Class AAA Update and Region Break Down

Billy Baker • August 27, 2024

Zay Robertson from Dillon in 2023

HSSR AAA Football Ranking  (Prior To Games On 8-23)

 1. BHP

 2. Dillon

 3. Marlboro County

 4. Mountain View

 5. Oceanside Collegiate

 6, Christ Church

 7. Woodruff

 8. Loris

 9. Broome

 10. Chapman

 11. Powdersville

 12. Hanahan

 13.Southside Christian

 14. Newberry

 15. Crescent




Region 1-AAA

 1.  BHP (13-1)

 2. Pendleton (9-3)

 3. Crescent (6-5)

 4. Walhalla (4-6)

 5. West Oak (4-6)

 

 BHP to Run Away With Region 1-AAA


      Belton Honea Path — There are no one man teams in the game of football but having BHP running back Maurice Henderson (5-11, 165) on your team gives that team a leg up for sure.


     The state’s top RB in the 2025 class rushed for 2,336 yards averaging 11.1 yards a carry while scoring 37 TD’s. The Clemson commitment should even exceed these awesome stats in 2004.


     William Blackston is the head coach of BHP and the HSSR ranks the Bears number one in AAA starting the season.


     Seven starters return on offense. Joining Henderson are OL Brody Smith, Keagan Mosher, Keylan Dixon, and Oliver Marett. Jamiah Galbreath and Eli Saterfield return at the double tight ends.


     There are 8 starters back on the BHP Even Front defense. They are DT Kylan Dixon, DE Tye Rainey, DE Justin Lathon, LB Jakyri Anderson, LB Tye Kelly, CB Tye Wilson Martin, CB Norikus Cowan, and FS Colby Bates. Dixon, Satterfield, Henderson, Lathon, and Martin were all-region last season.


     BHP started the 2024 season by hosting Broome on August, 23rd.   



     Walhalla - After going 4-6 in 2023 Walhalla head coach Chris Stone feels like the veteran strength of his OL will carry his team to added success this season. 


     The OL is anchored is anchored by tackles Connor Talley and Brandyn Bolt with guards Dennis Washer and Lane Garney a year better and stronger along with center Garrett Simpson.


    Jack Williams will QB and Landon Robinson and Silas Parish will handle RB duties. Witt Austin and Jaxon Blackwell are the WR’s.

The defense will be built around a DL held down by Logan Burrell, Charlie Galbreath, Colin Phillips and Connor Lamb.


     Walhalla started the season with a home game against Pickens.

 


      Crescent High -- Coming of a 6-5 season for 2023, head coach Sheldon Evans starts his seventh season at Crescent High.  This season they are looking for a strong front on the O-Line with four returning starters.  The Tigers will have a returning sophomore at QB this year.

 

     On offense, Mason Evans (‘27) returns at QB, Darius Latimer (’25, 6-0, 180) at RB/SS, Jake Duncan (’25, 6-3, 290) RB/DL, Kiantae Parks (’25, 5-9, 150) WR/CB, Tron Paul (’25, 5-8, 140) WR/CB, Amiri Acker (’26, 6-3, 165) CB/WR

 

     On defense, Isaac Hoskins (5-10, 160) LB/TE, Bryson Dutton (’25, 5-11, 185) MLB/WR

 

     Crescent opens their season at home against Saluda on Friday, 8/23.

 

 

 Region 2-AAA

 1. Christ Church (13-2)

 2. Powdersville (4-7)

 3. Southside Christian (8-4)

 4. St. Joseph’s (11-3)

 5. Palmetto (3-8)

 6. Carolina (2-8)



Christ Church Favored To Take Region 2-AAA Honors


      Christ Church — Quin Hatfield and the Christ Church football exited the Class A ranks with a state title and 13-2 record a year ago. With realignment and the triple multiplier being applied to all schools the Cavaliers now found themselves in Region 2-AAA and no doubt this team is capable of winning many games at the AAA level.


     “The strength o four team coming into the season will be our QB position, our playmakers out-wide on offense,” said Coach Hatfield. “We have a young running back with a huge upside. We have experience back in the secondary and our linebackers and defensive ends are very athletic and physical.”


      WR Jackson Repp (5-8, 167, 4.4) has 13 offers entering the season and he ran a 4.3 forty at some camps over the summer. Repp hauled in over 1,400 yards in receptions and scored over 25 TD’s a year ago. .Junior WR Jude Hall (6-4, 190) had over 500 yards in receptions a year ago.


