Saluda -- Kenmane Brunson and JT Lott of Saluda High School were selected to the AA All-State football team.
Brunson, a senior, was also named the Region 2-AA Offensive Player of the Year. He rushed for 853 yards and nine touchdowns on 125 carries while catching 12 passes for 121 yards and another touchdown.
Brunson was selected to play in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl as a linebacker. Defensively for the Tigers, Brunson finished with 70 tackles, two quarterback sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles.
Lott is a standout junior defensive end. Also an All-Region selection, Lott was a disruptive force. He led Saluda in tackles with 77, tackles for loss with 26, sacks with six and forced fumbles with three. He also had six pass breakups. As a tight end, Lott had 10 catches for 141 yards and a TD.
Brayden Williams was also named to the All-Region team. He was a force on special teams, returning nine kickoffs for 349 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 48-yard punt return for a score. On offense, he ran the ball 79 times for 449 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, Williams had 35 tackles, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups.
Saluda finished the season with a 7-4 record and lost to Newberry 24-15 in the first round of the AA state playoffs.
VOLLEYBALL
Senior Jana Pou was the lone Tiger selected to the All-Region 2-AA volleyball team.
In 16 matches and 56 sets played, Pou had a serving percentage of 94.5 to go with 28 service aces. She had 112 kills, 71 digs and received 164 serves.
“Jana being the only returning varsity player and only senior on the team, she led our team offensively and defensively,” said Saluda head coach Meredith Wertz. “She was a great asset and will be missed next year.”
Saluda lost to Landrum 3-0 in the first round of the AA state playoffs.
GIRLS TENNIS
Freshman Autumn Canady, senior Ella Gentry and senior Ruby Flores were all selected to the All-Region 2-AA girls tennis team.
Canady played No. 1 singles and was undefeated on the season. Gentry played No. 1 and was part of the No. 2 doubles team, while Flores played No. 4 singles.
Saluda lost to Newberry 4-3 in the first round of the state playoffs.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Cassidy Rush and Erin Black earned spots on the All-Region 2-AA girls cross country team with their performances in the region meet.
Rush, a freshman, finished third in the individual portion of the meet. She set a new personal record with a time of 25 minutes, 13 seconds. Black, a junior, finished seventh in helping the Tigers to a second-place finish.
Alecial Gomez set a new personal record in the meet.
That finish allowed Saluda to advance to the AA state qualifier. The Tigers finished 19th, missing a spot in the state meet by three spots.
Rush again led the team, again with another personal record at 24:59. Others who set personal records were Gomez and Cadence Harris.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Saluda had no one make the All-Region boys cross country team. However, the Tigers did advance to the state qualifier with a third-place finish.
Lake Shealy led the Tigers, finishing 17th in a time of 21:43. Alex Renteral-Lara also set a new personal record.
Saluda finished 27th in the qualifier. Shealy again led the way, setting another personal record with a time of 20:57.
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