Orangeburg Prep senior Avery Ravenell is averaging 23 pts per game and on pace for another 400 point season.

Curtis Baptist Senior Maci Butler averaging 20 points per game and closing in on a third straight 300 point season.

By Rob Gantt Special to The HSSR St. Stephen - The Timberland High School boys basketball team seems to be heating up just as the weather turns cooler, when the games become more important. The Wolves started out 0-13 on the season but were competitive most nights during the opening stretch. They dropped seven games by single digits the first half of the campaign. However, Coach Jerome Stewart's club has won three of its last four games. All three victories came on the road. Most recently, the Wolves edged Andrews, 47-41. Junior guard Joshua Deas led the Wolves with 16 points, while sophomore forward Jordan Gorham added nine points. Sophomore wing Ellis Wiggins and senior wing Kevin Brown chipped in eight points apiece. Gorham, also one of the state's top football prospects, led around the glass with seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Wiggins also contributed five rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks. Timberland improved to 2-1 in Region 6-2A games heading into a road clash Tuesday, Jan. 20, at fellow Berkeley County School District program Philip Simmons. Three days earlier, Timberland also won a tight contest at Academic Magnet. The Wolves pulled out a 59-53 victory versus the Raptors. Wiggins led three Wolves in double figures with 12 points. Junior guard Joshua Brown and Kevin Brown added 11 points and 10 points, respectively. Senior forward Harold Sanders contributed nine points. Gorham and Kevin Brown tallied 10 rebounds apiece, while Gorham and Wiggins combined on five blocks. Timberland broke through for its first win of the 2025-26 season Jan. 6 at Military Magnet, getting past the Eagles by a score of 62-52. Wiggins and Kevin Brown poured in 18 points each and Sanders chipped in seven points. Wiggins also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists. In between that win and the most recent back-to-back victories, the Wolves lost a competitive clash at home against Burke. Wiggins and Kevin Brown combined for 28 points.  After Philip Simmons Jan. 20, the Wolves host Woodland Jan. 23.

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Greenwood —The passion that first year Emerald head wrestling coach Hayden Lawter has for the sport he starred in at BHP is rubbing off on the Vikings team that won seven dual matches this season for the first time in quite some time. Lawter is a recent graduate of Lander University where he earned a wrestling scholarship after an outstanding high school career at BHP where he was a three-time state qualifier in the 220-pouind class. He also finished among the top three in the state in his weight class in both his junior and senior years. Lawter also earned North-South Honors his senior year with the Bears. He was a two-time all-region champion, and he was named Anderson County Prep Wrester of the Year after he helped lead BHP to a state wrestling title in 2021 when the team went undefeated. “We have some big plans to build the wrestling program at Emerald into a Top 10 program in the state within five years,” said Coach Lawter. “I have seen it done before. This summer we are starting a Summer Take-Down club in the Greenwood area that will range from elementary school age up to high school. We are focused on growth and success. “It will be a challenge to win our region meet this year with strong teams like Westside , Fountian Inn , and Laurens competing against us,” said Coach Lawter. “We do hope to place fourth and that is a good start for us in our first year with a very young team.” The Vikings 2025-26 varsity wrestling team has 34 participants. The team has seven dual meet wins this season over Landrum , Greenwood Christian (twice), Augusta Christian , Seneca (twice), and Crescent . The Vikings will tune up for the upcoming region meet they will host, by competing against five other teams in the West Oak Round Robin Invitational on January 17. The team is led by senior tri-captains Alijah White (190), Kelsey Wright (165), and Gregory Brown (138). White is ranked 6 th in the state in his weight class by SCMAT.com. “Alijah has been on the team for four seasons, and he is a region champion contender for sure,” said Coach Lawter. Wright has also been on the team for four years and he is also a captain. Brown is a first-year senior on the team working extremely hard. Another top performer on the team is junior Caleb Jeffery (126) and he is ranked 7 th in the state by SCMAT.com in his weight class. Jeffery is also a contender for a region individual championship at the region meet late this month. Rounding out the top performers on the team is sophomore Hayden Doerflein in the 215-weight class and he is ranked 8 th in the state by SCMAT.com. He also has an excellent chance at competing for a region championship later this month. There are 14 total weight classes comprising a high school wrestling team. The Vikings have participation in every weight group but the heavy weight class that starts at 285 pounds. Freshman Izabella Ruiz starts at 106 with Izabella Souza also competing at 106. First- year freshman competitor Jacob Villicana competes at 113 and first-year senior Alex Morales represents the team at 120. Jeffery is a solid competitor at 126. First year freshman Ryelan Cubbage leads the 132-weight class. The 144-weight class is held down by junior Brandon Robertsdon. First year junior Tatum Bonaca starts at the 150-weight group.  Marley Fisher is a first-year starter at 157 while tri-captain Kelsey White is a top performer at 165. Sophomore Tristan Boggs is the top Viking performer at 175 while tri-captain Elijah White is a top performer at 190.

By Neill Kirkpatrick Special to the HSSR Hemingway – The Carvers Bay Bears entered the 2025/26 season with high expectations as they returned their top three scorers from last season but head coach Jeff Mezzatesta felt it could take a few games to gel because the Bears football season did not end until the third round of the class A playoffs. “Our biggest challenge at the start of the season was getting our football players back after their great season. We have a lot of athletes that play both sports and we were behind in conditioning, chemistry, etc.. to start the basketball season,” said coach Mezz. Coach continued, “We probably won’t start gelling as a team until after the Holiday Break, unless our seniors can provide the leadership that is needed for early season success. If we can come together and grow we have a chance to have a very special season. We just have to weather the early season with a few football injuries to nurse and bringing the boys back together as a family.” The Bears lost in the third round of the class A playoffs to eventual state champion Denmark-Olar. They finished the year 20-9 and 12-0 in region play to win their second consecutive region championship. They entered the season on a 16-game region winning streak. The Bears are currently ranked number six in the latest HSSR class a poll. They started the season 1-2 but have gone 12-2 since including running their region winning streak to 21 after winning their first five region games. They also own a win over the HSSR’s number five team Latta 81-73 which put Latta in second place in the region race. The two teams will meet again at Latta on February 11 th in game that could decide the region title and a possible number one seed in the playoffs; however, there is a lot of basketball left to play. The strength of the Bears is in their guard play on both sides of the court as their pressure defense turns into instant offense. Senior KK Heyward and juniors Jamie Graham and Mekhi Bromell are the leaders of the team as they have each improved their game from last season. Heyward is a two-times All State selection. The senior is the unquestioned team leader and has upped his scoring average his year he has been on the team. He led the team in scoring last year at 15.7 ppg and is second this season at 16.4 ppg. He is on pace to top 1500 career points by the end of the season. On the defensive side, he leads the team in steals with 3.2 a night. Graham has taken his game to the next level as he leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists. His scoring average has increased from 11.4 ppg to 18.3 ppg and he is on pace to become another 1000 career point scorer. His 5.8 rebounds per is tied for the top spot and he is dishing out 4.1 dimes a game. Also, he is a returning All Region selection. Bromell is fourth on the team in scoring at 9.7 ppg. That is almost two points more per night than last season and he pulls down 5.2 ppg. Rounding out the starting five are two newcomers in sophomore Ethan Morris and senior Kendall Moore. Morris is third in the team in scoring at 10.6 ppg and is also averaging 5.3 boards per game while Moore may be the most versatile player on the team as he plays anywhere he is needed. The Bears have a solid bench led by senior Jaden Bell . He is demon on the defensive end of the court and has been named the region 6A Defensive Player of the year the past two seasons. Also returning are seniors Tyrone Parson and Herbie Washington and they are joined by newcomers to the Bears roster in junior center Xavier Fredrick and sophomore guard Kamaris Brown . “I would hope that we can continue our success in region and make the playoffs; however, this is truly up to the commitment that our boys put into the season. We can’t become complacent on past success and have to keep our eyes on the present,” said coach Mezz.

