Southside Christian Wins Consecutive State AAA Title With Hard-Fought 8-7 Win Over Oceanside

Billy Baker • May 29, 2026

Southside Christian Wins Consecutive State Title With Hard-Fought 8-7 Win Over Oceanside Collegiate In the AAA Baseball Finals.

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher


Simpsonville - Carson Boleman was not on the mound, but his two-run homer in the third inning, helped Southside Christian earn a hard-fought 8-7 win over Oceanside Collegiate on May 28 as the Sabres won their 5th straight state championship under head coach Scott Freeman.


Only two other teams in Palmetto state history have won five or more consecutive baseball state titles. Lake View won five straight under Kip Herlong between 1997 and 2001 while David Horton’s Bamberg Ehrhardt teams won 8 straight between 1974 and 1981.

Boleman, considered a top 10 first round major league draft pick this July, is without a doubt the best pitcher ever in the prep ranks in South Carolina. He is 35-0 since his 8th grade season on the Sabres varsity, and he was injured his freshman season and did not pitch.


In his career, Boleman faced 688 batters and he had an incredible 445 strikeouts as a varsity pitcher with a .033 ERA. Boleman’s (6-4, 210), fastball hit 94 mph during his final outing for the Sabres, in a 7-1 win over the Landsharks, in game one. Boleman has superb command of four pitches of the series with a dozen scouts watching from the stands.


After his final high school game, Boleman reflected on his historic journey as a prep baseball player. “It’s not about me,” Carson said. “I am just so proud of what we overcame as a team this season, to finish with our 5th straight state championship. Just super pride of these guys, to see all the hard work that we put into this season, result in a state title. “


What are his memories, spread out over history making five-year varsity career with the Sabres? “Honesty, most of my memories center around the little things, and my experiences with the guys on my team,” said Boleman. “I can’t really recall all that much as an individual player, but striving to be a good teammate, and making small memories along the way with these guys is what I will cherish the most.”


Boleman, a truly humble player, said he will take some time to rest, while going to numerous private workouts with major league teams between now and the July draft. “I will not play any official baseball with a team, but I am planning to work-out with numerous major league teams before the draft,” said Boleman. “I will make myself available to any club who needs to see me work-out, and I will do whatever I need to do.”


Boleman wanted to thank his high school coach for helping develop him, not only as a player, but as a person. “Coach Freeman does a great job,” said Boleman. “What makes him special, is that he doesn’t just coach us on the field. He helps us to be better young men off the field and that is very important to me as well.” 


After the big win, Coach Freeman talked about many things. “Once we got into the playoffs we were really locked into finishing out this way,” said Coach Freeman. “They knew the goal that we had, and that we wanted to finish out this way, and this game today was the toughest game we have had in the playoffs.


“We hit the ball well, played good defense, and got good pitching so it was exciting,” said Scott Freeman, who also won a state title at Mauldin, and one as a player at Lancaster High in 1992. “Relief is also a way to describe my feelings right now. We have not verbalized it, (going for five in a row), but it has been in the back of everyone’s mind the whole time. We wanted to finish out this way for the seniors who have meant so much to this program.


“To be able to win it at home, the way the weather worked, was also special,” said Coach Freeman. “Our game one was supposed to be our place almost a week ago, but we switched some things around.”


Coach Freeman talked about just how special it has been to coach a player like Boleman. “He is a once in a lifetime talent,” said Coach Freeman. “He is an incredible kid to coach. He is the hardest working player I have coached, and he is such a leader as an example person on and off the field. I have no doubt that he will be voted as one of four captains for the season when the votes in a couple days.


“I am extremely proud of how he has handled the situation this season (40 scouts attended some games) and how the deflected the attention on himself as much as he could,” said Coach Freeman. “However, when you have his talent it’s hard not to be the focus of the team. He handled the situation very well. He always put the team first.”


Coach Freeman cited all the senior starters on the team. “Our right fielder CJ Aubuchon got the game winning hit today in the bottom of the 6th and he came through for us time-after-time throughout the season,” said Coach Freeman. “Will Fulcher had a great game on the mound tonight throwing three solid innings. Both guys might not have had a great start to the season, but they came on very strong with key moments in the playoffs.


