WEEK 10 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

Staff Reports • October 28, 2025

Jachin Davis leads Stratford to 42-21 win over Wando to clinch Region 7-AAAAA title

   Mt. Pleasant – The Stratford High School football team scored the game’s first 21 points and rolled to a 42-21 victory over Wando at the WHS field to clinch the Region 7-AAAAA title.

 

The Knights improved to 8-1 overall and is 4-0 in region play. The Warriors dropped to 4-5 and 1-3.

 

Quarterback Jachin Davis rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries while completing 10 of 15 passes for 197 yards and a score. Meliq McGowan rushed for an even 100 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries while pulling in two passes for 72 yards and a TD.

 

DJ Grant also ran for a touchdown. Shawn Harris had two catches for 66 yards, and J’Qwan Crosby had four catches for 45 yards.

 

Philip Simmons 22

Timberland 0

 

Charleston – Philip Simmons put itself in position to win the Region 5-AA title with a 22-0 win over Timberland at the PS field.

 

The Iron Horses improved to 7-2 overall and 4-0 in region play. Timberland dropped to 7-2 and 3-1. Philip Simmons can secure the title with a road win over Andrews on Thursday.

 

Quarterback Hayes Goddard completed 19 of 26 passes for 302 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 58 yards and another scored 10 carries to lead PS. Ashton Kellerman had 10 catches for 135 yards, and Blake Johnson had five catches for 105 yards and a score.

 

Patrick Clarke returned a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown, and Omonte Taylor ran for a score.

 

Diavante Irving led the defense with 10 tackles to go with two tackles for loss. Roman Hood had three TFLs.

 

Antuan Faison had 14 carries for 107 yards to lead the Wolves. Malyk Goodman had 81 yards on 14 carries while completing 5 of 13 passes for 34 yards.

 

Javion Jenkins and Carter Hawkins both had eight tackles to lead the defense. Jenkins had a TFL and Hawkins had an interception.

 

Dillon 41

Waccamaw 17

 

Pawleys Island – Dillon outscored Waccamaw 21-7 in the second quarter to open a 28-14 halftime lead on the way to a 41-17 triumph at the WHS field.

 

Dominick Felton rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries to lead the Wildcats, who improved to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in Region 5-AAA. Quarterback Khayel Sam Fong-Talia ran for two touchdowns while completing 12 of 17 passes for 149 yards and another score.

 

Zamaurious Robertson had seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, while Noah Singletary ran or a touchdown.

 

Daniel Capehart had 11 tackles and two TFLs to lead the defense. Malachi Nelson had 13 tackles and Keriyan Brown had 14 tackles.

 

The Warriors fell to 6-3 and 2-2.

 

Dorman 20

Gaffney 0

 

Roebuck – Gaffney suffered its first shutout in almost 16 years as it fell to Dorman 20-0 at the DHS field.

 

The Indians’ last shutout also came at the hands of Dorman, falling 18-0 on November 27, 2009.

 

Nick Means had 22 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown to lead the Cavaliers, who improved to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in Region 2-AAAAA. Carter Nash had seven carries for 58 yards and the other TD.

 

Ransom Farr booted a pair of field goals and hit both of the extra point attempts for the other points.

 

Ja’Bez Thomas led the Dorman defense with two interceptions while Nehemiah Miller had one. Malcolm Hunter and Antwone Tarrence both had a sack, and Kentavion Anderson had five tackles.

 

Banks Bouton completed 17 of 29 passes for 226 yards to lead the Indians, who fell to 6-3 and 5-1. Chaz Smith had nine catches for 155 yards, while Josiah Hill rushed for 64 yards on 13 carries.

 

Kamari Williams had 10 tackles and a sack to lead the GHS defense.

 

Manning 53

Marion 0

 

Marion – Manning moved into first place in Region 7-AA with a 53-0 victory over Marion at the Marion field.

 

Jontavious Canty led the Monarchs, who improved to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in region play, by rushing for 79 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. Quarterback Lovell Stevenson had two TD runs for 17 yards, Daniel Robinson had three carries for 34 yards and a score, and Javonte Brock had a 14-yard scoring run.

 

Stevenson completed 3 of 5 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. CJ Robinson had two catches for 64 yards and a score.

 

Ethan Lowder led the Monarch defense by returning a fumble for a touchdown to go with 10 tackles, 2 TFLs and a fumble caused.