     Senior QB Tucker Hendrix threw for 2,700 yards and 39 TD’s as a junior. He has a PWO to play football at Clemson.  FS Acie Hatfield (6-0,165) has several next level offers. LB Ford Glenn is a prospect with a nose for the ball. DE Elijah Garrett (6-4, 225) is quick off the edge and he is getting offers. DT Will Childers (6-0,205) is back along with junior DL George Michael Stathakis (5-11, 202). Senior Jackson Linz and junior Rody Barnett share time in the DL also.


     Christ Church opened up the 2024 season with a road trip loss to SCISA powerhouse Hammond.



     Powdersville - Robert Mustar (74-61) has been the only head coach since the founding of Powdersville more than a decade ago. Last year the Patriots were 5-6 after playing for a state title just two years ago.  WE Elijah Huggins is a big senior and he teams up with senior DB Josmawn Knuckles to give the team solid senior leadership. The junior class is led by QB Kegan Reid (6-3, 185) who has a strong arm along with DB Desmond Hunter. Soph WR Xavier Huggins is a sure-handed receiver. Soph Zy’kel Rogers is a prospect with speed.



     Southside Christian — Head coach Mike Sonneborn calls the strength of the Sabres to be built around QB/RB/ and WR. His senior leadership will come from RT Jeremiah Jackson, DB Christian Kaiser, and DL John Talon. WR Keldon Wrona is a key junior. The Sabres were 8-4 a year ago.   



 Region 3-AAA

 1.Mountain View

 2. Chapman

 3. Union County

 4. Broome

 5. Woodruff

 

 New Charter School Mountain View Prep Loaded Up With Transfer Talent


Mountain View Prep --Mountain View Prep is gearing up for its first season with a strong blend of experience and talent across the board. On offense, the team welcomes quarterback Bryson Drummond, transferring from Greenville, and one of the region's standout running backs, Jaylen McGill, to anchor the unit. They'll be supported by former Dorman Cavaliers, running back TJ Gassoway and receiver KD Hainsworth, who are expected to thrive behind a junior-heavy offensive line.


Defensively, safety AJ McAlister had versatility that promises to be a key asset, while defensive backs Jacobi Smith and the speedy Shamon Black solidify the secondary. Up front, Eli Smith and Quay McCauley provide strong leadership.


Despite having players with Friday night experience, the biggest hurdle will be integrating various systems and coaching styles, especially after missing out on spring practices and offseason training. 



Chapman: lost to Daniel 45-14 to start the 2024 season. No team report sent in.


Union County: will be led by senior WR Josh Rice-Brannon, LB Oe Knox, DB Erion Jeter, and DB Nathan Koepke. Top juniors include LB Myson Grant and DB Dreshawn Grant, Union County is coached by Quinnon Isom. 


Broome: Lynn Flemming’s team was 9-3 last season. Some of their key players include QB Jamison Dearyberry along with RB Tyquan Boker. On defense LB Grant Bradley returns along with DL Tyquan Booker.


Woodruff: Brett Sloan is the head coach in Woodruff and the Wolverines look to improve on their 4-7 record of a year ago. DB Hunter West, and OL Cohen Lyda return as senior leaders. TE Kim Taylor leads the junior group along with WR Keri Moates. Woodruff beat Clinton 40-36 in week zero for a huge confidence builder.


 

 Region 4 AAA

 1. Newberry

 2. Silver Bluff

 3. Keenan

 4. Fox Creek

 5. Swansea


 Newbery Heavily Favored To Win 4-AAAA



Keenan -- The past two season’s the Keenan Raiders have played into the second week of the class AA playoffs so with a senior laden roster head coach Ray McCleod and his Raiders will despite moving back to AAA they will be looking to make a deeper run in the playoffs in 2024.

 

Offensively, the Raiders return quarterback Desmond Washington (6-1,200). He threw for over 1500 yards and rushed for over 300 yards last season. RB senior Tyheim McNeil and sophomore Hunter O’Nea return in the back field. McNeil was the Raiders leading receiver last season with 35 receptions for 558 yards while rushing for 321 yards.

 

The receiver position will be manned by senior Nyheim McNeil, sophomore Deion Hollis and tight end Benard King. McNeil was the team’s top tackler last with 86 stops, 16 tackles for loss, two picks, six caused fumbles and four recoveries. Coach McCleod decided that they needed his playmaking ability on the offensive side of the ball.

