The Northwood Academy Girl’s Remain Undefeated In region With 42-29 Win Over Porter-Gaud
Billy Baker • January 16, 2025
Northwood Academy HC Ginnell Curtis with Alyvia Tocco, Rylan Dundon, and Maliyah Birch.
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Summerville—Clinging to a 20-18 half-time lead, the Northwood Academy Girl’s basketball team stepped up their defense in the second half, as the Lady Chargers (8-6) went on to claim their second region win of the season, 42-29 over Porter-Gaud on Jan.,14.
The Chargers prepared for their region schedule with a very competitive non-region schedule losing games to bigger respected public schools including Westside High, Bishop England, Ashley Ridge, and Oceanside Collegiate. Their other two losses were against Trinity-Collegiate.
Besides P-G, Northwood has defeated Hanahan, ACA, Cathedral, Stratford, Ben Lippen, PCA, and John Paul II.
Veteran Northwood Academy head coach, Ginnell Curtis talked about her half-time adjustments after the win over the Cyclones. “We pressed a little more and that gave us a spark in the second half and I told the team that I felt like Porter-Gaud had out-hustled us in the first half,” said Coach Curtis. “We picked up the tempo also and that helped us play better.
“We like having balanced scoring and this makes us a better well-rounded team,” said Coach Curtis. “We always try to schedule a tough early season schedule to get us ready for region and the play-offs,” said Coach Curtis. “Even though playing a tough schedule got us some losses, I feel we will benefit from the competition down the line. Our goal is to win region and be playing for a state championship at the end of the season.”
The Chargers placed two players in double figures against P-G as talented sophomore combo-guard Maliyah Birch scored 15 points followed by junior small forward Alyvia Tocco who had 11 points. Senior center Rylan Dundon also contributed 8 points while also pulling down numerous rebounds during the game.
To date, Birch leads the teams with a 16.4 points per game average. Birch also is grabbing 5.8 rebounds per game along with 5.3 assists and 4.6 steals a game. Tocco is averaging 7.3 points and 6.6 rebounds a game. Senior shooting guard Nevaeh Mathews played in the game with a tender ankle and she is averaging 7.3 points, 2.4 assists and 2.3 steals a game. Dundon is averaging 6.7 points and 5.9 rebounds a game.
Northwood out-scored P-G 12-2 in the third period to take a 32-20 lead into the final period. The entire starting line-up for the Chargers scored in the third period. Ava Reyes scored first on a short jumper, Birch made two free-throws and later drained the net on a nice shot off the dribble. Tocco scored an inside move and Dundon scored on a put-back shot in the paint.
Senior center Ella Grace Ishie also played well as an inside player against the Cyclones and she is averaging 4.3 points and 5.3 rebounds a game coming into her team’s away game at First Baptist this Friday night.
McKenzie Sellers and Charlotte Speights paced P-G with 8 points each. Head P-G coach Chris Evans missed the game. Assistant coach Dynasty Heyward filled in for Coach Evans.
Some other hard-working members of the Northwood team include: 8th grade guard Lauren Cosman, freshman Sarah Font, junior forward Isabella Heaton, senior forward Brielle Johnson.
