball and golf. Ruthven was an All-NAIA District Six golfer in 1979 and 1980. He also won the Pembroke College Invitational in 1980. Ruthven graduated from Francis Marion University in 1981 with sociology degree.

Ruthven is the winner of four Lake City Invitational Golf Tournaments, four Lake City Country Club championships, two Darlington 500 Invitational Golf Tournaments, one Johnsonville Invitational Golf Tournament, and one Florence County Golf Championship. In 1989, he won the Lake City Invitational, the Darlington 500 Invitational, and the 1989 Florence County Golf Championship. He still holds the Lake City Country Club golf course record of 60.

Ruthven retired from the United States Postal Service after 33-1/two years as a civil servant. He lives in Lake City with his wife of 42 years, Denise Haselden Ruthven, a 1978 graduate of Lake City High School. Ruthven's legacy of determination, work ethic, and excellence continues in his children, Laura and Mary Thomas, who have both excelled after attending Lake City High School. Lauara Ruthven-Bulloch is married to Hunter Bulloch and has two daughters, Hunter Grace and Addilyn. Mary Thomas Ruthven Rice is married to Will Rice and has one son, William.

Eddie David Scurry

Eddie David Scurry, Jr. is a 1967 graduate of Olanta High School. In 1966, he played on the state championship basketball team, but he is remembered for his outstanding pitching skills on the baseball diamond. Scurry played on three state championship baseball teams in 1964, 1965 and 1966. At the end of the 1966 season, he suffered a pitching injury that required two surgeries. Thankfully, he was able to return to pitch his senior year. Scurry's high school career culminated when he received the MVP honor in 1967, losing only one game over the course of his high school career.

"Cookie Jack" was also active with the Olanta American Legion baseball team (coached by Don Buddin), playing three years and receiving the MVP award in 1968. He returned to coach the team in 1975 after finishing college.

After graduating from Florence Darlington Tech in 1969, Scurry enlisted in the United States Army and completed a tour of duty in Vietnam. While serving in the military, he was presented the Vietnam Service Award and the Army Commendation Medal.

Returning home, David continued his education and baseball career at Francis Marion University where he was a walk-on in 1974. That same year, he was selected as Most Valuable Player of the team. Some accomplishments on that team were: eight complete games in his 1974 season, 1.91 ERA for 1974-75, five shutouts in two years, three of which were in 1975 (a record that still stands). In 1975, he ended his college baseball career with a 7-0 pitching record.

After graduating from Francis Marion, David taught and coached at Olanta High/Middle school for 15 years. During this time, he earned his Master of Education Administration from the University of South Carolina, which landed him a job as assistant principal at Ronald E. McNair Jr. High School, followed by 15 years as the principal at J. C. Lynch Elementary and Ronald E. McNair Middle schools. During his 31 years with FSD3, whether he was coaching or working at the gates, David was always a strong supporter of the sports programs.

He retired in 2007 in order to care for his mother and, later, his grandchildren.

Scurry now lives in Sumter County with his wife, Tamera. They have four children (Randy, Leigh Ann, Kendra and Nicole) and 11 grandchildren.

Jerry Singletary

A 1971 graduate of Lake City High School, Jerry Singletary was a standout and pioneer in basketball and track

In 1969, Singletary was the first African-American to play and start on the basketball team. Jerry set a school record grabbing 27 rebounds in his first game. He was a two-time All-Conference, leading rebounder and Most Valuable Defensive Player. He competed on the track team which included the long jump and 220-yard dash. In 1970, he was selected as co-captain of the basketball team and was named the Most Valuable Player during the school's first full year of integration. He took Lake City High School basketball to another level during his two years as he averaged nearly 20 rebounds per game. Known for his defensive tenacity and presence in the paint, Singletary exemplified teamwork as he dominated the inside and freed up teammates for overall team success.

After graduation, he moved to New York City and played semi-pro basketball for two years with the Harlem Hoopers. He entered the United States Army in 1973. While stationed in Hanau, Germany in 1974, Singletary played on the All-USAER basketball team. After spending 30 years in the United States Army and obtaining the highest enlisted rank possible, Command Sergeant Major (CSM), he returned to Lake City. During his tenure in the military, he completed all levels of schools for enlisted soldiers to include the United States Army Sergeant Major Academy Class 46. In addition, he obtained an associate degree from Central Texas College.