 

The offensive line is a veteran group with four returning starters led by seniors; right tackle Keith Jowers, left guard Michael Swinton, and center Victor O’Neal. Junior Quashawn Hampton will be at left tackle and Joseph Taylor will be at right guard.

 

The defensive line is a talented group with returning starters in seniors Nigel Williams, Titus Bowman.

 

The Raider got off to a good start as they defeated their rival Dreher 40-37. Tyheim McNeil and O’Neal each had two touchdown runs for Keenan in the win. They jumped out to big lead then had to survive a late field goal attempt

 

         The Raiders (1-0) will host Pendleton (1-0) a 47-21 winner over Chesnee in their opener.



       Fox Creek: The Fox Creek High School football team struggled last season. The Predators went 2-8, including a 0-5 mark in Region 3-AA. That led to them missing out on the AA state playoffs. Fox Creek will have to up its game a bit this season since its classification was upped by the South Carolina High School League’s reclassification. The Predators are now a AAA school, a member of Region 4. The 5-team region includes Silver Bluff, Keenan, Swansea and Newberry.


      The Fox Creek High School football team struggled last season. The Predators went 2-8, including a 0-5 mark in Region 3-AA. That led to them missing out on the AA state playoffs.


      The Predators are 8-22 over the past three seasons. After going 4-5 in his first season and making the state playoffs, Fox Creek went 2-9 in 2022, even though it did again advance to the state playoffs.

 

 

 

 Region 5-AAA

 1. Dillon

 2. Marlboro County

 3. Loris

 4. Aynor

 5. Waccamaw

 6. Georgetown


 Dillon & Marlboro County In Battle For The Region 5-AAA Crown


Dillon: You would be hard-pressed to ask any Dillon fan the last time they lost a region title but things could get interesting when Marlboro County plays at Dillon on October, 18.


Kelvin Roller is starting his 4th season at Dillon and after three seasons he has an impressive 34-4 record.  After his team’s impressive 21-3 win over Cheraw in the Jamboree of Champions hosted in Dillon.  Coach Roller told the HSSR, “(Jamarion) Fling, and all our running backs, ran the ball well tonight, and the offensive line blocked well also. We finally got Kyheim Lester (6-4, 265) to come out and play football from the basketball team and he is developing well at left tackle for us. Kiele Pompey (6-1, 230) will be at left guard and he is one of the strongest, if not the strongest player on our team.


“Nicholas Byrd (5-10,230) has done a good job at center so far and Mishad Gilchrist is at right guard and Ke’Shawn Ray is starting at right tackle so with football being a developmental game it will take time for the offensive line to develop but Coach Parker is doing a great job with them,” said Coach Roller.


Coach Roller is very high on WR/DB Zay Robertson. “He is a tremendous receiver with great hands and speed and he is going to be a special player. I honestly think he is one of the best receivers in the state.”


Coach Roller was dealt a mild shock when junior QB Josiah Oxendine came into his office in July and said he was transferring. Oxendine is now at Forest Hills, NC. Rahmad Hamilton has been moved from WR to QB. “I thought Rahmad did a really good job tonight,” said Coach Roller. “At the quarterback position you need to get reps and he has only been at the position for a few weeks but he is getting better every day.”


Some of the Nasty Cats of defense cited include DL Azavion Deberry (6-0,270) along with linebackers Keriyon Brown (5-10, 185), Daniel Capehart (5-11, 195) and Kelvien Manning (6-2, 170). Dan Graves, Robertson, and Fling provide depth in the secondary. (See article on Dillon elsewhere in this issue).


Dillon began the 2024 season hosting Scotland County, NC on August, 23rd.



Marlboro County: After last season Marlboro County reached into North Carolina and hired Cory Johnson (61-12) away from Clinton High School, and his team won the AA state title last year with a core group of young talent.


No kidding, several of those players decided to follow him to Marlboro County. The roster in Bulldog country has a lot of new faces for sure. Two of those studs who came South are CB Jakarrian Kenan (6-0,180) committed to Rutgers and DL Josiah Dwyer (6-4, 255) committed to East Carolina. Both of these players are in the HSSR Top 100.


A few top juniors are DB Tremayne Ashford and LB James McLean. Senior Nydarion Blackwell is a talented QB with a strong arm and steady feet.  Other top seniors include RB Josiah Robinson TE Damon Short and  WR Justin Purvis,


Marlboro County started the 2024 season at Lake Marion on August, 23rd.  