By David Shelton Senior Writer Beaufort – With the non-region schedule completed, the focus for basketball teams in the state turn to region play in January. Playoff berths and seedings are determined by region finish, making region play the most important part of the regular season. To that end, the Beaufort girls basketball team is off to a great start, posting wins in their first two region 7-AAAA contests and winning 11 of their first 15 games overall this season. The team is on track to bettermg last year’s win total of 16 while contending for the region title. Among the top performers early on this season are junior Amiyah Brown , sophomore Jania Hayward , freshman Da’Leah LaBoard , and freshman Zaria Coaxum . Hayward is leading the team in scoring, averaging 19.4 points per game. She also averages nearly five rebounds and three assists per contest. Brown adds 13.7 points per game, adding 3.7 boards, while Coaxum is scoring 7.9 points per game. LaBoard is adding just over five points per game. Coming off a 1-19 season of a year ago, the boys basketball team is looking to improve but has found it to be a tough road. The Eagles managed just one win in their first 11 contests, including an 0-2 start to region play. But coach Jeremy Huff is optimistic about his team showing marked improvement in the 2025-26 season. “The sky is the limit for these young guys,” Huff says. “They have been working hard, but with our schedule and region, the competition is tough. We are expecting to be middle of the region and contend for a playoff spot.” Huff has several returning players and the playing experience gained last season, despite the record, should lead to improvement overall. As the season begins, Huff lists only one senior, guard Austin Miles , as starting. Miles is a returner from last season and is a team captain averaging 4.1 points per game. Junior guard Kobe Hernandez averages 4.0 points per game and junior guard Willis Watson is averaging 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Junior Qualeek Isnar is the starting center and averages 7.3 points per game. Freshman Keaton Layman averages 5.2 points per game. season. Sophomore forward PJ Davis rounds out the starting lineup. The wrestling season also is heavy into region competition and Beaufort has several grapplers ranked among the best in AAAA in their weight class. Colton Freeman is the second-ranked wrestler in the 215-pound weight class and Santino Communale is ranked fifth in AAAA at 120-pounds. Jaden Proctor is ranked sixth at 285 pounds and Jessob Paris is ranked seventh at 157 pounds. Another key performer is Cameron Posey in the 144-pound weight class. Among female wrestlers, Olesya Mullins is the top-ranked wrestler at 105 pounds.

Barnwell Girl’s Basketball Focused On Making AA Playoffs From Staff Reports Barnwell —With their 40-32 region win over Edisto on January, 16 the Lady Warhorses have pulled into a tie with Hampton County (2-2) for the region lead going into the home stretch of the regular season. Junior guard Savannah Rountree scored 12 points and senior guard Gabrielle Thomas added 10 points to lead the Lady Warhorses to the win. Sophomore center Bre’Yanna Bostick chipped in six points against Edisto also. Others contributing points in the Edisto game for Barnwell included freshman guard Za’Cariah Devoe (3), senior guard Aurielle Sanders (2), freshman forward Kennide Williams (2), freshman guard Zamari Williams (2), and junior wing Gracie Carter (1). “We are playing much better defense now,” said head coach William Hammonds . “We still need to find ways to score but our defense is coming along well. “Rountree is shooting the ball really well and she is getting it going on offense for us,” said Coach Hammonds. “Both Bostick and Devoe are two of most improved players since the start of the season. Bostick is our top rebounder coming off the bench.  “Gabby is starting to making better decisions on her passes from the point guard position,” said Coach Hammonds. “She is starting to make the right plays.” Coach Hammonds that with six region games to play he is hoping his team can finish strong and place at least third in the region and then go on and play well in the playoffs. “Hampton County and Lake Marion have two really good teams this year but if we continue to improve, I feel like we can place at least third in the region.” Maddie Brown is a 5-10 small forward and she is one of the team’s co-captains. Brown is a good rebounder and plays good defense in the paint. Barnwell will host Hampton County on February, 3. To date, a shooting guard, Roudtree leads the team in scoring at 14 points a game. Thomas is at 5.8 points and three rebounds a game, including 2.4 steals. Bostick is averaging 3.6 points a game and leads the team in rebounding. Devoe is averaging 1.2 steals a game. Coach Hammonds is assisted Alicia Davis and April Robinson .

The Carolina Academy Girls Basketball Team.

By David Shelton Senior Writer Chesterfield – Region play is the most important part of the regular season and ramping up the intensity and focus is paramount for any team hoping to contend for a region title and state playoff berth. To that end, a young but up and coming Chesterfield girls basketball team is competing well in the early part of their 2025-26 region 4-AA schedule. The Lady Rams won four of their first six region games and were 10-7 overall this season as of Jan. 18. The team won 11 games all of last season. “We are playing pretty well so far,” said head coach Nick Jolly earlier this season. “This is a competitive team. We’re still fairly young overall but we have some talented girls. We will make youthful mistakes but we will learn from those mistakes and work hard to correct things as we go. I definitely feel good about the potential.” Chesterfield regularly starts four sophomores and Jolly’s top two players are sophomores Reagan Rivers and Yaya Robinson . Rivers was a class AA all-state selection as a freshman, averaging 14 points and eight rebounds per game. This season, she is averaging 14.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She also dishes 3.4 assists per game and has nearly three steals per contest. Robinson averaged 13.9 points last season and is at 15.9 points per game this season. Eighth-grader Le’Asia Brown is leading the team in rebounds, grabbing 9.9 boards per game while scoring 6.7 rebounds per contest this season. Sopho,ore Ki’Yonna Peurifoy is pulling down 7.0 rebounds per contest while senior Jordan Evans is adding 2.6 steals and nearly two assists per game. Sophomore Alivia Honeycutt scores about three points and pulls down 4.5 rebounds per game. She also averages close to four blocked shots per outing. Sophomore Tayler McCoy is adding six points per game. Senior Jaylen Evans , along with junior Kaylee Leonard , see considerable minutes as well. Freshman Taylee Clyburn , sophomore Ava Knight , freshman Kamari Patterson , freshman Allison Brown , and senior Jenna Kelly round out this year’s squad. Jolly says his biggest point of emphasis in the early season has been physical toughness. “With the youth, sometimes they play a little timid,” the coach said. “I keep telling them we have to play tougher. They are responding well. I’m pretty happy with where we are and I know we are going to continue to grow and improve as we play more. We will compete with most of the teams that we play.” The boys team went 1-12 against non-region competition in December but is showing solid growth in region play with an early 2-2 record. Senior leaders and team captains are Kamron Patterson, Derrick Lockhart, Ronnie Little and Josh Miller . Juniors include Amir Pickett, Jackson Dalton, Mark Moten, Josh Bittle, Jayden Johnson, Treyvon Smith and DJ Merriman. Rounding out the roster are sophomores Jamison Dalton and Holden Lowry .

 By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Pageland – The Central High School boys basketball team got off to a slow start. The Eagles lost their first three games, albeit by a combined 17 points. However, there’s a little bit more to the story than that. Central played its first game on Tuesday, December 1. That came just three days after the school’s football team, which included many members of the basketball team, saw its season come to an end playing in the AA playoffs lower state championship game. The Eagles had the next two games on December 2 and December 4, meaning they got in one practice together before playing the first two contests. “We got them late, so we were working on getting our chemistry, being able to play together,” said Central head coach Desmond Sowell . It appears the Eagles have made good progress on that front. They have gone 11-2 since with the two losses coming to AAAAA Nation Ford by a 56-49 count and 79-76 to AAAA Hartsville. More importantly, they are off to a 3-0 start in Region 4. All things considered, Sowell likes where his team stands at the moment. “We’re playing up to my expectations,” he said. “My thing is for us to compete day in and day out. It’s just about us being able to maintain that as we go to region play and try to make a playoff run.” Central has four starters back from a team that went 18-11 and reached the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. They are seniors Tazhir Webber , Demetrius Myers and Aiden Short and junior Jordan Crowder . Webber leads the team in scoring at 16.9 points per game, assists at 3.9 and steals at 3.3. He is also grabbing 4.6 rebounds. Crowder is one of three other Eagles scoring in double figures with an 11.9 average while leading in rebounding at 6.4 Myers is just missing out on double figures at 9.7. Short is averaging 3.5 points. The other two scoring in double figures are senior newcomers Jakori Holloman and Scoot Colyer . Holloman, who transferred from McBee , is the second leading scorer at 12.6 while averaging 4.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.1 steals. Colyer, who came from Florida , is averaging 11.3 points, 3.6 assists and 2.9 steals. Giving Central impactful minutes off the bench are junior Dwayne Louallen Jr. , junior Aiden Welch , senior Taveon Moore and senior Jordan Caldwell , an offensive lineman on the football team who is 6-feet-4-inches tall and weighs 240 pounds. “We didn’t have any real size last year,” Sowell said. “Jordan gives us size and toughness.” While the Eagles can produce points, Sowell likes the way they play defense. “They’re really athletic and like to defend,” he said. “That helped us to a win against (AAAA) Darlington . We’ve shown the ability to compete and play at a high level. There should never be a game that we don’t compete in.” CENTRAL GIRLS START 1-12 In its first season under head coach JT McManus , the Central girls basketball team won only one of first 13 games. However, the one win did come in region play, a 35-34 triumph over North Central , giving the Eagles a 1-2 region record. “We played a tough non-region schedule because we wanted to see where we’re at,” said McManus, who was the junior varsity boys head coach and Sowell’s assistant for five years. “We’re at Square 1, the bare minimum. We’re working on developmental stuff that should have already been done. We’re trying to teach and play games at the same time.” The starters are seniors Jariyah Sowell , Rielyn Chambers and Tashia Quick , junior D’lorya Smith and 6-1 eighth-grader Brooklyn Seegars . Sowell, the daughter of the boys head coach, is the leading scorer at 7.9. Quick is averaging 4.7, Seegars 3.3, Chambers 3.2 and Smith 1.6. “We’re working on changing the culture,” McManus said. “The girls are playing hard, but our shot-making ability and ball handling ability aren’t there yet. Making the playoffs, that’s our goal, our aspiration.”

