Thomas Heyward volleyball aims for strong finish

By David Shelton Senior Writer Ridgeland – Nearing the end of her second season as head coach, Thomas Heyward Academy volleyball coach Alicia Crosby has her 2024 team in a good place. As the regular season winds down, the focus will turn to the upcoming SCISA state playoffs and the Rebels hope to make a postseason splash. As of Oct. 4, Thomas Heyward was 11-3 on the season. “We look forward to a good showing at state,” Crosby says. “This team has a lot of fight and have worked hard in the offseason in the weightroom. We are faster and stronger.” The volleyball program struggled to field a competitive varsity in recent years but it is rebuilding with good numbers from the middle school program to the varsity. Crosby oversees the middle school and junior varsity teams as well. This year’s varsity roster has only two seniors – captains Brooke Smith and Natalie Amerson . Smith is a key middle blocker while Amerson is an outside hitter. Sophomore Errolyn Smith also works in the middle and is a key performer, while junior Cayleigh Smith is an outside hitter. Working at setter are sophomores Olivia Meador and Abaigail Kidwell . Junior Presley Ballagh is the Libero. Rounding out the 2024 squad are junior Abby Rowell , junior Abigail Hansen , sophomore Cadence Graham , and sophomore Cayden Keiffer . Football Update Another team aiming for a strong playoff run in the football team. The Rebels won four of their first five games, losing only to Williamsburg Academy by two points. The running game continues to excel offensively. Quarterback Tony O’banner has 681 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. He averages 10.8 yards per carry. Colton Young has added nearly 200 yards and Nicholas Robinson is closing in on 300 yards after five games. Eli McLemore is the team’s leading receiver with nine catches. Linebacker Beau Pinckney leads a strong defensive team effort with 43 tackles and six tackles for loss. Angus Crider has tallied 32 tackles and Mitchell White has 36 total hits. Dawson Drew , Kelan Fripp and Josh Gibson also rate as key defensive performers.

NETC Male Student Athlete of the Month: Dillon Christian's Jackson Outlar

NETC Female Student Athlete of the Month: Dillon Christian's Molly Andrews

Oceanside Collegiate's senior WR Gavin Gaspar

By David Shelton Senior Writer Pamplico – Building quality depth is difficult, even more so on the Class A level where numbers are significantly thinner than those at the bigger schools. Hannah-Pamplico head football coach Trey Woodberry has worked hard to establish some consistent, dependable second and third-team personnel but has not been very successful. Nonetheless, the Raiders’ starting 22 has been pretty good, winning four of their first six games. But a key injury at a key position has Woodberry hoping for improved health before the end of the season. “I would put our starting 22 up against any team in Class A,” the coach said. “When the right guys are on the field, we are as competitive as any team. But, some of those go both ways and it’s tough at times. We’ve tried to get some other guys some experience but we’re not there yet. The other option is stay healthy.” In the Raiders’ loss to Lake View on Oct. 4, their first region loss of the schedule, Hannah-Pamplico lost veteran starting quarterback Wade Poston early in the second half. The game was tied 7-7 at the half but the offense stagnated and the result was a 31-7 loss. “We need Wade on the field for us to be effective but we’re going to have to work without him for a few weeks,” Woodberry said. “We couldn’t do anything offensively with Wade out. They put nine in the box to stop the run and we just didn’t have an answer.” Poston, through five and a half games, has passed for 750 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for nearly 400 yards and six scores. The heavy lifting in the run game falls on all-state candidate Jamarcus Williams , who has rushed for 887 yards and six touchdowns. He also is an effective receiver. Another key performer is two-way starter Tylin Jenkins , who plays receiver and cornerback. He leads the team in receptions (15) and yards (298) and has been a lockdown corner, according to Woodberry. Starters along the offensive line include returning starters Mason Hanna , Will Faulkenberry , Brandon Cox and Dewey Kimbrough . Faulkenberry is a fourth-year varsity player and Hanna is a third-year starter. Avery Lyerly and Khi Brown also get reps. Cox, a linebacker as well, has been a leader defensively. The Raiders have region games remaining with Green Sea Floyds (Oct. 11), Latta (Oct. 25) and Hemingway (Nov. 1). They have a bye on Oct. 18. The hope is that Poston can return by the Latta game, which could decide second-place in the region standings.

By WORTHY EVANS Contributing Writer Columbia - Well into SCISA Region 4A competition, Hammond football is hitting all of its marks. The Skyhawks’ dominance was in full view Friday at homecoming, when the perpetual SCISA 4A state champions handled 2023 state runner-up Laurence Manning 65-14 at Edens Stadium. Quarterback Andrew Turner led the Skyhawks (6-0, 3-0) with 200 yards passing, two touchdowns through the air and two more on the ground. He needed just 10 completed passes to give Hammond a decided edge. Five Skyhawk rushers had 181 yards and six touchdowns. Aspen Brooks hit a field goal and defender Preston Springs pounced on a loose ball in the end zone after a high snap on a punt. “It was exciting to see the execution offensively and defensively,” Skyhawks head coach Jon Wheeler said. “You’ve got to hand it to their offensive coordinator Patrick Anderson , he did a heck of a job with shifts and motions, different formations and they made some good plays, but I feel like our defense handled it well for the most part. I’m very proud of our guys.” The Skyhawks essentially knocked out an opponent early in the game, but Wheeler said that the final score concealed the need for the team to grow and gel for the postseason. “There were a couple of drives where we hurt ourselves defensively, there’s some execution stuff that we can clean up defensively,” Wheeler said. “Offensively, we’ve got to punch it in early, instead of a field goal. But you know, not too many complaints about that. After that, it was boom-boom-boom. I’m very proud of them.” Hammond outscored opponents 300-92 this season, with four games to go. The Skyhawks face Augusta Christian Friday, travel to Northwood Academy Oct. 18, Ben Lippen Oct. 25, and are at Cardinal Newman Nov. 1. In cross country , the Hammond girls are running strong behind sophomore Megan Joye and junior Emme Crosland . Joye and Crosland led the girls team to a fifth-place finish in the Skyhawk Invitational Aug. 17, with Crosland finishing in fourth place with a time of 19 minutes, 31.0 seconds and Joye finishing sixth with a time of 19:34.06. The boys finished the event in 10 th place with sophomore Charlie Webb as top finisher with a 28 th -place time of 18:27.72. At the Lake Murray Invitational Sept. 21, the girls took 19 th place and the boys finished 22nd. Joye was the top finisher at 18 th with a time of 19:28.19. Webb finished a team-high 66 th with a time of 17:54.29. The Pelion Invitational Sept. 25 th was a pleasant surprise for both teams. The girls finished third and the boys finished ninth. Joye took second place with a time of 20:07.47, followed by junior Crosland at sixth with a 20:33.36 time. Webb led the boys with a 10 th -place finish at 18:02.05 . “Last night was a really good night for the girls, and Charlie had a great finish in a really big race,” head coach Noelle Schuch said.” The girls team finished fifth and the boys finished 11 th in the Highlander Invitational at Heathwood Hall Saturday, a precursor to the SCISA 4A state meet that will be held at the school Oct. 26. Before then the Skyhawks will run in a region meet Oct. 15.

Gaffney's senior DB Jayden Sims

Dutch Fork senior WR, K.J. Smith looking for more yardage.

Christ Church junior WR Jude Hall