Loris - Greg Mance (220-95) saw his Loris Lions finish 7-3 a year ago.

This year they are led by seniors WR Quantez Dyson (5-10, 170), DL Mark Miller (6-2, 240), and DL Javon Johnson (5-11, 220).  

The junior leaders are WR Jacobien Lewis (6-3, 170), DL Damarera Thurmond (6-3, 310), and TE Landon Connor (6-0,230). Two impact sophomores are RB Makel Stephens (5-6, 195) and RB Roderick Purcha (5-7, 165).  

Loris will begin the 2024 season hosting Green Sea Floyds on August, 23rd.

Aynor--At Aynor High things are progressing, the team reached the playoffs, and the team is should be better this season.  The Blue Jackets head football coach Jason Allen is making changes towards that goal. 

 

On offense, senior Austin Tanyika (6-3, 260) OL is a good leader and on defense senior Matthew Kerby LB is the leader.

Aynor opened the 2024 season on August, 23rd at Aiken. 

 

 

 Region 6-AAA Prediction

 1. Oceanside Collegiate

 2. Hanahan

 3. Battery Creek

 4. Orangeburg Wilkinson

 5. North Charleston


 Oceanside Collegiate Moves Up To AAA Focused On More State Titles

 

Oceanside Collegiate - Head coach Chad Wilkes has a solid cast returning from the championship team and feels his 2024 squad can be a contender for the state championship. But, in mid-August, the coach felt his team was a little behind in terms of being ready to compete in games.


“We haven’t been bad but we have not executed at the level that we are used to playing at,” Wilkes said. “Just not hitting on all cylinders on either side of the ball. But we know what our potential is. We know we have the talent to compete. What’s important is how we execute and perform in November.” Offensively, sophomore quarterback Aidan Manavian returns after leading the team in the postseason run as a freshman. Top receivers Will Virgilio and Gavin Gaspar also return with transfer Payton Shaw adding to the mix.


Handling most of the running game will be junior Terrence Johnson and sophomore James O’Connor. Three starters return on the offensive line in Mike Jones, Carson Lee and Charlie Bean.


Jones also rates as a key player on the defensive line, joined by returning all-state end Sawyer Arnold, Travis Anderson and Joey Harriot.


Max Moorman, AJ Zarzaca and Gabe Gilchrist are the early starters at linebacker. Grayson Freeling is a fourth-year starter at safety and corner Nate Sturm returns.



HANAHAN – The Hanahan High School football team captured a region crown in 2023 and has its sights set on another one this fall.

“I can’t put a number on it, but I do think we have a team that can be really good,” second-year Hawks coach Milan Turner said. “I think we’ve got a quality team, a team that can be competitive. For us, it’s about improving day to day and week to week, and figuring out who we are as we go along.”


The Hawks opened up with a 28-26 loss to visiting Philip Simmons Friday, Aug. 23. After Philip Simmons, the Hawks travel to Wando Friday, Aug. 30, and host rival Bishop England Friday, Sept. 6. They complete the non-region slate with clashes against Lucy Beckham, Timberland and Andrews.


Among the standout Hawks returning are 2023 all-region selections quarterback Julius Hippenstiel, receiver Dru Goldsmith and lineman Antwain Mitchell. Hippenstiel threw for more than 1,900 yards as a sophomore and Goldsmith hauled in 60 passes for 972 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior. Mitchell, a senior, is one of the leaders in an experienced group of players in the trenches, and also carried in a touchdown from six yards out against the Iron Horses.


Another notable player coming back is senior athlete Javatre Shepard, who Turner calls his “MacGyver.” Shepard will get touches out of the backfield, at receiver and as a leader in the secondary. Shepard rolled up 200 total yards rushing and receiving against Philip Simmons, scoring twice.


“I was really proud of how quickly our kids grew up and jelled last year,” Turner said. “We were playing our best football at the end of the year, which is when you want to be playing your best.”

