By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Estill – The seasons didn’t go quite as planned for either of the Patrick Henry Academy basketball teams. However, both boys head coach Claude Terry and girls head coach Anthony Creech had no complaints with the effort put forth by their teams. “Although our record didn’t show it, when we played our best basketball we could play with any team in the league,” said Terry, whose squad posted an 8-16 overall record. As for the season, it was good,” Creech said. “It was our first year playing AAA basketball (moving up because of reclassification), and I thought we did a great job every night. Things didn’t go as planned, but overall, we had a great year.” The Patrick Henry girls went 14-8 on the season, reaching the quarterfinals of the state tournament. They beat Spartanburg Day School 56-39 in the first round before falling to Spartanburg Christian Academy 62-48 in the quarterfinals. Both teams had three players selected to the All-Region 4-AAA teams. Making it for the girls were Lillian Lucas, Laney Futch and Emilee Stanley , while the boys picks were Rowen Croft , Daivon Glover and Mikell Tucker Mathis . Lucas, a senior, led the Patriot girls in scoring with a 15.4 points-per-game average, 3.5 assists and 3.8 steals. She also grabbed 6.2 rebounds a game. Futch, a senior, led in rebounds with a 12.4 average and in blocked shots at 2.2. She also averaged 8.4 points, 2.1 assists and 3.3 steals. Stanley averaged 72 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.6 steals. Another key performer for the girls was junior Saquoia Sexton . She averaged 6.7 points and 6.0 rebounds. Croft, a senior, led the PHA boys in scoring at 20.1 to go with 7.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals. Glover averaged 11.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals. Mathis led the Patriots in rebounding at 9.5, assists at 3.9 and blocked shots at 1.2. He also averaged 10.9 points. Sophomore Michael Mizzell had a solid season. He averaged 5.6 points and 2.7 rebounds. The PHA boys showed their ability to hang with the top teams in the first round of the state tournament. The Patriots took a 21-win Calhoun Academy to triple overtime before losing 71-68. . “Our seniors and team fought hard with a triple-overtime loss to Calhoun Academy in the first round of the playoffs,” Terry said. “I’m proud of my team.” .

Dillon Christian girls finish 7-17 By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Dillon – The season didn’t go quite the way hoped for by the Dillon Christian School girls basketball team. The Warriors finished just 7-17 overall though they did go 4-4 in SCISA Region 3-AAA. That wasn’t enough to earn a berth in the state tournament. Still head coach Kelly McColl was pleased with the development the team showed from beginning to end. “We lost five from our team from last year (which made the AA state playoffs) and two were starters and key players,” said McColl, who just completed her third season as head coach and is assisted by Bridget Elvington and Sidney Harrelson . “We started off out season slow, having to learn each other all over again. They improved greatly over the season and it has been fun to watch. “We moved up to AAA this season so we knew the competition would be tougher, but they have proved they can compete with them. Offensively and defensively, they’ve grown and working more collectively as a team than in past seasons.” The three returning starrers were Lily King , Chloe Powell and Braylin Carter . King, a senior who McColl called her best shooter, averaged 7.5 points per game and led the team in assists. Powell, also a senior, averaged 5.4 points. Carter, a sophomore post player, led in scoring at 12.6 points and was also the leading rebounder. The other two starters were freshman Shelby Dial , who averaged 2.9 points, and senior Molly Andrews , who averaged 1.7 points. Key reserves off the bench were eighth-graders Alyana Locklear ad Fraley Britt . Locklear averaged 4.4 points. The other member of the team was sophomore Lila English .  STONE, OUTLAR BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-REGION PICKS Seniors Thompson Stone and Jackson Outlar were selected to the All-Region 4 boys basketball team. Both also played in the SCISA North-South All-Star Game. Stone led the Warriors in scoring at 20.7 while averaging 4.7 in rebounds, assists and steals. Outlar averaged 20.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.9 steals. DCS finished with an 11-16 record but made the state tournament. The Warriors lost to Spartanburg Day School 76-59 in the first round. “Our season this year was derailed a bit by injuries,” said head coach Bo Stone . “We knew going in that depth was a possible issue. We lost starting guard Walker Chavis to a season-ending knee injury five games into the season. Then after Christmas, point guard Thompson Stone missed significant time with high ankle sprains, then went out early in the state tournament with another injury to the other leg. “While he was out, freshman guards McKinnon Sampson , Jordan Blackmon and Gray Easterling filled in admirably, which will help them in the future. With center Jasper McIntyre improving, that gives us four freshmen with significant experience to pair with juniors Reese Bracey and Braxton Cummings .”

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor North Augusta – All in all, it was a pretty good season for the Fox Creek High School boys basketball team. The Predators, in their first season back in AAA due to reclassification after a 2-year hiatus, finished the year with a 19-11 overall record and a 6-2 mark in Region 3, good for second place and a home game in the first round of the state playoffs. To make things even better, Fox Creek advanced to the quarterfinals. It defeated Hanahan 88-54 in the opener before knocking off Orangeburg-Wilkinson 68-59 in the second round. The Predators lost to Loris 57-52 in the quarterfinals. And to put the cherry on top, Fox Creek had two players selected to the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association AAA All-State team. They are both sophomores, Kobe Sims and Justin Vining . Sims led the Predators in scoring, averaging 17.6 points per game. He also led the team in steals at 2.2 to go along with 1.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds. Vining was the assists leader at 5.0 while scoring at a 13.2 clip and pulling down 5.0 rebounds. He also averaged 1.6 steals. Senior Brelan Baskett was the leading rebounder at 7.4 and was the third double-figure scorer with a 10.2 average. He also averaged 1.4 assists and 1.7 steals. Sophomore Gavin Baskett just missed out on being in double figures with a 9.4 average. Senior Montez Tillman averaged 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 points in 29 games. JENNINGS, KRYSTALOWYCH GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-REGION PICKS Jada Jennings and Maya Krystalowych , a pair of sophomores, were selected to the All-Region 3 girls basketball team. Jennings averaged 10.2 points and 4.9 rebounds Krystalowych led the Predators in rebounding with a 10.9 average while scoring at a 7.3 clip. She also averaged a team high 3.2 blocked shots Freshman Mia Price led Fox Creek in scoring with a 10.6 average and in assists at 2.4. Freshman Mariah Price averaged 5.0 points and 2.3 assists. The Predators finished 9-14 overall and 4-4 in region play. They lost to Hanahan in the first round of the playoffs by a 45-39 count. Head coach Aaron Ray sees the season as a positive step forward for his young squad, which had no seniors and just one junior. “We didn’t have a perfect season, but we grew, we fought and we laid the foundation,” Ray said. “Next season, we build on it -- stronger, smarter and hungrier.”

