Bluffton – The Hilton Head Christian Academy girls basketball team did what it has become accustomed to doing in its first year under head coach Bobby Thompson last season: win a state championship.
The Eagles went 27-2 in winning the SCISA AAA state title, the program’s fifth straight state championship. So, of course, winning No. 6 in a row is the goal this season.
While HHCA returns three starters, it has seven new players on the roster. Thompson set out to bring the group together with a tough start to the season.
“We created a very challenging schedule to help prepare us for the end of the season,” said Thompson whose team started with a 11-7 record and a 3-0 record in Region 1-AAA. “With seven brand new players we knew it would be a process to get to the level we wanted to compete at.
“As the year has gone by we have gotten better and better each day. Our difficult schedule has helped prepare us for whatever we may see in the postseason. We are hitting a good stride as we wind down the regular season.”
Hilton Head Christian is led by senior returning starters Mya Hutchinson, Morgan Scott and Devon Yarde. Each one is averaging double figures in scoring.
Hutchinson led in scoring with an average of 18.9 points per game. She also led in steals at 4.6 to go with 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
Scott was just missing a double-double with 13.8 points and a team high 9.8 rebounds. She was also averaging 2.6 steals.
Yarde was averaging 10.2 points while leading the team with 3.3 assists. She was also averaging 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals.
The other starters are Macey Langhals and sophomore Anna Kate Taylor.
The remainder of the roster is made up of seniors Elizabeth Minton and Keely Langhals, juniors Grace Avret, Alyssa Young and Sophia Blackwell and sophomore Emma Thompson. Each of them has played in at least nine games.
Thompson has used the fact that HHCA has won five straight championships as motivation for his team.
"We must continue to come to work every day,” Thompson said. “We have a target on our backs being that we have won five state championships in a row. We get everyone's best shot so we must stay locked in.
“Our team motto for this season..."Nobody cares, work harder" ...remains the driving force to compete for No. 6 in a row.”
HHCA BOYS ADJUSTING UNDER COLELLA
The HHCA boys basketball team started 9-13 under new head coach Mike Colella, who is in his second stint as the Eagles’ head coach. He took over after Jason Grunkemeyer, who led Hilton Head Christian to the AAA title game last season, stepped down late in the summer.
“It’s been a very tough situation for them,” said Colella, who had coached HHCA from 2005 through 2011. “It wasn’t until right before school was starting up for this year that their coach resigned. I did not have any chance to really build any relationship or get my program in place because most play football.
“We actually had our first game before the state championship football game was played. We had to bring four JV (junior varsity) players up just to field a team. We also had one of the starters transfer out because of it. We have made some great progress, but it’s been very tough on them.”
Colella said everyone on the 9-man roster has started at least one game. “With injuries, a football state championship and a few miscellaneous things, we have started everyone.”
The Eagles had three players averaging in double figures in scoring led by sophomore Harrison James Skinner. He was averaging 14.2 points and also led in steals at 4.0 and assists at 3.9.
Senior Elijah White was averaging 12.0 points and 6.4 rebounds. Senior Qayden Turner was averaging 10.3 points to go with a team high 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots. He was also averaging 2.4 assists and 2.2 steals.
Senior Dylan Sampson was averaging 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists, and senior Isaiah Anderson was averaging 6.2 points and 4.2 rebounds.
Other members of the team are senior Dorian Janvier, senior Alex Epstein, senior Tyker Borack and freshman Ethan Foster.
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