Chapin – As the weather begins to warm, the spring sports season is underway at Chapin High School. The spring sports campaign comes after the school wrapped up the 2023-24 winter sports season of basketball and wrestling. Both basketball teams earned a spot in the Class AAAAA state playoffs while the wrestling team contended for a state title. Several individuals also represented the Chapin program at the AAAAA state individual tournament in late February. Eight members of the boys team qualified for the state finals tournament in Anderson. Two Eagle grapplers came away as state champions. Preston White won gold in the 113-pound weight class, defeating Jackson Stocker of Dutch Fork, 7-0, in the championship match. Toler Hornick was the state champion in the 190-pound weight class. Hornick, who also won the Upper State qualifying tournament, defeated River Bluff’s Reese Lawrence, 14-4, in the finals. Harrison Jones was the state runner-up at 165 pounds, losing in the finals, 6-3, to Dorman’s Owen Hendricks. Ben Del Priore finished third in the 215-pound weight class. Del Priore won the Upper State qualifier and earned a pin over Berkeley’s Landon Jackson in the third-place battle. Other state tournament qualifiers from Chapin included Jace Randolph (106), Aiden Steele (120), Josh Atkins (126), and Lake Newman (157). From the girls team, Grace Jumper qualified for the girls open state in the 135-pound weight class. In basketball, the girls team finished the season with a 12-10 record overall, losing in a first-round playoff game to Byrnes. Chapin finished third in region 5-AAAAA with a 4-4 league record. Sophomore Reagan Haggard proved to be one of the state’s top 10th-graders this season, finishing with season averages of 12 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Freshman Kiley Freeman averaged 8.8 points per game while junior Brooke Holmes added 7.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per outing. Sophomore Sami Stephenson averaged 8.3 rebounds per game to go with five points per game. The girls team is set up for a strong future. This year’s roster had only two seniors – Mary Kate Tisdale and Jules Brown. The boys team posted a 6-17 overall record, 2-6 in region play. Chapin earned an at-large berth to the state playoffs but lost their first-round game to Cane Bay. Senior Cayman Collins led the Eagles in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game. Junior Tyson Ray added 11.9 points per game, while junior Jaydon Bradford averaged nearly seven points per contest. Sophomore Braydyn Francis scored about six points per game and senior Jake Peterson averaged 5.5 points per outing.

Chapin – As the regular season winds down for the 2023-24 winter sports season in South Carolina, the basketball and wrestling teams at Chapin High are hoping to finish strong and earn a spot in the upcoming Class AAAAA state playoffs. For sure, the wrestling team will be in the state duals tournament and will likely again contend for the state championship. Chapin reached the AAAAA Upper State finals last season before losing to Fort Mill. Chapin has steadily improved overall since the season began in late November. The Eagles began the season ranked eighth in the preseason Class AAAAA statewide rankings. As of Jan. 26, Chapin had climbed to the No. 2 spot behind Summerville. Summerville is ranked No. 1 due to a regular season dual win over the Eagles, a match that needed seven tie-breakers after the team’s were tied through 14 matches. In addition to having a strong duals team, the roster has a bevy of individual wrestlers who will also contend for state titles in the state individuals tournament at the end of February. Chapin also had impressive showings at the US Military Duals (1 st ) and the Bearcat Invitational (2 nd ) in Rock Hill. Sophomore Preston White, a state champion at 106 pounds last season, is ranked as the No. 2 wrestler in AAAAA at 120 pounds. Junior Josh Atkins has climbed to No. 6 in the 126-pound weight class and junior Harrison Jones, a three-time state qualifier as an individual, is ranked fifth at 165-pounds. Senior Tyler Hornick, a state runner-up last season, is ranked as the No. 2 190-pounder and senior Ben Delpriore is the No. 2 ranked 215-pounder. Other competing wrestlers having solid seasons include Jace Randolph (110), Aiden Stick (130), Carmine Keene (148), Ben Bonnett (154), Hayden Goodwin (179), Lake Newman (160), Chris Majchzak (285), Brandon Rogers (117) and Tyler Childs (195). The girls basketball team entered play on Jan. 26 with a 10-7 record overall and a 2-2 record in region 5-AAAAA. The team opened the season with an 8-3 record. Sophomore Reagan Haggard continues her solid season, averaging 13.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Freshman Kiley Freeman is averaging 9.6 points per game and junior Brooke Holmes adds 6.8 points per contest. Sophomore post Sami Stephenson is pulling down 8.9 boards per outing. The Chapin boys have some work to do in region play to secure a playoff berth. Chapin was 5-12 overall and 1-2 in region play as of Jan. 25. Junior Tyson Ray leads the team in scoring at 12.4 points per game while also averaging 4.2 assists. Senior Cayman Collins adds 11.7 points per game while sophomore Brayden Francis contributes 6.8 points. Junior Jayden Bradford is averaging 6.3 points per outing.

Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR Photos from the Lexington vs Chapin mens basketball game on Friday night. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos .

Chapin – After a fairly successful fall sports season, the focus of Chapin High athletics turns to the winter sports of wrestling and basketball. Chapin is expected to compete well in both sports this winter. The wrestling team is once again among the top teams in Class AAAAA after reaching the Upper State finals last season. The Eagles already have been tested by a competitive early schedule, which included a tough loss to defending Lower State champion Summerville at the Cane Bay Duals. Chapin was tied after all of the matches and ended up taking the loss on tie-breaker criteria. Chapin has four returning state qualifiers from last year, including a state champion. Preston White won the 106-pound individual state title last season and will jump up in weight to 120 this season. Harrison Jones was a state runner-up last season and will work at 165 pounds. Toler Hornick also was a state runner-up and will compete likely at 190 pounds. Ben DelPriore should be a state title contender at 215 pounds. The girls basketball team is off to a good start this season, winning six of their first eight contests through mid-December. Coach Chad Boland has a young but talented team that hopes to contend in region 5-AAAAA. Sophomore forward Reagan Haggard is one of the top players, averaging 12.3 points and 9.9 rebounds through the first eight games. Freshman Kiley Freeman is adding 10.6 points per game and junior Brooke Holmes is averaging nearly seven points per game. Junior Keke Wright is the returning point guard and is a team co-captain with Haggard. Freshman Teagan Bell is scoring nearly six points per game. Football finishes 6-5 Chapin’s 2023 football season ended with a first-round loss to Stratford (27-25) in the Class AAAAA state playoffs. The Eagles lost on a game-winning last second field goal and closed out with a 6-5 record. Junior quarterback Brady Albro will be a key returning player for next season. Albro threw for 3,054 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2023, completing 265-of-384 passes. Two more key returners on offense will be receiver Khalen Bostick, who caught 60 passes for 743 yards and five touchdowns, and running back Jon Rossi, who led Chapin in rushing yards this fall. Senior Jacob Nerone finished the season as the leading receiver with 65 catches for 747 yards and five scores. Senior Maddox Floyd caught 35 passes for 304 yards and senior Weldon Gunter caught 31 passes for 449 yards. Leaders defensively included junior Gavin Stam (110 tackles, 21 TFL), junior Tanner Short (79 tackles, 16 TFL), senior Griffin Burns (65 tackles), senior Russell Gentry (57 tackles), senior Brogdon Ambrose (39 tackles, 14 TFL),and senior Xavier Williams (65 tackles, 9 sacks).

Chapin - The 2023 fall sports season is wrapping up for Chapin High and the athletes are competing at a high level. Recently, the girls golf team and girls swimming team posted state runner-up finishes in their respective state meet and tournament. The swim team had several strong individual performances in the Class AAAAA state meet. Reagan Sherrard was the state runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle and finished fourth in the 100-yard freestyle. Jackie Bonavilla finished third in the 100-yard butterfly and was fourth in the 200-yard Individual Medley. Ella O’Shaughnessey finished third in the 200-yard freestyle and swam fifth in the 500-yard freestyle. Maggie Harkins finished third in the 100-freestyle and was fourth in the 50-yard freestyle. Chapin also was the state runner-up in the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay. The boys swim team finished ninth in the state meet. Nate Sherrard earned two bronze medals in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. Michael Kukucka finished eighth in the 50 free. Chapin’s girls golf team was the state runner-up in the Class AAAAA 36-hole state tournament. The team posted a two-day composite score of 653. Lilly Reed Black was Chapin’s top scorer, shooting 150 to finish in a fourth-place tie. Mia Andrade shot 155 to finish fifth overall. Reagan Haggard shot 177 to tie for 34 th -place and Sadie Licata shot 175 and tied for 31 st overall. Kat Furse shot 179 and finished 39 th overall. Chapin’s football team earned a spot in the Class AAAAA Lower State playoffs after a 6-4 regular season. The Eagles suffered a 28-27 loss to Stratford in the first-round after holding a 21-10 lead with under five minutes remaining in the game. Junior quarterback Brady Albro posted solid numbers this season, throwing for more than 2,200 yards and 19 touchdowns. The top pass catchers included seniors Jacob Nerone and Maddox Floyd, and junior Khalen Bostick. Nerone totaled more than 600 yards and Bostick also had more than 500 yards. The top rusher for the season was junior John Rossi. On defense, junior Gavin Stam was among the leading tacklers with more than 80 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. Junior Lamont Johnson and senior Brogdon Ambrose both had double-digit tackles for loss. Other top tacklers included junior Tanner Short, senior Russell Gentry, and seniors Griffin Burns and Xavier Williams.

Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR Photos from the Chapin vs White Knoll game on 10-19. White Knoll defeated Chapin 20-14 to post their first undefeated regular season and secure the region championship. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.

Chapin – As we dive into the 2023 high school football season, we all should remember that life is more important than wins and losses in competition. Chapin High School’s football team lost its week zero season opener to Irmo on Aug. 18. A few days later, the football program suffered even greater loss when news surfaced of the tragic death of one of their own. Senior defensive lineman Fabian Douglas “Tre” Ruff III died at his home in the evening of Aug. 21 and the morning of Aug. 22. He was 17 years old. The new of Ruff’s death rocked the Chapin community, the student body, and obviously the Chapin football team. Head coach Justin Gentry released a statement to the community and the media. “The Ruff family, Chapin football, Chapin High School, and the entire Chapin community was handed a huge blow. The passing of Tre has been difficult to comprehend, but the love, support and prayers from around the state has been extremely humbling. “Tre had the ability to light up the room the minute he walked in. He was such a mild-mannered young man with a huge heart for everyone. Our whole school is mourning the loss of him but the impact he made in our lives leaves us all with smiles on our faces. The Chapin community has wrapped their arms around Chapin High School and the Ruff family, and together we will all get through this. It is our goal as a football team to never let our memories of Tre fade as we fight through and honor his legacy this season.” Chapin returned with heavy hearts to the field on Aug. 25 to face Mid-Carolina in their second game of the 2023 season. Chapin looks to improve on last year’s 3-8 record. The Eagles started last season at 3-1 before losing their final seven games. The week zero loss to Irmo was their eighth straight loss. Among the top returners this season is junior quarterback Brady Albro, who produced more than 2,000 passing yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Among his top targets in the passing game this fall will be senior Isaiah Green and junior Jonathan Sheppard, with senior tight end Brice Jolley expected to be a key contributor as well. Anchoring a young offensive line are senior Hayden McCarson (6-3, 260), and sophomores Caden Muskus (6-3, 240) and Mason Hetlinger (6-2, 240). Key running backs will include junior John Rossi and sophomore Cole Martin. Key defensive leaders this fall include senior end Hayden Burris (6-3, 220), who had 50 tackles, nine for loss and three sacks last season. Linebacker Brogdon Ambrose also returns with experience, as do defensive backs Russell Gentry and Griffin Burns, both seniors. Returning as a weapon on special teams is senior Chase Cline, rated a five-star performer as a kicker and punter.

Chapin – Chapin High Schoo l boasts one of the state’s top overall athletic programs. The Eagles have won numerous state championships across all sports in their rich athletic history. No team or program has been as successful as the competitive cheerleading program, led by Vicki Williams . In her sport, Williams is the standard bearer for success. Chapin has won 15 state championships in Williams’ 23 seasons as coach, which is more than double the number of titles won by any other school in South Carolina. “We’ve been very fortunate to have committed, hard-working girls over the years,” said Williams, a Texas native and graduate of SMU. “I ask a lot from them. We practice every day, even on the weekends. We work all summer. They don’t mind it much because of the tradition that we have here. They want to be a part of this program. But they aren’t entitled. Our girls will be good students and will be good citizens in school. Sports is about developing the total person.” Competitive cheer has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of participation since Williams started at Chapin in 2002 with no mats and having to practice at the football field. Chapin did not qualify for the state meet in that first season but has been a mainstay since. Chapin has won state titles in three different classifications. “I always wanted to be a coach and cheer just sort of happened,” Williams said. “I was coaching the Irmo middle school team and I was asked about coming to Chapin. At first I said no but they convinced me. That first season I did Chapin and Irmo middle school. We definitely had some early growing pains.” Now, two decades later, Williams has seen her sport explode across the state in every classification. At the 2022 state championships in November, there were 58 teams competing in four classifications, and that’s not counting those schools that did not qualify. “The sport is so much more competitive. There are so many schools with programs now and everyone is getting really good,” Williams says. “I love it. I love seeing the sport grow. We’ve come a long way.” As she prepares for the 2023 season, Williams admits that she can see the day coming when she steps away. When that is remains to be seen. But she has survived two bouts with breast cancer (2003, 2006) and if that didn’t stop her, only her desire will. “Every year I say I’m done but I keep coming back,” she laughs. “I just enjoy this so much. I still have a strong desire to compete and win. I love seeing the girls grow and develop, not just in cheer but as young ladies. Coaching is very rewarding, especially when you have great girls.” In August, Williams, 72, will be inducted into the Chapin High athletic Hall of Fame. She and her husband, Bill, will celebrate their 51 st wedding anniversary this fall as well.

Eagles have Brady Albro back at quarterback after solid sophomore campaign