By Billy G. Baker Publisher Bamberg —The Class AA HSSR third ranked Barnwell Warhorses and the Class A Bamberg - Ehrhardt Raider baseball teams have both already won region titles, and they will both host four-team district play-offs in early May, so they met in a play-off tune-up game on Tuesday night with Barnwell winning 12-1. The two teams also met on April, 9 with Barnwell prevailing 3-0 in that game. Barnwell senior ace pitcher Cameron Austin, a five time all-region and four-time all-state honoree , improved his record to 5-2 on the season working five innings against the Raiders. Austin had six K’s and allowed only four hits. On the season, Austin has worked 39.1 innings with 58 K’s with a 1.23 ERA. The top hitters for Barnwell in the win were outfielder Tommy Reid with two hits, while Austin collected three RBI’s and scored two runs. Three players, Hayden Pierce, senior catcher Kaleb McCormack, and third baseman Trey Boleman , each had one hit and one RBI respectively . Carl Hines added a hit also. Bamberg was hampered by giving up 10 walks and four errors during the game. The Raiders were led at the plate by left-fielder Weston Stokes who went 2-of- three. He also saw late action on the mound. The team’s other two hits came from second baseman Dakota Black and center fielder Brent Amaker . The starting pitcher for B-E was Cooper Sandifer who worked 4.2 innings, giving up three hits with six K’s. After the game, Barnwell head coach Cody McCollum shared some thoughts with the HSSR. “We always have a good chance of winning with Cameron on the mound, especially when he is throwing strikes, and the guys are playing good defense behind him; and we are swinging the bats well,” said Coach McCollum, who played baseball at Barnwell where he graduated in 2012. “They walked a lot of guys tonight and that helped us too. “Winning the region was something I talked about with the boys at the beginning of the season because I felt like this team was good enough to go undefeated in the region,” said Coach McCollum. “We fell a little short last year, losing a region game to Edisto, and that stuck in the back of our heads, and this year our expectation was to go 10-0 in the region. “Our other internal goal is to win at least 20 games before the playoffs start and we are 18-4 right now, with four games left,” said Coach McCollum. “We need to win at least two more. We play Batesburg - Leesville tomorrow, (April, 23), South Aiken twice next week, and Woodland one more time. We are going to try hard to get two more wins.” Coach McCollum said that Austin, batting .468 with 26 RBI’s and six home runs, has played more third base, when not pitching this season. “Before I came back to Barnwell last year, I was at Hampton, and I had to coach against him, and I glad he is now on my team. He’s a very good player.” Coach McCollum said Barnwell has relied on Austin, and three other seniors for most of the load this season. “We have a sophomore and a freshman starting in the middle, and we have two sophomore starters in the outfield, and a junior started in center field tonight,” said Coach McCollum. “We are kind of young and old at the same time. “The other seniors are Kaleb McCormack , our catcher, who has improved his hitting this season along with and Trey Boleman who started at third tonight and Hayden Pierce was at first tonight, and he hit a double off the wall. Kaleb is a very good on defense behind the plate and we feel good about him, behind the plate, regardless of who is pitching.” Case Davis is a freshman starting shortstop with a .411 batting average. Pierce is at .390 and McCormick is at .289 with 16 RBI’s and a .999 fielding percentage. Joe Huggins is the DH and he is hitting .367. Sophomore Dakota Black starts at second. Tommy Reid is a junior center fielder currently batting .333. Vincent Gibson is a sophomore in the outfield for Barnwell. Jax Mead is a sophomore starting at second base. Caiden Roland is the sophomore starting right fielder. Some additional Barnwell pitching depth has come from, Pierce (5-0, 35 K’s, ERA 2.54), along with Bradley Richardson (2-0, 9 K’s), Boleman (26-K’s) and Davis (24 K’s with a 1.07 ERA). After the game, Bamberg Ehrhardt (8-6) head coach Gene Schwarting told the HSSR, “We have three 8 graders who start for us, two 9 th graders, one sophomore, a junior and two seniors so for the most part we are a young team,” said Coach Schwarting. “Our two seniors, Weston Stokes and Brent Amaker are co-captains” Stokes is the team’s number one pitcher. Stokes started in left against Barnwell and batted lead-off. Amaker started in center and batted third. Nasi Singleton, an 8 th grader , will typically start in the outfield and Garrett Wade usually starts at third base. Chip Brewer, or Stokes, will start at short and Dakota Black is at second while 8 th grader Chase Collins holds down first. Asiel Graham is usually the starting B-E catcher, backed up by Davis Ehrhardt . Singleton is the top hitter for the Raider at .477 and 8 RBI’s. Stokes is at .410 and 12 RBI’s. Black is third on the hit index at .333 and 15 RBI’s. Other top hitters include: Amaker (.317 with 17 RBI’s & a HR), Wade (.306 & 10 RBI’s) along with Cooper Sandifer (.300 & five RBI’s). Stokes has 26 innings pitched with 48 K’s. Sandifer has worked 22.1 innings on the mound with 38 K’s, and Brewer has 14 innings pitched to date with 25 K’s. “In terms of our pitching this season, it has been pretty good, but at times it has also been like a roller- coaster,” said Coach Schwarting. “We will pitch well one game, and not so well the next game. We also need to improve on our timely hitting before we start the play-offs also. “The other night we lost to Orangeburg Prep 6-3, and we left the bases loaded in the second, third, fourth and 5 th innings,” said Coach Schwarting. “”We have to get stronger in our hitting, up and down the line-up, one through nine. “Our pitching has been outstanding, our defense has been solid, and we just need to do a much better job getting hits with runners on base,” said Coach Schwarting, a Bamberg-Ehrhardt graduate now in his 7 th season as the Raiders head coach.
