Little River – The North Myrtle Beach high baseball program has been knocking on the door of a state championship in recent years. The hope is they kick down the door in 2024. The Chiefs took a major step last spring, winning the AAAA Lower State championship and reaching the AAAA state championship series. Unfortunately, the Chiefs lost the best-of-three series to Catawba Ridge. Nonetheless, reaching the state finals was a big accomplishment and with a solid cast of returning players this season, coach Brian Alderson has high expectations. “This team has lots of potential,” the coach said. “We will, I believe, definitely have the pitching to make a strong run again. My concern is defensively we have been sloppy at times. We have made 15 errors in our first nine games but 12 came in our one week two game series with West Florence. We have to play cleaner defensively because our pitching is good enough to give us a chance.” The Chiefs have won nine of their first 11 games this season, losing once to West Florence in a region 6-AAAA matchup and losing to AAAAA power Fort Mill in a preseason tournament. Alderson, now in his 10 th season, says some of the early issues defensively may be due to his team playing a little tight. “Everyone has told this team how good they are and I think maybe the pressure is building,” the coach said. “We just need to relax and trust what we are capable of doing. Just play the game. If we play good defensively we can compete with any team in the state.” Pitching is clearly a strength of this year’s squad. Led by junior righty Luke Roupe, a Vanderbilt commit, and 6-4 senior southpaw Josh Surigao, a Hawaii commit, the Chiefs have two of the top arms in the state. Adding depth is USC Upstate commit Austin Long, a senior, along with senior lefty Cody Rice and sophomore Sawyer Smith, a University of North Carolina commit. Smith also is the starting shortstop while Rice plays first base. Roupe plays third defensively. Junior catcher CJ Oxendine is strong behind the plate and has committed to play at Virginia Tech. Peyton Gallup sees time at third when Roupe pitches while junior Asa Board and Connor Helmecki work at second base. Junior Gabe Kuznik starts in right field with Campbell Kingston working in left. Mason Cox is the starter in center, moving over from leftfield. “Offensively, the top of the order has been pretty solid so we’re trying to get more consistent production from the bottom,” Alderson said. “The potential is there. We just have to keep working at it. These next few weeks will be really important for us.” In softball, coach Danny Susral has his team sitting at 6-8 overall and 3-3 in region play entering spring break. The Chiefs will play some spring break games before getting back into the regular season with several key region games upcoming. The bulk of the playing time this season is shared by underclassmen with only one senior, outfielder Mary Beth Carrick, seeing regular action as a starter. Handling the bulk of the pitching duties this season are junior Nealy Lockner and sophomore Sierra Bendik, who also share duties at shortstop. Lockner has four wins and Bendik has two. Lockner also is hitting ,343 early on. Junior Kiera Olson is working in center and hitting .414 early on. Sophomore Sadie Olson is catching and hitting .349, while sophomore third baseman Isabella Bruno leads the team in hitting with a .440 average and nine RBI’s. Sophomore Hadley Leonhardt is hitting .385 with nine RBI’s and sophomore Lily Carney plays first base and is hitting .440 with a team-high 11 RBI’s. Junior Ellie Joynson and sophomore Cheyenne Davis are playing second base.

