Beaufort Eagles’ Omar Cummings, left, face-masks Hilton Head’s Tyler Hamilton during the first half of their Region 8 4A game at Eagle Stadium on Oct. 28. Photo by Bob Sofaly.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Beaufort turns back Hilton Head Island
Host Beaufort High started strong and pulled away to beat Hilton Head 31-8 in a late-season high school football game on Oct. 28. The victory gave Beaufort High head coach Mark Clifford his 100th career win.
With the win, Beaufort High improved to 6-2. Hilton Head slipped to 5-3 with the loss.
Beaufort High dominated throughout the prep football contest.Running back Wyatt Sherpensky, a longtime leader for the Eagles, helped to push Beaufort High out in front early, scoring four touchdowns in the first half. Beaufort High, which scored on five of six possessions in the first half, carried a commanding 31-0 lead into halftime.
As a team, Beaufort High rushed for 331 yards in the winning effort.
Leading the Eagles on the ground, Omar Cummings rushed for a team-high 156 yards and one touchdown.
Sherpensky contributed 148 rushing yards for the Eagles.
Struggling offensively, Hilton Head was held scoreless until the game’s final minute. With 15 seconds remaining, Hilton Head quarterback Collin Kaiser completed a 9-yard scoring pass to Bryce Singleton. Kaiser added the two-point conversion to give Hilton Head its final points in the matchup.
Clifford is now 100-55 overall as a head coach at Beaufort High.
Beaufort High is slated to host Colleton County on Friday, Nov. 4.
In another game scheduled for Friday, Nov. 4, Hilton Head is slated to entertain Cane Bay.
Whale Branch wallops Burke
Whale Branch pulled away to beat Burke 46-6 in a late-season high school football game on Oct. 28.
With the win, Whale Branch improved to 4-4 overall and 2-1 in Region 6-2A.
Leading the Warriors to the victory, talented running back Irvan Mulligan rushed for a season-high 198 yards and three touchdowns.
Burke hung around early during the high school football game. Whale Branch, however, finished strong, ending the game on a 39-0 run.
Determined Whale Branch scored first and never trailed. The Warriors pulled away to win convincingly after clinging to a 7-6 lead early.
Mulligan has thrived throughout the 2016 South Carolina high school football season. Through eight games, Mulligan has rushed for 891 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Earlier in the season, during a game in mid-September, Mulligan rushed for 192 yards against counterpart Battery Creek.
Defensively, C.J. Brown and Kavaun Wright delivered interceptions for the Warriors.
In addition to the victory over Burke, Whale Branch has notched wins in games against May River, Battery Creek and Garrett Academy.
Whale Branch has suffered losses to Hilton Head, Beaufort, Bluffton and Woodland.
The Warriors are under the direction of head coach Jerry Hatcher. He has guided the Warriors back to the .500 mark during the current campaign.
Whale Branch has regular season games remaining versus North Charleston and Academic Magnet. The Warriors are slated to visit North Charleston on Friday, Nov. 4. Kickoff for the Whale Branch-North Charleston football game is set for 7:30 p.m.
Hilton Head Prep Outlasts HHCA, 18-17
Hilton Head Prep outlasted visiting rival Hilton Head Christian Academy 18-17 in a key late-season high school football game on Oct. 28.
With the win, Hilton Head Prep improved to 3-5 and kept its playoff hopes alive. Hilton Head Christian Academy dropped to 1-7 with the loss.
The determined Dolphins battled back from an 11-point deficit to claim the victory. Hilton Head Prep took its only lead in the game’s final minute.
Lifting Hilton Head Prep to the victory, quarterback Stone McDonald scored on a 13-yard run with 59 seconds remaining. The game-winning drive, which featured McDonald’s emotional touchdown, covered 87 yards in 10 plays.
Hilton Head Prep is 2-2 in SCISA 2A-1.
Hilton Head Christian Academy fared well throughout much of the gridiron matchup. On the ground for Hilton Head Christian Academy, Zach Doe scored on a 67-yard run. With the scoring scamper,. Doe moved past the 1,000 rushing yards mark for the season.
Delivering another touchdown, Ben Viljac scored on a 7-yard run for the Eagles early in the first quarter.
Hilton Head Christian Academy hasn’t won since defeating familiar rival John Paul II 26-21 in a season opener on Aug. 19.
Hilton Head Prep won for the second time in three games. The Dolphins returned to the win column after suffering a loss to visiting Northwood Academy one week earlier.
Hilton Head Prep boasts additional wins over John Paul II, and Bethesda Academy.
GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL GOLF
Bluffton finishes runner-up in Class 3A
The Bluffton girls’ golf team finished runner-up in the Class 3A girls’ state golf championship at Carolina Springs Golf Club on Oct. 25.
Now a back-to-back state champion, Bishop England remained first in Class 3A girls’ golf.
