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Walterboro – As a former player in the program, Jermale Paige has a little extra motivation to see his Colleton County baseball team compete at a high level. The Cougars may not win every game but Paige feels his 2024 team does come to compete against a tough region 7-AAAA schedule. Entering spring break, the Cougars were 3-5 overall and 1-5 in region play. That includes two losses to James Island and two to Lucy Beckham, along with a split of two games with Hilton Head. The Cougars also have a win over Barnwell, a quality team in Class AA. “We have shown the ability to compete but depth, especially on the mound, catches up to us,” Paige said. “We played James Island, one of the top teams in AAAA, to a 2-0 game. We lost 6-4 in one game against Lucy Beckham. I feel like these guys come to play. We battle as hard as we can.” Paige feels like his team can manage a AAAA playoff berth with a good finish to region play after spring break. The Cougars have region series coming up with May River and Bluffton. The Cougars have two quality starting pitchers who compete well in every opportunity. Senior Bruce Carpenter tossed a complete game in the 2-0 loss to James Island. Fellow senior Daveon Varner is a returning all-region performer as a pitcher and shortstop. Senior Cameron Farnsworth returns as an all-region selection at first base and provides a lot of the power in the middle of the batting order. Senior Devin Miller plays second base and is proving to be a strong team leader and solid leadoff hitter. Working at third base is senior Desmond Brown, who is having a solid season offensively, according to Paige. Senior Jamari Manigo is playing centerfield and hits in the cleanup spot. Basketball star Brian Hamilton is starting in right field and brings great athleticism to the defense. He is committed to play basketball at Columbia International University. Junior Xavier Oxner is the starting leftfielder. Handling the catching duties is Brinton Tirei, a sophomore that Paige feels can be among the top defenders behind the plate in the region. “We don’t concern ourselves too much with our record because we play some tough teams,” Paige said. “I just want the guys to put in the work and try to compete. When we play to our potential we have shown we can compete.” The Colleton County softball team also looks to compete for a spot in the playoffs this season. The Cougars finished 25-4 a year ago but graduated several key performers. Colleton County is off to a 5-4 start this spring. Among the key returners from last season are Bailey Cox and Lanasia Sanders, both pitchers and infielders who hit over .400 last spring. Maggie Kennedy, Alexa Eversole and Briana Ohmer also were key players last season and return this spring.
Walterboro – Firmly into his second season, Colleton County boys basketball coach Dominic Kahee feels he is finally getting his team to play the way he wants them to play. Kahee was hired late in the summer of 2023 and was unable to fully implement his offseason program with his new team. The Cougars managed eight wins last season and their fourth-place finish in region 7-AAAA earned them a spot in the Lower State playoffs. “We started off behind and it was a slow process, but I could see things coming together late in the season,” Kahee said of his first season. “We were up and down last year but I felt good about our potential once we could get a full offseason program in place.” With a full year to put in place his offseason program, the results this season have been much better. Entering the final week of play in January, the Cougars were 12-6 overall and off to a 2-0 start in region play. “The kids have bought into the system and the offseason in terms of strength and conditioning helped us a lot,” Kahee said. “We just have a better understanding of the game and they know how I want us to play and what I expect. Everyone understands their role and how they can help us succeed as a team.” This year’s team is led by three seniors – Mykeem Gant, Brian Hamilton and Nick Williams. All three are scoring in double figures with Gant pacing the group at 13.2 points per game. Williams and Hamilton average right at 12 points per contest. Gant and Williams are third-year varsity players while Hamilton is a fourth-year varsity performer. “Those three set the tone but we are seeing a lot of guys stepping up to contribute,” Kahee said. “We play 10 guys regularly. We sub in five at a time and I think that is helping us to remain fresh and engaged in the game. When they know they are going to get their time on the court, they practice harder.” Junior Da’veon Varner adds eight points per game and senior Javarious Doctor is scoring just under five points per contest. The roster has a bevy of more seniors, including Tremari Davis, Chazz Frazier, Kenneth Hand, Melvin Powell and Jamaure Manigo. Rounding out the roster this winter are juniors Robert Parks, Hykeem Ladson, Daishawn Flanagan and Jaden Williams. Kahee says his roster is undersized compared to other teams but they try to use their athleticism and quickness to play pressure defense and create scoring opportunities through turnovers. “We start pressing in the parking lot,” the coach says. “That’s why our depth and conditioning is so important.”