 

Manning can win the region for the second straight year with a home win over Lake City, which is 3-2 and one game behind along with East Clarendon and Kingstree.

 

Laurence Manning 37

Trinity Collegiate 20

 

Darlington – Laurence Manning Academy improved to 5-4 with a 37-20 victory over Trinity Collegiate School at the TCS field.

 

Grainger Powell completed 11 of 21 passes for 163 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Swampcats. Scoop Dennis had four catches for 72 yards and a TD, Zy Dennis had two catches for 21 yards and a score, and Asher Sanders had three caches for 62 yards and a touchdown.

 

Zy Dennis led the rushing attack, carrying the ball 10 times for 78 yards and a TD. He also had a big defensive game with six tackles, 1 ½ TLs and an interception.

 

Bryson Pepper had 1 ½ sacks and Shawn Moore had a pick.

 

Strom Thurmond 20

Saluda 14

 

Johnston – Strom Thurmond secured the Region 2-AA title with a 20-14 victory over Saluda at the ST field.

 

Zy Rouse scored on a 7-yard run with 2:36 left in the game and ran for the 2-poitn conversion to give the Rebels their final margin of victory.

 

Strom Thurmond improved to 7-2 overall and 4-0 in region play. SHS fell to 5-4 and 2-2.

 

Tristan Daniels rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries to lead Saluda. Quarterback Brayden Williams completed 7 of 16 passes for 107 yards and ran for 24 yards and the other TD on five carries.

 

Rouse had seven carries for 39 yards and two TDs. Kaden Wigfall had 18 carries for 109 yards, and Deonte Phillips rushed for 92 yards and a score on 16 carries.

 

Dutch Fork 37

    River Bluff 0

 

    Lexington – After a scoreless first quarter, Dutch Fork scored 20 points in the second quarter and rolled to a 37-0 victory over River Bluff at the RB field.

 

    Kyle Henry rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries to lead the Silver Foxes. Jaxon Knotts completed 18 of 27 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. Stone Furrey had five catches for 97 yards and the TD.

 

    Brady O’Leary was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts and 4-for-4 on extra points.

 

    Kareem Dupree led the defense by returning an interception 45 yards for a score. Tyler Brown had a team high five tackles.

 

    DF improved to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in Region 4-AAAAA.

 

    Loris 40

    Marlboro County 14

 

    Loris – Loris scored 21 points and never looked back in a 40-14 victory over Marlboro County at the LHS field.

 

    The Lions improved to 9-0 overall and 4-0 in Region 6-AAA. MC dropped to 6-3 and 2-2.

 

    Moon Gerald completed 16 of 22 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns to lead Loris. Khalil Sherman had four catches for 89 yards and two scores, Khalid Sherman had three catches for 24 yards and a TD, and Mykhai Bell had three receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown. Roderick Purcha had four catches for 78 yards.

 

    Deuce Stephens had 17 carries for 77 yards and three scores.

 

    Tre Blakeney completed 8 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a score for Marlboro County. LaQuincy Lewis had four catches for 94 yards and the TD catch. Blakeney also rushed for 63 yards and a score on 10 carries

 

Central 40

Chesterfield 6

 

    Pageland – Central got back on the winning track with a 40-6 home victory over Chesterfield.

 

    The Eagles, who suffered their first loss the week before to Andrew Jackson, improved to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in Region 4-AA.

 

    Quarterback Dwayne Louallen Jr. had a big game for Central. He completed 10 of 12 passes for 178 yards and two TDS while running for two more scores and 103 yards on eight carries.

 

    Ahsten Wilson ran for 118 yards and two more scores on 18 carries. Taveon Moore had four catches for 85 yards and a TD, and Jakari Holloman had a 41-yard TD catch.

 

    Marques Allen led the defense with nine tackles and an interception Marzavious Allen had two TFLS and a sack, and Dylan Tomberlin and Scoot Colyer both had an interception.

 

    Wilson Hall 42

    Thomas Sumter 12

 

    Dalzell – Wilson Hall improved to 8-1 with a 42-12 victory over Thomas Sumter Academy at General Field.

 

    Ben McLaurin led the Barons by rushing for 161 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries. John Land had five carries for 73 yards and a TD, Ford Wilder had three carries for 19 yards and two scores, and Hadrian Hughey had six carries for 61 yards.

 

    Wilder completed all three of his pass attempts for 77 yards. Harris Naylor had two catches for 52 yards.

