Photo above: The BA girls volleyball team are the new state champs in the SCISA Class A division. Photos provided.
Beaufort is home to three state champions this fall.
By Steve Lemaster
Beaufort Academy girls volleyball team and the girls tennis teams both recently captured state championships.
The volleyball team concluded its latest campaign by winning the SCISA Class A state title. Their coach, Donna Patrick, was named Region Coach of the Year.
The Eagles beat Mead Hall 3-1 in the SCISA Class A volleyball championship match in Sumter on Oct. 23.
Patrick guided Beaufort Academy to the state championship, and Beaufort Academy turned in a dominant performance throughout the state tournament.
The Eagles lost only one set, eventually ending the 2017 season with a 24-3 overall record.
Beaufort Academy, however, faced tough competition throughout the postseason.
Several players contributed for Beaufort Academy during the state title match.
Courtney Kirberger was 19-for-19 serving, delivering three aces, four kills and 16 assists for the Eagles in the victory.
Allison Suber posted a team-high 10 kills, two blocks and seven digs for the Beaufort Academy volleyball team.
Alyssa Patrick paced the Eagles with with a team-high 19 digs and also contributed five kills as the Beaufort Academy squad pulled away to win and capture the title.
Aiding the Beaufort Academy attack, Emma Hincher went 17-for-18 serving and recorded four aces and seven kills in the championship-clinching victory.
The title is the first state championship in the history of the Beaufort Academy volleyball program, which boasts numerous talented alumni.
Beaufort Academy went on a 6-0 run in the postseason. The Eagles exited the 2017 campaign with a 24-3 overall record after facing a challenging regular-season schedule.
Beaufort Academy beat Cambridge Academy 2-0 on Oct. 20, then topped Coastal Christian 1-0.
The Eagles also knocked off defending state champion Wardlaw on Oct. 20, winning 25-19, 25-20 in a back and forth high school volleyball battle.
Beaufort Academy continued to win one day later on Oct. 21, defeating both Patrick Henry Academy and Cathedral Academy. Talented Cathedral Academy provided Beaufort Academy a tough test before the Eagles ultimately won 27-25, 25-22.
Fans turned out to support the Beaufort Academy volleyball team throughout the state event, making the trip in support of the Eagles.
Beaufort Academy will look to defend its state championship during the 2018 season as numerous players from the 2017 title team return to the court.
Meanwhile, BA won the girls tennis Class A State Championship and finished the season 12-3 overall and 8-2 in region play.
It’s the first girls tennis state championship in school history and Coach Larry Scheper’s first title on the girls side.
Additionally, BA tennis player’s Jayda Scheper and Presley Jackson were selected to SCISA
Class AA Region IV All-Region Team.
Holy Trinity girls tops in cross country
The Holy Trinity’s girls and boys cross country teams took first and second place respectively at the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) Single-A state championship meet held at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School.
Led by Holy Trinity cross country coaches Josiah and Hillary Tobin and Estee Hermesmann, the team’s top 14 runners competed in the school’s second high school state competition.
In addition to the teams earning first and second place overall, Holy Trinity had five individual runners place in the top 10: Virginia Brunson (9th), Luke Greene (8th), Izzy Hipple (7th), Logan Lawson (3rd) with a 5K time of 18:20, and Mills Langehans (1st) with 20:20.
This is the girls’ second consecutive first place win at the SCISA cross country state championship, with Mills Langehans earning first place individually for the second year in a row.