“Will Swanson is another senior who played second and had a bunch of key hits this season,” said Coach Freeman.” Bennett Candler made unbelievable plays for us all year in center field, and he started the game on the mound tonight and got us into the 4th inning. “


Oceanside Collegiate is coached by Britt Reames and the Landsharks were playing for their third state title in a row, after winning a title in Reame’s first year as coach in 2024. It was the second straight year losing to the Sabres.


“Baseball is all about the right pitch here or there, or one good at bat at the right time, or a good defensive play when you need it,” said Coach Reames after the tough loss. “This is what ir boils down to. They got a critical timely hit when they needed it, and it was the difference.”


Coach Reames was proud of the team for their grit and never give up attitude. Sophomore LHP Britt Reames Jr. started on the mound. “He gave us five quality innings on the mound until we turned things over to our relief guys,” said Coach Reames. “Baseball is a growing process, and we know our guys are just going to get better as they grow,”


Coach Reames said he was feeling good after his team scored two runs in the top of the 6th to take the lead 7-5. “We never panicked, even when we started off the game with two runs in the first,” said Coach Reames. “Our offense scored three runs in the in the third and when they got the two runs in the 6th we were just hoping to hang on and win the game. Give them credit for coming back in the bottom of the 6th and scoring three runs.”


Oceanside Collegiate will be just as strong next season as they lose only one senior. “Charlie Johnson is our only starting senior and he is headed to Florence-Darlington Tech, so he has a good future ahead of him,” said Coach Reames. “We have a lot of good young players in our program, and they just need to keep working hard to get better. We feel very good about the future success of our program.”


OCA’s all-region players were shortstop/pitcher Charlie Johnson, freshman pitcher Brayden Schwartz, second baseman Cash Crone, and center fielder Finn Kucaba.


In the title game the Sabres were led at the plate by LF Kaden Graham’s two hits and one RBI, along with Boleman’s two run homer. Also, third baseman Jacob Wiggs, DH Beckett DeSario (7th grader), contributed one hit each. Aubuchon’s hit and three RBI’s were major factors in the win. Junior SS Reeves Israel had a hit also.


OCA was led at the plate by Crone who had two hits and two RBI’s. Johnson contributed a hit along with DH Barrett Svagerka. Third baseman Tanner Fleming had a hit and two RBI’s also. LF Christopher O’Leary contributed a hit and one RBI.     

   

 SC used four pitchers in the championship game. Senior LHP Bennett Candler started and went 3.2 innings allowing four hits and striking out three. Fulcher went three innings allowing two hits and striking out four and Wiggs closed out the game with one strike-out.

OCA started with the talented LHP Reames who went five innings, allowed five hits, and had four strikeouts. Hank Griffith worked 1.2 innings allowing a hit with one strike out and Johnson closed the game allowing one hit with one strikeout.

Saluda Football Uses Spring To Build Depth

By Dennis Brunson • July 3, 2026
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Saluda – The Saluda High School football team will have a good amount of experience returning for the 2026 season. The Tigers have six starters back on offense and eight on defense from a team that went 6-6 and reached the second round of the AA state playoffs. However, they didn’t get a lot of work in during spring practice because many of them were on the school’s baseball and track and field teams that made deep runs in the postseason. Saluda head coach Greg Woerner found a silver lining in that though. “We were only able to get eight days of spring practice in and made the most o it and got better learning the offense and defense and developing some depth with the younger guys,” said Woerner, who will be in his second season as head coach. “A lot of our returning starters were making playoff runs in baseball and track, so we got a good luck at our depth.” Saluda returns four players who were selected to the All-Region 2-AA team last year. They are rising junior placekicker Ericson Vasquez , senior running back Tristan Daniels, senior tight end Jahmeer Myers and junior defensive back Ceddion Springs . Vasquez was named the Region 2 Special Teams Player of the year. Woerner is hoping the Tigers can be productive in the month of July leading into the start of fall practice. “For the remainder of the summer we’re really just looking forward to continuing to get stronger but also focusing in more on football,” Woerner said. “We had a good June competing in 7-on-7s (competitions) and getting better at our passing game and pass defense. July will focus more on getting better at the whole game.” The Tigers completed their 7-on-7 competition in June. Their first scrimmage will be on August 6 at Woodland before coming home to scrimmage Gilbert on August 10. Saluda is scheduled to open its season on August 21 at home against Abbeville . The Tigers will be part of a new region in Region 4-AA. The region will include two old Region 2 foes in defending state champion Strom Thurmond and Pelion to go with American Leadership Academy , Orangeburg-Wilkinson and Silver Bluff . MILLER MARTIN SELECTED TO AA ALL-STATE SOFTBALL TEAM Sophomore pitcher Miller Martin , a key figure for Saluda’s AA state championship softball team, was selected to the AA All-State softball team announced by the South Carolina Association for Women’s Sports . Martin had a 15-3 win-loss record and struck out 248 batters in 139 2/3 innings while posting a 0.70 earned run average. At the plate, Martin had a .308 batting average with five home runs and 32 runs batted in. Martin was also named the Region 2 Co-Player of the Year. Martin was joined on the All-Region team by Amy Sorcia , Zoey Springs and Nyla Jordan . Tigers head coach Hannah Towery said the program’s first ever state title sets a precedent for the future. “Future players will walk on to that field knowing a championship can be achieved because this team proved it,” said Towery, who guided Saluda to a 29-3 record. “The banner will hang, the trophy will be displayed, and the record books will always show who did it first. “History remembers champions, but it especially remembers those who paved the way. This team just didn’t win a state championship – they built a legacy.”