 

    Nehemiah Dinkins had 10 tackles and a sack, and Reese Wilson had two sacks. McLaurin, Naylor, Cooper Hill and Peyton Gilley each had an interception, Gilley returning his 50 yards for a score.

 

    TSA quarterback Jace Williams completed 23 of 39 passes for 206 yards. Carter Hill had 10 catches for 70 yards, Joseph Andrade had six catches for 47 yards, Christian Williams had four catches for 56 yards, and Sam Petrauschke had five catches for 51 yards.

 

    Clinton 48

    Blacksburg 7

 

    Blacksburg – Clinton won the Region 2-AA title with a 48-7 victory over Blacksburg in its regular-season finale at the BHS field.

 

    Javen Cook led the Red Devils, who are 7-3 and 4-0, with 142 rushing yards and three TDs on 10 carries. KJ Vance had seven carries for 95 yards and one score, and Bryland James had three carries for 42 yards and a TD.

 

    Mason Tinsley caught a 63-yard TD pass from Owen Glenn.

 

    South Florence 57

    Lower Richland 7

 

    Hopkins – South Florence scored 20 points in the second quarter to break the game open and go on to a 57-7 victory over Lower Richland at the LR field.

 

    The Bruins, who improved to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in Region 6-AAAA, led just 9-7 after one quarter. The lead jumped to 29-7 at halftime and added 21 more in the third quarter.

 

    Messiah Jackson completed 10 of 13 passes for 113 yards and four scores while rushing for 38 yards.

 

    JayAun Perkins had two touchdown catches for 32 yards, Ben Tyner had a 44-yard TD catch, Bruce Thompson had a 1-yard TD catch and Malik Robinson had four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.

 

Cameron James had 10 carries for 60 yards and a TD, and had a 28-yard scoring run while also throwing a scoring pass.

 

    Terry Gordon led the defense with eight tackles, two sacks and three TFLs. Amare Reaves returned a kickoff 92 yards for a score.

 

    T.L. Hanna 31

    Easley 14

 

    Easley – T.L. Hanna improved to 8-1 and secured the Region 1-AAAAA championship with a 31-14 victory over Easley at the EHS field.

 

Emari Nance rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries to lead Hanna. Gavin Magin completed 6 of 9 passes for 97 yards and a TD and ran for another score. Pete Nickas had a 30-yard TD catch.

 

Josiah Coleman completed 20 of 39 passes or 210 yards and a score and ran for a touchdown to lead Easley. Caiden Blassingame had four catches for 35 yards and a score. Matthew Hillstock had 12 catches for 118 yards, and Reese Brown had two catches for 51 yards.

 

    Trent Coker had nine tackles, a sack and 2 ½ tackles for a loss to lead the defense. Kaiden Erby had an interception.

 

    Cheraw 51

    Buford 21

 

    Lancaster – Cheraw improve to 5-4 overall and 2-2 in Region 4-AA with a 51-21 victory over Buford at the BHS field.

 

    Kadin Thomas completed 11 of 15 passes for 151 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for a 47-yard TD. Derrick Isaac had three catches for 46 yards and two scores, while Damony Yarbrough had a 28-yard TD catch.

 

    Nick Gordon, Jihad Lee and Justin Joint both ran for touchdowns.

 

    Noah Crump threw for 187 yards and three scores for Buford, 1-6 and 0-4. Cole Carnes had four catches for 109 yards and two TDs, while Gage Mahaffey had four catches for 32 yards and a score. Sam Hunter ran for 81 yards on 13 carries.

 

    St. James 20

    North Myrtle Beach 17

 

    North Myrtle Beach – St. James scored the only points of the fourth quarter and made them stand up in a 20-17 victory over North Myrtle Beach at The Hank.

 

    St. James improved to 4-5 overall and 2-2 in Region 6-AAAAA, while the Chiefs dropped to 3-6 and 1-3.

 

    Alijah Ochoa returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to give St. James a 7-0 lead. Will McNeeley had a 52-yard scoring run and Nico Miller booted a 41-yard field goal to put NMB up 10-7 after one quarter.

 

    Hayes Cochrane scored on a 2-yard run to put SJ up 14-10 at halftime. McNeeley scored on a 9-yard run in the third quarter to give North Myrtle Beach a 17-14 lead.

 

    Zack Zurwaski caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Alex Sandt with 9:43 left in the game for the winning score.