Laurence Manning baseball, softballt teams having trremedous seasons

By Dennis Brunison hssr.com Associate Editor • April 18, 2025
Lady 'Cats gearing up for another run at SCISA AAAA state title

Emerald Baseball Focused On Strong Finish In Pursuit Of play-off Berth

By Billy Baker • April 18, 2025
By Billy G. Baker Publisher Greenwood — Emerald head baseball coach Mack Hite knew if he could ever get talented freshman Beau Hite back on the mound that his confidence would be restored and positive things would emerge. Hite has been able to bat all season, but an injury prevented him from pitching until recently. “Beau has been able to throw an inning here and there recently, and he had a big strike out against a highly regarded prospect at Laurens who is going to Georgia. Big moments like that have helped him get his confidence back,” said Coach Hite. “It has also helped him increase his hitting average at the plate also.” Hite is now batting .438 with 9 RBI’s, including five doubles and a triple. Hite also has 8 stolen bases. He is a three-sport athlete at Emerald where excels in football and basketball also. One bit of recent bad news for the team was losing the pitching services of LHP and PC commitment Tucker Meredith . “He is still able to play a position and bat, so not all is loss,” said Coach Hite. Other top hitters to date for the Vikings include freshman Ethan Metts at .375 along with sophomore Eli Swancey who is at .400 with five TBI’s including an excellent .978 fielding percentage. Finn Howard is at ,367 with four RBI’s while junior Aaron Polly is hitting .351 with 9 RBI’s. Freshman Coleman Marino is at .360 with six RBI’s. With Meredith off the rubber, Hite, Howard, Marino, and Swancey have all stepped up to share pitching duties. Howard has become the work horse and he is 2-1 with 32 K’s in 28.2 innings of work. As of April, 11 the Vikings were in 5 th place in the region. “I think as competitive as our region has been this season, with so many good teams, that we should have a good case to possibly qualify for an at-large play-off berth,” said Coach Hite. “In the mean time we just need to keep playing with grit and toughness and win as many games as we can. “We have been hitting well is spurts, but we can’t seem to get a timely hit with runners in scoring position,” said Coach Hite. “Hopefully our luck will change as we enter a crucial part of our schedule.” The team had seven games left as of April, 14 when they played at Ware Shoals . Hey have region games against Westside on April 15 and 17. They next play region games against Laurens on April 22 and 24 before hosting Abbeville on the 30 th . They close out the season at home against Ware Shoals on May, 1. Emerald Softball Very Young This Season  Tiaria Agnew is in her fourth season as the Emerald High girls’ softball coach and her team is very young and rebuilding this season. The Lady Vikings are made up of one 7 th grader, three 8 th graders, two freshmen, one sophomore, three juniors and just two seniors so a youth movement has certainly hit the program. The team was 5-3, 2-6 entering the final two weeks of the season. They recently had two confidence wins over Southside (16-1, 20-0). The young team is being led by senior LHP Bria Jones, sophomore Paydyn Stafford and freshman utility athlete Caitlyn Hackett.

Dorchester softball team having a great season

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • April 18, 2025
Raiders off to an 11-4 start as SCISA AA state playoffs draw near

Spring sports hitting the final stretch of regular season play

By Billy Baker • April 18, 2025
Spring sports hitting the final stretch of regular season play By David Shelton Senior Writer Lake City – Don’t look now but the 2025 spring sports season is nearly over and the athletes at Carolina Academy are prepping for the stretch drive. The spring has been a mixed bag of success to date but all of the teams are looking to finish strong. The baseball team has had a tough go, winning four of their first 15 games. Several losses were close games so the team has been competitive at times. On the mound, getting work are Walker McCutcheon, Bennett Mathews, Hampton Kirby Ryker Rhodes and Ryan Cox . McCutcheon, Rhodes and Matthews have seen time behind the plate as well. Kirby has seen time at short, along with Matthews, while Parker Miles , Carson Hanna and Holden Carsten are seeing time at the corner infield positions. Cox, Tanner Floyd and Kingston Cox are working in the outfield. The boys golf team has had some success this spring and will be playing in the SCISA state tournament on April 26 th in Conway. The Bobcats played in the region tournament on April 10.  The team has a bevy of seniors who are playing in the top group. Seniors include Thomas McDaniel, Cam Porter, Mason Huggins, Michael Wyatt, Blanding Franks, Jamison Andrews and Drake Morri s . Also playing are Landon Crosby , eighth-grader Grady Long , and seventh-graders Braeden Morris and Kohl Elmore . The Carolina Academy softball team has had better luck so far this season, winning nine of their first 12 games to put them in contention for a region title. Coach Scotty Philips felt his team had what it takes to challenge for a state championship if things continue to progress. “I see a lot of potential with this team but they have to focus and continue to work,” Phillips said. 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. Rounding out the varsity roster this season are Katherine Holiday, Lexi McCutcheon, Sarah Emma Garris, Savannah McCUtcheon, Jennifer Vargas and Hannah Grace Matthews.

