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Wright overhauls coaching staff at Cross

David Shelton • Aug 02, 2023

Cross – Even after a run to the Class A Lower State finals in 2022, Cross High head football coach Shaun Wright felt the need for a fresh energy in his program.

 

Wright, who guided the Trojans to an 11-3 record last fall, made several new hires to his football coaching staff this spring and summer.

 

“We had lots of turnover but I couldn’t be more pleased with the staff we have right now,” said Wright, who won the 2012 Class A state title. “Really good coaches and a new energy.”

 

With new hires, Wright now has two former head coaches among his staff. New offensive coordinator Will Lampkin has been a head coach at several schools and has been coaching for nearly 30 years. Lampkin has been head coach at Darlington, Kingstree and Ridgeland-Hardeeville. He has a long history in Berkeley County, having worked at Berkeley, Stratford and Goose Creek as an assistant. Wright said Lampkin served in a volunteer role last season.

 

Hired to coach linebackers is David Smith, who enters his 37th year in coaching. Smith was the head coach at Orangeburg Prep in 2006-07. He is no stranger to Berkeley County, having coached at Berkeley from 1998-2006. He also has been an assistant at several schools, including Barnwell, White Knoll, Mid-Carolina and Pelion, where he recently retired. Smith says he also will coach softball in the spring.

 

Omar Collier is the new defensive coordinator, coming over from Philip Simmons. It is Collier’s second stint at Cross, his first beginning in 2001 under Art Craig.

 

Frank Green will coach the receivers while newcomer Jeffery Whisenhunt will coach the offensive and defensive linemen.

 

Assisting with the linebackers is newcomer Matthew Vinson, who also comes from Pelion High School. Vinson also has been hired to take over the wrestling program. He was an assistant wrestling coach at Pelion at one point.

 

Derrick Mack will work with the secondary on the varsity while also serving as the defensive coordinator for the junior varsity team. Stanley Hickson will be the head coach of the junior varsity.

 

Wright, who became head coach at Cross in 2009, says the new staff has hit the ground running this summer and the 2023 team has made great strides during their workouts.

 

The Trojans will open the 2023 season at home on Aug. 18 against Calhoun County. Quarterback Tyler Mungin and running back/linebacker Karmello Jones are among the top returners from last season.