Dymond's 3 hits leads 17-hit attack as Lady Saints win series 2-1

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Laurens – The future certainly looks bright for the Laurens Academy girls basketball team. The Crusaders, who played for the SCISA AA state championship in their first season in the classification, will return all three players who were selected to the All-Region 4-AA team. That includes a Player of the Year who has five years of eligibility remaining. Seventh-grader Braylee Burke was selected as the Region Player of the Year. She averaged 11.5 points per game and connected on 60 3-point shots during Laurens’ 18-8 season. Joining Burke on the All-Region team were junior Madisyn Graham and freshman Mackenzie Runyans . Graham, the team captain who head coach Jason Marlett calls a versatile defensive player, averaged 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 points. Runyan, who Marlett describes as an excellent defensive guard, averaged 5.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.0 steals All three played for the North squad in the AA girls SCISA North-South All-Star Game. Marlett said his inexperienced squad exceeded his expectations. “After losing 90 percent of our scoring and eight players off of last year’s team, I was very proud of how our players worked hard to improve and compete all season long,” Marlett said. “We have a young team who adjusted to varsity basketball well and improved their defense each week. “They have grown up together at Laurens Academy and are multisport athletes. With come-from-behind wins in the state quarterfinals and semifinals, they showed their will to compete. We were able to secure our third region championship in a row and first in Class 2A. We have an outstanding group of ladies who are fun to coach, and I am excited to see how they grow and develop into the future.” The Crusaders opened the state tournament with a 49-43 triumph over Charleston Collegiate in the quarterfinals. That was followed by a 44-43 victory over Dorchester Academy in the semifinals. Laurens lost to Cross Schools , the defending Class A state champion, 45-29 in the championship game . Sadie Bruyere led the Crusaders with 10 points. Burke finished with nine, all on 3s, Abby Howard had four, Graham three, Runyans two and Caroline Robinson one. Bruyere and Howard wee selected to the All-Tournament team. VAUGHAN, BURKE PLAY IN NORTH-SOUTH BOYS GAME Braydon Burke and Garrison Vaughan were selected to play for the North squad in the AA boys North-South Game. Burke and Vaughan are both juniors. The Crusaders went 7-18 on the season. The seniors on the roster were Garrett Murphy and Tristan Bates .

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Columbia – The South Carolina High School League crowned its first ever girls wrestling state duals champion on Championship Saturday on February 8 at Dreher High School . And the winner was …? Rock Hill , which beat Greenwood 46-36. The first ever AAAAA Division I and AAAAA Division II champions were crowned as well. Carolina Forest beat Boiling Springs 42-31 to claim the DI crown, while Fort Mill edged Lugoff-Elgin 33-28 for the DII title. May River rallied from a 35-11 deficit to beat Laurens 36-35 for the AAAA championship, West-Oak won the AAA crown with a 58-12 triumph over Aynor , and Chester beat Buford 65-17 for the AA-Class A title. Girls: Rock Hill 46, Greenwood 36 Rock Hill head coach Cain Beard and his Bearcats had been waiting for the opportunity for a long time. This is something that the girls and I have been working toward for the last five years,” Beard said. “We started our girls program during the 2019-2020 season with six girls. It has grown tremendously over the course of the last few years. This season we had 16 girls on our roster. We have several girls coming from our middle schools so I am excited about the future of the program.” Winning matches for RH were Maggie Cogar at 130 pounds, Braylon Adams (135), Alyciah Thomas (145), Riley Faris (170), Brismar Velazquez (190), Kamyla Torres (100), Sirenity Davis (105) and Jenger Rhodes (120). Rock Hill has had singles champions before, but this is something different. “What makes this year different and even more special is that all of our girls got to be a part of the playoff run to win the first ever state dual team title,” said Beard of the 16-team tournament. “From our best girls to our least experienced, all of the girls got to feel what it is like to be the very best wrestling team in their state. That feeling will stay with them for the rest of their lives.” 5A Division 1: Carolina Forest 42, Boiling Springs 31 Carolina Forest finished with a 30-4 overall record in winning the first boys state title in any sport in school history. “It means the world to me,” Panthers head coach Matthew Perdue said. “We were the first ever boys team to win a state title for our school, so it was a big deal, not just for us, but for our whole school. It was on my bucket list so getting one early in my coaching career. was awesome. “We knew this year could be the one. We were returning all 14 starters from the previous year.” Winning matches for CF were Joseph Britt (106), Isaac Demedeiras (113), Calvin Grover (126), Amarius Johnson (138), Josh Brown (144), Preston Crone (150), Brody Bailey (157) and Marshall Deforest (165). 5A Division II: Fort Mill 33, Lugoff-Elgin 28 Fort Mill won its third straight state title with the triumph over Lugoff-Elgin. To get to that match though, the Yellow Jackets ended Eastside’s run of nine consecutive state titles in the semifinals. “Although beating Eastside was a major accomplishment, beating Lugoff Elgin for a third state championship was bigger for our program,” said FM head coach Adam Marullo. “ We knew that both matches would be a challenge, and I have the upmost respect for both coaches and programs. “There was concern about keeping the team focused after beating the 9-time defending champion Eastside. It was such a big win and our kids were so excited, I had to immediately remind them that beating Eastside wasn't our goal, winning another state championship was.” Ted Ernst (215), Jon DaSilva (285), Lucas Van Beynum (113), Cole Wartinger (120), Tucker Gibson (126), Lincoln Greene (138), Jayden Nguyen (144) and Vincent Damico (157) were victorious for FM. AAAA: May River 36, Laurens 35 May River won the final five matches to score 25 points and beat Laurens by a point for its first ever wrestling state title. Beau Gwynn won by technical fall at 285 for five points as did Stephano Caderlon at 106. Ryan Seman at 113 and Marcus Foulk at 120 both won by pins for six points apiece to cut the lead to 35-33. Liam Engblom won by decision at 126 for three points that gave MR the title. Other winners for May River were Danon White (132) and Josh Echeverria (190). AAA: West-Oak 58, Aynor 12 West-Oak won the first six matches for a 27-0 lea and never looked back as it won its fourth consecutive title. “Winning a state title is not something you take for granted,” said West-Oak head coach Derek Strobel. “Each one is special. Each team has to face different challenges that the other teams didn’t. It means a lot to this team to win it because they had to prove themselves. We lost a lot of seniors from last year that you just can’t replace. Our newer guys had to step in and make a name for themselves. “Winning four in a row is an amazing feat. something that hasn’t been done at West-Oak before. These guys really bought in to the system and trusted the coaches. Hopefully we can keep the streak going.” Picking up victories for West-Oak were Marcus Thaxton (144), Sy Strobel (150), John Canfield (157), Gatlin Greer (165), Wyatt Saxon (175), Gage Ballard (190), Gunner Mease (106), Luke McLane (113), Peyton Durham (120), Cason Loven (126) and A.J. DeLaCruz (132). AA-CLASS A: Chester 65, Buford 17 Having lost in the Upper State finals to West-Oak the last two seasons, Chester took advantage of West-Oak’s move to AAA to win its first ever wrestling state crown. “Winning the state title was the next step in our program,” said Cyclones head coach Dennis Jensen “We made the Upper State finals the last two years and lost to West Oak and returned all but two kids this season. It was a historic accomplishment for the school as this is only the second male team state title in the last 40-plus years.” Winning for Chester were Travis James (106), Eduardo De Paz (113), Andre Hall (120), Raheem Rambert (126), Jakobe Starks Wright (138), Omari Pendergrass (144), ZyTavious Whitlock (157, Darriyarn Baxley (165), Eris Steele (175, Zion Carson (190) and Jayren Holly (285).

