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Jefferson Davis has lots of good in “tough” boys basketball season

Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • Mar 05, 2024

Raiders finish with 10-14 record, pick up first playoff win in several years

            Blackville Anthony Reitenour admits his second season as the boys basketball head coach at Jefferson Davis Academy didn’t go anywhere close to what he would have liked.

 

           “|t was a tough season,” said Reitenour, whose Raiders finished with a 10-14 overall record and a 5-4 mark in Region 3-Class A. “We lost a few guys from last year’s team and had just two starters returning, three players total. So we were having to learn as we went along.”

 

           That being said, Jefferson Davis finished third in the region and earned a berth in the state tournament for the second straight year. Not only did the Raiders make the playoffs, they won their first-round game, beating Newberry Academy 40-36.

 

           “As far as our calculations could tell us, that was the first time Jefferson Davis had won a playoff game in at least 15 years,” Reitenour said.

 

           Jefferson Davis did fall to eventual state champion Curtis Baptist 76-57 in the quarterfinals. All things considered though, Reitenour is happy with the way his team performed late in the season.

 

           The Raiders had little time to practice before the season started, but for a very good reason: winning the 8-man football state championship. With the overwhelming majority of the basketball roster playing football, not to mention Reitenour serving as the football head coach as well, basketball was pretty much an afterthought until after Thanksgiving.

 

           “With football going as long as it did and as great as it did, it really hurt us in regards to basketball,” said Reitenour, who won two state titles in boys basketball as the head coach at Clarendon Hall. “We kept progressing throughout the year. Continuing to get better. With just one senior, we like what the future holds.”

 

           The lone senior was Hunter Zorn, who saw parttime duty off of the bench. The starting lineup was led by junior Nasir Void and junior Colson Loadholt. They were both selected to the All-Region team.

 

           Loadholt led the team in scoring with a 15.4 points-per-game average, in steals at 3.7 and assists at 3.2. Loadholt also averaged 6.3 rebounds.

 

           Void averaged a double-double with 14.1 points and a team high 12.0 rebounds. He also averaged 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocked shots.

 

           The other starters were junior Payton Payne, junior James Grubb and freshman Reese Still.

 

           Still was the third leading scorer with an 8.2 average to go with 2.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.6 steals. Payne averaged 5.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals. Grubbs averaged 5.0 points and 4.3 rebounds.

 

           Eight of Jefferson Davis’ 14 losses came by less than 10 points. Six of those losses were by six points or less.

 

           “You flip a few of those games, and our record looks completely different,” Reitenour said. “We had a hard time putting four quarters together. We would dig ourselves into a hole and try to come out of it in several games.”

 

           In the playoff win over Newberry, Jefferson Davis found itself trailing 24-7 at halftime. The Raiders outscored Newberry 15-7 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 31-22 entering the fourth quarter. They outscored Newberry 18-5 in the final eight minutes to secure the win.

 

           Loadholt led the way with a team high 13 points and six assists. Void had a double-double of 11 points and a team high 10 rebounds, while both had four steals.

           

           Grubbs had eight points, while Still had six. Payne had two points and five rebounds.

 

           In the loss to Curtis Baptist, Loadholt and Void both scored 21 points. Void again had a double-double with 15 rebounds, while Loadholt had five rebounds, three assists and five steals.

 

           Payne had a solid game with eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Grubbs had five points, nine rebounds and three assists.

 

           “Curtis Baptist won it all, and we showed that we can play with them,” Reitenour said. “We were right there with them for a big part of the game. We would dig a hole, then we would come out of it. Our guys never gave up.”

 

           Reitenour praised Loadholt for playing the entire season with a torn patella. That was an injury he suffered while starring for the football team.

 

           “It's healing, but it's one of those things we had to watch a lot,” Reitenour said. “I had to sit him some along the way because of it. We dealt with injuries all year long with some of our prime players.

 

           “You would be seeing him hurting at times, yet he gives you everything that he has. You know he's a huge difference maker. He’s a prospect in baseball, so we didn’t want to overdo with him. We tried to look out for him.”

 

           And as Reitenour looks out into the future, he sees only good things coming for Jefferson Davis next season.

 

           “All in all, when you consider where this program was just a few years ago, we’ve made a lot of progress,” hie said. “We got the playoff victory, we had double-digit wins (for the second straight season). We're steadily building.

 

“It takes a while to get things the way you want them sometimes. Sometimes it can happen fast, sometimes it’s going to take a while. These kids will fight through adversity. Basketball’s time is coming. We fell short this year, but they are going to continue to work to get there.”



