Stags’ teams surging into second half of season

Rob Gantt • January 11, 2025

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By Rob Gantt

Special to the HSSR

MONCKS CORNER – Berkeley High School’s basketball teams have been ranked inside the top 10 all winter and have backed it up with their play on the hardwood.

The Stags’s girls extended their win streak to eight games and improved to 10-2 with an exciting, 57-53 victory at First Baptist Dec. 30, to finish the Carolina Invitational with a 3-0 mark.

“It’s about some of them learning me and learning how we operate, learning the system and jelling together,” said Berkeley coach Crystal Peace, whose team is ranked No. 6 in Class 5A Div. II. “There are 12 girls on the roster. There are going to be times when you might be playing tonight, and somebody else plays the next night. It depends on how the game is flowing. I just appreciate the girls for embracing their roles and doing what we ask them to do. I tell anybody I work them hard, and they work extremely hard.”

Freshman Alaina Carter paces the Stags on the scoreboard for the season with 12 points per game, while sophomore Amani McCray and junior Demi Gray chip in more than nine points a contest. McCray leads around the glass with 7.4 boards per game, and junior Aiyanna Moses is the steals and assists leader.

Moses, sophomore Imani Levey and junior Madison Thomas all average right at seven points. Levey and Ladson grab more than four boards per game.

The Berkeley boys won their 11^th straight game Dec. 30, edging Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy.

Against ELCA, senior Cam Palmer scored a game-high 22 points, and junior Justin Suarez tallied 13 points for the Stags.

Deuce Kinloch leads in scoring and rebounding with 14.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. John Cleveland also reaches double figures in scoring at 13.3 points per game. Jordan Livingston chips in six boards and 1.7 steals per game.

“We know we’ve got to keep getting better because what we’re doing now doesn’t matter at the end of the season,” BHS coach Matt Mullins said. “Our defense has been solid since I’ve been here. I think we’ve gotten better offensively. We’re a bit deeper than we’ve been the past couple of years. Some of the guys who have come up from junior varsity have contributed, and we haven’t missed a beat.”

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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.