Little River – All in all, Heather Kearney’s first season as the girls basketball coach at North Myrtle Beach High School went pretty well. Faced with an adjustment period for players and coach, the Lady Chiefs were able to win 18 games during the 2023-24 season. They won seven of 10 games in region 6-AAAA, good enough for third-place in the region standings. The team also qualified for the Lower State playoffs, posting a first-round win over Irmo before getting eliminated in a second-round loss to Bluffton. Kearney, who came to North Myrtle Beach after an extended coaching career on the college level, says the importance of building on the positives and correcting the negatives cannot be understated. “We definitely planted the seeds,” she said. “We learned how to play. We learned a lot about what we wanted the program to look like moving forward. We did some good things but as a coach, I know where we need to improve. We need to put in a lot of good work during the offseason.” Aside from the expected skill development, Kearney is looking forward to her players learning more about the game and how to handle situations that occur in games. “We have to improve our basketball IQ. We have to gain a better understanding of the game,” the coach said. “That’s normal for any team. A player can always learn more about the game through watching game film and seeing how they handle situations. Things like setting screens and coming off screens. Just having a better knowledge of how the game is played. “Two things in basketball that can prevent success is layups and free throws. Those are two of the basic parts of the game that good teams do. We have to get stronger, more able to handle the physical aspects of the game. It’s a lot of stuff but we have time to improve on everything we do.” One encouraging aspect for the future is the number of underclassmen that saw critical playing time. The roster is set to return three players who received all-region recognition this season. Junior guard Faith Farmer was selected as the region offensive player of the year. Farmer averaged 17.5 points and 2.6 steals per game this season. Freshman point guard Maddie Vereen showed great promise, averaging 11 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 steals per outing. In the post, junior Neveah Washington averaged nearly eight points and hauled in 9.7 rebounds per game. The lone senior to see significant playing time was forward Jaden Berger, but she was in and out of the lineup fighting injury all season. Junior Kierra Olson and sophomore Sadie Olsen saw playing time that will benefit them next year. Sophomore Katlyn Powers also saw action in nearly every game. “We should return a good nucleus with Faith and Maddie in the backcourt and Neveah in the post,” Kearney said. “We were able to get some younger players some good playing experience. Now is the next step. They need to put in a lot of work during the offseason to improve themselves as players. That’s a good three to start with. Now we have to get some other girls ready to play and contribute in bigger roles.” Kearney has an optimistic outlook for next season, if the players will commit to improvements. “I’m excited to see us take that next step,” she said. The North Myrtle Beach boys team finished the season with a 15-11 overall record. They earned a spot in the AAAA playoffs but saw their season end with a loss to Lucy Beckham. The Chiefs suffered five losses this season by single digits, changing the overall complexion of the record. In wrestling, three Chief grapplers from the boys team qualified for the AAAA state individual tournament in late February. The top finisher from the team was Wyatt Wheeler, who took home a silver medal in the 132-pound weight class. Levi Wheeler was a qualifier in the 120-pound weight class while Michael Cavallini qualified at 150 pounds. Grace Ortiz qualified for the girls state invitational open in the 135-pound weight class.

Little River – As a former competitor himself, wrestling is very important to Rahseen Vereen. The former North Myrtle Beach High grappler is now the head coach at his alma mater and brings a winning, competitive spirit to the region 6-AAAA program. Vereen is wrapping up his first season as the head man at North Myrtle Beach, having competed on the collegiate level at UNC Pembroke. Vereen has a goal of leading his high school team to a state championship and the 2023-24 campaign was a good start. The Chiefs contended for the region championship this season but to rival Myrtle Beach in the deciding matchup. Nonetheless, a good first season for the new coach. “I am very pleased with the way this team accepted me and worked all season,” the coach said. “We started off a little shaky but we have responded well. Once we got comfortable with each other and they understood my expectations for them, we started competing better. The guys are wrestling to a higher standard now and we have seen a lot of guys improve over the season.” In addition to local and region matches, the Chiefs took their show on the road and competed in quality tournaments away from home. A big win came at the US Military Duals in Chapin where the Chiefs won the silver bracket championship with a win over Laurens in the finals. The Chiefs also wrestled in the Trap Duals and the Bobcat Duals down in the Beaufort area, having some success against a competitive field of teams. The team recently competed in the region 6-AAAA individual tournament with an opportunity to see several individual wrestlers earn a bid to the AAAA Lower State meet later in February. It was a good day overall for North Myrtle Beach as the team had three wrestlers win region championships. Levi Wheeler won the 120-pound weight class and Jake Iannone won the title at 126 pounds. Wyatt Wheeler was the champion at 132-pounds. He is a returning state champion and has been a three-time state tournament qualifier. Four individuals qualified for the Lower State tournament with third-place finishes at the region meet. Jasaun Bellamy was third at 138 pounds and Michael Cavallini was third at 150 pounds. Cole Woody placed third at 157-pounds and Isaiah