Upon retirement in 2003, with his love for helping the youth and others, he collaborated with the mayor of Lake City and council members in obtaining the Lake City Boys and Girls Club where he is still an executive board member. He joined the Lake City Development Council (LCDC) to help retain current businesses and also attract new businesses into the lower Florence County area by helping them to obtain loans from the LCDC. He continued his education in 2013, graduating from Ashford University (Cum Laude) with a Bachelor of Homeland Security and Emergency Management degree.

Singletary is fully retired and a member of several Masonic organizations, Senior Vice Commander of Kingstree Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 6500, life member of the U.S. Sergeant Major's Associations and life member of the Lake City High School Alumni Association (Class of 1971). He resides in New Zion and has four children and five grandchildren. He continues to assist this community as needed.

Tamara Smith

Tamara “Tammy” Smith is a 1994 graduate of Lake City High School where she lettered and excelled in three sports.

During her Lake City career, Smith was a crucial component in region championships in volleyball, basketball and track. Although she was part of a volleyball team that played for a lowerstate championship, the basketball court is where she was truly a dominant force.

Smith’s high school basketball career finished with an undefeated region slate and championship, but on the way, she was named three-time All-Region, three-time All-Area and three-time All-State. She was named as one of the top 15 players in the state by the South Carolina Coaches Association and played in the 1994 South Carolina All-Star game.

She continued her hardcourt success at Spartanburg Methodist College where she was a two-time All-Region X selection after leading SMC in scoring, rebounds, blocks and steals with a per game average of 21.8 points, 10.1 Rebounds, 2.6 Assists, 2.9 Steals and two blocks. Her final two years of collegiate basketball were played at USC-Upstate where, despite only playing in 54 games over her final two years of eligibility, she is still amongst the leaders in USC-Upstate season and career points, average points per game, rebounds, blocks and steals.  Smith was named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week three times.

During her tremendous basketball career, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Business Administration degree. She received a contract offer to play professional basketball in the Euro League in Israel, but decided to use her education to enhance the lives of others by working in human and social services for the last 23 years. Currently, she works in upper level management for a nonprofit in North Carolina serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Smith also owns Mobile Mentors of the Carolinas, LLC that provides mentoring services, motivational speaking, and other services to enhance the lives of youth, communities, those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health diagnosis and those who simply need support in their lives.

Randall State

As a 1998 Lake City High School graduate, Randall State is considered as one of the most decorated athletes in Lake City High School history for his accomplishments in football and basketball.

State was a four-year letterman in basketball and a career 1000 point scorer. He was a three-time All-Region player and named the team MVP three times. In State’s senior season, he was named to the All-State team. During his football career, Randall was a three-time All-Region selection, two-time team MVP, All-State during his senior season, named as one the Top 50 players in the state of South Carolina, and named to the Florence Morning News and WBTW All-Area Team. Coached by the legendary Coach Mickey Moss, State compiled 48 catches for 850 yards and 14 touchdowns.

After an amazing high school career at LCHS, he signed to play football at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he majored in education with an emphasis on physical education. He then went on to earn a master’s degree in education.

State attended Liberty University from 1998-2002 and was an integral part of the Flames’s football program. Coached by legendary Coach Sam Rutigliano (Cleveland Browns Cardiac Kids head coach), State was a four-year starter at cornerback/safety and led the team in interceptions for his first two years. For his Liberty career, State totaled 196 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 14 interceptions, four forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and 21 passes defended. State is still in the Liberty history books as third all-time in career interceptions, second in fumbles recovered, and his 99-yard fumble return for a touchdown is still a Liberty record.

He was named All-Conference in 2000 and 2002 and participated in the NFLPA Senior Bowl.

Following his stint at Liberty, State continued playing football for 10 years in NSAFL arena football and won two championships.

State followed his football career by joining the coaching ranks. He coached defensive backs at Missouri Southern State in Joplin, Missouri, before becoming a head football and girls basketball coach at Kingstree and then Marion high schools. While at Marion, State was an assistant on the Lady Swamp Foxes lowerstate championship basketball squad and then repeated the feat as Head Coach with the Swamp Foxes’s football squad in 2020. He has been named the Region Coach of the Year numerous times, the Florence Morning News Coach of the Year and the SCACA Lowerstate Coach of the Year.