 

    McNeeley rushed for 202 yards on 22 carries to lead the Chiefs.

 

    Jordan Grant rushed for 107 yards on 17 carries to lead St. James. Sandt completed 12 of 18 passes for 122 yards, and Zurwaski had four catches for 72 yards.

 

    Barnwell 20

    Edisto 6

 

    Cordova – Barnwell improved to 3-6 on the season with a 20-6 win over Edisto at the EHS field.

 

    The Warhorses had two players rush for over 100 yards. Nehemiah Brown had 139 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries, while Jayden Peeples rushed for 104 yards on 21 carries.

 

    Edisto dropped to 4-5.

 

    Rock Hill 16

    Catawba Ridge 7

 

    Rock Hill – Rock Hill closed its regular season with a 16-7 victory over Catawba Ridge at District 3 Stadium.

 

    The Bearcats finished with a 6-4 overall record and 4-2 in Region 3-AAAAA. The Copperheads dropped to 4-5 and 1-4.

 

    Bradey Compton completed 14 of 29 passes for 163 yards and a TD to lead CR. Darius Sutton had a 71-yard TD catch. Calvin Rocheleau had four catches for 43 yards.

 

    Devin Erby and Kiman Barber scored touchdowns for RH. Jonah Young completed 18 of 23 passes for 169 yards.

 

Beaufort Academy 44

    Andrew Jackson Academy 8

 

    Ehrhardt – Andrew Jackson Academy fell to 1-7 with a 44-8 loss to Beaufort Academy at the AJA field.

 

    Hall Sease threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Landon Johnson for the Warriors’ only touchdown. Sease threw to Ollie Barnes for the 2-point conversion.

 

    Eli Mathys led the AJA defense with eight tackles and four TFLs. Walker Terry had two TFLs.

 

    Bethesda 49

    Pee Dee 0

 

    Savannah, Ga. – Bethesda Academy remained undefeated and won the SCISA Region 2-AA title with a 49-0 win over Pee Dee Academy at the BA field,

 

    The Blazers, who improved to 8-0 overall, got revenge for falling to PDA in the AA title game last season. The Golden Eagles dropped to 5-3.

 

    Quarterback Jorden Turner completed 5 of 7 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 49 yards and two TDs on two carries. Rain Wesley had two catches for 101 yards and two scores, while Malachi Morris had a 35-yard TD reception.

 

    Jamari Young had three rushes for 65 yards and a TD, and Jeffrey Armstrong had a 27-yard scoring run.

 

    Nicholas Jackson had 18 tackles and two TFLs to lead the defense. Isaiah Redmond had 15 tackles and three TFLs.

SCISA Boys Basketball Region Battles Heat Up

By Gerald Doolittle • January 22, 2026
Orangeburg Prep senior Avery Ravenell is averaging 23 pts per game and on pace for another 400 point season.

SCISA Girls Basketball Races Take Shape

By Gerald Doolittle • January 22, 2026
Curtis Baptist Senior Maci Butler averaging 20 points per game and closing in on a third straight 300 point season.

Timberland Boys Basketball Team Heating Up On Hardwood As Season Enters Second Half

By Rob Gantt • January 22, 2026
By Rob Gantt Special to The HSSR St. Stephen - The Timberland High School boys basketball team seems to be heating up just as the weather turns cooler, when the games become more important. The Wolves started out 0-13 on the season but were competitive most nights during the opening stretch. They dropped seven games by single digits the first half of the campaign. However, Coach Jerome Stewart's club has won three of its last four games. All three victories came on the road. Most recently, the Wolves edged Andrews, 47-41. Junior guard Joshua Deas led the Wolves with 16 points, while sophomore forward Jordan Gorham added nine points. Sophomore wing Ellis Wiggins and senior wing Kevin Brown chipped in eight points apiece. Gorham, also one of the state's top football prospects, led around the glass with seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Wiggins also contributed five rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks. Timberland improved to 2-1 in Region 6-2A games heading into a road clash Tuesday, Jan. 20, at fellow Berkeley County School District program Philip Simmons. Three days earlier, Timberland also won a tight contest at Academic Magnet. The Wolves pulled out a 59-53 victory versus the Raptors. Wiggins led three Wolves in double figures with 12 points. Junior guard Joshua Brown and Kevin Brown added 11 points and 10 points, respectively. Senior forward Harold Sanders contributed nine points. Gorham and Kevin Brown tallied 10 rebounds apiece, while Gorham and Wiggins combined on five blocks. Timberland broke through for its first win of the 2025-26 season Jan. 6 at Military Magnet, getting past the Eagles by a score of 62-52. Wiggins and Kevin Brown poured in 18 points each and Sanders chipped in seven points. Wiggins also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists. In between that win and the most recent back-to-back victories, the Wolves lost a competitive clash at home against Burke. Wiggins and Kevin Brown combined for 28 points.  After Philip Simmons Jan. 20, the Wolves host Woodland Jan. 23.

