Dorchester Girls Open With 15-2 Record

By Dennis Brunson

           hssr.com Associate Edior

            St. George – The Dorchester Academy girls basketball team has four returning starters from a team that went 16-8 a year ago and came within a basket of playing for the SCISA AA state championship.

           So it is no surprise the Raiders are having a successful 2025-26 campaign. They won 15 of their first 17 games and started 3-0 in Region 2.

           The four returning starters are junior Palmer Kizer, junior Alyssa Grooms, junior Rylee Weathers and sophomore Emery McClure. The newcomer to the starting five is a senior in Rylee Matthews.

           The first two players off the bench for Dorchester are senior Lyla Owens and freshman Madison Downey.

           Other members of the team are sophomore Emma Branch and sophomore Brinley Pope, both first-year varsity playes.

           McClure leads the team as she is averaging a double-double with over 10 points and 10 rebounds per game, respectively. She’s also averaging four steals a contest.

           The Raiders have a balanced scoring attack as Weathers and Grooms are both averaging double figures. Matthews is averaging double figures in rebounds.

           Kizer, who is averaging four steals a contest, is the defensive catalyst, according to veteran head coach Callie McClure.

“Kizer is at the top of our defense, setting the tone on that side of play,” said Coach McClure, who saw the Raiders drop a 44-43 decision to Laurens Academy in the semifinals. “She is feisty and quick and never runs out of gas.”

 DORCHESTER BOYS OPEN 9-8

The Dorchester boys basketball team won nine of its first 17 games and was 1-1 in region play. With four games still left to go in the region, Raiders head coach Nick Mcalhany thinks the best is yet to come for his team.

“We still have not played our best ball yet,” Mcalhany said. “We’re looking forward to doing that as we get into region play.”

Dorchester went 10-13 last season. They lost to Carolina Academy 62-53 in the first round of the AA state tournament.

Senior Abe Shuler is the leader of the offense, averaging around 15 points a contest. Joining Shuler in the starting lineup are senior John Quattlebaum, junior Austin Varn, sophomore Carter Beeks and freshman Colson Williams.

Other members of the team are sophomore Boone Gruber, sophomore Graham Varnadoe, senior Bradley Sievert, junior Lathan Hartzog, sophomore Warren Judy, sophomore Clayton Ziegler and junior Will Quattlebaum.

Dorchester is joined in Region 2 by Faith Christian, Charleston Collegiate and Cathedral Academy.