Panthers enter HIT as region champs

By Roger Lee • April 18, 2025
Max Poulakis has been key to Pinewood’s success this season as a pitcher, infielder and batter.

Baseball, softball struggling this spring

By David Shelton • April 18, 2025
By David Shelton Senior Writer Bennettsville - The 2025 season has been a rough ride for the baseball and softball teams at Marlboro County High . With the top four teams in each region of Class AAA qualifying for the Lower State playoffs, both of Marlboro County’s teams are in jeopardy of not making the cut. Both need a strong finish in the remaining region 6-AAA games to earn their postseason opportunity.  The baseball team has been a regular in the postseason and was expected to be a top four team in the region this spring. As of April 7, the Bulldogs were 2-8 overall with three of those early losses by two runs or less. Coach Ryan Pierce has mixed and matched his lineup this season, searching for the right combination of players that can yield success. Senior Cam Hunt is arguably the top overall player on the roster as a shortstop and pitcher. Tristan Quick plays mostly third base and is another arm on the mound. Others who have seen time on the mound include Zach Hardee and J ameson Bradshaw . Hardee also does work defensively as a corner infielder. Patrick Stubbs mans centerfield in most games while Layton Chavis handles most of the catching duties. Jayden Chavis plays second base while Ty Kickery , Tim Sloan and Landon Sweatt are working primarily in the outfield. Justin Haithcock and Khalil Sloan have seen time as the designated hitter, and Greir Norris has spot time at first base. Rounding out the roster are RJ Hale, Coy Preston and Jake Sloan . Entering the first full week of April, the Marlboro County softball team was 0-7 in region play and 3-13 overall. In recent years the Bulldogs have been region title contenders but have not been able the get it going this spring. One player who is playing at a high level is sophomore shortstop Addison Skipper , who is hitting .618 with five homeruns and 15 runs batted in through 15 games. Sophomore Ruthie Grooms hit .344 with nine RBI in the first 15 games while junior centerfielder Amir Bridges is hitting ,316 on the season. Eighth-grader Kaylee Sweatt is hitting ,296 and senior Abby Quick is hitting .286.

KNIGHTS BASEBALL GROWING STRONGER

By Gerald Doolittle • April 18, 2025
BY: GERALD DOOLITTLE Contributing Writer Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. – The W.W. King Academy Knights coached by Brian Kneece heads into Spring break with an 5-4 overall record. The Knights still have regular season games left with Greenwood Christian, Ridge Spring-Monetta and Wardlaw Academy. After the regular season games SCISA Region 3-A will have a Region tournament at Richard Winn on 4/21 and at W.W. King on 4/22. With a win over Wardlaw Academy to close the regular season the Knights will have a 4-2 region record which will give them second place behind Richard Winn Academy. The Knights offense has been sparked by Casen Buzhardt (so), Elijah Hutto (so), Joshua Oswald (fr) and Greyson Rikard (fr). These four are followed by Colton Buzhardt (sr) and Zed Watkins (jr). Casen leads with a batting average of .393 and 8 RBIs. And 10 runs scored. Hutto has a batting average of .375, 4 RBIs and 14 runs scored. Oswald has a batting average of .375, 4 RBIs and 8 runs scored. Rikard has a batting average of .375, 8 RBIs and 5 runs scored. Rikard also has 2 home runs. Landen Anderson (so) has four hits that has resulted in 9 RBIs. One of those hits was a home run. Leading the base running stats is Hutto with 14 stolen bases followed by Colton Buzhardt with 6 stolen bases. Oswald follows with 5 and Casen with 4.  Hutto leads the pitching staff with 28 Ks followed by Colton and Casen Buzhardt with 17 each.

