The Lady Vikings are getting ready to make another run to the state championship game

Neill Kirkpatrick • February 9, 2025

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By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Denmark – Third ranked Denmark-Olar Lady Vikings are rounding into playoff form but head coach Terence Jones knows his team still has a lot of work to do if they are going to defend their upper state championship and make it to their fourth straight Class A state championship game.

“We need to play for the full 32 minutes. We have gotten off to fast starts at times and we have started slowly in games. We cannot take anyone lightly. We have to continue to play hard,” coach Jones told the Times Democrat.

The Lady Vikings are 18-4 overall but more importantly they are 9-0 in region 4 A play with a region championship game coming up against county rival Bamberg Ehrhardt (20-2/8-1). A win will be the Lady Vikings fifth consecutive region championship and would run their region winning streak to 58 consecutive games.

“The region championship is one of our goals, but it isn’t the ultimate goal,” coach Jones said. “We still have a lot of work to do before the playoffs. We will continue to scrimmage in practice and clean up some of the mistakes.”

Coach Jones has three seniors that have been the leaders of the team in Chardasia Jackson, Aveion Walker, and Ry”Naisha Barnes. Walker is a returning All State selection after averaging a double-double last year. She was also named as one of the top five seniors in Class A entering the year. She has played at an All-State level again this year leading the Lady Vikings in rebounds at 9 a game and is second in scoring at 11.6 ppg and is one of six Lady Vikings averaging over three steals per game at 4.2 per contest. She has over 1200 career points with a shot at 1000 career rebounds and 400 steals.

Barnes is averaging over 7 ppg to go with 3.7 boards and 3.5 steals a night.

Juniors Kalen Mayes and Ashanti Johnson have provided an inside/ outside punch for the Lady Vikings offense. Mayes leads the team in scoring at 13.4 ppg and is averaging 3.8 steals a game while Johnson is second on the team in rebounding at 5.5 rpg.

Joy Johnson, a sophomore, is third on the team in scoring at 8.2 ppg. That is up from the 6.5 ppg she averaged last season. If she continues at her present pace she could be another 1000-point career scorer.

Freshman Azauria Wright has picked up where she left off as an eighth grader averaging over four points a game and five boards a game while eighth grader Amuria Wright leads the team in steals at 4.8 per game and is knocking down 6.5 ppg

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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.