By Neill Kirkpatrick Special to the HSSR Varnville – The Hampton County Hurricanes won their second consecutive region championship in as many years as they finishes year two and the first year under new Head Coach Joshua James with a 20-6 record and 9-1 in region 5 AA. They advanced into the third round of the class AA playoffs losing in overtime to Andrew Jackson 59-54. “My style of play is more up-tempo offense and on defense I want my guys to be in your face. I think the team adjusted to my style of coaching very well and they got better every day. I’m very intense coach and I want my team to play with intensity on both ends of the court. We want to come out and win the first four minutes of the game,” said coach Jones. The Hurricanes will lose their two senior captains in Andre Williams and Joe Gittings but they will return their entire starting five. Williams and Gittings provided leadership and depth to the Hurricane lineup. Coach James returning five starter are Darius Brooks, Jaylen Singletary, Jaquan Solomon , and Desmond Mathis and forward Tyler Davis . Brooks was named to the AA all state team after averaging 17.7 points per game to lead the Hurricanes. He was second the team from behind the arc with 31 made threes. “Darius has been tremendous all year in leading the team. He can play the 1,2 or 3. He is one of the best guards in the state in my opinion,” coach Jones said. Solomon and Davis also averaged in double figures for the Hurricanes at 11.9 and 11 points per game, respectively. Solomon led the team in three’s with 50 while Davis did his damage in the paint. Davis led the team in rebounding with 93. Singletary and Mathis were demons on the defensive end for coach James as they combined for 74 steals. Singletary led the team in blocks with 8. “We are ahead of schedule with this team and we had a good year. I am excited for next year with the group I have returning but we’ll see if they are ready to put in the work to get better,” coach Jones said.

Goose Creek's junior all-state guard Ja’Quell Brown.

 By David Shelton Senior Writer Little River – While it is true that the North Myrtle Beach baseball program lost a huge chunk of production from last year’s 26-4 team, veteran head coach Brian Alderson fully expects his 2025 team to be very competitive. Tradition, as they say, never graduates and Alderson has established a winning culture within the program. Alderson entered this season with 176 wins since taking over the program in 2015.The Chiefs have been among the top teams in AAAA the last two seasons, posting 48 wins. “The hope is that our success will carry over with the new, younger guys,” Alderson said. “I think we’re to a point where we can always expect to be competitive against any team we play. But this team is inexperienced in a few areas and we need to grow and develop as we go. But it’s a hard-working group and they have some pride.” Two key returning players this spring are senior catcher CJ Oxendine and junior shortstop Sawyer Smith . Oxendine, a Virginia Tech commit, is a tremendous offensive threat while also rating as one of the top defensive catchers in the state. He hit .545 a year ago and has picked up the same pace in the early part of this season. “He’s our dude,” Alderson says. “Brings it all in every single game, He loves to play and he’s a real competitor.” Smith is a third-year starter at short and verbally committed to North Carolina as a freshman. He is very sound defensively and should be a consistent hitter. He also will see time on the mound. On the mound is where the Chiefs were hit hardest. None of the top four arms are back this spring so there will be a host of new performers getting their shot. In addition to Smith, junior left-hander Gabriel Priest will be a frontline starter. “Both can pitch and pitch well,” Alderson said. “We just didn’t need them as much last year because of who we had. We will need them to produce for us this year. We have some others who will need to step up and fill various roles as well.” Joining Smith as a returner in the middle infield is senior second baseman Asa Board , who is off to a good start offensively this season. Priest will be working at first base while Sophomore Payton Gallup is working at third. Gallup also has gotten off to a solid start at the plate. Gabe Kuznik and Connor Helmicki are slated to start in the outfield. Other team members who will fill various roles include Fisher Nichols, Luke Breeden, Nate O’Connor, Kaden Lank, Noah Nance, Campbell Kingston, Porter Anglin, Jake Frick, Trevor Mitchell, Brown Reaves, Andrew Muncy and Espen Thomas. Alderson says this year’s offensive approach will have to be disciplined and must execute. “We have to manufacture our runs, move runners, steal bases, play small ball,” the coach says. “We have some that are capable hitters but overall that won’t be a strength. We have to be creative in our approach. If we pitch and play defense, we will have enough offense to give us a chance to compete.” With a move up to AAAAA, things will be a little different this spring but the region will consist of all Myrtle Beach area schools. St. James, Carolina Forest and Conway have been two of the better teams in AAAAA and will be in the new region as well, along with Myrtle Beach and Socastee. “We have played a lot of them in the past so we know the competition will be heavy every night,” Alderson said.

 By David Shelton Senior Writer Summerville – Competing in one of the state’s toughest regions will be a challenge for the 2025 Cane Bay baseball team but head coach Shane Todd feels this year’s team has the makings of a solid unit. Cane Bay opened the season by going 4-0 in the Woodland Wood bat invitational, a good start and a way to build some early confidence. “It was good because it showed us that what we had been seeing in the preseason was indicative of the team we have.” The Cobras face tough challenges in region 7-AAAAA from the likes of Stratford , Berkeley , Wando and newcomer Lucy Beckham . Those teams are veteran teams with quality pitching that will challenge the Cobras. This year’s team is a mixture of a handful of returners with several newcomers, either transfers or junior varsity players, expected to make a big impact. “I think this team has gelled and come together,” Todd said. “The seniors are showing leadership and the newcomers have fit right in. The potential to be competitive every night we play is there. We just have to perform.” Leading the way this season are senior catcher Drew Grimm and senior outfielder/pitcher Ethan Dodson. Grimm will be one of the top hitters with two early season homeruns while Dodson is a fifth-year varsity starter. Both are headed to USC Lancaster in the fall. Senior outfielder Chandler Berry, a role player in the past, has earned a starting spot and has been effective offensively early on. Junior shortstop Mitchell Bennett is one of the best all-around players. Bennett makes all the plays at shortstop while being one of the leading hitters and base stealers. He played on the junior varsity last season. Junior Cayden Haught also is up from the jayvee and plays third base while backing up Grimm behind the plate. Junior Jesse Hernandez is the designated hitter and is another hitter with great power and is off to a good start, Starting in centerfield is eighth-grader Tre Lawrence , one of the top players in the country in his class. Lawrence is an accomplished hitter with great power and speed. Rock Hill transfer Quincey Richardson is another capable bat and will work in the outfield in a rotation. Two other transfers making an impact are second baseman Alex Hubbard and first baseman Niko Alvarez , both seniors. Joining Dodson as available arms on the mound are sophomore Lucas Porcelli , junior Kris Poe , senior Isaac Brace , senior Drake Cornelius , and juniors Taylor Herndon and Jason Spurgeon . Hernandez also will see time on the mound.