These players are some of the best talent South Carolina has on the softball diamond. Since the switch to fast pitch ball, student athletes playing softball are stepping up to the next level play. We salute these ladies and wish them all the best in the future. (Coaches please Nominate your Players at hsreport@aol.com ) HSSR 2025 SC Senor Softball Prospects 1. Ainsley Bennett-Summerville-P- SC (2 Time Gatorade POY) 2. Maddie Johnson-Aynor-RHP-67 MPH-CLEMSON 3. Sarah Rocheleau-Catawba Ridge-OF-(All-State) CLEMSON 4. Mandy Wells-Clarendon Hall-SS (35 Career HR/.531 career) 5. Melanie Edwards-Summerville-1B- (All-State) UNC-C 6. Ellanie Yarrell-Byrnes-P-C-(’24 R-POY) SC State 7. Abby Driscoll-Summerville-C-(All-State) C of C 8. Jaidyn Devore-Barnwell-P-(538 Career K’s)-HOWARD 9. Maddie Wiant-Byrnes-P-(Mid 60’s)-Winthrop 10. Addison Miller-Oceanside Collegiate-3B—(.468, 30-RBI) TOWSON 11. Maddie Berry-Latta-P-(All-State-65 MPH) Wofford 12. Cierra Grice-Dillon -3B/C-(3X All-State)-PC 13. Kaylee Hannon-Byrnes-P-1B-(5 Yr. Starter) Winthrop 14. Sydney Rollins-Lewisville-CF 15. Larosia Sanders-Colleton County-P/SS-SC State 16. Maddox Long-Gray Collegiate-P/3rd- 17. Peyton Perry-South Florence-P-COKER 18. Laila Landrum-Woodmont-CF/P-USC Upstate 19. Cassidy Neves-Woodmont-OF-(L-L)-USC Aiken 20. Lauren Childress-Woodmont-1B-SMC 21. Kara Davis-Byrnes-CF (L-L) (2X All-Region) Anderson 22. Brooklyn Amble-Byrnes-LF-(All-Region) North Greenville 23. Madison Thieke-Riverside-OF-(.442)-Wofford 24, Ella Sheorn-Lugoff-Elgin-1B-OF- 25. Calli Yount-Clarendon Hall-P 26. Ariana Evans-Sumter-CF- 27. Grace Terry-Oceanside Collegiate-UTIL-(.382/35RBI)COKER 28 Allie Simpson-Dixie-1B-(22 RBI) 29. Grace Terry-Oceanside Collegiate-C-(.382/35 RBI) COKER 30. Carter Shumate-Hartsville-1B-(Academics-SC) .584/24 RBI 31. Laila Landrum-Woodmont-RHP-OF- 32. Jenna Cecere-Mauldin-OF 33. Jaysha McCullough-Hartsville-OF-(current/.622) 34. Jaylin McGee-Easley-RHP 35. Hannah Andrews-Fox Creek-CF (.459,25 RBI) Columbia 36. Blair Elliott-GSF-C- 37. Maggie Harrington-Clarendon Hall-CF 38. Jasmine Grant-Fox Creek-1B-(.351) Lander 39. Hannah Andrews-Fox Creek-CF- (.459/25RBI) 40. 