Walterboro – December in the Palmetto State means Santa Claus is preparing for his big trip. It also means the start of the high school basketball season. The boys and girls teams at Colleton County High School are well into their 2023-24 season, getting in several games prior to the holiday break. The boys team played 10 games by the middle of December, posting a solid 6-4 record. The Cougars are looking to improve on last season’s 8-15 record. The Cougars also have expectations of making the Class AAAA state playoffs this season. Early season wins have come against Andrew Jackson, Lugoff-Elgin, St. John’s Christian, Stall, North Charleston and Lowcountry Leadership Academy. Early defeats came to Hampton County (twice), Fort Dorchester and Ashley Ridge. The roster has several veterans on it and that experience should bode well in region 7-AAAA play. Seniors Brian Hamilton, Mykeem Gant and Nick Williams have been with the varsity team since their freshmen year. Hamilton averaged nearly eight points per game last season and is scoring 12.2 points in the early going of this season. Gant averaged 11.5 points per game as a junior and is contributing the same points this season while also averaging nearly six rebounds per contest. Williams is back in double figures as well. He averaged 10.6 points per game a season ago and is contributing 12 points per game this season. Junior Da’veon Varner adds eight points per game and senior Javarious Doctor is scoring just under five points per contest. The roster has a bevy of more seniors, including Tremari Davis, Chazz Frazier, Kenneth Hand, Melvin Powell and Jamaure Manigo. Rounding out the roster this winter are juniors Robert Parks, Hykeem Ladson, Daishawn Flanagan and Jaden Williams. The girls team also has been active early on, posting a 4-7 overall record in the first couple of weeks in December. Three primary offensive leaders this season include senior Heaven Green, junior Zariona Hudson and sophomore Xiomara Oxner. Hudson is leading the team in scoring with 9.3 points per game. Oxner is scoring 9.1 points per contest while Green is good for 8.1 points per outing. The remaining members on the roster will need to increase their production as the season moves forward. Green is the team’s lone senior. Juniors that see time include Kayla Wilkins, Jura Allen, Carlasia Sanders, Akeelyah Daniel and Olivia Capers. Rounding out the roster are sophomore Trinity Drayton and freshman Lalia Yates.
T Walterboro – While winning is the ultimate goal, the values and mental toughness gained in any athletic endeavor will serve high school athletes well beyond their prep playing days. Colleton County’s girls tennis may never win a region championship. The Cougars play in one of the state’s toughest and most competitive AAAA regions, region 7-AAAA. However, the team is growing by leaps and bounds in 2023, starting the season with a 4-1 record in non-region play. The team managed just three wins a year ago and coach Madeline Brawley is seeing marked improvement. “Every year, the team gets stronger. I am very proud of the progress these girls have made through sheer hard work and determination,” the coach reports. “The odds are stacked against them, and many are brand new to the sport, but they have not allowed that to hold them back from bringing home some impressive results against some strong non-region teams. “We have the toughest conference in the state for tennis, and although the score may not always reflect it, many of the courts have great rallies and get to deuce quite frequently against opponents who have received private lessons since kindergarten.” Savannah Thurston plays No. 1 singles and serves as the team captain. Brawley admires her determination and effort to compete. “She is constantly matched up against D1-level athletes,” Brawley says. “She has only been playing for a few years but has made great strides with her serves and hits. After a match, she can be seen practicing serves or hitting with the ball machine. Her tenacity for improving is admirable, and it shows in her play on the court.” Lily Kilpatrick is playing No. 2 singles this fall. Madison McCrary is playing No. 3 singles and Jasmine Boyle competes at No. 4 singles. Avery Jirel is sitting at No. 5 singles while Braelynn Higgins and Mady Myers play No. 2 doubles. Junior varsity players Grace Breland, Alyssa Friedman and Caroline Mizell have also contributed to the varsity. Other members of the junior varsity include Brooklyn Stuard, Imani Allen, Alul Robinson, Melanie Meinert and Magdalena Brabcova. More important than the obvious improvement and growth in the team on the court is the team’s commitment to academics. Several players have a grade-point-average over 5.0 and the team has an average grade-point average of 4.14. “I am also incredibly proud of the team culture and camaraderie amongst the athletes; there is a true sisterhood of support and love that is sure to carry on long after high school,” the coach said. “These young women consistently demonstrate class and maturity beyond their years, and I am so proud of who they are and who they are becoming.”
