VOLLEYBALL
Eagles win crosstown clash
Beaufort High volleyball claimed bragging rights over crosstown rival Battery Creek with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-19) victory Oct. 1.
Hannah Merchant led the Eagles with 17 kills and was 15-for-15 serving, and Olive Renforth had a strong night with 11 kills and 14-for-14 serving. Megan Schoener had four kills and served 8-for-8, Peyton Polk and Sakura Simmons anchored the Eagles’ serve receive, and Zyaire Middleton dished out 27 assists and was 17-for-19 at the service line.
Dazzani Hinton helped keep the Dolphins in it with 18 kills, three blocks, and five digs, and Laiani McCullough added nine kills, two blocks, and 10 digs. Paige McArthur had a team-high 12 digs, and Halle Dejesus handed out 25 assists for Battery Creek.
BHS makes tourney semis
Beaufort High volleyball advanced to the gold division semifinals in an eight-team tournament Oct. 5 at Oceanside Collegiate Academy.
The Eagles went 1-0-2 in pool play, sweeping Philip Simmons (25-21, 25-13) and splitting with Cathedral Academy (25-16, 23-25) and Hanahan (20-25, 25-17) to earn a spot in the gold bracket. They ran into a buzzsaw in the semifinals, though, falling 25-10, 25-18 to the host Landsharks, who went on to win the championship.
Hannah Merchant led the Eagles with 27 kills and 42 digs on the day, and she was 24-of-25 serving with four aces. Olive Renforth notched 12 kills and 38 digs and served 15-for-16 with two aces, setter Zyaire Middleton dished out 37 assists to go with 22 digs, and defensive specialists Sakura Simmons (29-of-30 serving, 3 aces, 36 digs) and Peyton Polk (44 digs) anchored the defense.
Eagles top region rival Bobcats
Beaufort High volleyball claimed a key region win with a 3-1 victory over Bluffton on Oct. 3.
The Eagles withstood a rally from the Bobcats to claim a 25-18, 25-17, 22-25, 25-19 win and keep their region title hopes intact.
Zyaire Middleton had a season-high 32 assists to go with 21 digs and was 19-of-21 serving to lead the Eagles’ offense. Hannah Merchant had a big night with 17 kills, 24 digs, and three aces on 25-of-27 serving, and Olive Renforth added 12 kills, 20 digs, and 11-for-12 serving for Beaufort.
Defensive specialist Sakura Simmons had a team-high 26 digs and served 13-for-13 for the Eagles, and libero Peyton Polk had 24 digs and a strong performance on serve receive.
HHCA tops BA in SCISA showdown
Hilton Head Christian Academy won a clash of two SCISA volleyball powerhouses Oct. 3, handing Beaufort Academy its first loss in nearly six weeks.
Visiting HHCA was in control throughout a 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-22) victory. Ady O’Grady led HHCA with a monster game, collecting 15 kills, 12 digs, and four blocks, and Lauryn Qualls added eight kills and 17 digs. Brielle McCarthy had 30 assists, Amelia Auld had 13 digs, and Kate Booth had five kills and five aces for HHCA.
Chase Vaigneur had 11 kills and eight assists, and McCayla Willingham racked up seven kills and 10 blocks for BA. Mary Hanna Hiers had a team-high 13 digs.
BA takes down Holly Hill
Beaufort Academy volleyball kept its winning streak going with a sweep of Holly Hill Academy on Oct 2.
The Eagles rolled to a 3-0 (25-8, 25-16, 25-15) victory, as McCayla Willingham held down the front row with nine kills and three blocks, and Emily Ann Hiers and Chase Vaigneur put up balanced stat lines. Hiers had 15 assists, seven kills, and three aces, and Vaigneur added 13 assists, seven kills, and five digs.
Amelia Huebel added six kills and two blocks, and Mary Hanna Hiers had 12 digs.
Above: Beaufort High’s Megan Schoener, center, sets up the volley the during the second set against Battery Creek Dolphins Tuesday at Battery Creek. The Lady Eagles went on to sweep the Lady Dolphins in straight sets 25-16, 25-20 and 25-19. At left is Heyley Traoer and right is Peyton Polk.
TENNIS
BA falls to Sharks, Dolphins
Beaufort Academy girls tennis lost 4-2 to May River on Oct. 1 and 6-0 to Hilton Head Prep on Oct. 3.
The Sharks swept the Eagles 6-0 in the first meeting, but Jayda Scheper and Tallie Pendarvis were able to break through and earn points for BA in the rematch. Scheper defeated Margaret Zendzian 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1 singles, and Pendarvis outlasted Harper Gray 6-4, 4-6, 10-6 at No. 5. Ellie Ford’s three-set win at No. 4 singles clinched the win for the Sharks, preventing a deciding No. 1 doubles match.
BHS wraps up No. 2 seed
Beaufort High tennis locked up the No. 2 spot in Region 7-4A with a doubleheader sweep of Colleton County on Tuesday.
The Eagles earned two 6-0 victories over the Cougars and gave a number of players the opportunity to play, using entirely different lineups in each match.
Sophie McMullen, Madeline Confare, Lucy Aydlette, Sophia Exley, Lauren Bartlett, Caroline Louw, Elizabeth Holloway, Juliana Lane, Grace Trask, and Natalie Turbeville all earned singles victories for BHS, and the team of Claire Bowden and Gracie Cunningham and the pairing of Vishwa Patel and Alisha Arora each won doubles matches.
Beaufort will host a first-round playoff match on Oct. 23.
GOLF
May River girls golf claimed two more victories over its county rivals, winning nine-hole matches at The Legends at Parris Island on Oct. 1 and at Golden Bear Golf Club on Oct. 3.
Led by medalist Sydney Bowes’ 2-over-par 38, the Sharks posted a team score of 171 at Parris Island to hold off runner-up Hilton Head High (193). Bluffton (207) was third, followed by Beaufort High (229). Izzy Stone led the Eagles with a 42, followed by Elissa Hooper (55), Molly Hooper (63), Joeanne Straub (69), and Rylee Hill (69).
Kylie Bowes led the Sharks at Golden Bear with a round of 3-over 39, helping the Sharks posted a team score of 170 to edge Hilton Head High by 11 shots. Beaufort shot 240, and Bluffton did not have enough players to post a team score. Stone (45) led the Eagles, followed by Elissa Hooper (58), Straub (66), Hill (71), and Angelina Guerrero (71).