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By Billy G. Baker Publisher Walterboro — The Clarendon Hall Saints softball team captured their second straight SCISA AA softball title, and third in a row counting the Class A title won over Wardlaw three years ago, with a hard-fought come-from-behind 3-2 win over Colleton Prep on May, 15. One of the largest crowds ever to witness a softball game at Colleton Prep observed the two teams battle with everything they got in this game. This was one of those games where both teams left it all on the field. CH head coach Jeffrey Bays shared his feelings with the HSSR soon after the game. “We lost four games this season but we had never been in a situation like this game with so much on the line,” said Coach Bays. “ Mandy (Wells) lives for the important moments, and her two-run homer in the third inning was the difference in the ball game. She struggled some at the plate in game one but she came in this game, like she has in so many, and delivered for the team at a crucial moment. “These girls have been playing together for a long time since rec ball, summer ball and together on our high school team and they have worked hard and they are a real close-knit group,” said Coach Bays. “They jell really well and they know and understand each other on the field. They pull for each other with great team chemistry. “ Colleen (McIntosh) gave us four strong innings but they were starting to hit her some as the game went on so we brought Calli (Yount) in to close things out and I am proud of both of our pitchers who combined for 12 strike-outs,” said Coach Bays. “We are going to miss the five seniors on this team. For the past two seasons we have had only one senior on those two teams. We do have a core group of younger players moving up from the junior varsity.” Mandy Wells made the final out of the game for the Saints, fielding a well hit ground ball, before racing to second base for the forced-out that ended the game. She and her teammates had “explosive confetti” in their back pockets as the game ended and a sea of confetti popped into the air above them shortly after the final out. “I am just so proud and inspired by my team to go out like this with a state championship,” said Wells. “I just want to give God all the praise and credit because we play for Him. I am so glad that we could win another championship and have fun while doing it.” With one more season of high school softball to go, what are Well’s goals with the sport? She recently hit three home runs in one game, that helped her team advance to the state title series. “I do not know if I want to go anywhere, or not, but we’ll see,” said Wells. “Of course, it would be great to play for a team like Oklahoma , or even a smaller college like Anderson College . Wells said she focuses on hitting a softball “back side” and the majority of her career home runs have landed over the fence, just to the right of dead center field. “I guess I get lucky with my timing,’ said Wells, who plans on majoring in Physical Therapy in college. It would not be a shock to this reporter to see Wells end up on the Lady Gamecocks roster at South Carolina, after her senior season. Wells has been taking hitting lessons from the hitting coach at SC the past two years and they have to be impressed with her quick wrist, how fast the ball explodes off her bat in a line drive trajectory, and how fast she reacts to all matter’s softball during live game action. Colleton Prep head coach Tiger Martin was also proud of his team and how they battled the entire game. “We lost six games this season, and four losses came from Clarendon Hall,” said Coach Martin. “We lost to them in our first game early in the season 14-0, then lost to them a second time 8-0, and then in the championship series we lost 6-1 and 3-2 so while I do not like moral victories that does show how much this team improved and continued to battle against a really fine softball team. “Back before the season started this team struggled for the first two weeks of practice and to see them make steady improvement and make it to the state championship series is why I love coaching and working with them,” said Coach Martin. “It was more exhilarating on this Wednesday night than any other Wednesday night we played back in March. We didn’t win today but our adrenalin was flowing and the max effort was there. Our other two losses were to Oceanside Collegiate and Calhoun Academy so we played some tough competition.” CP will graduate three seniors. “They are the last group from our 2021 state championship team,” said Coach Martin. “ Sidney Bailey has been a great hitter and a great athlete for the past four seasons and she had a decisive hit in our state finals game back in 2021. “I know coaches say they do not have favorite players but that is a lie when they say that,” said Coach Martin. “Senior MaKenzie Pellum is among my most favorite athletes I have coached. I have a picture on my desk of her playing pitcher and catcher. Early on in the program she told me, “Coach if you believe in me, I will always give it my very best, and I will there for you and the team. “Our third senior is left-fielder Hannah Strickland who had a key hit the other night,” said Coach Martin. “She has grown every year and I am happy to say that she has earned a spot in the upcoming North-South all-star game.” Colleton Prep went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first when MaKenzie Pellum drew a walk and later stole second. She came home two batters later on a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Sydney Stivender . In the top of the third CH took a 2-1 lead when junior catcher Skyler Dymond singled and stole second. Junioe shortstop Mandy Wells then hit her 28 th career home run to dead center field to put the Saints up 2-1. In the bottom of the third inning CP tied the score at 2-2. With two-out Ava Murray hit a home run to left field It looked like CP might add another run when Sidney Bailey followed the home run with a ripped double in the power alley. However, a pop up to the CH third baseman ended the inning. In the top of the 6 th inning Wells led off with a sharp single just to the left of second base. Two batters later Wells moved to second on a wild pitch while junior Calli Yount was at the plate. Yount delivered a double, easily scoring the speedy Wells from second to give the Saints a lead of 3-2 that held up for the final score. Both teams collected six hits in the game. Wells led the Saints at the plate with two hits and two RBI’s. Senior Lacey Corbett contributed a hit as did Dymond, leading hitter junior Maggie Harrington , and Yount who had one hit and one huge RBI. Colleton Prep got two hits from Bailey, and one hit each from Murray, Stivender, Hannah Strickland , and Pellum. Murray and Stivender each added one RBI. CH used two pitchers in the game. Senior lefty Colleen McIntosh started the game and worked four full innings with six strike-outs. Calli Yount came in for the final three innings and also recorded six strike-outs. Teams take the pressure off their defenses when 12 of the 21 outs in the game were strike-outs. Sydney Stivender worked all seven innings for CP in the circle allowing two runs and registering 6 strike-outs. Colleton Prep last won a SCISA AA softball title against Pee Dee Academy in 2021 in a third game tie-breaker won over The Golden Eagles (10-0) at Laurence Manning Academy . Clarendon Hall has now played in four straight state finals. They defeated Calhoun Academy in a third game tie-breaker (6-2) at Patriot’s Park in Sumter last year. CH will graduate five seniors ( Sidney Berry , Colleen McIntosh , Ashley Timmons , Lacey Corbett , and Macie McIntosh ) from this year’s team. CP is saying good bye to three seniors ( MaKenzie Pellum , Sidney Bailey , and Hannah Strickland ) who were three of the best hitters on the 2024 squad.
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