Goose Creek boys 12-2 as 2025 dawns

Rob Gantt • January 9, 2025

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Goose Creek's Shane Potts in action.

By Rob Gantt

Special to the HSSR

GOOSE CREEK – Goose Creek High School’s boys basketball team takes a 12-2 record into the new year after going 2-1 in Greenville High School’s Poinsettia Classic Dec. 27-29.

The Blake Hall-coached Gators defeated Boiling Springs, 57-51, and Greenville, 54-45, in their first two games before falling to Gray Collegiate in the championship.

Junior guard Ja’Quell Brown poured in 49 points in the three games for the Gators, while senior guard Shane Potts added 43 points. Both players have been cornerstones for multiple seasons and earned all-region honors in 2023-24.

Also for the Gators, senior guard Brayden Langworthy tallied nine points against Gray. Senior guard Jermaire Williams scored 10 points against Greenville. Junior forward Taveion Scott was the third-leading scorer versus Boiling Springs.

The Gators entered the 2024-25 season ranked No. 1 in Class 5A Div. II and have proven to be tough on the hardwood as expected. Hall’s club brings back 10 lettermen.

“We’ve got enough talent to be very good,” Hall said. “The difference between this time last year and this year is they believe they can be good. It starts with the belief you can be good. Then you want to do things you’re supposed to do to be the team you think you can be. It’s really maturation. This team is more mature.”

Potts and Brown averaged 16.6 and 13 points per game in 2023-24. Brown also led in steals, while Potts finished second in rebounds and steals.

The Gators cap the non-region slate at home Jan. 7 against Woodland.

They crank up the Region 7-5A slate at home Jan. 10 versus Cane Bay and travel to Berkeley Jan. 14. Goose Creek then hosts Lucy Beckham Jan. 17 and Wando Jan. 21 before closing out the first rotation through league play at rival Stratford Jan. 24.

Earlier this season, the Gators also won a tournament at North Charleston and had an eight-game win streak.

Wrestling

On Tuesday, Dec. 17, GCHS wrestling coach Willie Nearhood added another line to his resume when the Gators rolled over to Philip Simmons High School and picked up Nearhood’s 500th career duals victory, 66-6. Nearhood became just the 10th coach in state history to reach the milestone, according to records kept on scmat.com.

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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.