<em>Photo above: Beaufort Academy’s Kendal Duncan, left, and Karolina Struharova shut down Hilton Head Prep’s Kirstin Clark, center, from making a basket Jan. 20 at BA. Hilton Head Prep defeated the Lady Eagles 46-24. Photos by Bob Sofaly.</em>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>HIGH SCHOOL </b><b>BASKETBALL</b></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/RES0337.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-31017"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31017" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/RES0337.jpg" alt="_RES0337" width="1400" height="974" /></a></p>


[caption id="attachment_31019" align="aligncenter" width="1106"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/RES0498.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-31019"><img class="size-full wp-image-31019" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/RES0498.jpg" alt="Luice Harper, right, tries for a layup against a stiff Hilton Head Prep defense on Jan. 20 at Beaufort Academy. " width="1106" height="1400" /></a> Luice Harper, right, tries for a layup against a stiff Hilton Head Prep defense on Jan. 20 at Beaufort Academy.[/caption]

<b>Beaufort Academy drops </b><b>home game to HH Prep</b>

Beaufort Academy struggled after intermission in its latest boys' high school basketball battle versus Hilton Head Prep. Visiting Hilton Head Prep pulled away to beat the Eagles 62-40 on Jan. 20.

Hilton Head Prep posted its eighth consecutive win.

With the win, Hilton Head Prep improved to 13-2 overall and 6-0 in the region.

Beaufort Academy dropped to 9-4 overall and 4-3 in the region with the loss.

Haddith Stewart scored a game-high 24 points to lead Hilton Head Prep to its eighth straight win.

The game slipped away from the Beaufort Academy boys' basketball squad in the second half.

Hilton Head Prep took a hard-fought 24-23 lead into halftime.

Thriving after intermission, Hilton Head Prep held Beaufort Academy to only five points in the third quarter. Excelling late, Hilton Head Prep scored 24 points in the fourth quarter to pull away convincingly.

Accompanying Stewart in double figures for the Dolphins, Javonne Watson scored 15 points and Mac Orie contributed 11 points.

Kevin Williams paced Beaufort Academy with a team-high 13 points. Williams was the only Eagle to reach double figures in the scoring column.

Luke Harper finished one field goal short of reaching double figures, tallying eight points for the Eagles in the setback.

Beaufort Academy suffered its second straight loss. The Eagles had lost on the road at Hilton Head Christian Academy earlier in the week.

Beaufort Academy is slated to visit Hilton Head Prep for a regular-season finale on Feb. 14.

The Eagles entered the week with additional regular-season games remaining versus St. Andrew's, Faith Christian, Thomas Heyward Academy, John Paul II, Coastal Christian Prep, Bethesda Academy, Colleton Prep Academy and Hilton Head Christian Academy.

<b>Battery Creek beats </b><b>Benedictine, 55-48</b>

The Battery Creek Dolphins returned to the win column over the weekend of Jan. 20, beating the visiting Benedictine Cadets 55-48 in a mid-season boys' high school basketball game on Jan. 21.

Battery Creek completed a regular-season sweep of Benedictine for its second win in the 2016-17 season. The Dolphins outlasted Benedictine 60-56 in overtime on the road in nearby Savannah on Jan. 3.

Battery Creek carried a 2-15 overall record out of the matchup. Following the loss, Benedictine dropped to 4-12 overall.

Senior Isaiah Mayes led Battery Creek to the victory. Mayes, an underrated performer, scored a game-high 28 points for the Dolphins in the winning effort. Starting strong, Mayes scored 15 points for the Battery Creek boys' basketball unit in the first half.

Multiple players helped to push Battery Creek to the victory.

Sophomore Myles Middleton finished one field goal short of reaching double figures for the Dolphins, scoring eight points out of a starting role.

Battery Creek, a team under the direction of head coach Antoine Youmans, entered this week with regular-season games remaining versus Wade Hampton, Bluffton, Ridgeland-Hardeeville and May River.

<b>Whale Branch loses </b><b>doubleheader to Burke </b>

Host Whale Branch dropped boys' basketball and girls' basketball games to Burke recently. Burke swept a high school basketball doubleheader from Whale Branch on Jan. 20.

