Hartsville – The winter sports campaign has officially ended at Hartsville High as spring sports take center stage for the next three months. Wrapping up the winter sports season, Hartsville enjoyed solid success in wrestling and girls basketball, while a young boys team laid the foundation for a better future. In wrestling, the boys and girls teams each qualified several grapplers for the state individual championship tournaments. Qualifying for the AAAA tournament in boys were Jackson Chavis, Zachary Lynch, Elijah Wilson and Tyrese Mitchell. Chavis was the top performer at the state meet, capturing the championship in the 285-pound weight class. It was Chavis’ second state title as he also won two years ago. Lynch wrestled in the 132-pound weight class with Wilson competing at 157 pounds. Mitchell wrestled in the 215-pound division. From the girls team, qualifying for the state open invitational were Aaliana Peterson (130), Aaron Anderson (190), and Rylee Berghorn (235). Berghorn took home the silver medal after losing in the state finals. The girls basketball team had a great season, posting and 21-8 record and finishing second in region 6-AAAA with an 8-2 league record. Hartsville lost in the second round of the AAAA Lower State playoffs to Ridge View, 55-48. Senior Jazzy Frierson, a class AAAA all-state selection, finished the season with a 15.5 points per game scoring average. She also averaged 6.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.1 steals per game. Senior forward Tatiana Fisher averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Junior Brooke Mitchell added 10.7 points and 6.7 boards per outing, and freshman Jaz Reyes averaged 7.3 points per game. While Frierson and Fisher will be missed, coach Justin Johnson made sure to play a bevy of underclassmen that will be ready to accept bigger roles next season. Among those underclassmen were freshmen Chaniya Thompson and Zenaria Gibson, along with eighth-grader Trinity Johnson. Freshmen Ariel Leatch and Ja’Niya Hickmon also will step into bigger roles next season. The boys team managed just four wins this season and did not earn a playoff opportunity. Junior EJ Smith led the Red Foxes in scoring at 8.4 points per game. Senior Jermaal Brown averaged 7.1 points per game while senior Shaquan Pendergrass was good for six points per game. Freshman Kayson Dawson scored 7.0 points per game. Other seniors on the boys roster this season included Zion Pettus, Harry McCoy, Tyriq Fisher and Kelvin Reed.

Hartsville – While there is still plenty of work to be done in the final stages of the regular season, the Hartsville High girls basketball team finds itself in contention for the region 6-AAAA championship this season. Hartsville entered action on Jan. 26 riding a four-game winning streak and sitting in a first-place tie in region six. The Red Foxes went 16-6 overall in their first 22 games and won five of their first six region games. With four region games remaining, Hartsville was 5-1 in league play, tied for the top spot with Wilson. North Myrtle Beach had two region losses. Hartsville plays North Myrtle Beach on Jan. 30 and closes the regular season against Wilson on Feb. 6. Justin Johnson is in his sixth season at Hartsville and feels this is his best team to date. He loves the focus and energy this year’s team plays with in every game. "As a team we are focusing on one game, one practice and one rep at a time,” the coach reports. “This is one of the better rosters we have had in my six seasons here in Hartsville. They embody the toughness and fire on defense we've been looking for. I truly feel we will go as far as our defense allows us to. We are small, but mighty.” Johnson relies heavily on leadership and production from his two seniors. Guard Jazz Frierson is the top player on the roster. She averages 15.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 4.0 steals per game. Center Tatiana Fisher is the other senior and she produces 10.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per outing. Another key performer is junior guard Brooke Mitchell, who is averaging 9.8 points and 6.2 boards per game. “We count on our big 3 to lead by example,” Johnson says. The roster is fairly young after the big three. Shaniah Abraham and Blakney Dawson are two other juniors. Freshmen Chaniya Thompson, Zenaria Gibson and Jasmine Reyes are providing quality minutes and production. Reyes is fourth on the team in scoring at 6.2 points per game. “Our young freshmen Chaniya Thompson, Zenaria Gibson and Jasmine Reyes are growing up at a good rate. The faster they grow up, the better we will be," Johnson said. Rounding out the roster this season are freshmen Ariel Leatch and Ja’Niya Hickman, and eighth-grader Trinity Thomas. Chavis reaches 100 career wins in wrestling Hartsville senior wrestler Jackson Chavis recently recorded his 100 th career win. Chavis is one of the state’s top performers in the heavyweight division and is a strong contender for the AAAA state title this season. Other top performers this season include Tyrese Mitchell (215), Darren Haney (113), Jacob Gilbert (126), Zach Lynch (132), Noah Gilbert (138), Jared Wilson (145), and Camden McNeal (113). Hartsville, as a team, is in contention to win the region championship as the regular season ends.