Jefferson Davis football focusing on the basics over the summer

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • July 3, 2026
Raiders return everyone along the line from 8-4 team that reached 8-man semifinals

OCA Football Sets Sights On Four-Peat

By David Shelton • July 2, 2026
Oceanside's rising senior QB, Aiden Manavian is nearing 10,000 career passing yards and threw 42 touchdown passes last season.

W W King Holds Spring Athletic Banquet

By Gerald Doolittle • July 1, 2026
By: Gerald Doolittle Contributing Writer, HSSR Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. -W.W. King Academy held its Spring/Winter Athletic Banquet in mid-May to honor their 2025-26 athletic efforts. All the Knight teams were very competitive in their SCISA Class A region where they competed against Wardlaw Academy, Newberry Academy, Cambridge Academy, Richard Winn Academy and Anderson Christian . The Varsity Baseball team won the SCISA Class A Title . The Varsity Softball team was very competitive in the playoffs. Coach Jessica Anderson presented the Varsity Girls Basketball Awards . Blythe Buzhardt won the All-Around Excellence Award. Kenzie Morse won the Defensive Player-of-the-Year Award. Coach Dennis Gibson presented the Varsity Boys Basketball Awards. Spencer McCormick received the Most Outstanding Player Award. Brady Goff received the Sharp-Shooter Award. Coach Allen Guy presented the Varsity Softball Awards. Blythe Buzhardt received the Most Outstanding Player Award. Abby Aull received the Leadership Award and Kenzie Morse received the Iron Athletic Award. Coach Zach Matthews presented five awards to his Varsity Baseball State Champion players. Elijah Hutto received the Offensive Player of the Year Award. Luke Harvey received the Defensive Player of The Year Award. Wyatt Burbank, Zed Watkins and Smith Kirby shared the Team Leadership Award. Athletic Director Kathy Gibson assisted in presenting the Senior Awards. Smith Kirby and Abby Aull received the Senior Student Athlete of the Year Award. Wyatt Burbank and Kenzie Morse received the Athlete of the Year Award. Spencer McCormick and Abby Aull received the Christian Leadership Award. Wyatt Burbank and Kenzie received the Varsity Year-Round Athletes Award.

Florence Christian football team lost a few players to more than just graduation

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • July 1, 2026
Eagles do return Region Defensive Player of the Year in Hayden Schwab

Lodge Begins Fourth Season As Berkeley Coach

By David Shelton • June 30, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Moncks Corner – After a pair of six-win seasons in his first two years , Berkeley head football coach Eric Lodge guided the Stags to a 10-3 record last fall. Lodge is hoping and expecting to see continued growth and development in 2026 and recently put his prospective team through spring drills. The purpose of the spring is to identify roles and hopefully find rising talent that can assist either as backups or starters this fall. “Our spring is about evaluating kids, all of them, to see where they fit in,” Lodge said, “Those practices are very important to the growth of the program. We get everyone involved amd work to get them up to speed. Once we get into the summer, we are working hard to get stronger in the weight room along with seven-on-seven stuff.” Lodge says most of the returning experience is on the offensive side and the Stags should be explosive. Henry Rivers , a senior, will be a fourth-year starter and rates as one of the best in the state. Hethres for more than 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, adding 803 rushing yards and 16 more scores. Returning at receiver are John Cleveland, Eli Mitchell and Johnathan Mitchell, who combined for more than 60 receptions last season. Anchoring the running game are returners Lawrence Washington, Bryson McGee and Jesse Brown . That trio will work behind a revamped offensive line but Lodge sees potential in the developing unit up front. “I like our depth at running back and receiver, and of course we have a veteran leader at quarterback,” said Lodge. There are significantly more holes to fill on defense. The Stags lost an all-state tackle and three starting linebackers that were three-year starters. There also are three holes to fill on the back endd. “We have identified some young men who we feel will step in and be solid players for us,” Lodge said. “Replacing the experience is tough but we have some guys who will learn and grow over time. We’re not new to having young guys on the field. The talent is there and there are opportunities for guys to get on the field.”