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Greenwood — Emerald athletic director Mack Hite is also the head baseball coach at the school and after six games of the young 2025 season the Vikings are 3-3 and working hard every day to improve. “With realignment this year we are probably in the toughest AAAA baseball region in the state having to compete with teams like Laurens , Westside , Fountain Inn , and Wren ,” said Coach Hite. “Those teams are heavy senior dominated and they all had a lot of players returning. “We are very young with only three seniors on our roster,” said Coach Hite. “Our real goal this season is to the best version of our work ethic and dedicate ourselves to the game with each and every practice, and with each and every game. We will continue to build our baseball program though dedication and hard work.” The Viking’s three wins have come over Ninety - Six (10-7), Clinton (5-2) and Silver Bluff (4-2). Their losses were against Ninety - Six in their first meeting (7-4), Mid - Carolina (4-2) and Ware Shoals (11-8). “Being a young team, I feel like we have to learn how to win, and how to battle through adversity that is a vital challenge in the game of baseball,” said coach Hite. “We have already had some crazy things happen to us in some games this season and we just need to be mentally tough and battle through it. “I love my group of guys,” said Coach Hite. “They are giving it all they got in every game. Winning breeds confidence and we just need to get over the hump, and once we do, we will be a vastly improved team playing in a very competitive conference.” The big stick in the line-up so far this season has been sophomore Finn Howard who bats in the five-hole. Howard is hitting .500 with two RBI’s and he has an impressive .688 on base percentage. On the bump, Howard has worked 14.1 innings with 16 strike-outs and he has a 1.95 ERA. “Finn has always been a great pitcher, and a great defender and this season he has become a very strong hitter as well,” said Coach Hite. “He throws a ton of strikes on the mound. He has been our rock so far this season.” Only 12 per cent of our population are left-handed so having a lefty pitcher like senior Tucker Meredith is a true blessing. “He is committed to playing baseball at Presbyterian College and I feel like when he is on the mound, we have a chance to win, regardless of who the opponent might be,” said Coach Hite. “He had 83 strike-outs last seasons when he earned all-region and all-state honors. He is tough to hit.” Thus far in the season Meredith has pitched 8.2 innings with an incredible 21 strike-outs. He also has an impressive 0.81 ERA. He bats clean-up and has a .308 average with three doubles after six games. Freshman outfielder Coleson Marino bats in the three slot and he is hitting .421 with a home run and four RBI’s. Three-sport varsity athlete Beau Hite is the team’s starting shortstop and he has been on the varsity since the 7 th grade when he batted .302 with four doubles. Hite is currently bating .286 with two doubles and two stolen bases. “Beau just loves competitive sports and he loves anything associated with a ball,” said Coach Hite. “He would play soccer if he could figure out how to play two sports in the same season. “Beau gives you everything he has and he is a great teammate whether he is the quarterback of the football team, a guard on the basketball team are the shortstop on our baseball team,” said Coach Hite. “He is also an excellent pitcher but he is coming back from labrum surgery and we are taking it slow with him. He has pitched bull-pen and we hope to have him on the mound later in the season.” Sophomore catcher Eli Swancey is a three- year starter behind the plate and he is batting .333 with three RBI’s and a .467 on base percentage. Senior Aaron Polly bats in the sixth hole and he has three RBI’s and three doubles to his credit right now. “Aaron has a strong desire to play in college somewhere next season,” said Coach Hite. Seventh grader Holden Syron is starting in right field and he will be putting up some power numbers in the future, according to his coach. Junior Peyton Gillespie starts at second base and he is a good defender who is just getting back from an injury this season. Senior Cody Scott bats in the 9 th slot and he has good defensive skills and tuns well. The team’s number three pitcher is sophomore Thomas Hodges . Some key reserves on the team include junior Colton Knight who plays first base. Freshman Ethan Metts is a pitcher/outfielder who can throw strikes. Seventh grader Bradley Cobb is a pinch runner. For the rest of March, the Vikings are scheduled to play Wren is a three-game region series on March, 17, 19, 21. The Vikings host the first and third games. Then they take to the coast for a game at Andrews on the 22 nd before playing at Georgetown the next day. They close out the month with a three series against Laurens starting at home on the 31 st . Coach Hite is assisted by Ryan Flores and former USC baseball player Aric Hempy .

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By Billy G. Baker Publisher Dillon —Starting his third season as the Dillon head baseball coach, and first year as the school’s athletic director, Keith Coward feels strongly that things are looking up for the program this season. The Wildcats began the season with a 7-2 win over Carvers Bay before losing to Conway 11-8. In game three of the season Dillon prevailed 10-4 over Green Sea Floyds. In their most recent game, they lost to Lamar 4-0. “Right now, Hank Grider , our best pitcher, is out with an injury and we hope to have him back in the next few weeks,” said Coach Coward. “Hank was all-region two years ago. “ Dan Graves was our all-region center fielder last year and we are glad to have him back,” said Coach Coward. “Hank is the anchor of our pitching and we are at our best when he’s on the mound. Austin Miles has done a good job keeping us afloat until we can hopefully get Hank back. “This is most definitely our most experienced team I’ve had over the past three seasons,” said Coach Coward. “We return 8 starters from last year so we have plenty of familiarity there. We just need to keep working and getting better.” Graves bats lead-off for the Wildcats. In the two-hole is freshman second baseman/outfielder JJ Campbell . When Grider is healthy he bats in the third slot and when he is not on the mound, he is a designated hitter or shortstop. Miles is a middle infielder who bats clean-up. Senior catcher Jamison Pittman is back and he backs in the number five hole. Senior Ryan Carter returns and he plays right field and also serves as the team’s designated hitter. Jaden Williamson bats in the 7 th slot and he is a junior pitcher/first baseman. Freshman pitcher/third baseman Bryson Davis bats 8 th in the order and junior wide receiver football prospect Zay Robertson bats 9 th and can play anywhere in the outfield. Also seeing plenty of action is 8 th grader Aiden Lancaster who is an up-and-coming infielder for Dillon. Dillon has around 35 hits as a team in four games, a vast improvement over the previous two seasons. Robertson has a 1,000 on base percentage and he is batting 1,000 on the season, including a triple. Pittman is at .556 including two doubles after four games. Campbell is hitting .500 with two doubles and four RBI’s. Lancaster is at .500 including one double. Graves has scored seven runs while hitting .438 with four RBI’s and one double. Miles is at .385 with two RBI’s and one double. Before Grider got hurt he was batting .385 with seven RBI’s and one home run. Carter is batting .364 while J. Bohachic is batting .333 with two runs scored. On the mound Miles is 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA. Davis is 1-0 on the bump. Remaining games in the month of March include a home game against Darlington on the 14 th before playing an away region game at Georgetown on the 18 th . Dillon will host Georgetown on the 21 st . Dillon will host Loris on March, 25 and they travel to Loris to close out the month of March on the 28 th .