Hartsville – Entering the 2023 high school football season, Hartsville senior running back Carmello McDaniel was considered one of the top senior backs in the Palmetto State. After getting off to a tremendous start, McDaniel suffered an injury that forced him to miss five games. However, prior to the injury, the 5-9.185-pound back was chosen to play in the 76 th Touchstone Energy North-South all-star game. McDaniel regained his health and was able to contribute for the Red Foxes in the playoffs. He finished his year with 1,075 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 9.4 yards per carry. McDaniel was able to participate in the all-star game and showed early on why he was one of the top backs in the state. McDaniel raced 64 yards for the South’s first touchdown early in the game, finishing the day with 84 yards on five carries. He was selected as the offensive most valuable player for the South all-star squad, which won the game, 28-8. “Being able to get back healthy and have this opportunity was a great way to end my career,” McDaniel said. “This week and this game gave me a chance to show what I could do when I’m healthy. But even more important was getting a win. I got a win in my last game. That’s what it’s all about for me. I just try to remain humble and do what I can to help the team win.” McDaniel says scoring a touchdown in an all-star game is special. Doing so in spectacular fashion was even better. “Once I saw green in front of me, nobody was going to catch me,” he said. “All I saw was that endzone waiting for me.” Hartsville head coach Jeff Calabrese attended the game, watching from a spot in the stands. “It was so fun being a fan today and watching the guys play,” he said. “I was sitting right at the 50 and when I saw him break free, I just stood up and gave the touchdown signal. I’ve seen him too much and I knew he wasn’t getting caught. What a special day for the kid. “I am so thrilled that he was able to play in the game. He’s such a humble kid, great character. He worked hard to get back and he had a great day, a great week.” McDaniel was joined on the South team by his quarterback, McKendrie Douglas, who started the game at quarterback for the South. He threw for 41 yards and added nearly 30 on the ground in a solid performance. Douglas finished the Hartsville season with 1,497 passing yards and 637 rushing yards, combining for 20 touchdowns.

Yellow Jackets limit Hartsville to 24 yards rushing while Allen-Hendrix picks up 193 yards and scores four TDs

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Dillon -- No matter how productive your offense is, Dillon (2-1) found out for the second time in four games, that when your defense gives up 420 rushing yards, you are not likely to win the game, as Hartsville (4-0) used a punishing ground attack, led by Hakeem Watters and Carmello McDaniel to overcome a two- touchdown halftime deficit (28-14) to rally the Red Foxes to a 51-34 win on September, 8 th . Dillon concluded the 2022 season with their only loss to Beaufort , in the AAA Lower State finals. In that game the Wildcats gave up 420 rushing yards also. (Should Dillon face a team with a potent one-two running back combination in the playoffs this season, like the 2022 Beaufort team, or the 2023 Hartsville rushing machine, it might be a sound idea to start working out both OL tackles Josiah Thompson (6-7-290) and Jayden Benjamin . 6-4-320) for limited DL spot duty in the red zone once the playoffs start. Such a bold, and rare move, could land the Wildcats the 2023 AAA state title.) Hartsville came into the game having scored 55 points in three straight wins, so scoring 51 on the usual potent Wildcat defense makes the Red Foxes strong contenders for the AAAA state title in their own right. Hartsville is the new number one AAAA team in the HSSR rankings of September, 11. Dillon slides to number two in AAA, behind top rated Daniel, led by two talented running backs Kari Bennett and Tony Shaw . Bennett had 121 yards rushing on just 8 carries in the Lions season opener. After the comeback win road win, Hartsville head coach Jeff Calabrese said, “At half-time I told the team that we had not played very well and that I wanted to see what they were made of in the second half,” said Coach Calabrese. “I wanted to see how well we would respond to adversity. We have not been behind a lot this season. We have not seen many people knock us off the ball like we did and we got knocked off the ball a lot in the first half. “We had to look deep down within ourselves to see how we were going to respond and I felt like our kids responded well,” said Coach Calabrese. “I got to Hartsville in 1994, and in 1992 and 1993 the games between Dillon and Hartsville were among the biggest games ever seen in the Pee Dee region. It went dormant for a long time, although we scrimmaged some. These two games we have had the past two years have been very competitive and I think it has been great for both communities and I hope it continues. “Last year they had a big second half come-back to win and this year we had one of our own to get a win so I hope we keep playing for the next couple of years,” said Coach Calabrese. “Being able to convert that recovery into a touchdown was huge for us. We saw something in the alignment that we thought we could recover the kick, and being down two touchdowns, we needed to gain some momentum so that was a huge way for us to start off the third quarter.” Hartsville out-scored the Wildcats 37-6 in the second half. For the game Watters had 192 yards rushing on 17 carries and four touchdowns averaging 11.3 yards a carry. McDaniel was 19 for 170 yards and two touchdowns averaging 8.9 yards a carry. Starting QB McKendric Douglas was injured during the game but he totaled 56 yards on four carries. After four games McDaniel (65-705-12 TD’s) and Watters (52-620-10 TD’s) are among the top two rushers in the state stats wise. The top Red Fox tacklers against Dillon included DB DaMarion Coe - 18 tackles; LB Coleman Ratcliff -12 tackles; LB Xavier Robinson -10 tackles; DB Kylif Miller -9 tackles along with LB JaQuez Coe -9 tackles. Dillon head coach Kelvin Roller said after the game, “I thought our guys fought hard throughout the game and during practice this week we had to make several changes due to some injuries, moving receivers to running backs, and it was a challenge to teach them what to do in our running game. “But I do not want to take anything away from Hartsville and Coach Calabrese,” said Coach Roller. “They have a tremendous football team. They are first-class all the way. A game like this is just going to make us better. We wish them well. “We have a lot of work to do as a football team,” said Coach Roller. “We just did not do a good job finishing out this game after playing a very sound first half. “ Dillon was without the services of sophomore RB Domonick Felton . The Wildcats other RB Jamarion Fling missed the game due to suspension. Converted WR Kamarion Singletary responded well with 228 yards rushing on 33 carries and three TD’s. LB Sirmod McCallum led the defense with 11 tackles and he was used in the Wildcat with 21 net yards on six carries and two touchdowns. Other Nasty Cat tackle leaders were LB Keryien Brown (11), DL Wayvon Bright (5) and LB James Scott (4). Zay Robertson had an interception. Dillon sophomore QB Josiah Oxendine completed 10-of16- passes for 116 yards. He added 17 yards on the ground. The top receiver for Dillon was Rahmond Hamilton with three catches. Hartville will play Irmo this week while Dillon hosts Socastee .