Lawter Has Big Plans For The Emerald Wrestling Program

By Billy Baker • January 22, 2026
By Billy G. Baker Publisher Greenwood —The passion that first year Emerald head wrestling coach Hayden Lawter has for the sport he starred in at BHP is rubbing off on the Vikings team that won seven dual matches this season for the first time in quite some time. Lawter is a recent graduate of Lander University where he earned a wrestling scholarship after an outstanding high school career at BHP where he was a three-time state qualifier in the 220-pouind class. He also finished among the top three in the state in his weight class in both his junior and senior years. Lawter also earned North-South Honors his senior year with the Bears. He was a two-time all-region champion, and he was named Anderson County Prep Wrester of the Year after he helped lead BHP to a state wrestling title in 2021 when the team went undefeated. “We have some big plans to build the wrestling program at Emerald into a Top 10 program in the state within five years,” said Coach Lawter. “I have seen it done before. This summer we are starting a Summer Take-Down club in the Greenwood area that will range from elementary school age up to high school. We are focused on growth and success. “It will be a challenge to win our region meet this year with strong teams like Westside , Fountian Inn , and Laurens competing against us,” said Coach Lawter. “We do hope to place fourth and that is a good start for us in our first year with a very young team.” The Vikings 2025-26 varsity wrestling team has 34 participants. The team has seven dual meet wins this season over Landrum , Greenwood Christian (twice), Augusta Christian , Seneca (twice), and Crescent . The Vikings will tune up for the upcoming region meet they will host, by competing against five other teams in the West Oak Round Robin Invitational on January 17. The team is led by senior tri-captains Alijah White (190), Kelsey Wright (165), and Gregory Brown (138). White is ranked 6 th in the state in his weight class by SCMAT.com. “Alijah has been on the team for four seasons, and he is a region champion contender for sure,” said Coach Lawter. Wright has also been on the team for four years and he is also a captain. Brown is a first-year senior on the team working extremely hard. Another top performer on the team is junior Caleb Jeffery (126) and he is ranked 7 th in the state by SCMAT.com in his weight class. Jeffery is also a contender for a region individual championship at the region meet late this month. Rounding out the top performers on the team is sophomore Hayden Doerflein in the 215-weight class and he is ranked 8 th in the state by SCMAT.com. He also has an excellent chance at competing for a region championship later this month. There are 14 total weight classes comprising a high school wrestling team. The Vikings have participation in every weight group but the heavy weight class that starts at 285 pounds. Freshman Izabella Ruiz starts at 106 with Izabella Souza also competing at 106. First- year freshman competitor Jacob Villicana competes at 113 and first-year senior Alex Morales represents the team at 120. Jeffery is a solid competitor at 126. First year freshman Ryelan Cubbage leads the 132-weight class. The 144-weight class is held down by junior Brandon Robertsdon. First year junior Tatum Bonaca starts at the 150-weight group.  Marley Fisher is a first-year starter at 157 while tri-captain Kelsey White is a top performer at 165. Sophomore Tristan Boggs is the top Viking performer at 175 while tri-captain Elijah White is a top performer at 190.