Hanahan wrestling coach Ray Adkins said. “No bones about it. These guys are here to compete this year."

By David Shelton Senior Writer Charleston - The old adage of “learning to crawl before you can walk” certainly applies in many respects to building a successful athletic program. It certainly describes what the basketball program at Ashley Hall is working towards as they seek to become a competitive program in the SCISA ranks. Wins have been hard to come by as Ashley Hall competes in a region that is considered among the most competitive in SCISA with First Baptist and Northwood Academy annually competing for state championships in the largest classification. Bryan Bednar is in his first season as the varsity head coach and has worked to begin the rebuilding process with a large number of underclassmen. The Panthers finished last season with one win and the current team had not won a game as of Jan. 15, but has been competitive in several contests. “The region is competitive and experienced at the top. The leading contenders are veteran teams with strong upperclassmen, physical play, and established systems,” reports Bednar. “They tend to execute well, defend consistently, and close games late, which separates them from younger programs. “Overall, it’s a region where experience, depth, and discipline matter, and most contenders have been together for multiple seasons.” Bednar has focused on development and gaining experience this season. He has seen improvement in those areas, as well as other aspects of competitive athletic teams. “This team’s potential is in its growth and development,” he says. “With three juniors and two freshmen starting, we are a young group gaining valuable varsity experience. While the record isn’t where we want it, our focus is on improving fundamentals, competing harder, and building confidence and accountability. “My expectation is that we get better each day, play with more consistency and effort, and lay the foundation for long-term success. This season is about learning, resilience, and setting the culture for the future. Forming the starting lineup for most games are three juniors and two freshmen. The junior starters are guards Molly Mettler and Sally Rowson , and forward Catherine Perkins . Freshmen starters include point guard Camille Marier and forward Amelia Lennon. Bednar says Marier, Mettler and Perkins are performing as the top leaders within the program. He counts on their leadership and experience as player to set the tone and bring the motivation to work and compete. Seeing time off the bench this winter junior guards Mary Collins and Minka Tang ; sophomore guard Erica Gree n, and freshman guard Adya Sharma .

 By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Kingstree – The Williamsburg Academy boys basketball team got off to a pretty good start, winning six of its first 10 games. And when you hear how much time the Stallions got to spend together before starting their season, the record looks even more impressive. “The state championship game was on Saturday,” Williamsburg head coach Kevin Burrows said in reference to the school’s football team beating Colleton Prep Academy 36-14 for the SCISA Class A state title on November 22. “Monday was our first game (a 55-46 loss to Wilson Hall ), so we got to practice for a couple of hours on Sunday. “We were banged up, but we played. We just got off to a late start. We’re getting to where need to be condition-wise and getting into basketball mode. The first two weeks were kind of rough.” Six of the players on the 10-man roster were on the football team, and each has played a significant role in the early going. They are junior Charlie Caulder , senior Micah Ballder , junior Al Casselman , junior Marlin Morris , junior Sammy Tomlinson and junior Seth Cherinko . The leading scorer is junior Ethan Jones , who is averaging around 14 points a game. He is joined in the starting lineup by Caulder, Balder, Casselman and Morris. Caulder was next in socirng with 10 points and a team leading 7.0 rebounds. Balder was averaging 8.0 points, a team high 5.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds, while Casselman was averaging 9.0 points and 4.0 steals. Morris was averaging 5.0 points and 6.5 rebounds. The first two off the bench are freshman Rylan Berrry and Tomlinson. Berry is the sixth man and was averaging around six points a game. Tomlinson, an offensive lineman on the football team, provides some size inside. He was averaging around four points and three rebounds a contest. Cherinko was averaging three points and two steals. The other members of the team are junior Wyatt Dennis and junior Isaiah Bui . Burrows admitted that the team’s early success has been a bit of a surprise even to him just because he knows how little practice time the team has actually had. “Some teams have been together since mid-October,” Burrows said. “We didn’t get together until the middle of November. There were a few games where we were just feeling our way. We had guys who were still banged up from football, and we had a few games slip by us we probably could have won. “We’re having to get into basketball shape. Basketball is a game where you have to play on both sides of the court. I think we’ll get better and get stronger as the season goes on, both mentally and physically.” Williamsburg plays in a strong region in Region 3-AAA. The other four teams are defending state runner-up Pee Dee Academy , Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach , which played for a state title two seasons ago, Florence Christian School and Dillon Christian School . Despite that, the Stallions have some lofty goals. “We want to at least be in the region final,” Burrows said. “We want to win the region and hopefully get into the playoffs. We feel like that’s a realistic goal.” WILLIAMSBURG GIRLS START 4-9 The Williamsburg girls basketball team won four of its first 13 games. In the early going of the schedule, senior Audrey Wadford was leading the way with a 19.3 scoring average. Junior Perry Wise was averaging 6.3, sophomore Abby Ward at 5.7, eighth-grader Corrine Kellahan was averaging 4.4, and sophomore Maggie Jones was averaging 3.0. Other members of the team are senior Sophie Kellahan , junior Shay Carraway , junior Blakely Hundley , sophomore Aleeya Reed , freshman Sophia Jacobs and freshman Avery Belue . BASEBALL, SOFTBALL UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP Britton Morris and Jada Cox are a little over a month away from coaching their first games as the respective baseball and softball head coaches for Williamsburg. Williamsburg will open both seasons on February 24 at home against Calhoun Academy . Morris takes over for Tyler Boyd , who was the Stallions head coach for 10 years, leading them to a state title in 2022. Morris had been hired to be the junior varsity head coach after having graduated from Columbia International University where he played for four years. When Boyd made the decision to leave for the football head coaching job at Lamar High School , Morris became the varsity head coach. “I’m feeling great about being back in the swing of baseball,” Morris said. After playing for four years, it’s a lot different being on the other side of the lines, but I feel like I’ve got a lot to bring to the table. Being a first-time head coach, I know there’s not a lot of expectation on us, but we aren’t expecting for the standard to dip for where Coach Tyler had it. “We want to continue to grow and improve even after losing a few key pieces from last year’s team (which went 19-5). There’s going to be a lot of young guys who have he opportunity to step up as well as some of the veterans who are going to need to step up into a bigger role. Overall, we’ve got guys chomping at the bit to get started, and I’m right there with them.” Cox takes over for Pat Wildes , who decided to retire after 42 years of coaching, the last several coming at Williamsburg. Cox was the junior varsity head coach last season while helping some with the varsity. She feels that familiarity with the players will help her in her first year in charge of the varsity. “Normally many new coaches woul be feeling nervous, but not me,” Cox said. “I’m feeling excited and confident about this season. I’m ready to get things rolling on the ballfield. “I got the opportunity to sit back and watch these girls play last year, and this group of girls have heart and fight, and that’s something that you can’t teach players. That’s what makes me excited.”

2026 Marks the 40th Year of South Carolina's only regular newspaper covering prep sports news that is dedicated to "Recognizing the Achievements of Young Athletes"

Wilson High School's top rated, 6-foot-7-inch guard Josh Leonard is a leader on the team and making an impact on both ends of the court.

Blythewood's highly regarded forward, Chase Thomas during the 2025 state title games against Summerville.