Fort Dorchester's senior Braxton Kates chases down a loose ball for the Patriots. Photo by Roger Lee

By WORTHY EVANS Contributing Writer Gray Collegiate baseball lost a big part of its baseball success with the retirement last year of head coach Charlie Assey . Assey, who had coached the War Eagles since 2018, led the team to two Class 2A state championship series appearances in 2021 and 2022. He took the team to the upper state semifinals in his final season, falling to Strom Thurmond. “Gray Collegiate has been a huge part of my life the last six years,” Assey said in a statement last year. “The baseball program is one of the top teams in the state. This has been the most difficult decision to make in my life. To hang up my hat forever from something that has been my entire life dream is tough. Please know that I will always be appreciative of this opportunity to be a War Eagle.” Assey won a state title at Brookland - Cayce in 1998, and won four SCISA state championships, coaching at Orangeburg Prep , Mims Academy , Willington Academy , and Heathwood Hall . In looking to fill Assey’s shoes, Gray Collegiate found a natural choice—longtime Assey assistant Matt Hornsby , whose son M.J. Hornsby stayed at Gray while his father went to rebuild the baseball program at Dreher . “We had some really good years, and during that time we had some good players and good parents and a good program,” Hornsby said about his three years at Dreher, where he led the Blue Devils to two region championships in 2022 and 2023. “But it just killed me when I couldn’t see my son play. I was going to come back to Gray and stay until my son graduated, then when Coach Assey retired, I was fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time.” Gray lost six seniors from last year’s 30-7 team, including Blaine Redmond , the team’s No.1 pitcher and centerfielder. The War Eagles have a good core returning, Hornsby said. Among those returning are Junior shortstop and pitcher M.J. Hornsby, junior second baseman/shortstop Garrett Blankenship , sophomore pitcher and catcher Riley Huggins . “He’s our No.1 guy at pitcher and he’ll catch some but not just yet,” Hornsby said. “He plays outfield as well and is a really good player.” Coach Hornsby said the infield is really strong with M.J. Hornsby and Blankenship sharing time at shortstop and second base, junior Cole Adams at third, and senior first baseman and pitcher Zeb Taylor coming back. Taylor hits in the cleanup spot. “The infield has been our strongest part of the year so far,” Coach Hornsby said. Junior J.P. Sweat is in centerfield and junior Kaleb Holmes in rightfield, and senior Judson Decell is in leftfield. “J.P. is batting over .700 right now and kaleb has been batting around .600, a nice surprise for us.” Competing in what Hornsby calls “the gauntlet” of the 8-team Region 4-4A, which include Brookland-Cayce, Gilbert , Airport , Aiken , South Aiken , Midland Valley , and North Augusta , will be a big challenge this year. Fortunately for the War Eagles, Hornsby shares a great deal of baseball philosophy with his predecessor. I just want to build basically on what we’ve established here. He’s got them on a good foundation,” Hornsby said. “Our offensive approaches are a little different, I’m a little more free-swinging and he’s a little more old school than I am. We’re still going to bunt and do all the things he said, but I don’t think I’ll take as many pitches as he did and don’t want to wait as much (for good pitches). We’ll be a little more aggressive on the bases, but our philosophies are very similar.”

By David Shelton Senior Writer James Island - The baseball program at First Baptist has evolved from a doormat to a competitive team under the leadership and commitment from head coach Alex Snider . As he enters his seventh season at the helm of the program, Snider feels a veteran team with solid senior leadership can propel the Hurricanes into region title contention this spring. As Snider realizes, his team will have to contend with perennial champion Pinewood Prep , as well as area rival Porter-Gaud . “Pinewood has been the class of the region the past couple years. We finally took a game from them last year,” the coach said. “This year, with our pitching, it is possible to take that series. But Pinewood is a state contender for sure. “Porter-Gaud is always sneaky for us. It has been a close battle for second-place with them the past couple years. Northwood improved drastically last year and could have easily taken the series from us. Palmetto Chrisian is in their first year in the region. Just not sure they will have the arms to keep them in games. I honestly think we can contend for the region this year.” As Snider, and every other baseball coach in the state, knows, pitching is the key to a successful season. When the hitting struggles, consistent, solid pitching can keep a team in games. First Baptist should be more than competitive on the mound this spring. Anchoring the staff is senior Walker Traxler . Seniors Chase Mitchell and Ethan Larson will be key arms, along with junior Chase Mitchell and freshman Bennett Bollinger . “The pitching and solid defense should carry us,” Snider says. “Walker Traxler can lead with his bat and arm. He has been unhittable when healthy on the mound and the kid has some pop in that bat for not being a big guy.” Cline is returning at shortstop and hits in the leadoff spot. Snider calls him a team leader with great attitude. Mitchell will start at third when not on the mound while Larson will be the starter at first base. Junior Avin Harrison is a leader behind the plate and is a complete player as a hitter and defensive performer. He will hit in the cleanup spot. Freshman Thomas Martin is starting at second base. The outfield consists of starters junior Grant Huffman in center, senior Luke Lempesis in left, and senior Lawson Luther in right. Senior Brendan Gilbert is a backup at the infield positions while senior Jackson Glenn is a backup outfielder. Traxler will sub defensively as needed, depending on who is pitching.

Dennmark-Olar senior Christian-Nimmons in the state title game against Abbeville.

Braylin Mungo,Morgan Champion both selected to AAAA All-State team

Shannon Davis selected to SCBCA AAA All-State team

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Lady Generals return entire roster from last season's 11-8 squad

By David Shelton Senior Writer Lake View – When only nine players can take the field, a baseball team that loses four or five starters from one year to the next can find the road to success pretty difficult. At larger high schools in the state, losing players to graduation is not as impactful as it is at smaller Class A schools. The difference in sheer numbers of potential players can be astounding. Some AAAAA schools will cut 50 to 75 players in a given spring. Most Class A schools don’t have enough interest to even make cuts. If you come out, you make the team. Lake View head baseball coach Kip Herlong is beginning his 32 nd season at the helm. He has won eight state titles and more than 600 games as the mentor of the Wild Gators. You can bet that over 32 years he has faced losing quality players from year to year. This spring, Herlong has only a handful of returning starters from last year’s 20-5 team that lost to Latta in the finals of the Lower State series . The coach entered this season needing to replace his entire outfield, some productive bats, and other key personnel. Not a problem. Herlong has stated many times that the key to his program’s success is the work ethic of his players. Young players grow up in the system and enter their time to play with the same expectations as the veteran players. Herlong has never been one to worry about how many games his team will win. The focus always has been on attitude and effort. He has long believed that if his team’s put in the work and play the game the right way, the wins will take care of themselves. “We have great kids here at Lake View and they work really hard. We always have a chance with these kids. Baseball is really important to them.” The 2025 season has begun with Lake View winning seven of their first nine games, losing to Fairmont (NC) and AAA Aynor. Herlong has seen some good and some bad early on but likes the team’s potential to compete. “It’s kind of hard to tell right now what we are,” he said. “I think we can be a competitive team but I don’t know how competitive we are with the better teams that we will play. Time will tell as we go along. I think our pitching and infield defense are the strengths. We have some new guys in the outfield and we have to improve offensively.” The key returners to this year’s team are senior first baseman Chris McGill and senior shortstop Kason Herlong . Both also are the top two pitchers. McGill hit .483 with 10 homers and 38 RBI’s last season while Herlong hit .526 with three homers and 22 RBI’s in 2024. Aiding on the mound are returning junior Chase Price and a mixture of arms that will develop into their roles as the season progresses. Returning at catcher is senior three-year starters Braden Borders while senior Ian Capps is a fourth-year starter in the middle. Bryce King returns at third base. Price and McGill will share duties at first base. Junior Landon King has been a solid surprise as the new centerfielder. Holden Lee, Tadd Lovett and Seth Deese also are working in the corner outfield spots. Softball off to 3-0 start The Lake View softball team opened 2025 with three wins as they look to build into another state championship contender this spring. The Wild Gators out-scored their first three opponents, 37-8, and look to continue that explosive offense as they face tough competition in the region. Coach Brandy Huggins has four main players returning to this year’s team. Senior Hollie Scott is back at first base but is the team’s No. 1 pitcher this spring. Scott also is one of the top returning hitters. Sophomore Chloe Cox returns as a starter and is working at shortstop. She hit .365 last year. Back at third base is Kaleigh Blackmon , now a three-year starter. Moving from the middle infield to catcher is Hanna Coburn , a freshman. While Scott is the primary pitcher, Haley Miller also has seen some action early while playing first base. Other players seeing time on the infield include Sophia Rogers, Callie Smith, Paisley Alford, Brilee Schirra, Maddison Strickland, and Madi Hunt. Outfielders include Kaylnn Turner, Katima Genwright, Sarah Price and Carlie Matthews. Rounding out the squad this spring are Summer Hilburn, Emmalee Miller and Lilly Hatcher .