Sophia Burnett tied for seventh overall to lead the Bluffton girls’ golf program to the runner-up finish. Burnett shot a 73 and then an 81 for the Bobcats.
In a dominant performance, Bishop England delivered a 645 team total. Bishop England held a sizable advantage over Bluffton, its closest challenger.
Bluffton ended the event second with a 687. Powdersville placed third with a 700.
First-year May River finished fourth with a 727. Pacing May River, Kathryn Thorne shot rounds of 80 and 76 to earn a spot inside the tournament’s Top 10.
Helping Bluffton to its runner-up finish in the state tournament, Camilla Burnett shot 76 and 85 to finish 13th individually.
Kaylia McIntyre fired an 86 and an 84 to tie for 18th.
Lexi Adams rounded out Bluffton’s foursome with a 99 and a 103.
MEN’S COLLEGE GOLF
Dietrich, Miles help lead Gamecocks
The University of South Carolina men’s golf program’s bid for a three-peat at the Camden Collegiate Invitational fell short on Oct. 23 as the team finished second after shooting a final round 293 (+13). The team shot 859 (+19) over the course of the two-day event. James Madison won the tournament after shooting a final round 280 for a total tally of 850 (+10).
Junior Keenan Huskey was tied at the top of the leaderboard in the final group with James Madison’s Ryan Cole after 18 holes Sunday at 5-under. Huskey and Cole went to a one-hole playoff to determine the individual champion. Huskey’s 20-foot birdie attempt from below the hole on 17 fell just short. Cole was able to make birdie and take home medalist honors after sticking his approach shot within 5 feet of the cup. Huskey recored his first top-five finish of the year after earning runner-up medalist honors.
Sophomore Scott Stevens tallied the low-score of the day for Carolina after shooting a 71 (+1). The Chattanooga, Tenn., native shot 215 (+5) for the tournament and finished tied for sixth individually. It was Stevens’ second-straight top-10 finish for the Gamecocks.
Junior Ben Dietrich, a Bluffton native, shot 75 (+5) Sunday to finish the tournament at 10-over (220). Dietrich recorded his first top-20 finish of the season after tying for 17th individually.
Sophomore Ryan Stachler also tied for 17th individually at 10-over after shooting a final day 75 (+5). Like Dietrich, it was Stachler’s first top-20 finish of the season.
Junior Alex Handy, who made his season debut this weekend for the Gamecocks, tied for 48th individually after tallying a 76 (+6) Sunday. Handy shot 19-over (229) for the tournament.
Sophomore Will Miles, playing individually, tied for sixth with Stevens at 5-over after shooting a final round 74 (+4). The top-10 finish was Miles first of the season. Miles hails from Hilton Head Island.
True freshman Caleb Proveaux tied for 34th in his first career tournament as a Gamecock after recording a final score of 225 (+15). Proveaux, who also played individually this weekend, shot a new career best 73 (+3) in the final round Sunday.
HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY
Bluffton boys’ team claims cross country title
Bluffton is home to another state championship team and runner. The Bluffton boys’ team won the Class 3A Lower State cross country title at the Sandhills course on Oct. 29.
In the girls’ team competition, Bluffton placed second as leading runner Perla Jimenez won the individual title.
Eighth-grader John Sutay was the top finisher for the Bluffton boys’ team, placing fourth in 17:56.96 seconds.
Waccamaw runner Perrin Jones won the boys’ individual title.
Three runners from the Bluffton boys’ team placed inside the Top 12. Sam Riddle finished 11th and Armando Jimenez 12th for the Bobcats. Another Bluffton runner, Jonathan McCants, finished 16th. Bluffton won easily over second-place May River.
Perla Jimenez claimed the girls’ individual title in 20:13.13. May River’s Madison Lewellen placed second and Emma Peluso third.
Bluffton’s Kelsey Brandt finished fourth and May River’s Victoria Sosa fifth.
Waccamaw won the girls’ team title, finishing out in front of Bluffton. A young program, upstart May River, placed third in the girls’ team standings.
Battery Creek placed 13th in the girls’ meet. The Battery Creek boys finished 16th.
Cross country programs and individual runners from throughout the state vied for championships over the weekend.
Beaufort Academy finishes third in Class 1A meet
The Beaufort Academy boys’ cross country team placed third in the SCISA Class 1A cross country meet on Oct. 29. The Eagles finished behind champion Holy Trinity and Wardlaw Academy.
Leading Beaufort Academy to the third-place finish in the team standings, Nathaniel Keenan and Jack Carter Worrell placed fourth and eighth, respectively.
Keenan finished fourth in 18:33.80.
Worrell placed eighth in 20:19.26.
Finishing just outside of the Top 10, Beaufort Academy’s Cameron Keenan placed 11th.