Black was third at 285 pounds. Also qualifying with fourth-place finishes were Frank Haggerty at 175 pounds and Nick Padilla at 215 pounds. The dual season is not yet complete as the Chiefs will wrestle in the AAAA Lower State tournament beginning on Feb 3 rd . The state championship dual matches are scheduled for Feb. 10. The individual state tournament is Feb. 23-24 in Anderson. Basketball Update With the regular season winding down, the boys and girls basketball teams at North Myrtle Beach are looking to finish strong and earn a spot in the AAAA Lower State playoffs. The girls team sits in good shape to be a top three finisher in region 6-AAAA heading into a key region showdown with Hartsville on Jan. 30. Coach Heather Kearney’s team is 14-6 overall and 5-2 in region play. Both losses in the region came to Wilson by a combined nine points. The Chiefs beat Hartsville earlier this season but Hartsville and Wilson are a game ahead in the standings with 6-1 records. North Myrtle Beach closes the season with region games against South Florence and Myrtle Beach, and a non-region game against Socastee. Junior guard Faith Farmer continues her solid season, averaging 18.2 points and 2.2 steals per game. Freshman guard Madison Vereen is averaging 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest while junior post Nevaeh Washington is averaging 7.1 points and a team-leading 10.4 boards per game. The boys team enters the final two weeks with work to do. After an 11-2 start, the Chiefs have struggled in region play with a 2-5 record. The Chiefs are 13-8 overall but are battling for a top four region finish. The Chiefs could use a few wins to secure a playoff spot and has games remaining against Hartsville, South Florence and Myrtle Beach. The two region wins came against Hartsville and West Florence.

Little River – It’s only mid-December with a lot of very important basketball remaining but if the first two weeks of the regular season are any indication of things to come, hoops fans at North Myrtle Beach High are going to have lots to cheer about in 2023-24. After posting victories on Dec. 15, both the boys and girls teams are feeling pretty good about the way this season has opened. The girls team has won five of their first six games while the boys team is a perfect 7-0 to open the schedule. On the girls side, Heather Kearney is in her first season as the head coach but is no stranger to success on the hardcourt. Kearney spent two decades coaching on the college level, in Division I and II, and helped build successful programs at Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina. Kearney took a step back from the college game and has been a teacher at North Myrtle Beach for four years. She was a logical replacement for Brooke Smith, who stepped away from coaching to spend more time with family. Smith’s work over the last several years was immeasurable as she built the girls program into a state title contender. Kearney stepped into a solid foundation last April and has this year’s team off to a great start. “There’s no doubt, Brooke really built this program and left it in great shape,” Kearney said. “What I have tried to do is continue the growth and keep the program moving forward. Brooke laid the foundation and made girls basketball a big deal again. She took a lot of pride in the program and as a fellow coach, I have a great appreciation for what she established her.” Having been in the school for the last few years, the transition for Kearney and the team was relatively smooth. She says Smith also was a big help in the transition. There is some experience returning to this year’s team but there also is some inexperience that Kearney is bringing along. “Our goal is to get one percent better every day and these girls have bought into that idea,” the coach said. “It has been fun to see them get better and make progress. We have work to do, plenty of it, but the attitude and work ethic is really good.” Kearney feels one of her strengths as a coach is defense and that mentality is a part of this year’s team. “We want to rebound and play defense, that’s the mindset,” Kearney said. “Playing defense is a matter of “want to”. If you play with tons of energy and you play with effort, you can play defense. This team has bought into that.” One of the veteran leaders this season is junior guard Faith Farmer, a third-year starter and the team’s leading scorer. Junior Nevaeh Washington and senior Jaden Berger are experienced post players and key rebounders. Washington pulled down 20 boards in a win over Loris earlier this season. Sophomores Sadie Olson and Ty Woodard also work in the post. Freshman Madison Vereen is the starting point guard and showing growth with each game. Junior Janiya Bragg, junior Kiera Olson and sophomore Katlyn Powers also get work in the backcourt. “There’s a lot of newness so they are still learning to play together. I am really encouraged and excited to see how we continue to learn and grow as a team,” Kearney said. The boys team, coached by Ryan Walker, already has nearly matched last year’s win total of nine games with their 7-0 start. Walker has an experienced team after working through some growing pains with a younger roster the last two seasons. “There is a certain confidence level that comes with experience,” Walker said. “We have a number of guys who have played considerable varsity minutes and I think they have learned how to prepare and perform at the varsity level. We are always a work in progress, just trying to become more consistent in everything we do.” Senior forward TJ Stanley is a key returner this winter, now in his third season as a starter. Senior Cash Brown and junior Wells Hall have been solid performers as well. Junior Landon Cloninger is the team’s leading scorer and a dead-eye three-point shooter. Senior McCain Moses has reached double figures in four of the first six games. Junior Noah Louder has also been very good from beyond the arc early on. Other members of the team include seniors CJ Oxendine, Josh Surigao, Evans Bellamy and Zach McHugh; along with juniors Deante Tisdale, Calvin Vaught, Chris Chapman and Dylan Wilt.