Carvers Bay Looking To Make Deeper Play Off Run This Season

By Neill Kirkpatrick • January 22, 2026
By Neill Kirkpatrick Special to the HSSR Hemingway – The Carvers Bay Bears entered the 2025/26 season with high expectations as they returned their top three scorers from last season but head coach Jeff Mezzatesta felt it could take a few games to gel because the Bears football season did not end until the third round of the class A playoffs. “Our biggest challenge at the start of the season was getting our football players back after their great season. We have a lot of athletes that play both sports and we were behind in conditioning, chemistry, etc.. to start the basketball season,” said coach Mezz. Coach continued, “We probably won’t start gelling as a team until after the Holiday Break, unless our seniors can provide the leadership that is needed for early season success. If we can come together and grow we have a chance to have a very special season. We just have to weather the early season with a few football injuries to nurse and bringing the boys back together as a family.” The Bears lost in the third round of the class A playoffs to eventual state champion Denmark-Olar. They finished the year 20-9 and 12-0 in region play to win their second consecutive region championship. They entered the season on a 16-game region winning streak. The Bears are currently ranked number six in the latest HSSR class a poll. They started the season 1-2 but have gone 12-2 since including running their region winning streak to 21 after winning their first five region games. They also own a win over the HSSR’s number five team Latta 81-73 which put Latta in second place in the region race. The two teams will meet again at Latta on February 11 th in game that could decide the region title and a possible number one seed in the playoffs; however, there is a lot of basketball left to play. The strength of the Bears is in their guard play on both sides of the court as their pressure defense turns into instant offense. Senior KK Heyward and juniors Jamie Graham and Mekhi Bromell are the leaders of the team as they have each improved their game from last season. Heyward is a two-times All State selection. The senior is the unquestioned team leader and has upped his scoring average his year he has been on the team. He led the team in scoring last year at 15.7 ppg and is second this season at 16.4 ppg. He is on pace to top 1500 career points by the end of the season. On the defensive side, he leads the team in steals with 3.2 a night. Graham has taken his game to the next level as he leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists. His scoring average has increased from 11.4 ppg to 18.3 ppg and he is on pace to become another 1000 career point scorer. His 5.8 rebounds per is tied for the top spot and he is dishing out 4.1 dimes a game. Also, he is a returning All Region selection. Bromell is fourth on the team in scoring at 9.7 ppg. That is almost two points more per night than last season and he pulls down 5.2 ppg. Rounding out the starting five are two newcomers in sophomore Ethan Morris and senior Kendall Moore. Morris is third in the team in scoring at 10.6 ppg and is also averaging 5.3 boards per game while Moore may be the most versatile player on the team as he plays anywhere he is needed. The Bears have a solid bench led by senior Jaden Bell . He is demon on the defensive end of the court and has been named the region 6A Defensive Player of the year the past two seasons. Also returning are seniors Tyrone Parson and Herbie Washington and they are joined by newcomers to the Bears roster in junior center Xavier Fredrick and sophomore guard Kamaris Brown . “I would hope that we can continue our success in region and make the playoffs; however, this is truly up to the commitment that our boys put into the season. We can’t become complacent on past success and have to keep our eyes on the present,” said coach Mezz.

Beaufort Girls Basketball Off To Great Start

By David Shelton • January 22, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Beaufort – With the non-region schedule completed, the focus for basketball teams in the state turn to region play in January. Playoff berths and seedings are determined by region finish, making region play the most important part of the regular season. To that end, the Beaufort girls basketball team is off to a great start, posting wins in their first two region 7-AAAA contests and winning 11 of their first 15 games overall this season. The team is on track to bettermg last year’s win total of 16 while contending for the region title. Among the top performers early on this season are junior Amiyah Brown , sophomore Jania Hayward , freshman Da’Leah LaBoard , and freshman Zaria Coaxum . Hayward is leading the team in scoring, averaging 19.4 points per game. She also averages nearly five rebounds and three assists per contest. Brown adds 13.7 points per game, adding 3.7 boards, while Coaxum is scoring 7.9 points per game. LaBoard is adding just over five points per game. Coming off a 1-19 season of a year ago, the boys basketball team is looking to improve but has found it to be a tough road. The Eagles managed just one win in their first 11 contests, including an 0-2 start to region play. But coach Jeremy Huff is optimistic about his team showing marked improvement in the 2025-26 season. “The sky is the limit for these young guys,” Huff says. “They have been working hard, but with our schedule and region, the competition is tough. We are expecting to be middle of the region and contend for a playoff spot.” Huff has several returning players and the playing experience gained last season, despite the record, should lead to improvement overall. As the season begins, Huff lists only one senior, guard Austin Miles , as starting. Miles is a returner from last season and is a team captain averaging 4.1 points per game. Junior guard Kobe Hernandez averages 4.0 points per game and junior guard Willis Watson is averaging 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Junior Qualeek Isnar is the starting center and averages 7.3 points per game. Freshman Keaton Layman averages 5.2 points per game. season. Sophomore forward PJ Davis rounds out the starting lineup. The wrestling season also is heavy into region competition and Beaufort has several grapplers ranked among the best in AAAA in their weight class. Colton Freeman is the second-ranked wrestler in the 215-pound weight class and Santino Communale is ranked fifth in AAAA at 120-pounds. Jaden Proctor is ranked sixth at 285 pounds and Jessob Paris is ranked seventh at 157 pounds. Another key performer is Cameron Posey in the 144-pound weight class. Among female wrestlers, Olesya Mullins is the top-ranked wrestler at 105 pounds.