 By Billy G. Baker Publisher Moncks Corner --The 2025-26 SCHSL State Basketball Finals for the 12 surviving boy’s teams comprised from Div. I AAAAA, Div. II AAAAA, Class AAAA, Class AAA, Class AA, and Class A will be contested at the Colonial Life Center on the campus of the University of South Carolina between March 5 through March 7. It will be time to watch slam dunks, downtown tre’s, blocked shots and March Madness invading the heads of thousands of prep basketball fans! The AAAAA Div. I boy’s finals is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday March, 6. The Div. II gold medal round is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Thursday March, 6 while the AAAA boy’s final is to be played at USC at 6 p.m. on Saturday March, 7. The AAA boy’s state finals will be played out at 4 p.m. on Friday March, 6 with the AA boy’s finals set for 4 p.m. on Thursday March, 5. The Class A boy’s championships will be at noon on Saturday March, 5. The Lower State boys’ finals will all be played at the Florence Civic Center on February 27-28. The upper state boy’s finals will be played on agreed neutral sites on February 27-28 also. Div. I AAAAA Boy’s Preview: Can Ridge View win their third straight boy’s state basketball championship when the gold medal round is contested for Div. I AAAAA at 8 pm in the Colonial Life Arena at USC on Friday March 6? Their fans certainly will have a short drive to cheer Josh Staley’s team on. Last year the Blazers defeated Blythewood 71-47 to earn their second straight title with Korie Corbett pouring in a game-high 23 points and Yale Davis contributing 13 points. After that big win Coach Staley said, “That’s how you prepare,” he said. You prepare to play a whole game, and the work you put in comes out in moments like this.” With Corbett and Davis graduated the new stud on the Ridge View team is Talon Staley and the team does not have quite the playmakers around him they had a season ago. Ridge View lost to Div. II foe Westward 64-61 on Jan. 5 and that verified this observation. So, who are the candidates to take Ridge View’s place in the gold medal round this year? Could it be number two -ranked Dorman or third ranked Dutch Fork, or even number five Byrnes? Never count out a Thomas Ryan coached Dorman (13-5) team. When you have been there and won it all several times you can always figure it out so watch out for the Cavaliers. They are led by senior PF Will Bush (4 pts), junior SG Aaden Bruton - Smith (12 pts), and junior PG Jaden Johnson (12 pts). Bret Jones is doing an excellent job coaching up Dutch Fork (16-2) and you never know when the Silver Foxes’ football magic might run off on the basketball team. The Foxes are by senior PF Justis Bell (21.5 pts), junior PG Samajae Govan (16.4 pts) and “ KJ ” Dupree (9.3 pts). Layne Fowler has built a solid program at Byrnes (15-3), and the Rebels must be in the gold medal round conversation. They are led by top junior PG prospect Colt Fowler (24.2 pts), senior F Sukhi Singh (15.5 pts) and junior SF Fabian McClintontock (14.7 pts). From the Lower State, Cane Bay (17-2) could play a dark horse role. Head coach Shawn McKeen tells the HSSR, “We definitely expect big things from this team.,” he said. We have good talent and we are very deep.” The Cobras are led by soph SF Jamel McKinney (11.9 pts), junior G Jahleel Sanders (10.6 pts), and senior SF Amare Merrell (9.7 pts). Brad Dobbels is an excellent X an O coach, and his Ashley Ridge (16-2) round ballers must be considered contenders also. They are led by senior G Clayton Everett Jr. (21.3 pts), senior G Shayne Pinckney (10.9 pts) and junior PG Javion Gathers (9.4 pts). West Ashley (15-3) is certainly capable of making a charge in the playoffs also under head coach Tre McLean They are led by senior PG Kendall Mack (15.3 pts), junior F Jackson Terrell (13.2 pts), and junior SG Maurice Cannon (10.8 pts). HSSR Prediction For Gold Medal Round: Byrnes or Dorman vs. Cane Bay or Ashley Ridge Div. II AAAAA Preview: Goose Creek head coach Blake Hall spent a lot of time in his huddle talk with his players following a gut wrenching 81-71 double OT loss in the Div. II AAAAA finals against Greenville last year at the Florence Civic Center. The Gators are currently 18-1 and they are playing like a snowplow clearing the way of downtown Fargo, North Dakota these days. The HSSR is confident that Goose Creek will emerge as the Lower State boy’s champions this season. Who they square off against in the state finals is anyone’s guess right now. From the court, after the game last year, Coach Hall let his feelings out after the defeat. “You can not beat a team when they shoot almost 40 free throws,” said Hall. “I told our guys that you have no control over the officiating, but you must play through it. For the most part I thought we did, but it was too much to overcome.” Before coming to Goose Creek 20 years ago, Coach Hall won a state title at North Charleston High School. He was a two- time HSSR-SCISA all-player at Pinewood Prep under Hall of Fame coach Pat Eidson . Goose Creek is led by senior guard Ja’Quell Brown who scored 27 points against Greenville in the finals last year. They have seven players back who played in the state title game a year ago. Greenville, under first year veteran head coach Yerrick Stoneman , are currently 13-4 but they have lost to some out-of-state powerhouse teams, and they are undefeated in their region. Coach Stoneman is also a state championship coach, and he will have his team playing their best come playoff time. Greenville returns three starters from last year’s gold medal winners led by senior PG Caden Coleman (17 pts) who had 21 points in the big game. Senior F Gavin Griffin (16.6) is also back along with junior SG Tucker Scholl (14.6 pts) a game. Westwood (16-1) is currently capable of making it to the gold medal round led by senior PG Jayden Crews (14.5 pts), senior D’Marcus Thomas (12.4 pts), and Cylan McLeod (10.6 pts). Fort Mill (15-4) has also turned some heads with their recent OT win over Byrnes. They are well-coached by Myron Lowery . Fort Mill is led by soph PG Jermier Nelson (21.1 pts), senior SG AJ Washington (17.8 pts), and senior G Wallace Campbell (13.6 points). Riverside (16-2) could be a spoiler before the dust settles in March. They are led by senior F Sebi Boyogueno (6-4, 190) who is avearaging31 points a game. HSSR Prediction For Gold Medal Round: (Rematch) Greenville vs Goose Creek The AAAA Boys Preview: The SCHSLAAAA boys’ basketball championship will be last state finals match-up played starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday March, 7 at the Colonial Life Arena at USC, and wonder who the final wo teams will be left standing to battle it out in the gold medal round? The big news in AAAA boys’ basketball coming into the season was the return of Dion Bethea to the Gray Collegiate (14-2) team where he had coached six War Eagle teams to AA titles in the past before leaving two years ago to become an assistant at Georgia Southern . Coach Bethea recently told the HSSR , “We’re just trying to build the championship culture back,” he said, “With me leaving for a year it kind of got broken up a bit.” Gray is being led by 6-6 Kennesaw State signee Levi Bell along with Irmo 6-6 PF transfer Jayden Rivers. These two studs are a key reason why the War Eagles must be considered top contenders for the AAAA title this season. Lancaster defeated North Augusta 69-55 last year in the finals, but the Bruins suffered heavy graduation losses, and they are currently (8-11) are not ranked. However, senior PG Malik Tinlsey (18.4 pts) is having a solid senior season once again. On the other hand, the North Augusta boys of head coach Tony Hararell contenders but they must find a way to get ahead of region for Gray Collegiate, a team they lost too in December 64-56. Four players on last year’s team returned to the NA team this year. They are led by top scorer G Quh’mareon Webb who had 10 points in last year’s state finals. Others are G Jodan Rouse , G Tojan Nabriat , and Zayvion Harris. Darlington’s (15-4) recent win over Crestwood kept them 5-0 in their region and head coach Brad Knox has put together a solid team. The top two players on the team include senior G LaHenry Yarbrough (17 pts) and senior G Rodney Spears (9 pts) as the top two scorers on the team. Chapman ( 14-3) head coached by Jared St. Charles , has a solid team in the AAAA upper state and they could make a deep run in the playoffs. They are led by junior SG Grayden Humphries (16.4 pts), senior SG Hawk Smith (12.2 pts) and soph PG Cade St . Charles (10.4 pts). Other teams in AAAA with deep playoff run potential are May River (17-2), Midland Valley (13-4), Hartsville (11-5), Daniel (11-7), and Camden (12-5). HSSR Prediction For Gold Medal Round: Chapman or Camden vs Gray Collegiate Class AAA Boy’s Preview: The AAA boys’ basketball championship will be battled out on Friday March 6 at 4 p.m inside the Colonial Life Center at USC and the HSSR feels strongly that the Christ Church (14-1) boy’s bus will arrive early for the event. Last year Keenan defeated Powdersville 58-53 in the boy’s AAA finals at the Florence Civic Center as the Raiders won their 10 th state title. It was Keenan head coach Zach Norris’ 8th state title at Keenan. Powdersville suffered heavy graduation losses are currently (5-13). Keenan (15-5) is led by soph PG Antonio Caughman (14.5 pts), soph PF Bryson Schofield (9.4 pts) and senior F Broderick Andrson , Jr (8.4 pts). Christ Church is head coached by veteran John Butler . The Cav’s are led by senior SG David Dixon (14 pts), senior Big Man Jonathan Perry (13.4 pts), and senior PF Jude Hall (9.2 pts). Keenan might be challenged by Loris (16-3) in the Lower state finals, and this would be a classic game between the country boys from a rural community versus a group of players from the big city of Columbia. Loris is coached by Andrew Eads . The Lions are led on the boards by Big Man MyKhai Bell (8.3) and in scoring by senior G Nigel Miller (15.6 pts), senior G Khalid Sherman (14.4 pts), and senior G Khalil Sherman (11.9 pts) Fox Creek (13-4) could also make a run. They are coached by Tim Butler. They are led in scoring by junior G Chanze Allen (14.5), junior Kobe Sims (13.4) along with junior Justin Vining (12.9). HSSR Prediction For Gold Medal Round: Christ Church vs Keenan or Loris The AA Boys Basketball Preview: The AA boys’ basketball championship finals will begin at 4 p.m. on Thursday March 5 inside the Colonial Life Center at USC. You might have a better chance guessing the power ball numbers then predicting what two teams are going to meet in the AA boy’s finals this year. Last year Atlantic Collegiate Academy defeated High Point Academy 58-52 to win the AA title at the Florence Civic Center. High Point Academy (17-2) is likely to be back in the finals, but Atlantic Collegiate Academy (7-8) is in a rebuilding season, although they are 5-1 in their region right now. High Point Academy head coach Lee Sartor will forever be known as the man who coached Zion Williamson at Spartanburg Day a few years ago. Coach Sartor came to High Point from Erskine College where he served as the head coach for several seasons. High Point returns two key starters from last year’s runner-up team. They are junior F J’Sean Sanders (18.9 pts), and senior G Deylen Whitaker (10.7 pts). Senior guard Chris Copeland (14.6 pts) is a newcomer to the team. The HSSR had been high on Andrew Jackson (12-3) until they suffered back-to-back losses against Central and Loris on Jan. 16-17. AJ are led by two top scorers in senior SF Zeke Clyburn (21.4) and senior G Samias Seegars (18.8). The success of the football team must be carrying over to Central (13-5) as head coach Desmond Sowell’s team is 5-0 and appeared headed to winning a region title. The Eagles are in scoring by senor G Tazhie Webber (17.4 pts), Jordan Crowder (16.9 pts) and senior G Jakari Hollomon (11.9 pts). Hampton County (13-4), coached by Joshua James, could be a lower state challenge to High Point. They are led in scoring by senior G Darius Brooks (16.6), senior SG Jacquin Solomon (12.90) and soph SF Maryln Adkins (10). When Chesnee (12-6) beat Liberty (15-4) 48-25 on Jan. 16, that altered some thinking about what upstate teams might be able to challenge High Point Academy. We will just have to wait and see. HSSR Prediction For Gold Medal Round: High Pointe Academy Vs. Hampton County The Class A Boys’ Basketball Preview: The boy’s SCHSL Class A state finals will take place on Saturday March 7 at 2 p.m. inside the Colonial Life Arena at USC. Last year Denmark - Olar defeated Abbeville 58-52 at the Florence Civic Center to earn the school’s first boy’s state title sending head coach Hercules Davis into a happy retirement. Marcus Rivera, a one-time mayor of Barnwell, is the new coach, and the team is currently 6-15 but 4-1 in the region and playing much better. They are led by junior G Christian Rivera (27.1 pts), and the top rebounder is 6-7 William Ross (6). Number two, ranked Abbeville (10-2), has an excellent opportunity to get back to the state finals. Veteran head coach Douglas Belcher has the Panthers 8-0 in the region right now. The team is led by senior Jaden Baylor (19.1 pts), soph G Jamerion Williams (14.7) and soph G Jamiyus McManus (10.6 pts). Bethune - Bowman (14-3) is ranked number one in the latest Class A boy’s ranking. They lost twice to bigger schools in competitive games, but their 60-51 loss to Scott’s Branch (8-9) recently is a bit concerning. The team is le dby senior SF Terrance McFadden (16.4 pts), soph G Jaeon Bell (11.7 pts) and junior G Kejuan Guinyard (8.6 pts). Horse Creek Academy (14-4) is also 7-0 in region play coached by Chon Matthews . They are led in scoring by soph PG David Kearse (10.1 pts). The HSSR feels like Carvers Bay (13-4, 5-0), head coached once again by Jeff Mezzatesta, could be the lower state champion when the dust clears. They are led by junior PG Jamie Graham (18.3 pts), senior G Kenard Heyward (14 pts), and soph G Ethan Morris (10.6 pts.). Watch out for teams like CA Johnson (11-7 & 7-0) and Latta (11-3, 5-1) as they have strong teams as well at Class A level. HSSR Prediction For Gold Medal Round: Abbeville Vs. Carvers Bay

