Aynor, Belton-Honea Path could by vying for top spot in AAA again
Runner-up Aynor, defending champ BHP 1-2 in HSSR poll
Sumter – Belton-Honea Path High School defeated Aynor for the AAA softball state title last year. The Bears won the best-of-3 series 2-1.
Since both squads had several returning players, it only makes sense that both are in the running for the state title again this year. They are ranked 1-2 in the High School Sports Report AAA poll only it is the Blue Jackets holding down the top spot.
Aynor will be trying to get back to the championship series for the fourth consecutive year. The Jackets won the title in 2023 and were the runners-up in 2022.
1. AYNOR
Aynor won 13 of its first 14 games and started 5-0 in Region 6. While the Blue Jackets have certainly had outstanding players over those years, there’s no doubt that the key to their success has been largely due to senior pitcher Maddie Johnson.
Johnson signed with Clemson in November. She is rated as the No. 8 pitcher in the Southeast and No. 27 nationally, according to Extra Innings. She was selected as the AAA Player of the Year last season and has been an All-Region selection for three years.
Aynor had recorded eight shutouts in its 13 victories. The lone loss was to defending AAAAA state champion and undefeated Summerville 1-0 on April 11.
2. BELTON-HONEA PATH
Belton-Honea Path won 15 of its first 17 games and was 4-0 in Region 1. Who took down the Bears? One and the same Summerville by scores of 6-1 and 8-0.
BHP was hitting just over .300 as a team and averaging seven runs a contest. Leading the way was returning All-State player Emma Jo Evans with a .477 average, while Carsen Foster was batting .355.
Addi Vaughn and Carli Smith have been handling the pitching duties The team earned run average was 2.70.
3. OCEASIDE COLLEGIATE
Oceanside Collegiate Academy had 21 games under its belt with a 13-8 overall record and a 3-0 mark in Region 8.
The Landsharks returned seven starters from last year. Senior third baseman Addison Miller, a member of the AA All-State team last year, batted .468 last year and has signed to play collegiately with Towson. Senior Grace Terry plays where needed. She has signed with Coker College and batted .382.
4. FOX CREEK
Like Oceanside, Fox Creek has made the jump from AA to AAA due to realignment. And, like the Landsharks, the Predators have handled it pretty well.
They won 12 of their first 17 contests, including all seven of their Region 4 contests.
Fox Creek is seriously stroking the softball with a .407 team batting average. They were being led by senior Hannah Andrews, who was batting .667 with two home runs, seven doubles, three triples, 17 runs batted in and 31 runs scored.
Sophomore Jordyn Grant was batting .525, senior Karli Hoffstettler .452 and sophomore Jada Jennings .424.
`5. LORIS
Loris is a region foe with Aynor. The Lions started off with a 9-7-1 overall record and were 5-3 in the region.
Junior Catie Black is back after earning All-State honors last season. She was batting .358 with seven doubles, a triple and two homers.
Loris was being led in hitting by junior Haley Spence. She owned a .471 batting average to go with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 17 runs batted in.
Sophomore Jessie Cartrette and junior Kenzie McCoy are the other big sticks in the lineup. Cartrette was batting .455, while McCoy owned a .448 average with four doubles, three triples and four home runs.
6/ HANAHAN
Hanahan is a more-than-respectable 11-5-1 on the season. However, that record might be a little misleading.
All of the Hawks’ losses – and the tie – have come against AAAAA schools. They are 4-0 in Region 8.
7.UNION COUNTY
Like Hanahan, Union County’s 9-5 record can be a bit deceiving. The Yellow Jackets have suffered losses to AAAAA power Byrnes, defending AA state champion and now AAAA school Gray Collegiate Academy, AAAA A.C. Flora and top-ranked Aynor.
Union County was off to a 3-0 start in Region 3.
8.WOODRUFF
Woodruff started the season by winning eight of its first 14 games. It was 2-1 in Region 3.
The Wolverines own victories over AAAAA schools Riverside, and Hillcrest and AAAA Laurens.
9. CHAPMAN
Chapman is a member of Region 3 like Union County and Woodruff. The Panthers won only five of their first 11 games and were 2-2 in region play.
Sophomore Kenslie Edwards was leading Chapman with a .393 batting average. Sophomore Alexis Floyd and senior Rylan Ivey were both hitting .364.
10. WEST-OAK
West-Oak won seven of its first nine games and started 2-1 in Region 1. The region loss was to Belton-Honea Path by a respectable 4-1 score. The other loss came to AAAA by a 9-8 count.
Freshman Jessie Stoltzfus was leading West-Oak in hitting with a .571 batting average. She had two doubles and a home run. Sophomore Brylee Whitfield was batting 469, while sophomore Allie Keith and junior Abi Blackwell were both hitting .387.
Blackwell had two home runs while freshman Kylie Perkins had three homers, four doubles and a triple among her 11 hits to go with a .355 batting average and a team high 12 runs batted in.
Blackwell has handled most of the pitching duties and had a 5-1 win-loss record with a 1.88 earned run average in 41 innings pitched.
HSSR Softball AAA Softball Rankings
(As of 4-12-2025)
1. Aynor
2. Belton-Honea Path
3. Oceanside Collegiate
4. Fox Creek
5. Loris
6; Hanahan
7. Union County
8. Woodruff
9. Chapman
10. West Oak