By Billy Baker 17 May, 2024
By Billy G. Baker Publisher Moncks Corner — In a Lower State AAAAA softball play-off game continued from a second inning rain-out the night before, (May, 15), between Berkeley (19-9) and Chapin (22-8) , the home standing Stags won a pitcher’s duel 2-0 to advance to play Summerville on May, 17. The Stags have a tall order on their plate needing to defeat the top-ranked Green Wave twice in order to advance. The state championship series is scheduled to begin on Monday at the upper state champion s home field. Game two will revert back to the lower state’s team home field on Wednesday. If a third game tie-breaker is needed it will be played at neutral site on Friday (May, 24). After the win Berkley head coach Kelly Dillon shared some thoughts with the HSSR. “In my tenure at Berkeley this is our third trip to the Lower state finals and I am so proud of my team and the adversity they have overcome this season,” said Coach Dillon. “We have had some adversity with the weather and we lost one of our key players to an injury recently ( Savannah Scott ) and we have remained tough and focused on our goals anyway. “We played small ball in the bottom of the 6th because when you need just one run to win you play to win,” said Coach Dillon. “I am very thankful; for a great bunting team. Every time I have asked for it to be put down, they have put it down so I am very proud to our commitment to the cause.” ( Courtlyn Cox delivered a perfect bunt that advanced the runner into scoring position in the bottom of the 6 th inning.) “We know we have a challenge going over to Summerville on Friday needing to win two games and you never know what might happen,” said Coach Dillon. “We are hungry and we are on a mission and we are playing moment to moment so we hope to at our best on Friday.” Chapin head coach Cal Sayger is wrapping up his 7 th season at Chapin. ”we have been fighting the weather all during the play-offs,” said Coach Sayger. “We just made too many mistakes in this game tonight. We have the program on sound footing. We have won back-to-back region titles and I very proud of the commitment all of our players have made to the success tour program.” Coach Sayger is saying good bye to four seniors. They include pitcher Aspen Mayers , Ella Maychiva k, third baseman Andree Dircks , and outfielder Alexia Evans . “These girls have been in the program since the e8th grade a d they will be missed,” said Coach Sayger. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the 6 th inning. The Stags Rileigh Ballentine led off with a single to center field. Courtlyn Cox’s Sac bunt moved Ballentine over to second base. She moved over to third, on a passed ball, while Brooklyn Moon was batting. Moon singled in Ballentine for the first run of the game. Ansley Riddle then doubled, barely missing a home run against the fence in deep center field. This hit put runners at second and third with one-out. An RBI ground-out by Camden Valicek scored Moon to give Berkeley all the runs they would need to win the game. Berkeley pitcher Reese Watson worked all seven innings, allowing only four hits. Watson’s six strike-outs in the game now gives her 201 on the season in 120 innings pitched with an ERA of 1.20.
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By Larry Gamble 17 May, 2024
Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR SCISA Softball Championship play kicked off on May 13th, 2024, with teams playing an intense two days of games hoping to make a sweep to victory in the best of three game series to crown State Champion this week. The HSSR photojournalist was at Colleton Prep for their home stand in the Softball Championship Game 2 against Clarendon Hall on May 15th. Clarendon Hall won Game 1 at home 6-1 on Monday. For Game 2, they were on the road home hoping for a sweep to close the deal for the State Title. In a tense, pitching duel game, the Saints managed hold off the determined War Hawks in a 3-2 victory to earn their third state title. More photos from this game are available by following this link or the one below. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.
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Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR SCISA Softball Championship play kicked off on May 13th, 2024, with teams playing an intense two days of games hoping to make a sweep to victory in the best of three game series to crown State Champion this week. The HSSR photojournalist was at Laurence Manning for their home stand in the Softball Championship Game 2 against Hammond on May 14th. LMA won a very exciting Game 1 at Hammon 5-4. For Game 2, the Swampcats were home hoping for a sweep to close the deal for the State Title. LMA won 9-0 to earn another State Championship. More photos from this game are available by following this link or the one below. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 16 May, 2024
AAAAA, AAA. AA, Class A series set to begin on Monday, AAAA on Tuesday
By Larry Gamble 16 May, 2024
Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR SCISA Baseball Championship play kicked off on May 13th, 2024, with teams playing an intense two days of games hoping to make a sweep to victory in the best of three game series to crown State Champion this week. The HSSR Camera was at Pee Dee for their Baseball Game 1 against Hilton Head Christian. HHC went on the win 3-1 in Game 1 at Pee Dee. for Game 2, the Pee Dee traveled to Hilton Head Christian where HHC won 12-4 to sweep the series and win the State Title. More photos from this game are available by following this link or the one below. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.
By David Shelton 16 May, 2024
S ummerville - Ashley Ridge rallied from an early 4-0 deficit, scoring two runs with two outs in the top of the seventh to beat Summerville, 5-4, forcing a decisive game for the AAAAA Lower State title. Summerville led by 4-0 after two innings but Ashley Ridge scored a run in the third and two in the fifth to close to within a run. With nobody on and two outs, down to their last strike, Ashley Ridge got hits from Ryan Bruno and Cooper Godsave to keep the inning alive. Andrew McLaughlin then delivered a two-run single to give the Swamp Foxes a 5-4 lead. McLaughlin had two hits in the game. Summerville managed only three hits with Banks Knight delivering a two-run bloop single to give the Green Wave their 4-0 advantage. After game one, inclement weather moved in and it was decided to play the championship game on Thursday at Summerville at 6:30 p.m. The winner will play Lexington in the best-of-three state championship series beginning on May 18.
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