Abbeville's leading scorer is senior Jaden Baylor , who averaged 16.8 points and 7.0 rebounds last season. He is averaging 20 points and seven boards this season.

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Edior St. George – The Dorchester Academy girls basketball team has four returning starters from a team that went 16-8 a year ago and came within a basket of playing for the SCISA AA state championship. So it is no surprise the Raiders are having a successful 2025-26 campaign. They won 15 of their first 17 games and started 3-0 in Region 2. The four returning starters are junior Palmer Kizer , junior Alyssa Grooms , junior Rylee Weathers and sophomore Emery McClure . The newcomer to the starting five is a senior in Rylee Matthews . The first two players off the bench for Dorchester are senior Lyla Owens and freshman Madison Downey . Other members of the team are sophomore Emma Branch and sophomore Brinley Pope , both first-year varsity playes. McClure leads the team as she is averaging a double-double with over 10 points and 10 rebounds per game, respectively. She’s also averaging four steals a contest. The Raiders have a balanced scoring attack as Weathers and Grooms are both averaging double figures. Matthews is averaging double figures in rebounds. Kizer, who is averaging four steals a contest, is the defensive catalyst, according to veteran head coach Callie McClure . “Kizer is at the top of our defense, setting the tone on that side of play,” said Coach McClure, who saw the Raiders drop a 44-43 decision to Laurens Academy in the semifinals. “She is feisty and quick and never runs out of gas.” DORCHESTER BOYS OPEN 9-8 The Dorchester boys basketball team won nine of its first 17 games and was 1-1 in region play. With four games still left to go in the region, Raiders head coach Nick Mcalhany thinks the best is yet to come for his team. “We still have not played our best ball yet,” Mcalhany said. “We’re looking forward to doing that as we get into region play.” Dorchester went 10-13 last season. They lost to Carolina Academy 62-53 in the first round of the AA state tournament. Senior Abe Shuler is the leader of the offense, averaging around 15 points a contest. Joining Shuler in the starting lineup are senior John Quattlebaum , junior Austin Varn , sophomore Carter Beeks and freshman Colson Williams . Other members of the team are sophomore Boone Gruber , sophomore Graham Varnadoe , senior Bradley Sievert , junior Lathan Hartzog , sophomore Warren Judy , sophomore Clayton Ziegler and junior Will Quattlebaum . Dorchester is joined in Region 2 by Faith Christian , Charleston Collegiate and Cathedral Academy .

Wilson High School's 5-Star Junior Basketball Prospect, Josh Wilson.

Larry Gamble HSSR Photo Editor Latta — Heath Mew is a senior and former two-sport athlete at Latta High School, where he played baseball and basketball before switching to only playing Golf for his senior year. Of the three sports he has participated in, he readily admits that Golf is his favorite sport, despite having just started playing the game a year ago. While Mew will close out his high school career playing golf, he does have fond memories of playing basketball from the seventh grade through his junior year. Similarly, he played baseball starting in the eighth grade through his sophomore year. Everything changed when he says, “My buddies invited me to go play golf and I found I really enjoyed the game,” he said. That outing led him to eventually play golf for on his high school team. In the classroom Mew carries a 4.512 GPA, while maintaining his online course load, and participating in sports.  For all his athletic and academic accomplishments, Mew has been chosen the “NETC” Male Student Athlete of the Month.” This honor is bestowed through a partnership between the Northeastern Technical College and “The High School Sports Report” with the publication communicating with athletic directors at high schools in the counties of Dillon, Marlboro, and Chesterfield, where NETC serves the needs of high school students seeking to earn dual credits in various subjects that can be transferred to colleges after a student’s high school graduation. The NETC is currently offering over 44 online dual credit courses for the 2025-26 school year to students in the three counties they serve. Mew is currently enrolled in dual credit courses offered by NETC. He just finished College Algebra and this semester he will take Psychology. His plans are to attend North Greenville University and work towards a degree in Physical Therapy. Afterwards, he aspires to enroll in MUSC’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program and make that his career. By taking the online courses through the NETC, Mew says, “It will help me prepare for the work-load and schedule I can expect with my future college work, and this helps me balance my schedule for my classes,” he said. ” By taking these classes my NETC classes will transfer, and they will count for freshman required classes which will put me ahead in my academic load.” When asked about a memorable moment in his sports career, Mew said, “Last year, I was new on the golf team, and we made it to state,” he said. “I got to play, and that first time hearing my name called to tee off, with me being new to the sport, was special. Even better, I addressed the ball for the tee shot and it was the best drive I ever hit at that point.”