With Spring Break Over Gaffney Softball Focused On AS Winning Streak

By Billy Baker • April 18, 2025
By Billy G. baker Publisher Gaffney —The Gaffney Lady Indians softball team went into Spring break at 10-7, and in sixth place in a very competitive AAAAA region, and head coach Maddie Pruitt is very focused on the team having a strong finish to the 2025 season over the next two weeks. “We are coming off Spring break well rested and we are ready to go to work and we are looking forward to finishing the regular season on a high note so we can ride into the playoffs the first week of May with a lot of momentum,” said Coach Pruitt. “We play all the region teams we faced in the first half of the season over the next two weeks. It will be a busy time and our focus is to work hard and have success.” One setback to the team was an injury to talented 8 th grade infielder Maysen Byars who was hitting .514 at the time of her injury. Maysen played second and third base for me and she is a solid infielder and we will miss her so much,” said Coach Pruitt. Over the Spring break Brooklyn Jennings committed to play softball at USC Union . Senior Dacy Phillips has signed with North Greenville and Korbyn Lydia is headed to USC Upstate. Both Phillips and Lydia have been a key part of the Gaffney softball program for five seasons including junior varsity. The team’s ace pitcher this season has been sophomore Ashley Caraway who has a record of 5-2 with an ERA of 2.70. caraway has worked 46 innings in the circle with 41 strike-outs. The leading hitters for Gaffney have been junior Kourtney Caraway who is batting .442. Sophomore Ashley Caraway is batting .405. Lydia is batting .378 and Jennings is at .333. Dacy Phillips is batting .250 and playing solid defense “Dacy has been barreling balls up and good during her at bats, but it’s been right at the defense,” said Coach Pruitt. “Hopefully, she will have a strong finish to the season.” Gaffney has played a very competitive schedule this season and they have defeated some talented teams among their 10 victories. They have wins over: ALA (15-5), Legion Collegiate (7-3), Seneca (4-3), Oceanside Collegiate (6-1), Greenville (14-1 & 5-2), Riverside (7-3), and Wade Hampton (9-2).  Gaffney will play at Spartanburg on April,15 then travel to Eastside the next day before hosting Byrnes on April, 18. The Indians host Boiling Springs on April, 21 and Riverside on April 22. Gaffney is at Dorman on April, 25 before hosting Wade Hampton on April, 29. Chapman comes to Gaffney on April, 30 and then the Indians close out the regular season at home against Eastside on May, 2.

James Island spring sports racking up the wins in 2025

By David Shelton • April 18, 2025
James Island spring sports racking up the wins in 2025 By David Shelton Senior Writer James Island – There has been winning aplenty for the James Island Charter spring sports teams through the first two weeks of April. The move from Class AAAA to AAAAA has not been as difficult as some predicted as several James Island teams are contending for region 8-AAAAA championships. The girls and boys soccer teams are in the thick of the race as the regular season winds down. The girls soccer team won their first six region contests and won 11 of their first 13 matches overall. The boys soccer team is off to a 5-1 start in region play, winning 10 of their first 14 contests overall. Lacrosse continues to grow and gather strength as a relatively new sport at the school. The boys team sits at 9-6 as of April 12 with just a few games remaining. The girls team went 5-10 in their first six weeks of the season. Leading the effort on the girls team is senior Mary Katherine Williams , who has scored 48 goals with six assists. Senior Emma McFall has tallied 20 goals while sophomore Lane Hobey has added 11 goals. Senior Reece Bertschy has nine assists to go with her 10 goals. The softball team is in a little rebuild this spring but has still competed well overall. The Trojans split their first six region games, losing to the top three teams in the region – Summerville, Fort Dorchester and West Ashley. Senior first baseman/pitcher Mary Davis Hancock leads the team in hitting with a .405 batting average. She has eight runs batted in as well while logging 54 innings inside the circle. Senior outfielder Rachel Manchester is hitting .350 and sophomore Caroline Jaruzel is hitting .300 while also working 32 innings as a pitcher. The team’s top returning hurler, sophomore Gracie Sue Billings , has not pitched this season after winning nine games last season.  The baseball team is one of the state’s top five teams in AAAAA and will enter the playoffs seeking a second consecutive state championship. They won the AAAA state title in 2024. The Trojans are 9-0 in region play and 14-3 overall entering spring break (April 13). A devastating and productive top of the lineup has been as advertised. Senior catcher Stow Rogers , junior shortstop Taj Marchand , senior third baseman Jake Amman and sophomore second baseman Trip Ostergard have blistered opponents with each hitting near or better than .400. First baseman Finn Pratt , a first-year starter, also is off to a solid start offensively as is junior outfielder Connor Dantzler . Marchand and Ostergard also have been key performers on the mound, along with senior Collin Anderson and sophomores Dawson Belder and Cooper Jones.

