TheSunNews.com: High School Sports

Georgetown Post 114 takes third place in Florence American Legion tournament

Sun, 27 May 2012 20:52 EDT

• Georgetown (Post 114) 13, Cheraw (Post 62) 10 | At West Florence, Alex McElwee hit a home run and had four RBIs as the Bulldogs took third place in the Florence Post 1 Invitational.

Cheraw	0	3	0	2	4	1	0	–	10	11	7
Georgetown	4	6	0	0	3	0	x	–	13	9	6

• W–Trevor Newbauer (1-0). L–Moe Brantley (0-1). S–Austin Smith (1). Top hitters – Cheraw: Sam Davis 2-4 2 HRs, 4 RBIs; Jack Chandler 2-3 2 RBIs. Georgetown: Alex McElwee 3-4, HR, 4 RBIs; Logan Caulder 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2 runs.

Friday’s area sports briefs

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:43 EDT

Coastal Carolina’s Erica Peake advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in 200 meters Friday, posting a time of 23.58 seconds to finish 14th out of 48 runners in the first round of the NCAA East Preliminary.

Peake, who ran a personal best, will compete in the quarterfinals Saturday with a chance to advance to the national semifinals on the line.

The Chants’ Kierra Gabe tied a personal best of 5 feet, 93/4 inches in the high jump to finish tied for 16th, but failed to advance to the national meet. CCU’s Mary Lawrence ended her season with a tie for 38th in the pole vault (11-113/4).

Minchew resigns as Carolina Forest’s softball coach

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:42 EDT

The Carolina Forest softball team is returning a ton of talent from its 2012 Class AAAA state runner-up season.

The Panthers, however, will be under the direction of a new coach.

Sarah Minchew, who took over the program prior to the 2008 season, said Thursday evening she is moving out of the area. She has resigned as the Carolina Forest coach, as well as her teaching position, effective the end of the school year.

Myrtle Beach’s Sessions named Parade All-American

Tue, 22 May 2012 20:31 EDT

Followers of high school basketball in the area and state are quite familiar with the exploits of Myrtle Beach High senior guard Khadijah Sessions.

Her talents have now gained some national appreciation.

Sessions has been named to the 36th annual Parade Magazine Girls Basketball High School All-America Team.

Hillcrest blanks Carolina Forest to win Class AAAA state softball title

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:18 EDT

The Carolina Forest softball team had the most success in the program’s 14 varsity seasons, and the best season of any team at the school since it moved up from Class AAA to AAAA in 2008-09.

The season came up short of the Panthers’ ultimate goal Monday night at Blythewood High School, however, when they fell 6-0 to Hillcrest to fall two games to one in the Class AAAA state championship series.

But in addition to battling Hillcrest, Carolina Forest may have also been unwittingly battling fate over the past week.

Prep notebook | All-star baseball, softball team members named

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:58 EDT

As expected, the South Carolina All-State softball and baseball teams and the all-star events for both sports have plenty of Grand Strand representation.

In total, 11 different players were named to either the all-state or all-star softball lists, or both.

Carolina Forest and Andrews each had two players named all-state. Panthers centerfielder Sara Sweatt and shortstop Marisa Runyon, both juniors, were part of the Class AAAA squad. Andrews senior Taylor Headden and teammate Kara Lambert, a junior, were named to the Class AA squad.

Waccamaw’s Richmond adds singles state title to resume

Sat, 19 May 2012 21:45 EDT

Harrison Richmond claimed a new title Saturday.

The Waccamaw High School senior, who already had several local and national accolades to his credit, added the Class AA-A singles state championship to his collection.

“This is a very special day,” Warriors coach James Brown said. “[Harrison] and I are very close, and he’s been a big part of our school. For him to go out and win this as a senior put an exclamation point on his career, and he set the bar extremely high.”

Carolina Forest softball takes 1-0 lead in state championship series

Tue, 15 May 2012 22:58 EDT

One down, one to go.

The Carolina Forest softball team used a one-run second inning and a two-hit shutout from Rachel Lembcke as it narrowly defeated Hillcrest 1-0 in the first game of the Class AAAA state championship series Tuesday in Simpsonville.

The Panthers need just one win to clinch the best-of-three series and will battle the Rams at home on Thursday in Game 2.

Tuesday’s area sports briefs

Tue, 15 May 2012 22:47 EDT

NORTH CHARLESTON The Waccamaw High School boys soccer team’s postseason run ended Tuesday night in a 1-0 loss to Academic Magnet in the Lower State final.

The Raptors’ lone goal came when the ball ricocheted off a Warriors player in the second half.

“It really took the wind out of our sails after their goal,” said Waccamaw coach Ben Schoen.

Newcomer Sweatt catalyst in powerful Carolina Forest softball lineup

Sun, 13 May 2012 19:28 EDT

The Carolina Forest softball team was already building momentum.

With experience and talent at nearly every position, the Panthers believed this season had the potential to be something special. The team thought it could do more than simply qualify for the Lower State tournament – where the Panthers were eliminated from the playoffs in 2011.

All of that was before junior Sara Sweatt joined Carolina Forest.