Larry Gamble HSSR Photo Editor L atta - Kate Gasque is a senior student athlete at Latta High School, where she has been a member of the cheerleading squad since the eighth grade. She started on the junior varsity squad and moved up to varsity where she’s been a “back spotter” for stunts and lifts, as well as an enthusiastic leader on the sidelines. Gasque is enjoying her senior year and continuing to take NETC online classes to help prepare for college. Gasque said she enjoys cheering at football and basketball events while she calls baseball her favorite sport to watch. She enjoys her time on the sidelines of football and basketball games, two sports that have back-to-back long seasons. After high school, Gasque plans to attend Clemson University and focus on her studies. While she has enjoyed being a cheerleader, once this basketball season ends, she will miss the camaraderie of the team and friendships she has developed over the years. In the classroom, she carries a 5.240 GPA, and she says that after high school she plans to major in Agri-Business while at Clemson. For all her athletic and academic accomplishments, Gasque has been chosen the “NETC” Female Student Athlete of the Month.” This honor is bestowed through a partnership between the Northeastern Technical College and “The High School Sports Report” with the publication communicating with athletic directors at high schools in the counties of Dillon, Marlboro, and Chesterfield, where NETC serves the needs of high school students seeking to earn dual credits in various subjects that can be transferred to colleges after a student’s high school graduation. The NETC is currently offering over 44 online dual credit courses for the 2025-26 school year to students in the three counties they serve. Currently, Gasque is enrolled in dual credit online courses offered by NETC. She just started taking classes this school year, and is completing classes that will fill basic requirements for freshman year of college. She has taken Math 110 and this semester will take Psychology. Gasque looks forward to going to college and a business career afterwards. When asked what NETC does to help her prepare for school after graduation, Gasque said, “Taking online classes gives me familiarity with college classwork,” she said. “It gives me the experience of completing college level work before I arrive on campus and keeps me from being completely thrown into it.” Gasque rates her overall experience as positive, saying the dual enrollment classes are; “Different than anything I’ve had to do before, but not in a bad way,” she said. “You must look for the positives sometimes as you are working through the assignments. I see a real benefit to getting an advanced taste of college classes, which helps me as a student, and one or two completed classes could reduce my course load.” As a high school student, being a hard-working cheerleader while also playing spring sports, plus being enrolled in the NETC online classes, how does Gasque manage her time? “I have to plan, so there is a balance in everything between school, sports, and life,” she said. “I put together a schedule that enables me to get all the course work completed so I don’t have to give up on doing other things.” Gasque reflected on a favorite memory cheering. “The end of each season is an emotional time,” she said. “We worked hard together at practice and games. It’s a point where we reflect on how much joy there has been, as we became a team working together as friends, helping each other every step of the way.”

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Lake City – After a season in which it posted a 17-8 record, won the Region 7-AA title and reached the lower state championship game of the state playoffs, the 2025-26 campaign hasn’t had the same magic for the Lake City High School girls basketball team. The Panthers opened with a 10-8 overall record and were 3-3 in region play. Second-year head coach Shaquetta Cooper said her team has been plagued by inconsistency. “There have been times when our team has performed well,” Cooper said. “We’ve faced numerous setbacks. We have to get healthy.” Leading the way for Lake City is freshman Hannah Riles . She leads the team in scoring with an 11.9 points-per-game average and in assists at 3.1 She is also averaging 2.9 steals and 3.8 rebounds. Senior Jada Robinson leads the team in rebounding with a 9.1 average and in steals at 3.9. She is averaging 8.3 points. Senior Trayana Burgess is just missing averaging double figures in scoring with a 9.9 average to go with 2.9 steals. Sophomore Ja’Kyla Boyle is averaging 5.8 rebounds to go with 2.6 points, freshman Shaziyah Epps is averaging 4.8 points, and senior Kailey Graham is averaging 3.3 points and 3.9 rebounds. Other players who are seeing regular time in the playing rotation are eighth-grader Ke’Osha Smith , senior Kierstyn Hanna and junior Brianna Shaw . LAKE CITY BOYS OPEN 5-10 The Lake City boys won just five of their first 15 games and opened 1-5 in region play. Panthers head coach Seneca Barron is not surprised with the issues. “The team is going through a rebuilding phase and is still developing chemistry,” Barron said. “Inconsistency on both ends of the floor has made it difficult to close out games. They’ve shown flashes of potential, but execution has been a challenge. “Despite the losses, the team continues to compete and gain valuable experience. This season is about growth, learning and laying the foundation for future success. The effort is there; results will follow with time and adjustments.” Senior Amari Hanna is the team’s leading scorer at 13.7 points. He is also averaging 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals. Senior Da’jon McClary leads in rebounds at 6.9 while scoring at a 5.5 clip. Senior Jeffery Burgess is the second leading scorer at 8.8 and is tied with Hanna for the steals lead. XyKenan Hickson is leading in assists with a 3.6 average while scoring 6.2 points a game. Senior Shayon Shavers is grabbing five boards a game while averaging 2.8 points and senior Ka’jon McClary is averaging 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2.8 points. Others who are seeing regular time in the rotation are junior Anthony White , junior Jordan Dobson , freshman Zyrie McFadden , junior Jaylen Tooney , junior Alexander Rendo and junior David Singletary . .

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Honea Path – The Belton-Honea Path High School boys basketball team is trying to build off of a strong 2024-25 campaign. The Bears went 16-11 overall last season and won the Region 1-AAA championship with a 7-1 record. They also advanced to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. BHP is off to a good start this season but, of course, it all remains to be seen. “In order for the Bears to repeat that success we are going to have to improve defensively as the season wears on,” said Belton-Honea Path head coach Russ Tysl , whose team opened with a 10-5 overall record and a 2-0 start in region play. “Currently BHP is giving up nearly 57 points per contest. Many nights we are bailed out by four players who are all averaging in double figures for scoring. “From a record standpoint this team is ahead of where we were at this point last year, however, there are some places defensively where we seem behind last season’s region championship team.” The usual starting lineup for BHP is senior 4-year letterman Marshall Bolden , senior 2-year letterman Dajaun Walker and junior T.L. Hanna transfer Zi Miller-Brown at the guard spots with senior 3-year letterman Jakyri Anderson and sophomore Eugene Robinson as the forwards. Robinson was leading the team in scoring with an 18.6 points-per-game average and in rebounding with a 5.6 average. Bolden was averaging 14.5 points while being the assists leader at 3.4. Miller Brown was leading the team in steals at 2.3 while scoring at an 11.6 clip and dealing out 2.9 assists. Walker was averaging 11.2 points. Anderson was averaging 8.6 points and 4.0 rebounds. Junior Pearson Summey is the first player off the bench. He is averaging 5.0 points and 2.8 rebounds. Tysl has three post players he makes good use of in 6-foot-3-inch senior Kanaza Bryant and sophomores Nick Sargent and Charlie Haynie , 6-5 and 6-4, respectively. “We tend to get much larger in the frontcourt when we sub Nick, Charlie or Kanaza into the lineup,” Tysl said. Like Sargent and Haynie, junior Cody Poole joined the varsity from the junior varsity. Junior Elijah Jackson came from Hanna with Miller Brown. Tysl hopes to solidify the Bears’ rotation coming down the homestretch of the regular season. “We will also need to create more depth off the bench with a more reliable rotation from players 7-10,” he said.

Fort Dorchester’s Maricious Dawson drives to the rim during a game against Baptist Hill. 

Pinewood senior Jonathan Slawson is a highly rated point guard.