Pinewood Preparing To Move Up A Class

By Roger Lee • June 29, 2026
Expectations are high for Pinewood Prep quarterback Silas Brawner.

Cane Bay Football Looking To Get Back On Track

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Summerville – The last two football seasons have been sub-par for the Cane Bay Cobras but veteran head coach Russell Zehr believes the pieces are in place for a potential resurgence. The Cobras finished the last two seasons with three wins each but did win a region championship in 2024. Zehr and his staff have worked hard in the offseason to develop some up and coming talent. They did so through the weight room and spring practice. “We had a good spring overall,” Zehr said. “We were missing a handful of guys due to track but we had good numbers. We spent a lot of time getting everyone up to speed. It was an opportunity for us to see younger kids that are coming up and find out who can help us this season. We had about 80 kids during the sprng and about 75 of those have been consistent in their workouts over the summer.” The Cobras will have a new quarterback this fall. Zehr says senior Coran Houp e is moving from running back to run the option offense this season. Returning in the backfield are Mayson Samuel and Sam Rolston , with some talented backs coming from the lower levels. The offensive line returns two starters, Isaac Siefken and Eli Taylor . Junior JJ Rose is back as the leader along the defensive front, with ends Devin Cobbs and B rennen Shokes also returning. The linebackers will be new starters with only Jackson Williamson returning with experience. The secondary could be a strength with returners Tyrell Bess, Zion Bryant and Caeden Wilson . The kicking game is a solid strength with senior Aiden Thorne returning. Thorne is a deep threat on kickoffs and field goals. “He’s got a leg and can be a real weapon for us,” Zehr said. Cane Bay participated in weekly 7-on-7 passing league scrimmages during June and will play at The Citadel event in July.

Mckoy Continues To Build A Winner At James Island

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
Head football coach at James Island, Jamar McKoy has worked to build his program into one of the more consistent programs in the state.

Red Fox Football Putting In The Work For 2026 Season

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Hartsville – As he embarks on his 22 nd season as the head football coach at Hartsville High, Jeff Calabrese is anxiously anticipating the upcoming 2026 season. Calabrese, with more than 200 career coaching wins, sys his team has put in good work in the offseason and appears focused on bettering last year’s 7-5 record. “We had a good spring practice, a good offseason all together really,” the coach said. “The numbers were maybe a little down but not far off. We spent a lot of time evaluating every position. If we needed to make a change we did. The focus in the spring and summer is making sure we have the right guys in the right spots. We basically are trying to get everyone on the same page.” Like all the schools in the state, the Red Foxes put in training four days a week from 8:30 to 11 am. Calabrese says this summer has been especially important as four new coaches have joined the program, including new defensive coordinator Neil Smith . “Really excited to have coach Smith. He brings a ton of energy and experience and he has really adapted well here,” Calabrese said. In terms of personnel, the Red Foxes have experience returning in several areas, starting with quarterback. Junior Ford Wallace is back as the starter and continues to develop in his role as a leader on the offense.. Returning at running back is Trace Hillian with CJ Hickmon moving from receiver to the backfield. Anchoring the offensive line is two-time all-region performer Fred Turner . Other returning linemen, who could end up on either side of the ball, include Creighton McKnight, Jake Williams, Jaquan Samuel and Pat Rhode. Rod Cranford returns in the back seven as a third-year starter. Zi’Yon Mason is moving from the secondary to linebacker, as is Jamario Scipio-Bishop. Devaris James and Deon McCall are players to watch in the secondary. “At a school our size, sometimes you have to move some kids around to make it all fit,” Calabrese said. “That’s why the summer is so important, to get those kids a lot of reps, good group to work with. We just need to build some depth.”
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