34. Addyson Snellings-Fox Creek-RHP 41. Sydney Rhodes-Sumter-RF- .451 42. Jordyn Miller-Lewisville-C-(.425/4 HR) 43, Alainia Brown-Aynor-SS-LANDERR 44. Ruby Powell-Ridge-Spring-Monetta-C-(.431/18 RBI) 45. Dacey Phillips-Gaffney-1B/3B-North Greenville 46. Claire Eskridge-Pee Dee Academy—OF- 47. Hollie Scott-Lake View-1B-(.403-All-Region) 48. Jaden Jones-Hannah-Pamplico-SS- 49. Riley Rabon-Aynor-C-ERSKINE 50. Hannah Lewis-Aynor-C-ERSKINE Best Of The Rest In 2025 SC Softball Class (No Particular Order) Caroline Gaskins-Aynor-OF-BELMONT ABBEY Savannah Gerald-Aynor-1B-Columbia Inter. Allie Bailey-Hartsville-P-(12-4/2.51/ERA) Brooklyn Moon-Berkeley-C-Chatt St. Reese Watson-Berkeley P— Madison House-Spartanburg-Utiity Lillian Fowler-Dorman-SS Holly Carnes-Branchville-P Janiyah Squire-Ninety-Six-P Emma Timmons-Buford-SS/2B Caroline Plyer-Buford-/B/P (8th grade) Maya Van Zyl-Blythewood-C Emma Timmons-Buford-SS/2B Maya Van Zyl-Blythewood-C HSSR SC Class of 2026 Softball Prospects (Jr.) 1. Caroline Davis-Union County-3B (467 9 HR) 2. Katie Guilliam-Summerville-SS- (.463, 5 HR) MISSOURI 3. Olivia Miller-Indian Land-P-SC (12-4,88-K’s) 4. Myah Harvey-Hartsville-SS-(.583/5/HR) WOFFORD 5. Prestan Schurlknight-Orangeburg-Prep-SS (.756/9HR) Lander 6. Alivia Hess-Aynor-P-(10-1/.48 ERA) Tenn Martin 7. Daphne Frady-Summerville-2B/3B-(.442/14 RBI) 8 Memory Melton-Byrnes-RF-(L-R) Strong Arm 9 Sarah Owens-Lewisville-P-(195 K’s, 1.64 ERA) 10. Korbyn Lydia-Gaffney-SS- (All-State)-USC Upstate 11. Kadence Poston-Hannah-Pamplico-P-WESTERN Car. 12.. Maddie Coward-Pee Dee Academy-P- Wofford 13. Maddie Hutto-Bamberg-Ehrhardt-P-(62-plus) 14. Logan Thomas-Indian Land-C-USC Aiken (.378/4HR) 15. Maliyah Campbell-Woodmont-P/DP-SC State 16. Frances Laughlin-Heathwood Hall-IF/OF-WOFFORD 17. Hailey Carguile-Woodmont-C-USC Union 18. Brooklyn Holmes-Colleton County-IF/CF (.651) 19. Natalie Regan-Riverside-OF-Western Carolina 20. Allie Royer-White Knoll-CF-North Greenville 21. Levi Warran-Lexington-OF- (.500-plus) 22. Emily Geddes-North Augusta-2B-SS-(.357/4HR) 23. Emerson Riddle-Dixie-C-(.630/27RBI) 24. Ariana Evans-Sumter-CF-2024-All-State 25. Addison Price-Dixie-SS-(.448/24 RBI) 26. Hannah Lambrecht-Orangeburg Prep – C 27. Garner Lanford-AC Flora-P/OF-(.463) 28. Hanah Lambrecht-Orangeburg Prep-INF-(.619/14RBI) 29. MaKenzie McElrath-Dixie-P –(All-State) 30. Maliyah Campbell-Woodmont-RHP (10-4) 31. Kylie Wilson-TL Hanna-Catcher 32. Dallas LaChance-Woodland-SS- 33. Saddie Parris-C-Boiling Springs HSSR 2026 Junior Class Best Of The Rest (No Certain Order) Maria Sialmas-Hillcrest-Catcher Kylee Hooker-Wagner-Salley-Pitcher Jadin Dandy-Travelers Rest-CF-All-State Elle Lockhard-Dreher-C (.469) Elena Mathys-Colleton Prep-P-(All-State) Hope Fowler-Greenville-Utility Kinley West-C-Byrnes Mackenzie Bradley-White Knoll-C- Kenzie McCoy-Loris-OF Mia Roseburg-Oceanside- P/SS Annie Storm-AC