Walterboro – After a long wait, Adam Kinloch is finally home again. Kinloch begins his first season as the head football coach at Colleton County High, where he once played and graduated from nearly two decades ago. Kinloch earned the head coaching opportunity in his second attempt as an applicant. In retrospect, this time around was probably the better time to be a head coach. He spent that last several years as the offensive coordinator at Whale Branch, a job that better prepared him to be a head coach. The new coach promises improvement in the program. Colleton County won just one game last season and was winless in 2021. The 2023 team opened its season on Aug. 8, losing a hard-fought defensive battle to Hampton County, 10-0. The coaching staff saw a lot of positive effort hut plenty of errors to correct. Kinloch feels his team will continue to put forth the effort. “The work during the preseason was good with good numbers,” the coach said. “We feel good about a lot of things that we’re doing and we have a good idea of what we have. It’s a season-long process of teaching and working, All we ask from the kids is a good attitude and a good work ethic. We will see improvement.” Kinloch wants to base his offensive attack on a strong running game. That means a cohesive unit up front with backs that run hard and protect the football. The Cougars mustered 126 yards on the ground in the opening game. One of the leading threats in the run game is sophomore Cameron Greyson, who Kinloch says is “loaded with potential.” Senior Nick Williams (6-2, 220) will be an offensive threat at tight end while also playing linebacker on defense. Competing for playing time at quarterback are junior Sean Williams and freshman Galil Frazier. Senior Jayshawn Brown anchors the offensive line and is one of the team leaders, according to Kinloch. “He can play all five positions on the line but will start for us at left tackle,” the coach said. Kinloch also is impressed with the potential of sophomore Xavion Greene. Senior Camerion Bryant will be a key performer on the defensive line. With Williams back at linebacker, another to watch is senior Desmond Brown. Amari Williams and Kendal Farmer, both juniors, are working at outside linebacker. Leaders in the secondary include senior free safety Antwon McWilliams and senior Jaivion Graham. Colleton County takes on White Knoll on Aug. 25 and has a bye the following week before a game against North Charleston.
Hurricanes defeat Colleton County 10-0 in first ever Border Bowl
Walterboro – Colleton County’s first-year head football coach Adam Kinloch is a 2007 graduate of the school and a former player in the football program. As he said when he was hired as the football coach in January, being the head coach at his alma mater was his dream job. “Everything I have done to this point was in preparation to be a head coach,” the 34-year old said. “But I was not trying to be a head coach at any other school. I wanted to be the head coach at Colleton County. It’s my home. I bleed blue and silver and all I ever wanted was this opportunity.” The former Walterboro High ball boy is working hard to rebuild a community culture and he has put together a coaching staff that has several former Walterboro and Colleton County players. “I felt that is was necessary to have guys in here that know what it takes and guys that have pride in the program,” he said. Offensive line coach Shawn Lyons was an all-state and Shrine Bowl offensive lineman at Colleton County. Quarterbacks coach Scott Wheeler has been coaching at Walterboro and Colleton County since the early 1990’s and special teams coach Brian Reid has been in the program since 1997. The offense is led by a newcomer, Jacob Hector, who will coordinate the offense and coach tight ends. Mike Smalls, an assistant basketball coach, is joining the football staff as receivers coach this year. Former Stratford player Aubrey Lemon is new to the staff and will coach running backs. On defense, veteran Tommy Brown, a former head coach at several schools, will be the defensive coordinator and secondary coach. “It’s a true blessing to have coach Brown on my staff,” Kinloch said. “He’s been coaching for a long time and his mentorship has been invaluable for me.” Defensive line coach Kievy Rowles is a former Walterboro assistant who was on the previous staff. He coached Kinloch in middle school football. Inside linebacker coach Cullen Ellis is a returning coach from the previous staff, while outside linebackers coach Jermaine Clayton is a Colleton County graduate who was coaching at Lower Richland High last season. Ellis also will serve as the head junior varsity coach, assisted by Kevin Holmes, Romea Edwards, Jaquan Hamilton and Kylee Hart. Kinloch was a member of the 2005 team that was Colleton County’s last winning season. The program he inherits is down, but not out. The Cougars are 16-43 over the last six seasons, including a 1-9 record in 2022. “None of the past matters now. What matters is the future and I am focused on that,” Kinloch said. “I know there’s a lot of work to be done but I am ready. I want to change the culture. I want to find kids that truly want to be a part of the program, not just say they play football. I have a vision and my job is to make these kids believe in something. It’s going to take some time and a lot of effort but, like I said, I’ve been preparing for this for my whole life.”
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Recognizing the achievements of young athletes in South Carolina since 1986.