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Sophomore Meliq McGowan carries Goose Creek past Cane Bay

David Shelton • Oct 14, 2023

Summerville - Goose Creek inched closer to a fifth consecutive region title with a 29-25 win at Cane Bay on Friday night.

 

The Gators improved to 3-5 overall but 2-0 in region 6-AAAAA play while the Cobras dropped to 5-3 overall and 2-1 in league play.

 

The Gators have remaining region games with Wando and Stratford.

 

Sophomore running back Meliq McGowan rushed for 276 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning 49-yard run in the fourth quarter to lead the Gators.

 

“We’re getting better each week,” Goose Creek head coach Jason Winstead said. “People don’t realize how inexperienced we were when we started. We started seven sophomores and a freshman tonight. We’re down a few receivers. We have a sophomore quarterback and only one returning offensive lineman. But they are working hard and showing improvement, across the board.”

 

Goose Creek’s overall record this season is a bit deceiving when considering the early schedule. The five losses came to South Florence, Sumter, Beaufort, Fort Dorchester and Summerville.

 

Austin Seabrook rushed for 135 yards for Cane Bay. Deshawn Tompkins added 100 yards on the ground.

 

Goose Creek came into the game averaging nearly 30 points per game and had been effective in scoring quickly on their most successful nights.

 

The Gators opened the game with a 70-yard drive on six plays with McGowan scoring from 16 yards out. The extra point was no good, leaving the Gators with a 6-0 lead less than two minutes into the contest.

 

Cane Bay’s double-wing run-oriented offense, which consumes clock with long drives, was equally effective on its first possession. The Cobras went 80 yards on 10 plays with their first possession. Tompkins put the Cobras up, 7-6, with six minutes left in the first quarter.

 

Cane Bay got a fourth down stop deep in their own end and capitalized with a three-yard run by Langston Rhodes on the first play of the second quarter. The score was set up by a 60-yard run by Seabrook and a 13-yard keeper by quarterback Mark Stewart. A successful two-point conversion pushed the Cane Bay lead to 15-6.

 

McGowan, who gained 153 yards in the first half, scored on a 10-yard run with 3:50 remaining in the half, cutting the lead to 15-13. Cane Bay fumbled on their next possession and the Gators were able to secure a 20-yard field goal from Owen Freres to give Goose Creek a 16-15 halftime lead.

 

Cane Bay opened the third quarter with a 70-yard drive, all on the ground. Tompkins had 31 yards on the drive, including an 18-yard score to give Cane Bay a 22-16 lead with 8:13 left in the period.

 

The Gators answered quickly, driving 67 yards on nine plays with quarterback Kymani Clary scoring from two yards out. The extra point was blocked, leaving the game tied at 22.

 

Cane Bay chewed off most of the remaining five minutes of the third quarter and took a 25-22 lead on Parker Osborne’s 37-yard field goal with :47 seconds remaining in the period.

 

Each team posted fourth down stops to end threats but Goose Creek broke through midway through the fourth as McGowan went 49 yards for a score to give the Gators a 29-25 lead with 7:22 left in the game.

 

After forcing a punt, the Gators took over with five minutes remaining at the Cane Bay 44-yard line, The Gators used more than two minutes off the clock and faced fourth-and-six from the Cane Bay 30-yard line. An incomplete pass turned the ball over downs with 2:33 remaining.

 

Seabrook ran for 18 yards on first down to get the Cobras near midfield. But the Gators came up with one last stop, gaining possession at their own 47-yard line with less than two minutes remaining.