Larry Gamble HSSR Photo Editor Sumter - The HSSR covered the Hartsville at Dillon game on Friday, Sept 8th in Dillon. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.

Red Foxes roll up 597 yards of total offense, 455 coming on the ground

Hartsville – If the opening game of the 2023 season is any indication, the Hartsville High football team should be a major factor in the Class AAAA state playoffs come November. However, winning a game on Aug. 18 does not guarantee success three months later but getting off to a good start is better than the alternative of losing. Hartsville opened the season with a 55-7 thrashing of Conway in week zero, showing balance offensively and an improved defense. That defense allowed 30.4 points per game last season and head coach Jeff Calabrese says a major emphasis on improvement was the focus in the offseason. Hartsville yielded only 127 yards to Conway in the opener. “We should be improved on defense,” said Calabrese, entering his 19 th season at Hartsville and his 30 th year in coaching overall. “We have adjusted some things to try to take advantage of some personnel. Physically, we can hold up better I believe. We have a bunch of juniors on our defense but a lot of those guys played as sophomores so we have some experience.” Linebackers Coleman Radcliff and Web Barnes will be two of the key leaders defensively. Radcliff totaled 15 tackles in the season opener. Other linebackers include juniors Zay Hickman and Xavier Robinson, and senior Jacques Coe. Senior Bryson Jacobs and junior Jordan Davis are back at end. Jacobs had nine tackles in the opener. Seniors Hayden Wilson and Pat Lesesne work in the middle but sophomore Ezra Brockingberry has worked himself into serious playing time at nose. Senior Cole Winburn is a third-year performer at safety and junior Demarion Coe is a third-year starter on the back end as well. Coe had seven tackles in the season opener. Sophomore corner Kylif Miller had eight tackles against Conway and junior Antuan Segars is working at corner as well. Expected to see time at safety are McCoy Harry and Tyrik Kelly. If the defense can hold its own, the Hartsville offense should be capable of scoring enough to win. The Red Foxes averaged 43.5 points per game last season. Senior McKendrie Douglas returns at quarterback, his third season as the starter. Douglas (6-3, 195) threw for 1,500 yards and completed 61 percent of his attempts as a junior. He also added about 700 yards rushing. “Great leader, great kid and very knowledgeable in terms of knowing our offense,” Calabrese said. “He is the total package and is as consistent as any player you will find. He literally does everything well.” Hartsville’s forte offensively is the running game and senior Carmello McDaniel returns for his varsity season. McDaniel (5-8. 185) rushed for 147 yards in the opener. Junior Hakeem Watters and Reggie Smith also will see their share of work in the running game. Watters, a track athlete playing football for the first time, had 66 yards rushing in the opener. Senior Keon Hickson and junior EJ Smith will be the top receivers in a long rotation of players. Jackson Moore is a returning starter at the H-back position and sophomore Dorian Knowles is getting work as well. The starting offensive line should be a solid unit. Senior center Slayton Stokes is a third-year starter, as is junior guard Deric Brown. Senior Evan Young returns at left tackle and senior Jazir Reardon starts at right guard. Talented sophomore Chris Price is starting at right tackle.