Barnwell Girl’s Basketball Focused On Making AA Playoffs

By Staff Reports • January 22, 2026
Barnwell Girl’s Basketball Focused On Making AA Playoffs From Staff Reports Barnwell —With their 40-32 region win over Edisto on January, 16 the Lady Warhorses have pulled into a tie with Hampton County (2-2) for the region lead going into the home stretch of the regular season. Junior guard Savannah Rountree scored 12 points and senior guard Gabrielle Thomas added 10 points to lead the Lady Warhorses to the win. Sophomore center Bre’Yanna Bostick chipped in six points against Edisto also. Others contributing points in the Edisto game for Barnwell included freshman guard Za’Cariah Devoe (3), senior guard Aurielle Sanders (2), freshman forward Kennide Williams (2), freshman guard Zamari Williams (2), and junior wing Gracie Carter (1). “We are playing much better defense now,” said head coach William Hammonds . “We still need to find ways to score but our defense is coming along well. “Rountree is shooting the ball really well and she is getting it going on offense for us,” said Coach Hammonds. “Both Bostick and Devoe are two of most improved players since the start of the season. Bostick is our top rebounder coming off the bench.  “Gabby is starting to making better decisions on her passes from the point guard position,” said Coach Hammonds. “She is starting to make the right plays.” Coach Hammonds that with six region games to play he is hoping his team can finish strong and place at least third in the region and then go on and play well in the playoffs. “Hampton County and Lake Marion have two really good teams this year but if we continue to improve, I feel like we can place at least third in the region.” Maddie Brown is a 5-10 small forward and she is one of the team’s co-captains. Brown is a good rebounder and plays good defense in the paint. Barnwell will host Hampton County on February, 3. To date, a shooting guard, Roudtree leads the team in scoring at 14 points a game. Thomas is at 5.8 points and three rebounds a game, including 2.4 steals. Bostick is averaging 3.6 points a game and leads the team in rebounding. Devoe is averaging 1.2 steals a game. Coach Hammonds is assisted Alicia Davis and April Robinson .

Carolina Academy Basketball Enters Region Play

By David Shelton • January 22, 2026
The Carolina Academy Girls Basketball Team.

Chesterfield Hoopsters Competing Well In Region

By David Shelton • January 22, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Chesterfield – Region play is the most important part of the regular season and ramping up the intensity and focus is paramount for any team hoping to contend for a region title and state playoff berth. To that end, a young but up and coming Chesterfield girls basketball team is competing well in the early part of their 2025-26 region 4-AA schedule. The Lady Rams won four of their first six region games and were 10-7 overall this season as of Jan. 18. The team won 11 games all of last season. “We are playing pretty well so far,” said head coach Nick Jolly earlier this season. “This is a competitive team. We’re still fairly young overall but we have some talented girls. We will make youthful mistakes but we will learn from those mistakes and work hard to correct things as we go. I definitely feel good about the potential.” Chesterfield regularly starts four sophomores and Jolly’s top two players are sophomores Reagan Rivers and Yaya Robinson . Rivers was a class AA all-state selection as a freshman, averaging 14 points and eight rebounds per game. This season, she is averaging 14.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She also dishes 3.4 assists per game and has nearly three steals per contest. Robinson averaged 13.9 points last season and is at 15.9 points per game this season. Eighth-grader Le’Asia Brown is leading the team in rebounds, grabbing 9.9 boards per game while scoring 6.7 rebounds per contest this season. Sopho,ore Ki’Yonna Peurifoy is pulling down 7.0 rebounds per contest while senior Jordan Evans is adding 2.6 steals and nearly two assists per game. Sophomore Alivia Honeycutt scores about three points and pulls down 4.5 rebounds per game. She also averages close to four blocked shots per outing. Sophomore Tayler McCoy is adding six points per game. Senior Jaylen Evans , along with junior Kaylee Leonard , see considerable minutes as well. Freshman Taylee Clyburn , sophomore Ava Knight , freshman Kamari Patterson , freshman Allison Brown , and senior Jenna Kelly round out this year’s squad. Jolly says his biggest point of emphasis in the early season has been physical toughness. “With the youth, sometimes they play a little timid,” the coach said. “I keep telling them we have to play tougher. They are responding well. I’m pretty happy with where we are and I know we are going to continue to grow and improve as we play more. We will compete with most of the teams that we play.” The boys team went 1-12 against non-region competition in December but is showing solid growth in region play with an early 2-2 record. Senior leaders and team captains are Kamron Patterson, Derrick Lockhart, Ronnie Little and Josh Miller . Juniors include Amir Pickett, Jackson Dalton, Mark Moten, Josh Bittle, Jayden Johnson, Treyvon Smith and DJ Merriman. Rounding out the roster are sophomores Jamison Dalton and Holden Lowry .

