First Baptist wrapping up fall sports

David Shelton • October 5, 2024

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By David Shelton

Senior Writer

James Island – Though the football team will play through October, and possibly into November, the rest of the fall sports teams at First Baptist School will be winding up their 2024 campaign over the next few weeks.

State playoffs for swimming, girls golf, girls tennis, volleyball and cross country begin by mid-October and Hurricane athletes are hoping for a state title opportunity.

One First Baptist athlete that will certainly have a chance to win a state gold medal is James Tyler of the boys cross country team. Tyler has been among the top distance runners in SCISA over the last two years and appears to be peaking in time for the state meet later this month.

Tyler hopes he and his teammates can have a successful run at the state meet. Tanner Honeycutt and Miles Jackson are the next two runners in line and have had solid fall performances. Brody Jackson and Edings Walpole round out the top five, with Thomas Doyle and Matthew Roof each posting times under the 20-minute mark.

Leading the effort on the girls team is Isla Hunt with Daisy Carter and Ella Harvey also competing this season.

The volleyball team is not likely to make a playoff run as the team rebuilds under a new coach this season. Providing the senior leadership for coach Zuri Fenderson are McAlley Burr, Jade Melanson, Lila Wrenn DuPre, Kaitlyn Plueger and Emily Jane LaRoche.

Six girls fill out the roster for the golf team this fall. The roster includes sophomores Cate Counts, Lainie Oberg, Izzy Tracy, Ellison Cummings and Isla Hunt, along with freshman Olivia DiCampli.

The girls tennis team wrapped up their regular season during the first week of October. The program shows potential as much of the roster were underclassmen this fall.

The lone seniors on the team were Ansleigh Brewer and Libby Sweeney. The two juniors were Wells Griffin and Fynnley Domrese. Sophomores on the team were Taylor Westerfield, Reese Tipton, and Grace Schaffer.

Rounding out the roster were freshmen Olivia Seabrook and Ava Dismuke, and seventh-grader Kessler Domrese.

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First Baptist Hires New AD and Football Coach

By David Shelton • July 30, 2025

By David Shelton Senior Writer Charleston – First Baptist School has new leadership within its football program and athletic department for the coming 2025-26 school year. Kevin Mapp was hired as the new head football coach in the early spring and Jay Godbolt was hired as the new athletic director at the start of the summer. Mapp has extensive coaching experience on both the college and high school levels while also working in law enforcement. First Baptist is his first head coaching position. Mapp last coached defensive linemen at James Island Charter High and has had coaching stints at James Madison, Hampden-Sydney, Georgetown, Marshall, Missouri State and Coastal Carolina. Mapp graduated from James Madison and was a defensive lineman on the 2004 Division I-AAA (now FCS) national championship team. “Coaching has always been my passion,” Mapp said. “Ever since I was playing, I wanted to be a coach. I have always found a way to coach while working in law enforcement. I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunities to do both.” Mapp has been with the Charleston County police department for the last 10 years. He took some time away from coaching to start a family. “I felt like First Baptist was the perfect fit for me and my family,” Mapp says. “It’s a great opportunity at a great place. The kids here work hard and there is a lot of support from the administration. I’m excited to be the head football coach at First Baptist.” Mapp has hired coordinators on both sides of the ball. Will McCombs , once the head coach of the program, will call the offensive plays. Chris Hart comes over from James Island as the defensive coordinator. “Our numbers are improving and the kids are working hard,” Mapp said. “I feel like we can be a competitive team. It’s year one of the building process.” Godbolt has been a coach and athletic director in the Charleston area for nearly two decades. As the boys basketball coach at Charleston Collegiate, Godbolt coached three state championship teams. He also has been a coach and athletic director at Lowcountry Leadership Academy. Godbolt has more than 450 career victories as a head basketball coach. Current First Baptist basketball coach Antoine Saunders was Godbolt’s assistant at Charleston Collegiate.