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Dillon — There were four very competitive games contested in the Pee Dee Jamboree of Champions hosted by Dillon High on August, 11 as 8 area teams battled for two quarters in mild weather conditions. In the first game Latta defeated Chesterfield 21-6. In game two Darlington defeated Lake View 13-0, and in game three Hartsville literally ran past Scotland County , NC 27-14 in the contest that produced the most points. In the night-cap, host Dillon defeated Cheraw 14-3. Comments From SC Coaches After Each Scrimmage: Coach Brandon Iseman - Latta : “This game was a good bounce- back for us after we struggled, on Tuesday,” said Coach Iseman. “I felt like the kids responded well tonight and I feel good about what they did. “We have a big senior group and a strong junior group also so we are looking forward to the season. We start the season off against Mullins this upcoming week.” Notes: Linebacker Amir Rogers had the pick-six for the Vikings. The top returning seniors include Kartrell Townsend , Labron Cobb , Jamarion Jones , Dorian Griffin , and Eli Jones . Latta should improve on their 6-5 season last year. Coach Jonathan Eason - Chesterfield : “I found out tonight this team will not quit,” said Coach Eason. “There were times in the game it looked like things were going really bad but we kept fighting back. We had a chance to make it a 21-14 game right at the end and if we did not give up the pick six it would have been a whole different game also. “Right now, we have three seniors and around 14 freshmen and sophomores starting so it is a young team and we should keep getting better every week. Our three seniors are running back Will Gordon , nose guard Kadrick Johnson , and Devin Carnes . Another senior who has moved in is corner back Amarion Hardaway .” Chesterfield will start the season this week with a game against Lee Central . Some top juniors for the Rams include Qua Clark , Gabe Liles , Timothy Starr , and Xavier Rivers . Coach Jamie Johnson - Darlington (First year head coach at Darlington) : “We played a storied program in Lake View tonight and anytime you can come out ahead of them it is like a confidence builder for us,” said Coach Johnson. I felt like our quarterback ( Jaylen Augustus ) made several very athletic plays and we need for him to have a build year. Keenan Dubose caught both touchdown passes and he was moved to receiver from quarterback and he had a good scrimmage tonight also,” Other top seniors for Darlington include receivers Markis Wells and Davari Wilson along with OL Josh Johnson . “Our players have bought into our new system and what we are trying to get established and they do not want to be the laughing stock of the state anymore. I think we are gaining confidence and we need to stay focused as we start the season against Central of Pageland this week.” Coach Daryl King-Lake View: “We lost around 14 seniors from last year's team and we have returned 100 per cent to a wish bone offense, for the first time in five or six seasons, so we are still learning our timing assignments and we are young in a lot of places,” said Coach King. “We only have a couple practices to get better before we open up the season at Marion on Thursday night this week.” The Wild gators return all-region performers Tamil Bellmon at RB and Tyrell Foxworth at LB. Junior Kason Herlong is the starting QB and late in the scrimmage he completed several nice passes to junior TE prospect Daniel Ray (6-5, 200). Coach Jeff Calabrese-Hartsville: “Our offensive line opened some holes for our running backs tonight,” said Coach Calabrese. Center Slayton Stokes (6-4, 325), left guard Deric Brown (6-1, 270), left tackle Evan Young (6-0,200) along with Chris Price and right tackle Jazir Reardon (6-0,240) did a super job tonight.” The Red Foxes had close to 200 yards rushing in the two quarters they played. Four or five backs took turns gaining big yards led by Carmello McDaniel (5-9,180) and Hakeen Watters (5-6,175). QB McKenzie Douglas (6-3, 195) is back after passing for 1,284 yards and rushing for 684 as a junior. He completed a couple nice underneath passes in the scrimmage. “We are also excited to have Douglas back also. McDaniel is a four-year starter for us at RB. Bryson Jacobs is a good leader for us on the defensive front also.” Hartsville will start the season against Conway this week. Coach Andy Poole - Cheraw (starting his 8 th season as head coach): “We return 8 starters on each side of the football so we are expecting a successful season,” said Coach Poole. “ Dwight Harrington is an all-region kid back at receiver and Darius Garvin is an all-region returner at corner. “We started around 16 sophomores last year and they are all back as juniors, so you expect to improve while still being young,” said Coach Poole. “We are a year older and much stronger and faster. We are excited about this crowd for sure.” The team’s leader is back in QB Aiden Nolan (6-2, 200) who has dual threat talent with a strong arm. Cheraw will start the season in week one against rival Marlboro County . Coach Kelvin Roller - Dillon (The Wildcats are 22-2 under Roller in his first two seasons): Dillon was missing five starters in the scrimmage, with two players suspended. Coach Roller said all five should be suited up for the team’s week one game at Lamar to start the season. Dillon scored both TDs on long runs by speedy soph RB Dominick Felton (5-9,170) running behind an OL led by the state’s number one 2024 player Josiah Thompson (6-7, 290) who is committed to SC. “I think we are in great shape but tonight we did not play our best,” said Coach Roller. “We were sloppy on offense and this is what practice in for, and what the pre-season is for. I told them that Rome was built in a day and if you went out there in the pre-season and you were a well-oiled machine what fun would the process of getting better be like? We hope to improve with each practice and each game. We all hope to go out and play really well every time we suit up but it just did not happen for us tonight. “I did think we played really well on defense,” said Coach Roller. “I think sometimes not looking all that well can be beneficial in the long run.” The defense will be led by veteran senior LB Sirmod McCallum (5-11, 190). RB/DB Jamarion Fling (5-10, 175) and sophomore QB Josiah Oxendine (6-1, 190) are key non-senior players along with Zay Robertson a WR/DB. This year’s Dillon’s team has 15 players starting (at least) their third season under Coach Roller. Thompson has started since his freshman year. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos .

Defending Class A state champion Lady Raiders top East Clarendon 16-5

Pamplico – As the defending state champions in Class A softball, the Hannah-Pamplico Raiders have a target on their back in 2024. Nonetheless, this year’s team has enough talent and experience to make another run at the state championship, according to coach Amber Knight. “It was clear early in pre-season that the girls and coaching staff were feeling the pressure, coming off the programs first-ever State Championship Title win,” Knight reports. “We lost some key players from last year's roster, but the team has looked strong early on this year, currently sitting at 7-0 on the season and 2-0 in the region. “We have worked to establish the team as their own identity for the 2024 season, not a continuation of the 2023 State Champions. Our team looks different both in the field and at the plate, but as I have told the girls many times, different doesn't mean bad. We have a strong junior and sophomore class and two phenomenal pitchers that we think can take us back to the state championship playoffs.” Handling the duties inside the pitching circle are senior Isabella Davis and sophomore Kadence Poston. Each also plays first base when the other is pitching. In the early going, the duo has combined for 86 strikeouts and only six walks in the first 40 innings of the season. The first seven opponents managed just five runs. Lining up around the field defensively, junior Payten Poston is in centerfield while junior Jadan Lee is the shortstop. Sophomore Meredith Stone is the catcher and senior Madison Rodgers plays second base. Sophomore Chloe Cooper is the normal starter at third. Sophomore Savannah Owens starts in left and senior Karah Turner is in right. Adding depth defensively are freshman Allie Nettles (OF, 2B), sophomore Khloe Jones (OF, SS) and eighth-grader London Lee (3B/C). Offensively, Lee is the top performer, hitting .429 with three homers and 15 RBI in the first seven games. Lee hit .518 with 19 RBI last season. Owens batted .333 early on while Stone was at .294 and Poston at .386. Davis also is a capable hitter, hitting .362 last season. “Offensively, we have played well and have put up good numbers, we just haven't started stringing hits together to create those big innings,” Knight said. “A strong start to the season has the coaches optimistic. We are in a good place to make a run for the region title, hit our stride in the playoffs, and hopefully return to the state playoffs in late May.”