Little River – After winning the state’s most prestigious in-season tournament, the North Myrtle Beach volleyball team can lay claim to being the best team in the state of South Carolina, in any classification. The Chiefs won the Dorman Tournament of Champions on Sept. 23, beating several of the state’s top programs. Included were six victories over AAAAA state powers Wando, Nation Ford, River Bluff, T.L. Hanna, Lexington and Dorman. The Chiefs defeated Dorman in the championship contest and also recorded wins over SCISA power Porter-Gaud and Class A defending state champion St. Joseph’s Catholic. Coach Alex Sing admits to being impressed by his team’s performance. It was their first appearance in the well-known event. “It was a very competitive tournament and it really tested us a lot,” Sing said. “The championship against Dorman really could have went either way. It was great for us. We felt we had a good team but you never really know until you get tested. That’s why playing against some of the top teams was good for us.” The Chiefs entered this season with a lot of motivation. North Myrtle Beach lost to Aiken in last year’s state championship match, 3-2. Finishing as the state runner-up served to fuel the desire for the 2023 season. “The way last year ended motivated our players to work really hard to improve in the offseason,” Sing said. “We’ve adopted the motto ‘it’s our turn’. We talk a lot about having a team effort. We need everyone to contribute, even our role players. We’re fortunate to have good depth and this team has come together well.” Entering the final week of September, the Chiefs had won 20 of 21 contests, losing only to West Virginia state power Musselman High in an early season tournament. Sing relies on strong leadership from five seniors, with a bevy of underclassmen working in various roles. Junior Olivia Borgman and sophomore Clara Cloninger lead the Chiefs in kills with 219 and 196, respectively. Each also has recorded 134 digs. Senior Libero Kendal Scanlin leads the club with 307 defensive digs. Junior setter Bella Loeswick has 540 assists and 146 digs. Senior middle Railyn Fowler has 19 blocks and 79 kills. Senior Carlin Sharpe also works in the starting rotation and has 69 kills in 21 contests. The remaining seniors on the roster are Bella Bellamy and Chenel Gainey. Other juniors include Ellie Johnson, Kiera Olsen, Anna Hutton, Addison Leonard and Sidney Palmerico. Rounding out the 2023 roster is sophomore Katelyn Powers and freshman Lilly Loeswick. North Myrtle Beach won state championships under Sing in 2018 and 2019. Sing stepped away from the program for two seasons before returning as head coach last year. While pleased with the season to date, Sing always looks for improvement. “Like every coach, I can find areas where we need to be better,” he said. “It’s mostly just concentrating on being consistent. We need to eliminate errors and clean up some of the smaller details. As the coach, I can never relax until the season is over.” The Chiefs will wrap up the region 6-AAAA schedule in mid-October, likely as the region champions. The final test before the state playoffs will be the Wando Invitational Tournament, another strong event with quality competition. Among Lower State AAAA contenders in the playoffs will be Lucy Beckham and James Island, both of region seven.