Beaufort Academy didn’t field a girls’ team in the state meet. Competing as an individual, Beaufort Academy girls’ runner Alyssa Lewis finished 15th.
Hilton Head Christian Academy finished sixth in the Class 2A girls’ state event. Callie Haertel led Hilton Head Christian Academy with a sixth-place finish individually.
Hilton Head Prep placed 10th and John Paul II 11th in the Class 2A girls’ field
John Paul II placed eighth in the Boys’ Class 2A Meet, finishing ahead of Hilton Head Prep (ninth) and Hilton Head Christian Academy (12th).
Hilton Head teams win Lower State titles
The Hilton Head Island boys’ and girls’ cross country teams won Class 4A Lower State championships on Oct. 28.
On the girls’ side, six Hilton Head Island runners placed in the top 10.
Leading the Hilton Head Island girls’ team to the victory and Winning herself a state title, Sarah Cooke finished the course in 19:22.52.
Accompanying Cooke in the top 10 were four teammates – Tori Herman (2nd), Esther Anderson (4th), Sarah Neville (6th), Emmy Todd (8th) and Valeria
Morales (10th).
Hilton Head’s Nahuel Coronel won the boys’ event in 16:46.89. Corbin McKinney placed third, David Robinson fourth and Zach Waters 11th for the Hilton Head boys’ team.
Beaufort High finished fifth in the boys’ competition. Leading Beaufort High to the fifth-place finish was Justin Campbell, who placed 20th.
Holy Trinity takes first in SCISA championships
Holy Trinity’s boys and girls cross country teams earned first place at the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) state championship meet in Columbia on Oct. 29.
Led by Holy Trinity cross country coaches, Josiah and Hillary Tobin, the team’s top 14 runners competed in the school’s first high school state competition. In addition to both the boys and girls teams taking first place, Holy Trinity had three individual runners place in the top 10: Lydia Mahan (8th), Logan Lawson (7th), and Mills Langehans (1st). Langehans is Holy Trinity’s first individual state champion.
MEN’S COLLEGE TENNIS
Harris in senior year at Clemson University
Hilton Head native Christian Harris is in his senior year at Clemson University. Harris is a member of the Clemson University men’s golf team.
The Hilton Head native recorded an overall record of 18-11 during the 2015-16 regular season. Harris finished 9-2 overall in tournaments in the same campaign.
Harris played mainly at the number six spot for the Tigers, finishing 8-6 overall. Individually, Harris saw action at the number four and five spots.
In doubles, Harris finished the 2015-16 season with a 4-9 record. He ended the 2015-16 season at number one in doubles, finishing with a 2-1 record.
Harris is majoring in political science.
Prior to coming to Clemson, Harris was ranked at number 50 by TennisRecruiting.net.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER
USCB beats Webber in double overtime
The USCB women’s soccer team assured itself of the best overall and conference records in the program’s history with a thrilling victory, scoring the equalizer in the final 2 minutes of regulation and winning 2-1 in double overtime at Webber International.
Taylor Superior netted the equalizer off a Cameron Croney-Clark corner kick in the 89th minute, and Hayley Pina struck the game-winner in the second extra period to lift the Sand Sharks in their regular-season finale.
USCB (9-7-2, 5-3-2 Sun Conference) already has clinched a spot in the seven-team Sun Conference Tournament and is now assured of finishing either fourth or fifth in the league standings. The Sand Sharks currently sit fourth with 17 points – one ahead of SCAD Savannah, which had games remaining against Johnson & Wales on Saturday and Thomas on Tuesday.
The Sand Sharks got off to a sluggish start and were outshot 8-5 in the first half before taking control of the match after the break. USCB dominated possession and outshot the Warriors by a substantial margin in the second half, but it was Webber International who found the net first.
Francesca Mascall scored in the 84th minute, but the Warriors’ lead was short-lived. With less than 2 minutes left in regulation, Croney-Clark sent a corner kick into the box and Superior was able to beat the keeper and force overtime.
After a scoreless 10-minute period, the Sand Sharks dominated the second extra period, outshooting the Warriors 7-0. Pina delivered the game-winner with less than 3 minutes remaining with a powerful strike from just outside the 18-yard line that found the upper-right corner.
FISHING/DIVING
Sportfishing and Diving Club to meet Nov. 10
The Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club’s November meeting will be held on Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club located on Lady’s Island off of Meridian Road. The social begins at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
SC DNR Artificial Reef coordinator, Bob Matore, will present new underwater videos on local artificial reefs and new deep water reefs. Guests are welcome. Contact Capt. Frank Gibson at 843-522-2122.
SAILING
Beaufort Academy is runner up at regatta
Beaufort Academy hosted the SCISA State Sailing Regatta on Oct. 22 at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club. BA was runner up and received a trophy and presentation from the SCISA rep. Porter Gaud won the SCISA Regatta as well as overall for the entire event, which included 14 schools from South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina.