Barnwell Softball Starting Three talented 7th Graders From Ponytails World Championship Team From Last Summer

By Billy Baker • April 18, 2025
Barnwell Softball Starting Three talented 7 th Graders From Ponytails World Championship Team From Last Summer  By Billy G. Baker Publisher Barnwell -Last summer an 11–12-year-old Ponytails softball rec team, from Barnwell County, earned their way to the World Series finals, held in Louisiana, and the team ended up winning a national Championship. Three members of that team are now 7 th grade starters on the Barnwell Warhorse softball team head coached by Michael Beasley, who has nearly 30 years of high school softball coaching experience. “Even in my 22- plus years at Blackville-Hilda I would occasionally have a 7 th grader on the varsity but none of them ever started,” said Coach Beasley. “For us to have three 7 th graders starting, and I mean they are also major contributors, is really amazing I will tell you that.” The top hitter on the entire team is 7 th grade shortstop/pitcher/catcher Kinsey Terrapin who is batting .577 as the team went into Spring break on April, 14. Shalayah Badger is a 7 th grader who is a shortstop/pitcher/catcher and she is batting .500. The other 7 th grade starter is 3 rd baseman Genesis Walker who is batting .417 . “All three of these players have been playing softball for a long time and it is a first- time situation for me to have three 7 th grade starters on a varsity team,” said Coach Beasley. “Kinsley is a natural born hitter and she has had a hot bat all season. Genesis is versatile and she likes playing several positions, but we use her mainly at 3 rd base. Shalayah’s speed and strength for a 7 th grader is quite impressive and she is the fastest player we have on the team.” Barnwell has entered Spring break (13-3, 10-0) and they won the region once again and they have won 29 straight region games in a row going back to the 2022 season. “We feel fortunate to have got all our region games out of the way before Spring break,” said Coach Beasley. “We scheduled a lot more games this season so we have an opportunity to face good pitching by playing 8 non-region games after the break. “We will be playing quality teams like Saluda , Colleton County , Branchville , and Silver Bluff after our Spring break, and we will be playing all 8 games over a two- week period,” said Coach Beasley. “What is also nice about the way we have set things up is that we have five days to prepare for our first home playoff game after we conclude our regular season.” The rudder of the team is senior pitcher Jaidyn Devore who has signed a softball scholarship with Howard University . In her senior season, Devore is currently 6-3 with 92 K’s in 47 innings in the circle with a sterling 0.74 ERA. At the plate she is batting .265 with 13 RBI’s and two home runs. Over her long career in the Barnwell softball program, Devore has 538 career K’s, has pitched 14 no-hitters, and four perfect games in 280 innings in the circle. Her career record is 38-15. “Jaidyn has been a hard worker and very focused player over her entire career at Barnwell,” said Coach Beasley. “She’s battle tested and playing very well in her senior season. “ Sophomore Laney Grubbs is an outfielder number two pitcher for the Warhorses. She went into Spring break batting .436 with 11 RBI’s. In the circle, Grubbs is 3-0 with 21 K’s in 12 innings of work with an ERA of 2.92. “I consider Laney a next level prospect and she is one of our team leaders despite being just a sophomore,” said Coach Beasley. “Everything she does is for the team.” Starting sophomore second baseman, Molly Wilson has a nick name she certainly likes. “We call her “Hitting Machine”,” said Coach Beasley. “She rarely strikes out and she always puts the ball in play.” Senior starting third baseman Brooklyn Gordon is one of three seniors on the team. She is an all-region returner who is currently batting .389 with 10 RBI’s. Sophomore Kendall O’Berry starts in center field and she is currently batting .375 with 11 RBI’s and she leads the team with three doubles. “She is a gold glove type center fielder,” said Coach Beasley. Junior Brianna Croft has been the starting catcher the past two seasons and she comes into the break hitting .278 with 8 RBI’s. “Brianna is probably our best bunter and she makes good contact with the ball.” said Coach Beasley. Abigail Corley is a three starter in right field and she in also a returning all-region player from last season. She is currently batting .241 with 7 RBI’s. Two key reserves who round out the 13-player roster are junior Shaelyn Badger who plays first and third base along with junior Layla Bishop who is an outfielder. “With our young players maturing so quickly this season, and as well as we have been hitting the ball lately, we are certainly hoping for a deep play-off run,” said Coach Beasley. “We have averaged 13 hits a game over our last games. “Our pitching is solid and deep also,” said Coach Beasley. “We hope playing 8 non-region games over the final two weeks of the season will expose us to some good pitching and get us ready for the playoffs.” Rick Arnold is an assistant coach for the team.
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