Little River – The North Myrtle Beach football team opened the 2022 season with losses to Socastee and Loris, both close and winnable games. That start led to a 2-9 finish. After getting their first win in their third game, the Chiefs went on a six-game losing streak. In a remarkable case of déjà vu, the 2023 season has started in much the same way as the previous season. The Chiefs lost their first two games of this season and could have won both. They dropped a 6-0 decision to Socastee on Aug. 18 and lost a double overtime game to Loris, 27-21. Both losses came on the road. Head coach Greg Hill, who took over the program prior to last season as he moved up from his role as an assistant to former coach Matt Reel. While disappointed again with the 0-2 start, Hill feels this year’s team is better equipped to handle the adversity. He feels his team will rebound to have a successful campaign. “We are all disappointed, no question,” Hill said. “In both games we started really slow. That’s something we have to fix. This team really has fought their tails off in the first two weeks and I know that will continue. I am really proud of their effort. They are working hard. I think this team has a great upside and they will come out of this. We can’t change where we are at 0-2 but we can turn it around. I have confidence that we will.” The Chiefs played their opener against Socastee without starting quarterback Landon Cloninger and the offense struggled. Cloninger was ready to play against Loris but the offense still started slowly. Turnovers have been a major issue in two games. North Myrtle Beach had six turnovers against Loris and three against Socastee. Yet, they had opportunities to win both games. “Yes, we could be sitting here at 2-0 if we just eliminate the mistakes,” Hill said. Falling behind 21-0 to Loris in the second quarter, the Chiefs fought back to tie the game and send it into overtime. They had chances to win the game in both extra sessions. “We put ourselves in position to win. We just didn’t execute,” the coach lamented. The football program has fought a numbers crunch, in terms of seniors, for the last two seasons. Last year’s team had only 10 seniors, which forced a lot of underclassmen into playing time. Most of those underclassmen return this fall with some experience but the senior class again only totals 11 this fall. The starting two deep is littered with seniors and juniors, most with some level of experience. Behind Cloninger in the backfield are senior Nasir Turner and junior Stephen Vereen. Evans Bellamy missed the season opener but rushed for 135 yards against Loris. Junior Kaden Gore is the top returning receiver. Juniors Anderson White and Andrew Kreider, along with sophomore Luke Barrett also work in the receiver rotation. Working at tight end are juniors Brown Reaves and Robert Pappano. Three returning starters are back along the offensive line. Junior Jacqari Witherspoon (6-3, 285) returns at left guard. Junior Tyler Dohring (6-2, 245) starts at right guard but also trains at left tackle. Junior Sawyer Averitt (6-4, 250) start at right tackle. Junior Zimir Vereen (5-11, 210) is working at left tackle and senior Jared Heyman (6-0, 240) is the starting center and is listed as the backup at right tackle. Senior Isaiah Black and juniors Koleton Turner and Matthew Murphy also see time along the front. Black (6-0, 275) is a returning starter at nose guard on defense. Senior TJ Stanley (6-2. 215) returns at one defensive end while junior DJ Gause (6-0, 215) returns at the other. Senior Aaron Bowers (6-4, 225) and sophomore Keith Allison (6-1, 235) also work in the rotation along the front. Senior Jayden Molina (6-2, 220) and sophomore Mike Cavallini (5-10, 165) are working at WILL linebacker, Junior Sloan McIntyre (5-10, 200) returns at the MIKE linebacker, backed up by Molina, At corner are senior Syncere Jefferson, junior Jahmaine Wilson and sophomore Bricey Gore. Gore also works at safety, along with returning starter Campbell Kingston, a junior, and sophomores Zyrion Reed and Trenton Fredricks, who was a starting linebacker last season and recorded 67 tackles. Juniors Rhys Sturgeon and Tanner Pretila also get time on the back end. The Chiefs are set to host West Brunswick, North Carolina in their home opener on Sept. 1. The stadium will debut a new artificial turf playing surface.