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Manning – The Laurence Manning Academy boys basketball team is off to a tremendous start. The Swampcats were victorious in 13 of their first 16 contests and started 2-0 in SCISA Region 3-AAAA. None of this has come as a surprise to second-year head coach Patrick Anderson . “I think we’ve played up to our expectations so far,” Anderson said. “This group has continued to grow as the season has progressed, and that’s been encouraging. Overall, the effort and buy-in have been there, and that’s what we challenge our guys with daily.” Laurence Manning returned four starters from last year’s 13-15 team in senior Zy Dennis , sophomore Scoop Dennis , senior Charlie Duvall and junior Ben Sanders . The Swampcats are going to have to make do without Scoop Dennis, who led them in scoring, rebounding and steals last year, for a while though. He is out with a lower leg injury. Laurence Manning had a big win over rival Wilson Hall on January 16, coming away with a 55-33 triumph. Junior Wesley Lyles , the newcomer to the starting lineup, led the Swampcats with 20 points. Duvall and Zy Dennis both had 10 and senior Whitley Boykin added eight. Despite the loss of Scoop Dennis for the time being, Anderson thinks the Swampcats’ experience is a major benefit. “Our biggest strength is our experience,” Anderson said. “We have a group that’s been through a lot of varsity basketball, and that shows in how we handle different situations throughout a game.” Other members of Region 3 along with LMA and Wilson Hall are Camden Military , Hilton Head Christian Academy , John Paul II and Trinity Collegiate . To come away with a region crown, Anderson said the Swampcats have to be steady. “To compete for a region title, we have to be consistent,” he said. “That means defending at a high level every night, valuing possessions and doing the little things that don’t always show up in the box score.” LMA GIRLS OPEN REGION WITH WIN OVER WILSON HALL The Laurence Manning girls basketball team opened its region schedule with a 53-32 victory over Wilson Hall. That helped the Lady ‘Cats, who played a difficult non-region schedule, improve to 6-7 overall. Senior Lyza Prickelmyer was the star of the game for Laurence Manning with her 22-point effort. After scoring the first basket of the game, play was stopped at LMA’s Bubba Davis Gymnasium to honor Prickelmyer for going over 1,000 points for her career. She actually did that earlier in the week on the road against Orangeburg Prep . Prickelmyer has been setting the pace for the Lady ‘Cats all season. She was averaging 17.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists, all team highs. She was also averaging 2.1 steals. Ashley Rae Hodge , another senior 4-year starter like Prickelmyer, led the team in steals at 2.8. She was also averaging 13.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Hodge had 13 points against Wilson Hall, while senior Lily Wellborn added 12. Laurence Manning head coach Lisa Ard said there is still plenty of room for improvement available to her team. “We are adjusting to each other,” said Ard, who is in her second year in charge of the program. “We’re still not playing as well as I think we can. We need to make layups, 2-footers and free throws. We can get the ball where we need to but don’t capitalize on all the opportunities we have. “Our athleticism is our strength. We are fast and athletic. We just could use a lot more basketball knowledge in a lot of situations. The other two members of Laurence Manning’s all-senior starting lineup are Maggie Welch and Marlee Black . NOONAN STEPS DOWN AS LMA FOOTBALL COACH Laurence Manning is again in search of a new football coach after Jimmy Noonan tendered his resignation in the middle of December after one year as head coach. The resignation was immediate for Noonan, who was also the middle school principal. A letter sent out by LMA to its families stated: "We want to share an update with you regarding a transition in our school leadership. Effective yesterday, Coach Jimmy Noonan has stepped down from his roles at Laurence Manning Academy as Middle School Principal and Head Football Coach. "While we are saddened to see him move on, we are deeply grateful for the devotion he has poured into our school. Coach Noonan has been an incredible blessing to this campus. He is a man of deep integrity, unwavering character, and genuine faith. His leadership, mentorship, and quiet strength have shaped not only our football program this year, but also the lives of countless Swampcats. "Please join us in wishing Coach Noonan the very best as he begins his next chapter. We are thankful for all he has contributed to LMA, and we look forward to continuing to support one another as a strong and united school family." Laurence Manning will be looking for its fifth head coach in four years. Will Furse was the head coach in 2023 before ending his 2-year stint with his resignation. Robbie Briggs was hired to replace him but stepped down in the middle of last season. Patrick Anderson was the interim head coach for the rest of the 2024 campaign. Noonan led the Swampcats to a 6-5 overall record. They got to host a playoff game in the first round of the SCISA AAAA state playoffs but lost to Porter-Gaud 13-6 in the first round.

Senior Josiah Taylor is a returning starter for Summerville.

By Neill Kirkpatrick Special to the HSSR Mt. Pleasant – First year Head Coach Jimmy Tyson brought a different style of basketball to Palmetto Christian Academy and it took a little time for his team to get custom to the changes and different style from years past but after starting the year at 4-4 they have won 9 of their last 10 games. Coach Tyson’s team is a more balanced team this year as they have six players averaging at least five points per game. That balance has been the reason why they sit at 13-5 overall and 3-1 in SCISA region II 4A. The Eagles losses have been to quality teams and should help them as they continued their drive towards the playoffs. “You never like to lose but I told the team that those losses would help us as the season goes on. We have some of the top teams in the state in our region. This games will prepare us for the challenges ahead,” said coach Tyson. Senior Avery Clark has taken on more of a leadership role this season as one of the two seniors on the team. She is averaging career highs in scoring, rebounding, and steals. Her 7.1 rebounds per game leads the team. She is scoring 7.5 ppg and 2.5 steals both are third on the team. Adelaide Suddeth, a junior, leads PCA in scoring at 10.1 points per games and in steals at 3.2 per game. Her 6.9 rebounds is second on the team. She and Clark do their damage in the paint. Ellie Tyson transferred in before season and the junior brought with her a nice touch from beyond the arc as she is hitting 43% of her threes. She is second on the team in scoring at 7.8 points per game. Point guard junior Audrey Bright leads the team in assists at 2.5 a game and is the team’s top free throw shooter at 68%. She is scoring 5.4 points per game and two steals a night. Two sophomores that are playing well are Elsie Newton and Anna Grace Works. Newton is averaging 7.3 points per game and is second on the team in steals at 2.9 a game while Works is knocking down six points a night and grabbing 7 boards. Freshman Ripley Suddeth has provided a spark off the bench chipping in four points and three rebounds. The Eagles have a big game tomorrow night (1-20) against region leader and one of the top teams in the state Northwood Academy 18-1.

HSSR Basketball Rankings HSSR Div. I AAAAA Boys (As of 1-15-2026) 1. Ridge View 2. Dorman 3. Dutch Fork 4. Cane Bay 5. Byrnes 6. Ashley Ridge 7. West Ashley 8. Carolina Forest 9. Sumter 10.Fort Dorchester HSSR Div. II AAAAA Boys (As of 1-15-2026) 1. Goose Creek 2. Westwood 3. Greenville 4. Riverside 5. Fort Mill 6. TL Hanna 7. Irmo 8. St. James 9. Nation Ford 10. Eastside HSSR Class AAAA Boys (As of 1-15-2026) 1. North Augusta 2. Gray Collegiate 3. Crestwood 4. Brookland-Cayce 5. Wilson 6. Darlington 7. Bluffton 8. Chapman 9. Camden 10. Hartsville HSSR Class AAA Boys (As of 1-15-2026) 1. Christ Church 2. St Joseph’s Catholic 3. Loris 4. Fox Creek 5. Keenan 6. Orangeburg-Wilkinson 7. Georgetown 8. Waccamaw 9. Mountain View Prep 10. Dillon HSSR Class AA Boys (As of 1-16-2026) 1. High Point Academy 2. Andrew Jackson 3. Hampton County 4. Liberty 5. Philip Simmons 6. Central 7. Ninety-Six 8. Marion 9. Pelion 10. Mullins HSSR Class A Boys (As of 1-16-2026) 1. Bethune-Bowman 2. Abbeville 3. Horse Creek Academy 4. CA Johnson 5. Latta 6. Carver's Bay 7. Calhoun County 8. Green Sea Floyds 9. Hunter-Kinard Tyler 10. Cross HSSR AAAAA Div. I Girls (As of 1-15-2026) 1. Byrnes 2. Mauldin 3. Blythewood 4. Dorman 5. Spartanburg 6. Wando 7. Sumter 8. Carolina Forest 9. Dutch Fork 10.Lexington HSSR Div. II Girls (As of 1-15-2026) 1. North Myrtle Beach 2. Goose Creek 3. Berkeley 4. Greenwood 5. Irmo 6. Gaffney 7. Eastside 8. Greenville 9.Catawba Ridge 10. Eastside HSSR Class AAAA Girls (As of 1-15-2026) 1. North Augusta 2. Westside 3. South Pointe 4. Camden 5. South Florence 6. Daniel 7. Blue Ridge 8. Darlington 9. Lower Richland 10. Wilson HSSR Class AAA Girls (As of 1-15-2026) 1. Walhalla 2. Dillon 3. Oceanside Collegiate 4. Southside Christian 5. West Oak 6. Aynor 7. St. Joseph's Catholic 8. Fox Creek 9. Orangeburg-Wilkinson 10. Keenan  HSSR Class AA Girls (As of 1-15-2026) 1. Clinton 2. Ninety-Six 3. Atlantic Collegiate 4. Kingstree 5. Andrew Jackson 4. Landrum 5. Saluda 7. Timberland 9. Whale Branch 10. Marion HSSR Class A Girls (As of 1-15-2026) 1. Military Magnet 2. Great Falls 3. North 4. Latta 5. HKT 6.Cross 7. Denmark-Olar 8. Lewisville 9. McCormick 10. Williston-Elko