In a girls' high school basketball game, Burke beat Whale Branch 55-24.

Burke defeated Whale Branch 55-46 in a boys' high school basketball game.

More on each Whale Branch-Burke basketball matchup follows.

<b>Girls: Burke 55, Whale Branch 24: </b>Playing at home, Whale Branch couldn't get going offensively as visiting Burke pulled away to win 55-24 in a girls' high school basketball game on Jan. 20.

With the loss, Whale Branch stumbled to 2-12 overall and 0-3 in the region.

Burke improved to 12-5 overall and 5-0 in the region with the win.

Host Whale Branch was forced to play from behind throughout the region contest. Burke outscored Whale Branch 15-2 in the first quarter and later carried a commanding 29-11 lead into halftime.

Starting strong after intermission, Burke outscored Whale Branch 17-7 in the third quarter.

<b>Boys: Burke 55, Whale Branch 46:</b> Homestanding Whale Branch suffered its first region loss as Burke pulled away to win 55-46 in a boys' high school basketball game on Jan. 20.

Whale Branch and Burke met for a highly-anticipated showdown on the hardwood.

With the loss, Whale Branch slipped to 13-5 overall and 4-1 in the region.

Burke, which claimed its sixth consecutive victory, improved to 12-3 overall and 5-0 in the region.

Anthony Hill paced Burke with a game-high 17 points. Finishing directly behind Hill in the Burke scoring column, Algernard Young scored 16 points.

Kenny Brown paced Whale Branch with 15 points.

<b>Moyd leads Beaufort High </b><b>to win over Cane Bay</b>

The Beaufort High girls' basketball team halted a three-game losing skid on Jan. 20, defeating longtime rival Cane Bay 51-44.

Beaufort High improved to 11-7 overall and 1-3 in the region with the win.

With the loss, Cane Bay dropped to 6-12 overall and 0-4 in the region.

The Eagles stayed a few baskets ahead of Cane Bay in the longtime rivals' latest meeting on the hardwood.

Naijui Moyd paced Beaufort High with a game-high 22 points. Moyd led a duo of scorers in double figures for the Eagles in the victory.

Joining Moyd in double figures for the Eagles, Imari Smalls posted 18 points.

Beaufort High's recent losing skid consisted of losses to foes Stall, Colleton County and Berkeley, all of whom are Region 8-4A opponents.

Productive Beaufort High dealt Cane Bay its eighth consecutive loss. Cane Bay hasn't won since defeating Pinewood Prep 36-30 on Dec. 27, 2016.

The Eagles are scheduled to visit Cane Bay for a late-season matchup on Feb. 7.

Beaufort High entered the week with additional regular-season games remaining versus Hilton Head, Stall, Colleton County and Berkeley.
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>HIGH SCHOOL </b><b>WRESTLING</b></span></p>
<b>Battery Creek downs </b><b>Timberland, Waccamaw </b>

The Battery Creek wrestling team swept rivals Timberland and Waccamaw in a tri-match on Jan. 18.

Battery Creek excelled in each of the two matches. The Dolphins defeated Timberland 48-13. In another match, Battery Creek beat Waccamaw 62-15.

With the triumph, Battery Creek improved its overall record to 33-6.

Five different Battery Creek wrestlers posted two wins apiece as the Dolphins rolled to another victory. Grapplers Nate Torres, Tyrus Singleton, Omar Daniels, Kayleb Jones and Cooper Kaminsky each went 2-0 for the victorious Battery Creek wrestling squad.
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>FISHING</b></span></p>
<b>Sportfishing, diving club to meet Feb. 9</b>

The Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club's February meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb. 9, 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.

Local guide, Capt. Wes Chesnutt, will present resetting fishing techniques with the transformation from winter to spring fishing inshore and nearshore waters.

As a bonus, Capt. Josh Boyles of Southern Draw Outfitters will present the latest and greatest fishing rod and reels for inshore and nearshore fishing.

Guests are welcomee and do not need a reservation. For additional information, contact Capt. Frank Gibson at 843-522-2122 or email fgibson@islc.net.