 Pamplico – When he has a fully healthful team, Hannah-Pamplico baseball coach Trey Woodberry feels his 2024 team can equal or better the success of 2023. The Raiders advanced to the district championship game after a strong playoff run last season. Many of the players who made that strong run are back this spring, but illness and injury has slowed the early season progress. Woodberry has been around long enough to realize that the early part of the season is not as important as region play. His hope is to have his full roster available come conference play. “We only lost two kids from last year’s team so we have a good amount of experience and talent,” Woodberry said. “Right now we have battled some flu and some injuries so we’re not nearly at full strength. Once we get to full strength, I feel like we will have a competitive team that can make a run. We just have to get healthy.” Due to the lack of returners early, Woodberry has been forced to play a lot of underclassmen. The experience his players are gaining will add depth later in the season. In an early preseason tournament game, Woodberry had a starting lineup consisting of five sophomores and two freshmen. “We put a pretty good jayvee team out there,” Woodberry joked. “A lot of those young guys are going to be good players for us.” One of the top returning players this season is senior shortstop Wade Poston, but he has battled the flu bug early. Junior centerfielder Jamarcus Williams is one of the state’s top prospects but is missing time early after knee surgery from a football injury. Junior Ty Daves was a returning third baseman but also has suffered a knee injury, while starting outfielder Brandon Cox was hit in the wrist by a pitch and will miss extensive time. Senior Logan Bass is a returning starter behind the plate and senior Avery Stone is working at third base, along with freshman Jacob Creech. Junior Boone Johnson is working early at first base while sophomore Davis Kimbrough and freshman Kolby Hyman are sharing early duties at second base. Working in the outfield are Mason Smith, freshman Jonah Poston and Daniel Chandler. Sophomore Payton Farmer, a left-handed pitcher, is expected to be a major contributor on the mound. Jonah Poston, another southpaw, will get innings on the mound. Johnson, Stone and Smith also will see time on the bump. “The pitching is young but we have a lot of potential to be competitive,” Woodberry said.

Pamplico – Hannah-Pamplico boys basketball coach Jimmy Williams has had a couple of successful seasons recently with talented and veteran teams. The Raiders are a bit younger this winter so the veteran coach is showing patience as they develop chemistry and learn to play together. “We have a lot of new faces out there running around,” the coach said. “The last few years we have had a lot of experience. We have a few returners but a lot of guys that are being asked to step into new roles this year. It’s early and we are putting the pieces together. We are still trying to figure out what we want to be. It’s a process.” The Raiders have opened the 2023-24 season with a 3-4 record. Williams is confident that the team he has assembled can and should be a competitive unit when region play begins in January. The Raiders are not playing games over the holidays and Williams feels a lot of good practicing will help the team move forward. Hannah-Pamplico is led this season by junior guard Tylin Jenkins, who does have solid experience. Jenkins is a returning all-region performer who averaged 12 points per game as a sophomore. Through seven outings, Jenkins is averaging 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. “He’s one of the top players in the region and he can carry the load for us,” Williams said. “We have to contribute around him, give him some help.” Some of that early help has come from freshman point guard De’Auje Bacchus, who has averaged 14 points per game early on. “He’s had a good start,” the coach said. “We didn’t expect him to have such an impact but he has been more than we expected.” Another returning starter is senior forward Jermaine Tompkins, who contributes about six points and five rebounds per game as a steady performer. Rounding out the usual starting five are junior Mason Hanna and senior Shemar Eaddy. Both were reserves last season but have increased their role this winter. Hanna has averaged five points and seven rebounds per game early on. Giving some production off the bench are sophomores Jimike Williams, Demarion Sparks, Va’Shon Washington and Kamari Wilson. “We’re playing pretty well defensively so far but we’re only averaging about 48 points per game,” Williams said. “That needs to improve. We need a little more production from everyone. It’s hard to win with just two guys in double figures. We need a third consistent scorer and then have everyone else chipping in with some points. But, I really believe that will come once we get into region play. This team has potential.”