By Staff reports 15 May, 2024
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By Billy Baker 14 May, 2024
By Billy G. Baker Publisher Summerton — Softball championships are not always won just by the plays of the moment; they are won by the players on championship teams who prepare on a year-round basis, through summer ball, fall ball, outside instruction, and a total commitment to the sport. In Clarendon Hall’s 6-1 win over Colleton Prep (18-5-2) in Monday’s first game in the best- of- three SCISA AA state title series, observers could see the aforementioned on full display as a relaxed and well-trained team from Clarendon Hall played error free softball. Pitcher Calli Yount had 11 strike-outs, and the Saints produced timely hits with runners in scorer’s position.  It was the third time the two teams had meet this season and it was the third win for Clarendon Hall. The two previous wins were 8-0 and 6-0 so Colleton Prep improved by scoring a run this time. They hope to score even more as the two teams (weather permitting) get ready to play game two at 5 p.m. at Colleton Prep today. After the game Clarendon Hall head coach Jeffrey Bays , told the HSSR, “We definitely got some timely hits today but we didn’t hit the ball like we usually do,” said Coach Bays. “You do have those games where you are not as strong as you usually are at the plate, and we tell our girls to be patient and wait on their pitch. “Getting some walks, mixed in with a few timely hits, proved to be a game changer for us, said Coach Bays. “I was really proud of how the girls responded to the challenge today. I can’t think of an error we made, and that is really important, and we have played very clean ball most of the year. “Our pitcher tomorrow will be a game time situation,” said Coach Bays. “Calli had a good outing today but we do have several pitchers who can throw strikes so we’ll just have to wait and see.” Colleton Prep head coach Tiger Martin told the HSSR , “They scored six runs total and five of them came in the second inning and then they got a solo home run later and made some errors and gave them some walks that helped them score the six runs,” said Coach Martin. “More games are lost then ever won. The team that makes the fewest mistakes usually comes out on top and they played a cleaner ball game then we did tonight. “It didn’t help that we had four backward K’s and we need to swing the bats more,” said Coach Martin. “We have to lay off her riser ball that was coming in high today and it can be virtually unhittable. Hopefully, we will have an umpire today that likes them thrown a little lower. We have to hope she can bring the ball down a little.” The Saints pushed across five runs in the bottom of the second inning. Yount led off with a single and then Colleen McIntosh drew a walk. Lacey Corbett singled to score Yount for a 1-0 lead and a throwing error on the throw in allowed both runners to advance to second to third. Two batters later, Macie McIntosh drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Brynlee Brewer , the only new starter on the team this season, reached on an error allowing two runs to score to make it 3-0. Two batters later, Macie McIntosh , drew a one-out walk to load the bases. An RBI ground-out RBI by junior Mandy Wells made it 4-0. The Saints 5 th run scored on a passed ball. In the CP 4 th inning, Ava Murray led off with a double down the third base line. She was brought in on a two-out single by Hannah Strickland to close the deficit to 5-1. CH added an insurance run in the bottom of the 5 th on a solo home run by Yount over the left field fence. Yount had three hits in the game including a home run. Clarendon Hall had six hits for the game and they benefitted from several CP errors and five walks they were issued. Yount gave up five hits in the game with two walks to go along with her 11 K’s. Senior Sydney Stivender pitched all six innings for CP. She recorded four strike-outs in taking the loss.
By Staff reports 14 May, 2024
Hilton Head Christian, Augusta Christian, Dorchester, Richard Winn take openers
By Staff reports 14 May, 2024
Laurence Manning, Pee Dee, Clarendon Hall, Jefferson Davis win openers
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 14 May, 2024
Cardinals beat Hammond 4-0 to finish as undefeated AAAA champion
By Larry Gamble 14 May, 2024
Scores from around the SCISA universe from Game 1 Monday. SCISA SOFTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Best-of-3 series AAAA Monday Laurence Manning 5 Hammond 4 Tuesday Hammond at Laurence Manning, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday At Neutral Site if Needed AAA Monday Orangeburg Prep 0 Pee Dee Academy 3 Tuesday Pee Dee at Orangeburg Prep, 6 p.m. Wednesday At Neutral Site if Needed AA Monday Colleton Prep 1 Clarendon Hall 6 Tuesday Clarendon Hall at Colleton Prep, 5 p.m. Wednesday At Neutral Site if Needed CLASS A Monday Cross Schools 0 Jefferson Davis 4 Tuesday Jefferson Davis vs Cross Schools, @ Bluffton High School Wednesday At Neutral Site if Needed SCISA BASEBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Best-of-3 series AAAA Monday Augusta Christian 3 Cardinal Newman 1 Tuesday Cardinal Newman at Augusta Christian, 6 p.m. Thursday At Neutral Site if Needed AAA Monday Hilton Head Christian 3 Pee Dee Academy 1 Tuesday Pee Dee at Hilton Head Christian, 6 p.m. Thursday At Neutral Site if Needed AA Monday Calhoun Academy 2 Dorchester 6 Tuesday Dorchester at Calhoun Academy, 6:30 p.m. Thursday At Neutral Site if Needed CLASS A Monday Richard Winn 8 Holly Hill 2 Tuesday Holly Hill at Richard Winn, 6 p.m. Thursday At Neutral Site if Needed