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Dillon —Starting two 7 th graders, and two 8 th graders, was not in the plans for Dillon head softball coach Stevie Grice as he made plans for the 2025 team. after a 2024 deep play-off run, that saw the Wildcats lose to Aynor , 1-0, in the AAA lower state finals a year ago.  “We had three experienced players decide not to return to the program for various reasons,” said Coach Grice, who also runs a very successful summer travel softball program. “In my four years as the head softball at Dillon this is by far our youngest team. “We are very young, and we are making way too many errors right now,” said Coach Grice. “We have had very close games with several teams through five innings, or so, and then we give up four runs in the 6 th inning like we did against Heritage, Tennessee. In our game against Chesterfield , we are winning 4-3 late in the game and then we give up 8 runs, late in the game when we made six errors that contributed to those unearned runs, and we ended up losing 14-4. “Our goal is to keep working hard every day in practice, and control the things we can control,” said Coach Grice. “We must shore up our defense, and work on helping the younger players get more comfortable in competition. I realize, with some player departures we have had to throw some 7 th and 8 th graders in the fire, so to speak. Hopefully, we will be playing our best softball come play-off time.” After 8 games of the season Dillon is 4-4, despite only having two seniors on the team. The Wildcats have wins over Socastee , Wilson Hall , Carolina Academy and St . Johns out of Washington DC. Their four losses have come against SCISA AAAA champion Laurence Manning , East Clarendon , Heritage Hall of Tennessee, and Chesterfield . The team is led by senior “Coach on the Field” Cierra Grice , a four-time HSSR all-state selection who is among the most versatile players in South Carolina. Grice is a signee to the softball program at Presbyterian College where her older sister, Logan , is now playing. Cierra was recruited to college as a third baseman and she is also an excellent catcher. The younger Grice is a six-year member of the team. She is the starting shortstop and currently she is batting 558 including 9 RBI’s and three stolen bases. “No doubt with such a young team Cierra is like our Coach on the Field,” said Coach Grice. “She can play multiple positions and our younger players have relied on her for guidance and even instruction.” The only other senior on the team is all-region returner McKayla Huggins who is catcher batting .450. Huggins, a commitment to Florence-Darlington Tech is a top catcher behind the plate with a 1,000-fielding percentage to date. Junior all-region returner MaKenna Meekins has missed a few games with a minor injury and the speedy center fielder is currently batting .500. When you get past the “Big Three” roll call of Grice, Huggins, and Meekins the youth movement begins. Sophomore Zoee Chavis is the number one pitcher on the staff having to fill the shoes left behind by graduated record setter Paige Sherman who recently got her first win at Lander University, where she is a freshman. Sherman had 704 K’s in her five- year career at Dillon where she won 75 games and compiled a 1.32 ERA. “Zoee is getting better with every outing,” said Coach Grice. “She has a good breaking ball and is working on developing other pitches also. In 22.2 innings in the circle this season she has 25 strike-outs and a 0.78 ERA.” Chavis can play second base when she is not pitching. Haiden Eller is a sophomore part-time starter at first depending on who is pitching . Another sophomore starter is speedy center fielder Ansley Villagomez who is batting .333. Her 9 th grade sister, Addison Villagomez, is a reserve catcher. Kanyla Tanksley , an 8th grade starter in the out-field, who is batting .400 and she leads the team with six stolen bases. Marsiah Bethea is a 7 th grader playing in the outfield and batting in the 8- hole. Ashlyn Wallace is a 7 th grader starting at third base. Freshman Wanaysia Hughes is starting in right field. Jayla Wright is a 7 th grade back-up pitcher. Madalynn Willis , was just pulled up from the junior varsity and she is seeing action at second base. Emorie Willimson is a 7 th grade reserve pitcher and Tristen Dove is a sophomore reserve first-baseman. Dillon will play at Georgetown on March, 19 th , before playing at Green Sea - Floyds the next day. On Friday March, 21 st the Wildcats host Waccamaw Coach Grice is assisted by Will Clark , Twin Lester and Johnna Jones .

By David Shelton Senior Writer  Lake City – Just two weeks into the 2025 high school softball season, the Carolina Academy softball team, led by coaching legend Scotty Phillips , has faced some adversity. Phillips reports the loss of returning shortstop Kelsey Smith to a lingering knee injury. Smith will sit out her junior season in hopes of healing and returning in 2026. “That hurts because she’s a good player and she’s experienced,” Phillips said. “But what can you do? We have to move on and someone else has to step up. We’ll be okay.” It’s not like Phillips has never had to replace personnel. He has inserted eighth-grader Paisley McCutcheon at shortstop and feels strongly that she can handle the work. McCutcheon was slated to play second base this season. The Bobcats opened the season with a 2-2 record and showed positive signs. However, Phillips says the team needs work. “I feel good about what we can be but we need a few weeks to iron some things out,” the coach said. “I see a lot of potential with this team but they have to focus and continue to work.” The strength of the 2025 team is inside the pitching circle. Junior Raylee Frye is a third-year performer who is as good as any hurler in SCISA when she brings her “A” game. Freshman Ella Ham will log innings at pitcher as well while also playing centerfield and first base. Lauren Sims also will pitch and share third base duties with Frye. “We have three good pitchers, dependable,” Phillips said. “I feel good giving the ball to any of them.” Handling the catching duties is returning starter Carlie Ann Smith , a junior who has been impressive behind the dish early on. Sophomore Jaylyn Davis will play most of the innings at first base while eighth-grader Natalie Braveboy will move from left to second base to replace McCutcheon. Three eighth-graders, Paisley Coker, Kayley Lyerly and Emma Amos are working in rightfield, with Ham also getting reps. “Young and new in the outfield so we have a lot of work to do.” Phillips said. Rounding out the varsity roster this season are Katherine Holiday, Lexi McCutcheon, Sarah Emma Garris, Savannah McCUtcheon, Jennifer Vargas and Hannah Grace Matthews.