Flora-CF-(.372) Eryn Wright-Spring Valley-OF/SS-(2027) HSSR Class of 2027 Softball Prospects (Sophomores) 1. Aspen Boulware-Gray Collegiate-INF-(.651 / 40 RBI) 2. Kensley Vicars-Powdersville-INF- (.444 / 27 RBI) 3. Ayla Holmes-North Augusta-C-3B-1B-(.486 / 19 RBI) 4. Addy Waters-Byrnes-2B/SS-2 Yr. Starter 5. Emma Williams-TL Hanna- P-OF 6. Lillie Ivey-Sumter-P-(8-3,1,79ERA) 7. Maddie Loftis-TL Hanna-OF 8. Bailey Ardis-Sumter-C/OF- 9. Key-Lee Jennings-Union County-CF-(.382 / 15 RBI) 10. Summer Knight-Summerville-OF- 11. Taylor Wright-Holly Hill Academy- P (.531 / 20 RBI) 12. Madalyn Tigert-North Augusta 13. Laney Grubbs-Barnwell-P- 14. Mackenzie Melton-North Central-P 15. Kenleigh Epps-Whitmire-P 16. Riley Murphy-Indian Land-OF 17. Brynley Gaa-Legion Collegiate-P-1B 18. Brylie Harpe-Chesterfield-2B- 19. Addison Skipper-Marlboro County-SS-3B top 3 20. Azeleigh Arnette-Pee Dee Academy-2B- HSSR Class of 2028 Softball Prospects (Freshmen) includes Classes of 2029 -2030 (Note: If grade not noted they are 9 th ) 1. Addison Sharp-TL Hanna-RHP-246 K’s, 1.92 ERA 2. Maeven Morino-Summerville-2B-(.447/16RBI) 3. Kinsley Terrapin-Barnwell-SS/P-(.577) 7 th Grade 4. Maeven Moreno-Summerville-Utility- 5. Anna Grace Lee-Union County-RHP-17-3, 220 K’s 6. Tori Smith-Andrew-SS/P (.524) 7. Hanna Davis-TL Hanna-1B- 8. Addison Woodward-Fox Creek-Catcher 9. Garrison Aiken-Byrnes-SS/C/2B - 7th Grade 10. Wren Gaines-Byrnes-C- 8th Grade 11. Shalayah Badger-Barnwell-SS/P/C-(.500) 7th Grade 12. Mindy Veler-White Knoll-OF - 8 th Grade 13. Hanna Coburn-Lake View-2B-(.338/9 RBI) 14. Peyton Summers-Dixie-2B-(.486) 15. Stella Eichhorn-Ware Shoals-P-SS-(.619/16RBI) 16. McKenzi Pearson-Sumter-C-(arm) 17. Pressli Reynolds-AC Flora-P/SS-(.404,6-1) 18. Reece Yelton-Williston-Elko-OF 19. Addison Hasty-Pee Dee Academy-SS- 8th Grade 20. Cayden Crawford-May River-P-(51-K,5-1) 21. Bre Gerad-Colleton County-P/3B- 8th Grade 22. Gracyn Waiksnis-Indian Land-2B-(.395/9SB) 23. Kylie Powell-Powdersville-P-(R-R) 24. Calee Hartzog - Orangeburg Prep - 8th Grade (IF) 25. Josie Mitchum-Woodland-Util.-(.500)
Joshua Smith, Fra'Jon Bennett, Jernee Ford have had strong performances
Lady Saints going after fourth straight state title
Lady Generals have had to do battle with Calhoun, Clarendon Hall and Orangeburg Prep
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Lady Barons have just one senior and one junior on the roster
Bears 11-9 on the season and 5-4 in Region 1-AAA
Raiders being led by senior Colson Loadholt
Indians has won 22 of first 25 games