Central Boys Basketball Rounding Into Gear

By Dennis Brunson • January 22, 2026
 By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Pageland – The Central High School boys basketball team got off to a slow start. The Eagles lost their first three games, albeit by a combined 17 points. However, there’s a little bit more to the story than that. Central played its first game on Tuesday, December 1. That came just three days after the school’s football team, which included many members of the basketball team, saw its season come to an end playing in the AA playoffs lower state championship game. The Eagles had the next two games on December 2 and December 4, meaning they got in one practice together before playing the first two contests. “We got them late, so we were working on getting our chemistry, being able to play together,” said Central head coach Desmond Sowell . It appears the Eagles have made good progress on that front. They have gone 11-2 since with the two losses coming to AAAAA Nation Ford by a 56-49 count and 79-76 to AAAA Hartsville. More importantly, they are off to a 3-0 start in Region 4. All things considered, Sowell likes where his team stands at the moment. “We’re playing up to my expectations,” he said. “My thing is for us to compete day in and day out. It’s just about us being able to maintain that as we go to region play and try to make a playoff run.” Central has four starters back from a team that went 18-11 and reached the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. They are seniors Tazhir Webber , Demetrius Myers and Aiden Short and junior Jordan Crowder . Webber leads the team in scoring at 16.9 points per game, assists at 3.9 and steals at 3.3. He is also grabbing 4.6 rebounds. Crowder is one of three other Eagles scoring in double figures with an 11.9 average while leading in rebounding at 6.4 Myers is just missing out on double figures at 9.7. Short is averaging 3.5 points. The other two scoring in double figures are senior newcomers Jakori Holloman and Scoot Colyer . Holloman, who transferred from McBee , is the second leading scorer at 12.6 while averaging 4.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.1 steals. Colyer, who came from Florida , is averaging 11.3 points, 3.6 assists and 2.9 steals. Giving Central impactful minutes off the bench are junior Dwayne Louallen Jr. , junior Aiden Welch , senior Taveon Moore and senior Jordan Caldwell , an offensive lineman on the football team who is 6-feet-4-inches tall and weighs 240 pounds. “We didn’t have any real size last year,” Sowell said. “Jordan gives us size and toughness.” While the Eagles can produce points, Sowell likes the way they play defense. “They’re really athletic and like to defend,” he said. “That helped us to a win against (AAAA) Darlington . We’ve shown the ability to compete and play at a high level. There should never be a game that we don’t compete in.” CENTRAL GIRLS START 1-12 In its first season under head coach JT McManus , the Central girls basketball team won only one of first 13 games. However, the one win did come in region play, a 35-34 triumph over North Central , giving the Eagles a 1-2 region record. “We played a tough non-region schedule because we wanted to see where we’re at,” said McManus, who was the junior varsity boys head coach and Sowell’s assistant for five years. “We’re at Square 1, the bare minimum. We’re working on developmental stuff that should have already been done. We’re trying to teach and play games at the same time.” The starters are seniors Jariyah Sowell , Rielyn Chambers and Tashia Quick , junior D’lorya Smith and 6-1 eighth-grader Brooklyn Seegars . Sowell, the daughter of the boys head coach, is the leading scorer at 7.9. Quick is averaging 4.7, Seegars 3.3, Chambers 3.2 and Smith 1.6. “We’re working on changing the culture,” McManus said. “The girls are playing hard, but our shot-making ability and ball handling ability aren’t there yet. Making the playoffs, that’s our goal, our aspiration.”
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