As The Mustang’s approach fall football after last year’s undefeated season, Valley Pride is at an all-time high. Midland Valley went undefeated in its regular 2023-24 season, including a win against rival North Augusta for the first time since 1998 to capture the Region Title before making a run for the State Championship. This season, The ‘Stangs will have one of their own leading the program. Coach Brent Dorn, a proud member of Midland Valley High School’s Class of 2008, has been named interim Head Coach.
Dorn describes the 2024-25 Mustangs as “a mix of old and younger talent.” Twenty-four of the prior season’s Region Championship-winning team graduated; 11 went on to play at the next level. Returning for the upcoming season is Mustang Quarterback Preston Butler, three starters on the front line, a core team of receivers, and Andon Hawkins, one of the top tacklers in the state, on defense.
With a mindset of “we over me,” Dorn says Midland Valley’s players and coaches are committed to one another “like family,” and the goal of achieving together another unstoppable season.
Coach Dorn has lived in the area since age four. He was a student-athlete at Midland Valley during high school and Langley Bath Clearwater (LBC) during middle. He also attended Jefferson Elementary School. He attained his undergraduate degree in Secondary Education from the University of South Carolina Aiken. As a college student, he was a volunteer coach for his old middle school basketball team.
Dorn spent a year teaching at Aiken Middle, then five at Paul Knox teaching Algebra 1 and Geometry and coaching football and basketball. While at Paul Knox, he taught alongside a fellow Midland Valley alumnus Sheldon Higgenbottom who became a mentor. From 2018-2021, he taught at Fox Creek High School and coached football (Junior Varsity Head Coach, Varsity Linebackers and Offensive Coordinator) and basketball (Junior Varsity Head Coach, Varsity Assistant Coach).
Despite working at different schools, Dorn as a teacher and coach at Fox Creek High and Higgenbottom as an Assistant Principal at North Augusta High, they stayed in contact over the years. Higgenbottom was named Principal of Midland Valley in 2020. Dorn had always hoped to “one day” return to his alma mater, and, with the encouragement from the school’s new principal, made the decision after a few years at Fox Creek to return to The Valley.
“Honestly, he wanted to come back home,” Higgenbottom recounts with a smile.
Coach Dorn returned home in 2021 to teach mathematics to students at Midland Valley and to serve as Offensive Coordinator for the Mustangs as they rebuilt the program. That first year, 56 student-athletes comprised their Varsity and Junior Varsity teams. Today, the roster includes 132 players.
“Coach Brown has been here since the beginning with offense,” Dorn shared with confidence about The Mustang coaching staff. “He does a great job with running backs. Davis is on year two with our receivers, Padgett on the defensive side with our linebackers, Medlock as AD. We really have an incredible coaching team.”
Dorn’s transition from Offensive Coordinator to interim Head Coach has been natural.
“He’s well-liked, but has also been a leader among coaches,” Higgenbottom shared. “The kids love him. We trust him and know that he has the confidence to do what’s right even when, especially when, it’s difficult.”
The Mustangs have been relentless in their efforts to prepare for a difficult season ahead. As part of the South Carolina High School League’s realignment with changes to the Region 4 4A conference, The Mustangs will face a more challenging schedule this season with opponents both familiar and new. Midland Valley will continue to compete locally against Aiken, North Augusta, and South Aiken, as well as Airport in Lexington County. Additions to the conference include Gilbert, Brookland-Cayce, and Gray Collegiate.
“The recent challenges we have experienced have actually made us stronger,” Dorn shared. “I’ve seen these boys play some of their best football this summer.”
Midland Valley had its first-ever alumnus Principal with Higgenbottom’s appointment five years ago, and, now has a first-ever Head Coach alumnus with Dorn. “We call that Valley Strong,” Higgenbottom laughed in sharing.
“Football is important to all of us,” Higgenbottom stated. “I know that our coaches and players will give it their all to secure another winning season, and that our community will stand behind them with ‘Valley Pride’ and fill every spot on the bleachers in support.”