Goings, Barnett highlight state-title frenzy by area at track meet

Sat, 12 May 2012 22:57 EDT

E.J. Goings was just happy to be healthy again.

The fact that he could run competitively was astonishing within itself.

Winning a state championship? Perhaps a miracle.

Waccamaw boys tennis team claims state title

Sat, 12 May 2012 19:47 EDT

The Waccamaw boys tennis team knew their quest for another state title wouldn’t come easy.

The Warriors trailed Christ Church by a match with two to go Saturday in the Class AA championship in Cayce.

Despite the deficit, Waccamaw grasped its opportunity and won the final two doubles matches as the Warriors bested the Cavaliers 4-3.

Saturday’s area sports briefs

Sat, 12 May 2012 22:18 EDT

RADFORD, Va. The No. 2 seed Coastal Carolina Chanticleers upset No. 1 seed Radford, 3-2 in Game 11 of the 2012 Big South Softball Championship and 4-0 in Game 13 at the Radford Softball Field.

Kiana Quolas (24-9) earned the win in Game 11 after pitching a complete game. She struck out two, walked two and allowing six hits.

Sarah Maples recorded three hits, two runs and an RBI in three at-bats during the win. Chelsea Pineda and Stacy Snellings each had two hits in three at bats. Brooke Donovan posted two hits and one RBI in four at-bats.

Carolina Forest softball team reaches state championship series

Fri, 11 May 2012 21:47 EDT

Carolina Forest has tried not to talk about the end of the season.

After its third extra-inning playoff victory so far this year, it still doesn’t have to.

The Panthers defeated Summerville 7-6 in 11 innings to claim the Class AAAA Lower State softball championship Friday, a victory that put coach Sarah Minchew’s team two wins away from the state title. Carolina Forest will play top-ranked Hilcrest in a best-of-three series next week.

Friday’s area sports briefs

Fri, 11 May 2012 22:12 EDT

• RADFORD, Va. The Coastal Carolina softball team kept its hopes alive Friday, splitting a pair of games in the double-elimination Big South Conference tournament.

After falling 5-2 to Charleston Southern in a morning game, the Chanticleers bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Campbell in the evening.

With the game tied at 2 with two outs, Cacia Pierre singled in pinch-runner Courtney Howell to give Coastal a walk-off victory to stay alive.

Grand Strand represented well in Lower State softball tournaments

Fri, 04 May 2012 16:23 EDT

Grand Strand softball teams have others around South Carolina taking notice.

Six area squads have advanced to their respective class’ Lower State tournament. There are two each in Class AAA and Class AA. It’s not a shock to Georgetown coach Al Hutchinson, whose team played four of the other area Lower State qualifiers earlier this season.

“The talent is this whole area is phenomenal,” Hutchinson said. “Every team that’s in the playoffs, you can definitely see the athleticism of the players on all these teams.

St. James baseball one step closer to repeating

Wed, 02 May 2012 21:56 EDT

Anders DeShields was throwing a little harder during warm-ups.

The St. James junior took a few extra moments with his chart on Hilton Head hitters.

He wasn’t simply trying to push himself and his Shark teammates to the Class AAA Lower State tournament for the fourth consecutive season. And he wasn’t just trying to make the most of his 17th birthday.

High school playoff schedule announced for Wednesday

Wed, 02 May 2012 06:19 EDT

Eleven area softball and baseball teams will play for a right to move on to their respective Lower State tournaments.

In all classes and districts, the home team has yet to lose a game in the double-elimination format. The home team advances with a single victory out of a possible two games. The visiting team must win two contests to move on to the Lower State tournament.

Below is a list of start times for all games involving area teams. Games will be played Wednesday, with the exception of Green Sea-Floyds’ game against Bamberg-Ehrhardt, which will be played today.

Tuesday’s area sports briefs

Tue, 01 May 2012 22:01 EDT

GREEN SEA Courtney Faulk and Zhane Generette each had two hits and the Green Sea Floyds softball team reached the Lower State round of the state tournament on Tuesday with a 16-0 win over Bamberg-Ehrhardt in four innings.

Bamberg	0	0	0	0	–	0	1	7
GSF	7	1	1	7	–	16	11	1

• W–Hope Elliott (16-1). L–J. Osborne. Top hitters – Green Sea Floyds: Courtney Faulk 2-2, Zhane Generette 2-2 2 2Bs, Hope Elliott 1-2 2B, Paige McDaniels 2-4 2B, Morgan Elliott 1-4 2B, Harley Berry 1-2 2B.

Prep notebook | Time for spring football drills

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:38 EDT

Spring football drills for South Carolina high schools start today. And one area high school can participate fully in the limited practice schedule thanks to some help from other schools.

St. James coach Mark Fischer said his team discovered the Schutt helmets the program used had reached the 10-year window of maximized protection. Head injuries – specifically concussions – have made schools and their athletic trainers pay close attention to helmet expiration dates.

St. James purchased 79 new helmets to replace the old ones, but the order will not be delivered until sometime this summer. That left the Sharks in a hole for the May practices.