Another season, another state championship for the Hilton Head Prep boys tennis team, and the Dolphins did it without a blemish. Prep finished off a perfect 16 and 0 season with a 5-1 win over Spartanburg Day on Friday at the Cayce Tennis Center as Bobby Bart, Drew Rukavina, Louis Hein, Evan Phillips, and Wyatt Harmer each rolled in straight sets to give the Dolphins their third consecutive state title and ninth in the last 10 seasons. Dynasty doesn’t do it justice. The number of Lowco squads still trying to join the Dolphins in the ranks of the state champs this spring has dwindled, but we still have quite a few teams going for the gold.
Beaufort High’s boys soccer team is still among them after an impressive 4-1 win over Dreher in a matchup of top seeds Friday night on Lady’s Island. Beck Schwerin scored a hat trick and the Eagles breezed into the Lower State final with their 12th straight win. They’ll try to make it a baker’s dozen and punch their ticket to the state championship tonight at Waccamaw.
Beaufort is the only public school soccer team from the Lowco still standing after Bridges Prep’s boys saw their sensational season end with their first loss of the season, 3-nil at powerhouse Southside Christian, and May River’s girls lost 5-nil at Lucy Beckham on Saturday to end a magical run.
The private schools kick off the postseason today with the girls from Hilton Head Prep, John Paul the 2nd, and Patrick Henry hosting first-round matchups and two-time defending state champion Hilton Head Christian Academy hits the road to Shannon Forest. The boys get started tomorrow.
We’re getting down to the cream of the crop on the diamonds, and the name of the game is survive and advance. The softball teams from May River, Colleton County, and Bridges Prep all did just that, winning elimination games to stay in the hunt. Bridges and Colleton both rolled to big wins, and May River stayed alive with a thrilling walkoff victory, putting the pressure on the defense and cashing in for a 7-6 win over Ridge View.
Beaufort High softball dropped a heartbreaker at Marlboro County, 2-1 in 8 innings despite 15 strikeouts from Kylie Rast. Eagles have to beat Waccamaw at home tonight to earn another shot at the Bulldawgs, while Beaufort’s baseball team is in the driver’s seat and gets two chances to beat Gilbert once tonight to move on to the Class 3A Lower State bracket. Wade Hampton baseball also stayed alive with a 12-2 win over Marion but needs two wins at Cheraw tonight to advance.
Rounding up more region track and field results from last week, the Whale Branch boys ran away with the Region 7-1A title with triple-gold winners Jesse Richardson and Keith Chisholm leading the way, while Destiny Pryor won three events but the Whale Branch girls finished 13 points behind champion Bamberg-Ehrhardt.
The SCISA state meet went off Saturday in Orangeburg with John Paul the 2nd leading the Lowco contingent in the team standings and Hilton Head Christian Academy’s Morgan Bedenbaugh winning gold in the boys long jump.
We have a big night of playoff action on tap, including Beaufort High boys soccer playing for the Lower State title at Waccamaw and opening night of the SCISA girls soccer playoffs. LowcoSports.com’s Wes Kerr and Misa Garzon broke down all of last week’s results and previewed the week ahead last night on a new episode of Lowco FC. Check it out on the Lowco Media YouTube channel.
Beaufort High baseball and softball are both at home tonight along with Hilton Head Prep baseball, and Patrick Henry opens its second-round baseball series in SCISA 2A at Dorchester Academy. Plus, it’s day one of the Lower State golf qualifiers and the state tennis singles tournament.
Justin Jarrett, Lowco Sports
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May 2023
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