Panthers Turn Sights to Spring

By: Jay Hendrix

Special to HSSR

Batesburg-Leesville wrapped up the basketball season with both the boys and girls teams finishing fourth in Region 3-AA.  Both teams lost in the first round of the Class AA playoffs as the boys lost at Newberry and the girls fell at Saluda.

The boys basketball team placed two sophomores on the All-Region team as guard Ta’Maj Gilliam and forward JR Stewart were both selected.  Gilliam, who was a preseason All-Region projection, lived up to the hype as he finished the season as the team’s leading scorer with 15.6 points per game to go with 2.4 rebounds per game and 1.3 assists and steals per game.  Stewart emerged during region play as a low post threat as he averaged 8.9 ppg and was second on the team with 4.2 rpg.

For the girls senior forward A’Miracle Singley was the only selection.  Singley led the team in rebounding with 8.8 rpg to go with 5.2 points.  The Panthers leading scorer early in the season Zoey Rowe was lost for the season midway through the year while averaging 9.3 ppg. 

With the weather turning warming Panther fans are turning their attention to the spring sports. 

The only region championship in the spring in 2023 was the boys tennis team which has won back to back region titles.  The Panthers are led by a returning quintet of all-region selections led by Region 3-AA Player of the Year Hollis Ruff who was 11-1 in the regular season and 1-1 in the playoffs.  To go with Ruff, Head Coach William Ash, has Gavin Penny, Liam Truitt, Anthony Holmes Jr. and Riley Kirkland returning after earning all-region honors last season.

Expectations are high for the baseball team, under Rob Bouknight in his 12th season, as they return numerous starters from last season.  Seniors Cole Price and Tucker Bolen return with Price playing shortstop/second base and pitching while Bolen’s versatility will see him in several spots including second base, outfield and pitcher.  Price will split shortstop duties with junior Braydon Hallman, who was all-region last season, who will also pitch and play up the middle.  Senior John Sawyer will anchor first base again with junior Tanner Watkins roaming centerfield with Michael Lorick, Brody Leaphart and Tyler Kneece also seeing action in the outfield.  Gavin Parrish will hold down the hot corner of third base while Preston Smith will start at catcher.  Carter Bouknight will also find time at pitcher with Watkins and Kneece.

In softball Amber Hartley returns for her second season as head coach and will be looking to the veteran leadership of three returning starters; Riley Bouknight, Keslyn Fink and Zoey Rowe.  Bouknight is a junior who will split time between pitcher and third base while Fink, a senior, will play in the middle infield at shortstop and second base.  Rowe, a junior, will play leftfield.  Senior Laiken Brock will take over the starting catching duties for a team that features numerous you players as these four players are the only juniors and seniors on the roster.

The boys soccer team has opened the season 4-0 by outscoring opponents 16-2.  The are led by Abner Madrid who was the Region 3-AA player of the year last season as well as three other returners who were all-region last season, Felipe Juarez-Diaz, Jorge Torres and Tanner Fulmer.  They are joined by Brian Hinson to create a formidable team in Head Coach Logan Koon first season. 

The girls soccer team is coached by the veteran Bob Roudybush who is in his second season leading the girls team.  The girls are young this season but will look to improve with senior goal keeper Reagan Minick, a USC Lancaster signee, leading the way.  Jordyn Cushman was the Panthers only all-region selection last season and will return as a veteran leader to go with a core of Arden Etheredge, Claire Cogdill, Madison Herbert, Kim Balderas-Martinez and Jackie Villaseca-Balderas. 

In golf the Panthers placed 10th in the state and return all-region selection Nathan Ott.  Junior Carson Luckadoo has shown improvement to go with sophomores Jackson Shealy, Wyatt Hendrix.