Porter-Gaud athletes enjoying banner year so far
By David Shelton
Senior Writer
Charleston – The year is only half complete but the athletes at Porter-Gaud are having a blast during the 2011-12 school year.
A total of 17 athletes from the fall sports campaign have been selected to various all-state teams by the High School Sports Report, and those athletes will be honored at the publication’s annual Fall Sports awards banquet on February 19th.
The athletes in volleyball, golf, swimming and cross country will be honored in one banquet at 1:30 p.m. while the football all-state awards banquet will be held at 5 p.m. The banquets are being held at the Seawell’s Restaurant in Columbia.
Porter-Gaud will be well-represented at both banquets.
Multi-sport athlete Brent Demarest will be honored as the state’s top athlete in two sports. Demarest was named the 2011 HSSR Male Swimmer of the Year, and was named the 2011 HSSR Male Runner of the Year in Cross Country.
Quarterback Hudson Worthy of the football team was named the 2011 HSSR SCISA Co-Mr. Football award winner after his outstanding record-setting career.
Julia McAvoy and Ali Waters were tabbed as the 2011 HSSR SCISA Co-Miss Volleyball award winners and coach Ashley Heidtke was named the SCISA Statewide Volleyball Coach of the Year.
Layne Mather of the Cross Country team was named the SCISA AAA Runner of the Year and boys’ coach Hugh Knight was named the SCISA Boys’ Coach of the Year.
Swim coach Michael Walsh was named the SCISA Boys’ Swim Coach of the Year.
Earning all-state honors in football were receiver Patrick Williams, linebacker Robert Scott and athlete Thomas Rogers.
All-state swimmers include Banks Wannamaker and Riley Daen.
Named all-state in volleyball were Halle Brown and Lexie Meyer, and earning all-state honors in cross country were Cameron Kane and Bradley McClelland.
Boys’ basketball prepping for playoff run
Porter-Gaud’s boys’ basketball team is hoping for an extended playoff run this season. The Cyclones are wrapping up regular season play next week and entered a key February 3rd matchup with Pinewood Prep with a chance to tie for the region championship.
The Cyclones, coached by John Pearson, entered the game with a 14-6 record overall and a 5-1 record in region play. The lone league loss came to Pinewood Prep, in overtime, in mid-January. The Cyclones have won five straight since the loss.
The return of sophomore wing K.J. James from an ankle injury has been key to the recent success. James injured his ankle in the Pinewood Prep game and missed several games. He is averaging 18.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game this season.
Sophomore forward Michael Preddy is averaging 8.7 rebounds per game while sophomore point guard Sterling Smalls is averaging 5.2 assists per game.
