Two Win State Championships for B-L

By: Jay Hendrix

           Two Batesburg-Leesville track and field athletes brought home state championships in the Class AA championships last month. Junior Ja’Quan Corley and Freshman Kiera Frye each won the championship in discus. Corley led the boys team to a 15^th place finish with his winning throw of 47.9 meters. In 2023 Frye placed sixth with her sister Keiley Frye placing second. Frye’s winning throw of 37.69 meters helped the Panthers to a 16^th place finish. Frye also placed fourth in the shot put. Kirsharn “K.D.” Whitt also earned all-state honors with his sixth place finish in the long jump. 

Frye also earned the Region 3-AA female track athlete of the year due to scoring the most points at the region meet after winning both the discus and shot put. Brayan Villaseca-Torres was the boys Region 3-AA male track athlete of the year as he won three individual events at the region meet and was a part of another. Villaseca-Torres won the 800 meters (2:08.58), the 1,600 meters (4:50.18) and the 3,200 meters (11:02.85) and was part of the 4x800 team what won with a time of 8:50.03 along with Wyatt Dismukes, Sawyer Ringer and Cade Long. Ringer also won the pole vault at the region meet.

The boys soccer team which claimed the Region 3-AA championship advanced to the third round of the Class AA playoffs before falling to Greenville Tech. The Panthers five on the all-region team with Jorge Torres, Tanner Fulmer, Abner Madrid, Angel Madrid and goalkeeper Felipe Juarez-Diaz. In girls soccer the Panthers placed three on the all-region team in Arden Etheredge, Claire Cogdill, and Gloria McKie.

           The B-L baseball team finished the season 19-8 overall as they fell to Gray Collegiate 6-2 in the District Two Championship game. The Panthers fell to Saluda in the playoff opener but bounced back to defeat Liberty 11-1 and Saluda 6-0 to advance to the championship. The Panthers were led by sophomore Braydon Hallman who earned All-State and All-Region 3-AA honors and was also named the Region 3-AA player of the year. At the plate Hallman batted .367 with four home runs, eight doubles and a triple to go with 32 RBI and 19 runs. On the mound Hallman led the team with 58 innings pitched and he compiled a record of 9-1 with60 strikeouts and a 1.086 ERA. Hallman pitched a complete game three hitter in the decisive win over Saluda as he struck out 10.

           Also named All-Region in baseball were Cole Price (.413, 8 doubles, 2 HR, 27 RBI), Gavin Parrish (.337, 11 doubles, 3 HR, 29 RBI), Tanner Watkins (.288, 5 doubles, 15 RBI), Tucker Bolen (4-4 record, 3.098 ERA and 36 K’s) and Carter Bouknight (3-1 record, 1.721 ERA and 29 K’s).

           In golf the Panthers placed 11^th in the Class AA state championship after finishing runner up in Region 3-AA. At the state meet the Panthers posted a score of 698 with Nathan Ott, who earned all-region honors, led the Panthers with a two-day total of 160. At the Region meet Ott placed second with a round of 80. Jackson Shealy was second for the Panthers throughout the season and shot 85 at region and 167 at state. Carson Luckadoo shot 86 at region and 180 at state with Michael Hendrix and Wyatt Hendrix rounding out the Panthers lineup as they alternated between fourth and fifth on the season.

           In softball the Panthers finished 11-14 as they were eliminated in the district playoffs. The Panthers placed three on the all-region team in Riley Bouknight, Zoey Rowe and Kate Shealy. Eighth grader Shealy led the Panthers at the plate as she batted .485 with eight doubles, three triples a home run and 20 RBI. Shealy also pitched for the Panthers and recorded a 4.44 ERA to go with 55 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. Bouknight batted .284 with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 19 RBI to go with being one of the two anchors of the Panthers pitching as she finished with a 5.56 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 63 innings. Rowe batted .349 with five doubles, a triple and 14 RBI. 

           As mentioned last month the boys tennis team won the Region 3-AA championship and placed four players on the all-region team with Hollis Ruff, Gavin Penny, Liam Truitt and Dillon Jordan earning those honors. Ruff, a senior, also represented B-L in the Class AA individual state championship tournament.