Camden volleyball team makes run to AAA state championship match
Football's White, Nash receive awards
Camden – Paige Wilson had high hopes for the 2023 edition of her Camden High School volleyball team.
“Most of this team has been with Camden volleyball for a while,” said Wilson, who just completed her 30th season at Camden. “They are a group that I've always felt would do great things. I knew that they were capable of a good run in the playoffs this year and it was exciting to see them do so well.”
The Bulldogs finished with a 26-5 record and reached the AAA state championship match, falling to Wren 3-1. It was the sixth time Camden has played for a state title during Wilson’s tenure, winning two of them.
Wilson said the reason Camden was able to make the push to the title match was its growth as a team.
“We had individual skills and were solid in all positions, but I think that improving how they worked together as a team throughout the season helped them win some tough matches and advance to the state championship,” Wilson said. “I am very proud of what they accomplished this season.”
The Bulldogs went 10-0 in winning the Region 6 title. That marked the 29th region title in Wilson’s 30 years.
Camden had three players make the All-Region team in senior Joyce Edwards and junior twin sisters Aryanna Connell and Nicolette Connell.
Aryanna Connell was selected to the AAA All-State team. She led the Bulldogs in blocks with 64 and finished with 174 kills, 41 aces, 163 digs and 315 serves received with just 30 errors.
Edwards, who is rated as either the No. 1 or No. 2 senior girls basketball player in the country, was selected to the play in the North-South All-Star Game. She led Camden with 215 kills to go along with 38 blocks.
Nicollette Connell led the team with 299 digs and had 19 kills, 30 aces and a team high 444 serves received with just 10 errors.
WHITE, NASH RECEIVE FOOTBALL HONORS
Bulldogs senior quarterback Grayson White was named the Region 6 Football Player of the Year, while senior linebacker Wilson Nash was named the South Carolina Football Coaches Association Defensive Player of the Year.
They were joined on the All-Region team by senior outside linebacker Emmanuel Presbot, senior offensive lineman/defensive lineman Carter Rimpf, junior defensive back/wide receiver Jo Jo Crim, senior wide receiver Aidan Heriot and senior wide receiver Jah Mayrant.
The Bulldogs reached the state championship game, losing to Daniel 49-48 in overtime.
White completed 222 of 343 passes for 3,871 yards and 37 touchdowns while rushing for a team high 880 yards and 18 more TDs on 145 carries. Defensively, White had 12 tackles, four tackles for loss, four quarterback sacks, 16 QB pressures, two pass breakups and one interception he returned for a TD.
Nash averaged 13.1 tackles per game with 184 total to go with 14 TFLs, four sacks, one QBP, four fumble recoveries and one PBU
Mayrant was White’s favorite target with 87 catches for 1,425 yards and 13 TDs. Mayrant also rushed for 254 yards and five TDs on 34 carries. He also returned a kickoff for a TD.
Heriot had 64 catches for 1,166 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Rimpf, who played left tackle for the Bulldogs’ prolific offense, was chosen to play in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl as an offensive lineman. He had 11 tackles and one QBP in limited defensive action.
Presbot finished with 115 tackles, nine TFLs, a shared team high five sacks, two interceptions and three PBUs.
Crim had 87 tackles, one TFL, one sack, a shared team high four INTs, returning one for a score, and one FR. He also returned a kickoff for a TD and had 10 catches for 206 yards and three TDs.
Defensive coordinator Joey Hendrix was named the SCFCA Assistant Coach of the Year.
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