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 13 May, 2024
Five of eight series will have teams trying to defend titles
By Billy Baker 13 May, 2024
By Billy G. Baker Publisher Sumter — The good news was that no rain fell on Sumter’s Patriot Park on May, 11 providing for some great games in the annual SCISA softball playoffs with 8 teams qualifying to compete for AAAA, AAA, AA and Class A state titles starting on Monday. Game two will be played on Tuesday at the opposite site of the home team on Monday. If a third game is needed it will be played at a neutral site on Wednesday. One notable highlight from the games on Saturday was junior Mandy Wells of Clarendon Hall hitting three consecutive home runs in her team’s 15-0 win over Calhoun Academy to advance the Saints to the AA finals on Monday against Colleton Prep . Wells hit her two home runs to dead center field and her second homer was a base clearing grand slam. Her third home run was a line drive over right center field. Wells came into the SCISA tournament batting .481 with 28 RBI’s. Game one between Clarendon Hall and Colleton Prep is schduled for 6pm on Monday in Summerton. Laurence Manning defeated Hammond 5-3 to advance to the AAAA finals. The lost sent Hammond to the loser’s bracket finale against Wilson Hall and Hammond the defeated the Barons 14-4 to earn the right to play Laurence Manning for the title starting on Monday at 6 p.m. in Manning. “We started out hitting the ball right at people and Hammond gave us a great game,” said LMA head coach Buddy Truett . ´We didn’t like having to get up at 7 a.m. to get over here by 9 a.m. and it took us awhile to get going. We are excited to playing for a state championship. It should be a very competitive series and having finished runner-up the past two seasons we are focused on winning it all this year.” LMA trailed Hammond 3-3 going into the bottom of the 6 th inning. Lily Welborn led off with a single and made it all the way to third on a throwing error. An RBI single by Kaylee Avins scored Welborn to tie the score at 3. The difference in the game was a two- run homer from 8 th grader Karly Bjork the next batter up for LMA. “I told her after she hit the home run that I didn’t think I could love her anymore but I do now,” said Coach Truett. “I am very proud of the girls. We made some errors early in the game we do not normally make but we came back from being down and I very proud of all of them. ”We know that Pee Dee has good pitching and they are a solid hitting team also so we are expecting quite a series against them,” said Coach Kinard. “We went over there last year and kicked the ball around a bit. Our goal is playing better defense against them. Defense wins championships.” In Class AAA action, Orangeburg Prep defeated Thomas Sumter 15-0 to advance to the AAA finals. The Class AAA championship games for Pee Dee and Orangeburg Prep start Monday in Mullins at 6pm. Pee Dee Academy head coach Wes Eskridge told the HSSR after his team’s big win over John Paul II Saturday: “We have been fortunate to win three state titles in a row and we are competing in the finals for the 7 th straight time and I could not be prouder of this team,” said Coach Eskridge. ”Jo Jo Perritt is just a sophomore and she gets the job down in the circle for us. “Orangeburg Prep is a tough team and the key for us is for us to play our game and not theirs,” said Coach Eskridge. “We know we have to keep working hard.” In Class A action Jefferson Davis Academy will compete against Cross Schools , who defeated Laurens Academy 4-3 to advance. Jefferson Davis earned the right to play for a Class A title by defeating Cross School 7-1 on Saturday. Head JDA head coach Bart Owens told the HSSR , “Regan Still did a great job pitching all three games in the tournament and she is headed to Florence-Darlington Tech to play next season,” said Coach Owens. “We beat Wardlaw 16-3 and Laurens Academy in our other two tournament games ”Regan is an outstanding pitcher and she is the best that I have ever had at JDA,” said Coach Owens. “Super proud of the whole team today. Or goal now is to win the state championship next week.” The Class A championship series starts Monday at JDA game time is 6pm.
By Dennis Brunson hssrl.com Associate Editor 13 May, 2024
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By Larry Gamble 12 May, 2024
Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR SCISA Softball Tournament play kicked off in Sumter, SC with teams from around the state playing an intense two days of games to determine the top teams in each class to challenge each other for the final championship that will decide each Class' State Champion later this week. This photo gallery is just some of the Seniors who will be on the diamond and giving it their all one more time for a championship. More photos from the softball games, at Palmetto Park and Patriot Park from Friday and Saturday are available by following this link or the one below. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.
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