By David Shelton Senior Writer  Cross – A one-point loss to Carver’s Bay in the second-round of the Class A Lower State playoffs was a crushing end to the 2024-25 basketball season for the Cross High Trojans. Cross entered the playoffs looking for another great run. The Trojans reached the Lower State finals in 2023-24. While coming up a little short, Cross continued the growth that coach Chaquain Boone had hoped for. Cross finished the season with a 14-3 record despite most of the roster getting a late start to the success of the football team. The Trojans have racked up 50 wins over the last three seasons. And more winning is coming with a good group of underclassmen on the way. “We only have three seniors so we will have most of the team returning next year,” Boone said. “Our players work and play extremely hard. That work ethic and style of play is a great sign for our future. “Apart from two players, the entire team played in the Class A football state championship, so we had a late start to the basketball season. However, none of the players have ever complained about the basketball workload even after a long and hard football season. They have maintained a great attitude and have worked extremely hard. That bodes well for the future.” The top performer this season was 6-4 junior Caden Ramsey , who averaged 15.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He earned Class A all-state honors for the second straight season. Ramsey will be one of the top senior prospects in Class A in football and basketball. The three seniors contributed well to the team’s success. Micah Flute averaged 8.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Lavell Joyner added 9.4 points and 3.4 assists, while Preston Fuller added 9.6 points per game. Among the underclassmen, top contributors included freshman Bernard Middleton (5.0 ppg), sophomore Tyler Harris (4.1 ppg), junior Kenji Polite (4.0 ppg) and freshman Isaiah Wright (3.5 ppg).

By Neill Kirkpatrick Special to the HSSR  Greenville – The Christ Church Episcopal Lady Cavalier’s lacrosse team has had their season end in the state AAAA semi finals the last two years and they lost 60% of their offensive production so expectations might be tempered heading into the 2025 season, however, head coach Molly Miller has built a program that reloads with the same expectations every year. The Lady Cav’s finished with 12-6/ 4-1 record last season. “While competing for a state championship is always a priority, we try not to look too far down the road so we focus on each game in front of us and what we need to do to get better,” said coach Miller. “Our expectations are always to be better as team each time we step off the field and if we do that everything else will take care of itself.” Coach continued, “We have 17 girls who are great teammates, competitive, hardworking, willing to learn, and committed to improving. You can't ask for much more as a coach. I am excited to see how they come together as team and how far we can go.” The Lady Cav’s have gotten off to a good start to the season at 4-0/1-0 having beaten three AAAAA schools in the process. They are scoring 13 goals a game but the key to the start has been their defense. They have held the opponent to 9 goals or less three times. They host 5-2 AAAAA Spartanburg before they play three consecutive region contest with two being on the road at Oceanside Collegiate and Academic Magnet before they host AAAAA TL Hanna. Seniors Foster Miller and Kathryn Toomey are the team leaders and two of the teams three captains. Miller is a returning second team All State attacker, first team all upper state and All region. She is the teams leading returning offensive threat. Last season she was second goals with 46, second in assists with 22 and second in total points with 68. She is a gifted offensive player when looking to score or trying to find a teammate. Toomey is the teams stopper on defense. She is a returning second team all upper state and an all-region selection. She was second last season in ground balls. Junior Sydney Shaw is returning all-region attacker while fellow junior Amelia Koch was all region on defense. Shaw is the team’s third captain and last season she scored a total of 13 points. She also plays on the basketball team. The rest of the starting line up is made up of underclassmen. Two juniors Lexie Sobocinski and Catherine Easterling are new to the team but have fit in really well with their teammates. Easterling is a starter while Sobocinski adds depth off the bench and is sometime starter. Sophomore starters are Kate Marguet at attacker , Julia Davis at defense , Pearson Glenn at midfield , Mae Hatfield at attacker , JJ Nessmith at midfield , and Maggie Chernez at goal keeper. Hatfield and Nessmith each scored 10 goals last season and finished the year with 12 points each. Each was on the team last year but they’ve adjusted their positions and/or roles for the 2025 season. Chernez is one of the top keepers in the state. As a freshman she had 65 saves and allowed only 8 goals a game. She has been better this season allowing less than 7 goals per contest. Also new to the team and the starting lineup are freshmen Ella Brashier and Adelaide de Brux they have shown a lot of positives in our first few games. They add depth and athleticism to the team. The rest of the Lady Cav’s lineup are sophomores Saddler Fox and Sullivan Cunningham and freshman Alexis Stathakis. Fox is a three sports athlete, also playing basketball and soccer. This past season she averaged six points and four rebounds on the hardwood while Cunningham and Stathakis are two sport athletes. “Experience is something we will gain as the season goes along. We need to continue to build confidence in our young players and that is where senior leadership comes into play,” said coach Miller.

 By Billy G. Baker Publisher Ehrhardt —The Andrew Jackson Academy girls’ softball team is headed up by first-year mentor Denise Duncan this season, and after four games of the 2025 season, the Lady Warriors are 2-2 with a focus on daily improvement. “After four games we have two games where we hit the ball well, and two games where we didn’t hit well,” said Coach Duncan. “We are still moving players around, and many positions are still being contested. “Our number one goal is to win,” said Coach Duncan. “Then we want our players to have good attitudes, with good team spirit, and show support for each other. We also want to have good sportsmanship at all times.” The team finished 4-14 a year ago but with the top three hitters all back this season the team should exceed the success of last year’s team. Their other win came over Orangeburg Christian . Their two losses were against Holly Hill Academy and Jefferson Davis Academy . In a recent 22-4 win over Thomas Heyward these three players paced the hitting attack. Sophomore all-region center fielder Carrigan Moore (played catcher as a freshman) had an inside the park home run and a double against the Rebels. Sophomore returning all-region performer McKinnley Beard had two triples against the Rebel’s and she also pitched well with three K’s. Senior right fielder Riley Roe , the team’s clean-up batter, also had several key hits against Thomas Heyward.” Carrigan, McKinnley and Riley are definitely our top three hitters thus far in the season,” said Coach Duncan. “McKinnley is our main pitcher and she can play in center when she is not in the circle,” Coach Duncan. “Carrigan is very fast in the outfield and she is our lead-off batter,” said Coach Duncan. “Last year she was all-region and she was also chosen to play in the all-star game after the season, but I think the bad weather cancelled the event,” said Coach Duncan. “Riley is a solid contact hitter who hits the ball very well.” Senior Sydney Crosby is a returner who starts at second base. Freshman shortstop Harlo Sease is back from last season and she rotates between shortstop and first base with sophomore Braelyn Hall . Senior catcher Ryleigh Trivette has been moved from first base to catching duties for her senior season. Sophomore Mary Grace Hiers is currently starting at third base. Senior Sam Stephens is a first-year starter in left field. Junior Alexandra Johnson is starting in left field. Sophomore Mariya Hiott can play numerous positions in the infield and outfields and junior reserve CJ Ulmer is mainly a right fielder. “It is hard to say what the strength of the team is right now,” said Coach Duncan. “Hopefully, our hitting that we experienced against Thomas Heyward will continue.” Coach Duncan is assisted by Monica Beard , Carmen Mixson and Bill Johnson .

