Orangeburg Prep softball team hopes for success despite changes

Orangeburg – The Orangeburg Preparatory School softball team has played for a state

championship the past two seasons. The Indians are hoping to make it three years in a row this season.

Whether they do or not, they will definitely have a different look.

Orangeburg Prep will be without graduated standout pitcher Payton Schurlknight  as well as

head coach Marty Kinard, who resigned. Kinard’s replacement is his assistant, Shaniya Thomas, and

her charge is to figure out who will replace Schurlknight, now at Lander, in the circle.

“We’ve got four other pitchers we’re currently using right now,” said Thomas. “We’re

working out the kinks to make it work. I’d say we’re doing pretty good.”

Battling for time in the circle are junior Prestan Schurlknight, senior Jane Walker Yonce,

senior Lauren Ballew and McKenzie Johnson. Thomas has Yonce listed as the No. 1 pitcher.

Prestan Schurlknight, Yonce and Ballew are three of the six returning starters from last season.

The other returning starters are Hannah Lambrecht, Jayme Culler and Calee Hartzog.

The newcomers to the lineup are Natalie Hall at secod base, Emma Grace Burleston at first

base and Allie Brynn Furtick in left field.

With Yonce pitching, the remainder of the defensive alignment will have Lambrecht behind the

plate, Burleson at first base, Hall at second base, Schurlknight at shortstop and Ballew at third base. The

outfield will have Furtick in left, Hartzog in center and Culler in right.

The batting order will have Lambrecht leading off followed by Hall, Schurlknight in the 3 hole

and Ballew batting cleanup. Yonce will bat fifth followed by Culler, Burleson, Furtick and Hartzog.

Schurlknight, who has committed to join her sister at Lander, had a monster season at the plate as

a sophomore. She batted .569 with seven home runs, eight doubles and three triples among her 37 hits.

She scored 35 runs and had 29 runs batted in to go with 18 stolen bases.

“Prestan is a great kid,” Thomas said. “She’s very coachable. She does a great job at shortstop.

She has a big bat and is very disciplined.. She has a baseball IQ that can’t be taught She can read thigs

before you can tell her.”

Lambrecht batted .482 with eight doubles, three homers, 35 runs and 26 RBI. Ballew batted .452

with a team high 37 RBI, Hartzog batted .455 with three homers and 33 runs, Yonce batted .321 with four

homers, and Culler batted .374.

BROOKS SMITH NEW FOOBALL HEAD COACH

Brooks Smith has been selected as Orangeburg Prep’s new football head coach, replacing Don

Shelley, who decided to retire in January after two years in his second stint at the school.

“It’s really a dream come true for me,” said Smith, a 2005 OP graduate. “I played football for

Coach Shelley. He’s been a big influence in my life and it was great that I got to coach with him for two

years. I fulfilled a lot of dreams with this. Once I decided I wanted to coach and teach, I always hoped I

would have this opportunity.”

Shelley led the Indians to a 5-6 record this past season. He was 9-13 in his two years after

winning several state titles at OP in his first time as head coach. Shelley said it just felt like the right time

to retire from coaching.

“My wife retired last year,” Shelley said. “I’m feeling good, and I didn’t want to wait until my

health deteriorated before I quit. There are things I want to do, and I want to do them while I feel like

doing them.

“I’m leaving things in good hands. Brooks will do a fine job. It’s been real good, the kids been

great. I’m going to miss Monday through Thursday. You get to know the young people more then. Friday

nights I can take or leavee. I will miss the interaction with the young people.”

Smith will continue to be in charge of OP’s championship track and field program. He doesn’t

plan on making any wholesale changes.

“Coach Shelley laid a great foundation,: Smith said. “We’re going to build upon the foundation he

laid. We’re going to continue to do the same thing offensively, and defensively we’re going to stay with the

same base. There might be a little bit of change.

“We’re going to preach accountability and teamwork.”

4 INDIANS ALL-REGION BOYS BASKETBALL PICKS

Junior Tilden “T” Riley, junior Avery Ravenell, senior Walt Mims and senior Eli Pantaleon

were all named to the All-Region 1-AAA boys basketball team.

Riley, who was also selected to the AAA All-Tournament team, averaged a double-double on the

season. He scored at an 18.8 per-game clip while pulling down 12.8 rebounds. He also averaged 4.3

blocked shots.

Riley shared the team lead in scoring with Ravenell while leading in rebounding and blocks.

Ravenell led in assists at 4.3 and steals at 2.8 to go with 4.3 rebounds.

Mims also scored in double figures at 10.2 to go with 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals.

Pantaleon averaged 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds.

Orangeburg Prep finished the season with an 18-5 record and reached the tournament semifinals

for the first time in years. After getting a first-round bye, the Indians beat Greenwood Christian School

73-68 in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual 3-time defending state champion Hilton Head Prep

76-45 i the semis.

First-year head coach Michael Delaney was more than pleased with the season.

“The boys really left it all on the court this season,” Delaney said. “They did all I asked them to

do and bought into the expectations laid out at the beginning of the season. We will miss our seniors but

are excited for what we have coming back next year. We plan to be back.”

YONCE REGION PLAYER OF tHE YEAR

Jane Walker Yonce was selected as the Region 1 girls basketball Player of the Year.

Yonce was also selected to the All-State team along with teammate Hannah Lambrecht.

Lambrecht was also an All-Region selection along with Izzy Exum ad Annabelle Hunter.

Orangeburg Prep finished the season with a 23-2 record, losing to Pee Dee Academy 37-34 in the

state championship game..