Rouse remembered on Hartsville’s title run

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Not a day has gone by since the death of Hartsville High nose tackle Ronald Rouse that Red Foxes coach Jeff Calabrese hasn’t thought about his big, good-natured lineman.

Calabrese knows Rouse will be on his players’ minds, too, when Hartsville plays for a South Carolina football championship Saturday.

Rouse collapsed twice against Crestwood on Oct. 5, was taken to a hospital and died later that night. An autopsy showed Rouse died of sudden cardiac arrhythmia brought upon by a congenital enlarged heart.

There have been memorials, testimonials and fundraisers to help Rouse’s family. Through it all, Rouse’s teammates kept winning and will try and finish an undefeated, 15-0, season against Union County at Williams-Brice Stadium.

But Calabrese says football has not been the most important thing for the team.