The final football opening in Lexington County has been filled. 

Pelion filled its vacancy by hiring former Ninety Six coach Matthew Bennett. He became the sixth head coach in program history. 

Bennett replaces Corey Helms, who spent one season at Pelion before moving to a fellow Lexington County school in Chapin. 

The Panthers went (5-6) in 2025 for their best record since 2014. Bennett will be tasked with keeping the momentum moving in the right direction. 

The Pelion gig will be his second head coaching job. At Ninety Six, he led the team to a 14-19 record through three seasons. 

The team had its best year in five seasons under Bennett, going 8-3 in 2023. Bennett was named the J.W. “Pinky” Babb Coach of the Year and the Shell Dula Coach of the Year for his leadership. 

He was let go following a (3-8) record in 2025. 

Before arriving at Ninety Six, Bennett was an assistant at Clinton and Woodmont. At Clinton, he was the co-offensive coordinator and helped the team reach an Upper State championship with an offense averaging 46 points per game.

Bennett’s contract was recently approved, and he met with the returning players on the team to outline his vision for the program.

Lexington County coaching carousel

Chapin - Ryan Cole to Cory Helms

Pelion - Cory Helms to Matthew Bennett

White Knoll - Nick Pelham to Victor Floyd