Pamplico – Like death and taxes, another sure bet in life is that Hannah-Pamplico will be highly competitive in girls tennis every fall. The Lady Raiders took the courts this fall with high expectations and achieved at a successful level once again. Guided by veteran coach Rusty Turner, Hannah-Pamplico put together another outstanding season, winning a seventh consecutive region championship. The season ended in the state semi-finals of the Class A state tournament, losing to perennial state powerhouse Christ Church. “It was a good season. The girls put in a lot of hard work and they did well,” Turner said. Don’t expect much of a drop off next season as most of the team will return, with some younger players waiting in the wings to make their mark. The starting lineup included only two seniors. Madison Rodgers played No. 1 singles and Leah Watkins played No. 5 singles. Junior Chamblee Poston worked as the No. 2 singles player and junior Elizabeth Mims played No. 3 singles. Sophomore Layla Cooper was entrenched as the No. 4 singles performer. Juniors Aislyn Bram and Hailey Marlowe formed the No. 2 doubles team, while Rodgers and Poston were the No. 1 doubles team. Rounding out the roster this season were Addy Farmer, Tillie Bass, Hailey Moore and Caroline Sandoval. “I feel like we will remain competitive next season,” Turner said. “We will miss the two seniors and their leadership but it’s time for others to step into that role. I’m looking forward to putting it all together next year.” This was Turner’s eighth season in his second stint as the coach. He also coached during 2006-07. He returned as coach when he returned to working at the school. “When you know you have a tradition going and the girls will work hard, it makes it enjoyable to coach them.” The volleyball team also qualified for the Class A Lower State playoffs, finishing the season with 11 wins. Three players received postseason region honors. Selected first-team all-region were Payten Poston and Savannah Owen, while Isabella Davis was a second-team all-region performer. In cross country, Adam Elliott finished third in the region 6-A meet. He also participated in the Class A state qualifying meet, finishing 18 th overall. Davis Kimbrough finished 11 th at the region meet and Kyle Elliott finished 21 st . Stokes Scott finished in 23 rd and Hayden McKenzie finished 29 th . Rayce Shird, Miller Owens and Chase Stone also ran for the squad this fall. Two female runners ran in the region meet. Elizabeth Garcia Rueda finished ninth and Claudia Garcia Rueda finished 15 th in the region race.

Pamplico – Experience is everything in sports. Teams that have veteran players who have been through the competitive process before tend to win. At Hannah-Pamplico High, volleyball coach Dawn Burgoyne says experienced players have her team in the hunt for a region championship. The Red Raiders won four of their first six region 6-A contests this fall and were 8-6 overall as of Sept. 27. Both win totals already are better than last year. “I have high expectations for this season,” the coach reports. “The majority of my starting players returned this year. They have worked really well together. We have improved on our defense and are so much stronger at the net. We have great communication and we will always fight until the end. I am hoping to advance further in the playoffs than we have in years past. I am really proud of how much they have progressed, individually and as a unit, from 2022 to 2023.” The Raiders have a roster this fall that includes six seniors and five juniors. Two sophomores have joined the team and have made an impact as well. The starting lineup has three seniors – Isabella Davis, Jayla Graham and Karan Turner. Juniors Jadan Lee and Payten Poston are joined by sophomore Savannah Owens in the starting lineup. Other seniors include Ashlyn Smith, Kaytlin Speights and Mallory Tisdale. Rounding out the 2023 roster are juniors Roxy Reynolds and Alileena Singletary, and sophomore Chloe Cooper. Every successful team has its alpha dogs, or players that lead the charge in their consistent play and high team spirit. The Raiders are no exception. Poston and Owens are two of the top outside hitters and Davis is a star as the setter. “All three girls mesh well because of their team effort. Team morale is at an all-time high.” Entering a match on Sept. 29 against Green Sea Floyds, the Raiders had won two games in a row in region play. Lake View is the team to beat in region 6-A.

Pamplico – While happy for the win, his first as head coach at Hannah-Pamplico High, coach Trey Woodberry realizes his 2023 Raiders have plenty of work ahead of them. The Raiders opened the season with a 57-52 win over McBee on Aug. 18. The number that sticks out for Woodberry is the 52 points allowed. While the offense rolled up nearly 600 yards in total offense, the defense lacked consistency. “We have a long way to go defensively and we knew that coming in,” Woodberry said. “We had some good moments but we got some cramps with our starters and we just don’t have the depth right now. We’re young and we’re small so we have limitations. We have to play more physical and tackle better. We’ll keep working at it and we will get better. We have to get better.” The Raiders exploded for 536 yards on the ground in the opener. Leading the way was junior Jamarcus Williams, who rushed for 309 yards on just 21 carries. Williams was in and out of preseason practices while participating with the state champion Florence American Legion baseball team, which advanced to the World Series. “We played him only 25 plays, just being careful,” Woodberry said. “He was ready to go. He got practice time and he worked all summer so he was good. He’s a special player.” Quarterback Wade Poston is a returning starter and added 148 yards rushing and four touchdowns in the opener. Expected to see carries in the run game behind Williams are defensive starters Chris Eldridge and Logan Bass, who play linebacker on defense. Sophomore Kei’Monti Wilson saw action in the opener, as did sophomore Darius Williams. Senior JT Thompkins is the team’s top receiving threat, with junior Demarian Sparks being a solid option in the passing game as well. The offensive line is a veteran unit with all five starters returning from last season. Avery Stone and Mason Hanna are the tackles while Al Foxworth and Will Faulkenberry are the guards, Brandon Cox starts at center. Stone and Foxworth are the only seniors in the unit. Freshman Dewey Kimbrough will rotate in often as well. Stone also lines up along the front defensively, joined by freshman nose guard Khishawn Brown. Several players are competing for time at the other end. Eldridge returns at inside linebacker and had 12 tackles in the opener. He is joined inside by JaQuann Bryant. Bass and Wilson are the outside backers. Thompkins starts at one corner while De’Auje Bacchus is the other. Freshman Landon Fennell and Sparks are working at safety.