SCBCA Rankings - January 13, 2026 5A D1 Boys Top 10 1. Dorman 2. Dutch Fork 3. Ridge View 4. Cane Bay 5. Byrnes 6. Ashley Ridge 7. West Ashley 8. Sumter 9. Boiling Springs 10. Spartanburg 5A D2 Boys Top 10 1. Greenville 2. Westwood 3. Riverside 4. Fort Mill 5. Goose Creek 6. TL Hanna 7. St. James 8. Irmo 9. Nation Ford 10. Eastside 5A D1 Girls Top 10 1. Byrnes 2. Blythewood 3. Dorman 4. Wando 5. Spartanburg 6. Mauldin 7. Carolina Forest 8. Dutch Fork 9. Lexington 10. West Ashley 5A D2 Girls Top 10 1. Goose Creek 2. North Myrtle Beach 3. Berkeley 4. Irmo 5. Greenwood 6. Gaffney 7. Greenville 8. Catawba Ridge 9. Eastside 10. St. James 4A Boys Top 10 1. Gray Collegiate 2. North Augusta 3. May River 4. Crestwood 5. Wilson 6. Brookland Cayce 7. Bluffton 8. Darlington 9. South Pointe 10. Camden 4A Girls Top 10 1. Westside 2. North Augusta 3. South Pointe 4. Camden 5. Daniel 6. Blue Ridge 7. Darlington 8. Lower Richland 9. Wilson 10. Gray Collegiate Academy 3A Boys Top 10 1. Christ Church 2. Loris 3. Fox Creek 4. Keenan 5. Georgetown 6. Waccamaw 7. Orangeburg Wilkinson 8. St. Joseph's Catholic 9. Mountain View Prep 10. Battery Creek 3A Girls Top 10 1. Walhalla 2. Oceanside Collegiate 3. Dillon 4. St. Joseph's Catholic 5. Keenan 6. Southside Christian 7 West Oak 8. Aynor 9. Fox Creekl 10. Orageburg Wilkinson 2A Boys Top 10 1. High Point Academy 2. Andrew Jackson 3. Liberty 4. Philip Simmons 5. Central 6. Hampton County 7. Marion 8. Mullins 9. Chesnee 10. American Leadership Academy 2A Girls Top 10 1. Clinton 2. Atlantic Collegiate 3. Andrew Jackson 4. Landrum 5. Kingstree 6. Ninety-Six 7. Burke 8. Timberland 9. Marion 10. Blacksburg 1A Boys Top 10 (No CHANGE) 1. Bethune-Bowman 2. Horse Creek Academy 3. CA Johnson 4. Carver's Bay 5. Calhoun County 6. Green Sea Floyd 7. Hunter-Kinard Tyler 8. Branchville 9. Abbeville 10. Latta 1A Girls Top 10 1. Military Magnet 2. North 3. Great Falls 4. Latta 5. HKT 6. Denmark-Olar 7. McBee 8. Williston Elko 9. Lewisville 10. McCormick

SCHSL Release 2026-2028 Realignment Final Columbia, SC (12-19-25) -- The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) has finalized the classification placement of all schools beginning with the 2026-27 school year. This classification placement will be in effect for two years. The guidelines established by the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee served as the blueprint for schools’ placements. Schools were assigned based on their enrollment count, to include district additions and the 3.0 multiplier. Flexibility, as approved by the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee, was also used with consideration given to geographics and travel. “Appreciation is expressed to those who served on the Reclassification/Realignment Guidelines Committee,” said Dr. Jerome Singleton, Commissioner of the SCHSL. “Classification placement of schools is the initial phase of the process. The next step for the League staff is to place the schools into regions in their respective classifications.” The SCHSL’s Executive Committee will meet January 13-14, 2026, to hear appeals regarding the classification placements. The final reclassifications are attached.

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By David Shelton Senior Writer Spartanburg – Stratford quarterback Jachin Davis threw a pair of touchdown passes and South Carolina defeated North Carolina, 17-7, in the 89 th Shrine Bowl all-star game in Spartanburg on December 20. Davis , named the offensive most valuable player for the Sandlappers, completed 10 of 15 passes for 184 yards in the game. He is headed to Liberty University as an early enrollee. “Great experience and great to get a win,” Davis said. “Playing with all of these great players was something I will never forget.” South Carolina dominated the game defensively, allowing only 136 total yards. The Tarheels completed just five of 19 passes. Stratford running back Maliq McGowan , a late addition to the roster, finished as the leading rusher for South Carolina with 42 yards on nine carries. West Ashley’s Bristol Biegenzahn played on the defensive front for the Sandlappers while Berkeley’s Zion Britt started on the offensive line. Cross safety, and South Carolina signee Caden Ramsey , Berkeley linebacker Gehad Sneed , and Timberland offensive lineman Desmond Green, who is headed to Florida, also played for the Sandlappers. “You win all-star games with defense and our defense was outstanding,” said SC head coach Paul Sutherland , who retired as the head coach at Liberty High after the season. “Glad to get the win for South Carolina. The kids were great. I am very blessed to have had this opportunity.” It took less than 10 seconds for the Sandlappers to score the game’s first touchdown as Davis combined with Dillon receiver Zay Robertson , heading to North Carolina , on an 80-yard bomb on the first play of the game for a quick 7-0 lead. Robertson finished the game with four catches for 131 yards. “He’s a great player,” said Davis of Robertson. “Getting that first touchdown was a tone setter.” South Carolina lost fumbles on their next two possessions, the second miscue leading to North Carolina’s game-tying touchdown after a 23-yard drive. Spartanburg’s Will Love , heading to Virginia Tech , kicked a 35-yard field goal late in the second quarter for a 10-7 halftime lead for the Sandlappers. South Carolina’s last play offensive snap in the game was Davis’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Jude Hall of Christ Church with :59 seconds left on the game clock. Chester linebacker Terry Rayford , who had 11 tackles, was the defensive most valuable player for the Sandlappers. Dorman's Kentavion Anderson and Ridge View's Jordan Best recorded interceptions The win gives South Carolina a 48-34 lead in the series. There have been seven ties.

Proposal has AAAAA going from 54 schools to 40 and not being split into divisions

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Bluffton – The 2025 football season was an unusual one for the Hilton Head Christian Academy football team. The Eagles, who had won three SCISA state titles in the five previous seasons, got off to a 2-5 start. On top of that, starting quarterback Reid McCollum left the school in the middle of the season. With the reshuffling, Hilton Head Christian lost its first game. However, the Eagles responded with four consecutive wins, including a 42-20 win over Trinity Collegiate in the first round of the AAA state playoffs. The season came to an end the next week with a 50-29 semifinal loss to Wilson Hall . Eagles head coach Ron Peduzzi is happy with the way his players rebounded to finish with a 6-6 record. “I was really proud of our guys, the way they rallied around the team and each other,” Peduzzi said. “They literally battled the second half of the year every play. “It was a very tough season. A lot of guys stood up and elevated their games. They had to stand up and become leaders also, so I was really happy with that.” HHCA had four players selected to the All-Region 1-AAA offensive first team in junior wide receivers Joey Houpt and Jackson Richardson , sophomore wide receiver Sam Strom and senior kick returner Tommy Gehm . Those on the first-team defense were sophomore defensive lineman Hayne Burden , junior linebacker Kres Langhals , sophomore linebacker Chase White and senior linebacker Finn Ussery . Houpt, who was named HHCA’s outstanding offensive contributor, was the leading pass catcher with 69 receptions for 1,313 yards and 13 touchdowns. Richardson had 45 catches for 645 yards and five scores, while Strum had 31 catches for 415 yards and five scores. Gehm returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged 21.1 yards per return on 24 attempts. He returned six punts for 46 yards. Burden, who was named Hilton Head Christian’s outstanding defensive contributor, led the team in tackles with 105, tackles for loss with 13, quarterback sacks with four and quarterback hurries with 21. Langhals, who was the quarterback in the second half of the season, had 39 tackles, five TFLs, 2 ½ sacks, two interceptions, two caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries. White, who received HHCA’s Sledgehammer Award, had 82 tackles, five TFLs, one sack and one interception. Ussery, who received the team’s Captains Award, had 87 tackles, five TFLs, one sack and one interception.. Ussery and Gehm played in the SCISA North-South Seniors All-Star Game, while Houpt, Richardson, Strom, Burden and Langhals played in the Futures contest. Senior running back Hudson Baker , sophomore offensive linemen Caleb Altizer and Josh Koepke and sophomore cornerback Keyvon Aiken were selected second-team All-Region. Baker received the team’s Coaches Award and Burleson Award, and freshman Max Zwilsky earned the Lunchpail Award. Peduzzi believes good things await the Eagles in 2026. “We have a very large sophomore class that will be juniors next year, so I look forward for to next season,” he said. “We do need to elevate the number of players in our program playing, so that’s something we’ll be working on.”

Oceanside senior WR, Terence Johnson, a Shrine Bowl all-star game selection, had 57 catches for 1,153 yards and 17 touchdowns plus 9 rushing touchdowns this season.

Running back Grayson Salego is one of several starters who should return to the Panthers’ football team next season. Photo by Roger Lee.