In the photo, from left, are Kyle Koch, Chase Edwards, Kevin Hite, Mrs. Amick representing the late Jamie Amick, Coach Tom Painter and Amber Hines Jensch.
By Stan Shealy
Six new members were inducted Saturday into the Chapin High School Athletic Hall of Fame. The Class of 2026 includes James “Jamie” Amick, Chase Edwards, Amber Hines Jensch, Tom Painter, Kyle Koch and Kevin Hite.
James “Jamie” Amick attended Chapin High School from 1981-85. He was a four-year letterman in football and was selected to the North-South All-Star team. He earned All-Area, All-Conference and All-State honors and was named Lineman of the Year in 1985. Amick was also a three-year letterman in basketball and a four-year letterman in track.
Chase Edwards attended Chapin High School from 1999-2002. A pitcher, Edwards was a four-year letterman in baseball and a member of the 2001 and 2002 state championship teams. He was named the AA State Player of the Year. In football, Edwards was a four-year letterman at quarterback. He earned All-Region honors in 2001 and received the Larry Friendly Award in 2002.
Amber Hines Jensch attended Chapin High School from 1999-2005. She was a six-year letterman in cross country, earning All-Region honors four times, All-Area honors three times and All-State honors three times. She was also a member of two state championship teams.
In track and field, Hines Jensch was a six-year letterman, a three-time 1,600-meter Region Champion and the 2003 State Champion in the 1,600 meters. She holds the current Chapin records in the mile, 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
Kyle Koch attended Chapin High School from 2006-2011. A six-year letterman in tennis, Koch compiled a career record of 134-7. He earned All-Region and All-Area honors six times, was a four-time All-State selection and won three South Carolina State Singles Championships.
Koch was rated among the top 50 players in the United States and was a member of Chapin’s 2010 and 2011 state championship teams. He also never lost a doubles match during his high school career.
Tom Painter taught and coached at Chapin High School from 1986-2012. As girls basketball coach from 1986-94, his teams compiled 124 wins over eight seasons and were ranked No. 3 in the state in 1991. Painter was named Region Coach of the Year in 1994.
From 2005-12, Painter coached boys track and field, compiling 107 wins. He was named Region Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2004, and his teams won region championships in 2008 and 2011. Painter also coached varsity football, middle school football and junior varsity girls basketball.
Kevin Hite, recipient of the Ms. Jimmie Ruff Service Award, graduated from Chapin High School in 1981. He served as a volunteer athletic trainer from 1993-2017 and was named District Volunteer of the Year in 2006.
In the photo, from left, are Kyle Koch, Chase Edwards, Kevin Hite, Mrs. Amick representing the late Jamie Amick, Coach Tom Painter and Amber Hines Jensch.
