Lugoff-Elgin defeated longtime Kershaw County rival Camden, snapping a losing streak in the series and giving the Demons their first victory over the Bulldogs since 2017 by winning 28-25.
Whenever Camden and Lugoff-Elgin meet on the football field, records can usually be thrown out the window. The annual county rivalry brings plenty of emotion, bragging rights and packed stands, and this year’s meeting carried even more significance for a Lugoff-Elgin program looking to end Camden’s recent dominance in the series.
The Demons answered the challenge, forcing Grayson Rimpf to throw an interception on Camden’s first two drives. Camden would mount a comeback and take the lead 25-21 but the Demons would take the lead late on a rushing touchdown by Fanning to give them a 28-25 lead. The Bulldogs would have one last shot at a game tying field goal by Rod Sanchez but his missed it wide right as time expired to give the Demons the 28-25 win.
Lugoff-Elgin played with confidence and intensity throughout the contest, making the key plays when they mattered most and refusing to allow the Bulldogs to take control of the game. For Camden, the loss ends another chapter of success against its county rival. The Bulldogs had not lost to Lugoff-Elgin since 2017, making the victory even sweeter for a Demons team determined to change the direction of the rivalry.
For the players in the Lugoff-Elgin locker room, this one means more than simply adding another win to the season record. It gives the Demons something they have been chasing for nearly a decade — Kershaw County bragging rights over Camden. The rivalry between the two schools has long been one of the biggest games on the local high school football calendar. Players grow up knowing one another, families and fans from both communities fill the stands, and the result is talked about long after the final whistle.
This time, those bragging rights belong to Lugoff-Elgin. The victory could also provide a major confidence boost for the Demons as they continue through the 2026 season. Beating a Camden program with a long tradition of success gives Lugoff-Elgin a signature early-season victory and a reminder that the Demons are capable of competing in big-game situations. The Demons look to carry the momentum of beating Camden into their game Friday night at home against Nation Ford.
For Camden, the Bulldogs will look to put the rivalry loss behind them and turn their attention towards another rivalry game in their home opener in the 97th meeting against Hartsville, which in the oldest ongoing high school football rivalry in the state of South Carolina.