By David Shelton Senior Writer Abbeville – When he accepted the position of head coach just after the Covid year, Abbeville’s Daniel Little created a vision of winning championships. Not only region or district titles. Little is aiming to bring Abbeville’s program its first state title. Little is a 2004 graduate of the school and guided Landrum to the AA state title in 2019. He knows what it takes to win and he is in the right place to make a run in 2025. While Abbeville has not won a state championship in baseball, the program has been a consistent winner and a consistent title contender. The culture of winning was established by Little’s former coach, state Hall of Famer Mark Smith. “Tradition really helps,” Little said. “Our kids grow up around here expecting to win. No challenge is too big for these kids. They love to compete. “The foundation of what I do is based on the things that coach Smith built and instilled in me as a player. As I have coached, I have some things that I have learned and incorporate into what we do, but the basic foundation is the same. Throw strikes, play good defense, and try to get timely hits. Those things never change.” Little’s roster this spring has nine seniors. Most of the team got involved in the program in Little’s first season and experience and familiarity is a key strength this spring. “I pretty much started with most of these guys and they are the first four-year group I’ve had,” the coach said. “Expectations are high. We have a chance to be in the hunt. This team will be good enough to compete with any team on the schedule, if we bring our best effort and attitude. We will face some major competition, especially in the playoffs, so we hope to be at our best in the end.” Abbeville has opened the 2025 season with a 7-0 record. They are ranked No.1 or No. 2 in Class A, depending on the ranking. Many of this year’s starters are third-year starters. One of the top returning leaders is catcher Ben Overholt , back for his third season in the lineup. Senior outfielders Lohen Nickles (center) and Tyrique Cunningham (right) are back, as is senior leftfielder Dayne Botts . Nickles has two homers early on this season. Senior Justin Oglesby will see time at first base and is an offensive leader as a third-year starter. Senior Thomas Ferguson is a newcomer who will figure into the outfield rotation once he acclimates from basketball. While several arms will log time on the mound, the top two pitchers are senior Adam Beiler and junior Grady Overholt. Both also will see time in the middle of the infield. Sophomore Trey Deason will pitch and play some at third base. Easton Townsend , another senior, will work at third and will be a designated hitter. Other roster members include Staten Rice, Jake Clemmons, Bradean Randall , and Logan Overholt. Little expects Ware Shoals and Dixie to be among the threats to win the region title. As far as teams in the Upper State that the Panthers will have to deal with are Lewisville, Lamar and McBee, among others. “We have our work cut out for us and we take nothing for granted,” the coach said.

Veteran coach Jimmy Noonan is the Swampcats new football head coach.

Saluting The Outstanding Basketball State Champions In SC For The 2024-25 Season Moncks Corner —As we transition into Spring sports, by far the busiest period in high school athletics in South Carolina, the HSSR would like to salute all the basketball state champions from both the SCISA and the SCHSL. The HSSR was there for every championship game. In most cases, we observed first-hand the SCHSL lower and upper state championship games played in Florence at the Florence Center. We also took in numerous SCISA play-off games at Wilson Hall and the Sumter Civic Center as well. Please enjoy of our in-depth coverage of all the state basketball games played on pages four through 13 of this issue! We happen to believe this was the most in-depth coverage of all the games by any one media source in Soth Carolina. The SCHSL boy’s champions were Ridge View in Div. I AAAAA, in Div. II AAAAA we salute champion Greenville High , while the AAAA boy’s title was won by Lancaster High . The Keenan boys became only the second SCHSL team to win 10 state titles with their AAA crown. Atlantic Collegiate Academy won the AA boy’s state title in just their second year as a program. In Class A boy’s competition, Denmark - Olar sent head coach Hercules Davis into retirement by winning the school’s first ever basketball state title. In SCHSL girl’s action, we salute Div. I AAAAA champion Blythewood, Div. II AAAA state champion Berkeley along with AAAA champion North Augusta who won their sixth state title. In AAA, the Walhalla took gold. In AA, Andrew Jackson took top honors and Military Magnet won their third-Class A state title in four years at the Florence Center. In SCISA state championship action, the HSSR salutes AAAA state champion Porter - Gaud . The Hilton Head Prep boy’s won their third straight AAA state title . Cathedral Academy won their third AA boy’s title in four years and newcomer Ragin Prep win the Class A boy’s state championship. In SCISA girl’s championship action, the HSSR salutes AAAA winner Trinity Collegiate. Pee Dee Academy is saluted for winning the AAA state title while the Cross School took top honors in winning the AA girl’s state championship. We congratulate Curtis Baptist for winning the Class A SCISA girl’s championship. One thing we particularly enjoy about attending SCISA basketball championships is witnessing the boy’s and girl’s state title winners, in each classification, cutting down the nets, at opposite ends of the court after their games. In the back ground the song expressing “We are The Champions” rings loud and proud as players and coaches take turns on the ladder cutting a portion of the net. Often you can see SCISA head basketball coaches, like Blake Ferguson of Cathedral, actually wearing the net around his neck, as he was leaving the Sumter Civic Center after the championship win. The head coach is always the last member of a championship team to cut down, what is left of the net. This ceremony of victory adds a nice touch to the great accomplishment. While numerous players got the attention of the HSSR during the championships, Tamia Watson, a 6-2 forward from Andrew Jackson has a bright future ahead of her. She is our choice for the 2024-25 Miss basketball in the state of South Carolina. All we can say is that Elon College better enjoy her freshman year on their team. We strongly predict, Watkins, and her 6-2 frame, will likely be in the transfer portal at the conclusion of her freshman year. How a major college like Clemson passed up on signing her is a mystery to the HSSR. The HSSR also predicts that Clemson will be one of her first offers should she enter the portal after her freshman year at Elon. Watkins can dribble with either hand, and she has equal dexterity even in her feet. She can play all five positions on a basketball court! In her six- year career at Andrew Jackson she averaged 22.2 points a game, over 124 games, for a career points total of 2,752, ranking her the number 11 all-time scorer among girl basketball players in South Carolina! She also had 1,500 career rebounds, 496 steals, 260 blocked shots, and 310 assists during her career. On the boy’s side, we are still debating the HSSR 2024-25 Mr. Basketball as we were going to press with this issue. The HSSR has never named a sophomore as a Mr. Basketball in South Carolina, not even Zion Williamson. We can say with confidence that the best-all-around boy player we saw at the Florence Center, over a week-long period of watching games was sophomore Josh Leonard (6-6,200) a big-man from Wilson High . Leonard possesses all the ball skills of a future NBA player. Leonard averaged 21.7 points a game while shooting 56 per cent from the field. He also averaged 10 rebounds a game along with 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals a game. He is one confident looking super prospect on the hardwood for sure. There is a great possibility that Leonard will join Zion Williamson, who was named the HSSR Mr. Basketball in both his junior and senior years, by winning Mr. Basketball honors over the next two years of his career at Wilson High. We should have our 2024-25 HSSR all-state basketball teams posted at hssr.com in the very near future! Now we are moving on to Spring Sports!