Pamplico – When Jamie Johnson opted to leave Hannah-Pamplico High as athletic director and head football coach to pursue an opportunity at Darlington High School, the Hannah-Pamplico administration did not have to look far for Johnson’s replacement. Already on the coaching staff, and with experience in both positions, Trey Woodberry was the obvious choice to replace Johnson in both capacities. Woodberry was officially named as the athletic director and head football coach in late February. Woodberry, who also is the head baseball coach and was an assistant on Johnson’s football staff since 2018, has compiled a solid resume as a coach and administrator. The South Florence High graduate has coached at several Pee Dee area schools. He served a four-year stint as head coach at McBee High School and was on the coaching staff at Marlboro County when the Bulldogs won two state titles under Dean Boyd. His most extensive time as a head football coach was at West Florence High, where he coached the Knights for 13 seasons. He also was the athletic director at the school in his last four years. Woodberry has compiled a 77-114 record as a head coach. He is a two-time region coach of the year (2011, 2012) and was named the AAAA Lower State coach of the year by the SC football coaches association in 2011. Woodberry’s 2012 team finished with a 10-3 record. Woodberry was an assistant in the North-South all-star game in 2012 and served as an assistant on the South Carolina Shrine Bowl coaching staff in 2014. As an athletic director, Woodberry was the region 6-AAAA athletic director of the year in 2016. Woodberry has assembled his football coaching staff for the 2023 season and there are a lot of new faces. The lone holdover from Johnson’s staff is Jimmy Williams, who will coach receivers and is also the varsity boys basketball coach. Eddie Scott will coach the linebackers and coordinate the defense while also handling the strength and conditioning. Mickey McGee will coach the offensive and defensive linemen while Shep Stone, a minister in town, will coach outside linebackers. He also will assist Woodberry with the baseball program. Dallas Hall is coming in to coach the defensive backs. “I really like this staff,” Woodberry said. “They have good energy and they have really developed a good relationship with our kids. It’s a good group coaches and we’re ready to get started.” Woodberry also announced the hiring of Jill Ard as the cross country coach. Jay Watson has been hired as the new golf coach and Zateashma Blue is the varsity girls basketball coach. Woodberry says there will also be a new track coach next spring with a hire forthcoming.

Pamplico – Though they have to wait a few extra days, when the time comes, several athletes from the Hannah-Pamplico High track and field program will have their shot to win a state champiomship. The Class A state track and field meet was scheduled for May 18 in Columbia but bad weather forced officials to postpone the meet until Monday, May 22. Unfortunately, the results of the meet are not included in this report due to press deadlines but we will catch up on all the success in the June issue. We do know what athletes qualified for the state finals via the Class A Lower State meet that was held earlier in the month. On the girls side, the top performer this spring has been Jayla Graham. Graham won three region titles at the region meet, claiming gold in the 100, 200 and long jump. She continued her success at the Lower State meet, finishing fourth in the 100, third in the 200 and first in the long jump. She will compete in the state finals in all three events. Soulana Bartyzel finished third in the 200 at the region meet and won the region title in the 400. She qualified for the state meet in the 400 with a second-place run. Heaven Bartyzel finished second in the 800 and second in the 1600 at the region meet. She ran to a first-place finish in the lower state 800 and was third in the 1600 to qualify for the state finals in both events. Christina Hacker won region title in the 100 hurdles and was second in the 400 hurdles. Scarlett O’Neill was fourth in the100 hurdles at the region meet and Ashlyn Smith finished fourth in the 400 hurdles. Tayla Parker was second in the high jump at the region meet but qualified for the state meet with a third-place finish in the lower state qualifier. The 400 and 1600 meter relay teams also won region titles. From the boys team, Adam Elliott qualified for the state finals in the 1600 and 3200 meter run, finishing second in the 3200 and fourth in the 1600. He won the region title in both events. Keimonte Wilson finished second at the region meet in the 100 meter dash while Darius Williams was fifth in the 200. Dahki Thomas finished second in the discus and sixth in the shot put at the region meet. Will Faulkenberry was fourth in both events.