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<p><strong>By Bob Sofaly</strong><br><strong>The Island News</strong></p>
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<p>The girls of spring were in full action mode last week at Beaufort High School as members in the school’s lacrosse and softball teams geared up, laced up and faced up to the physical and mental challenges that lay before them.</p>
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<p>The girls lacrosse team showed up in force Friday afternoon with 28 players to work out on the school’s practice field.</p>
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<p>Head coach James Smith said he has a couple players from Battery Creek High School who want to play. But BC doesn’t field a lacrosse program, so they will play at Beaufort.</p>
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<p>“Beaufort County doesn’t have a lacrosse program in middle schools. Most of these girls have never played (lacrosse) before so most girls here have no experience when we get them,” Smith said. “Last year we were 5-11 overall for the season, but we managed to make it to the (first round) of the playoffs.”</p>
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<p>This year the Lady Eagles have 10 seniors and that extra experience will help out.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>“We are working hard on stick work; catching and throwing that hard rubber ball,” Smith said as his team ran laps getting ready.</p>
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<p>Some of the players were grumbling about the cooler weather. Smith, a native of Rhode Island said, “It’s six degrees in Vermont and those girls are practicing!”&nbsp;</p>
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<p>“That’s why we don’t live in Vermont!” a player quipped.</p>
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<p>Smith added that they are working on being more aggressive defensively and should be ready for their first game schedules for Thursday, Feb. 23 at Ashley Hall. The first home game will be Saturday, Feb. 25 against A.C. Flora from Columbia</p>
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<p><strong>Softball</strong></p>
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<p>The BHS girls softball team was also busy scrimmaging Friday getting ready for the season as head coach Scott Rast encouraged his athletes.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://gtq.igo.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/02032023-BHS-girls-softball-1.jpeg"><img src="https://gtq.igo.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/02032023-BHS-girls-softball-1-701x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-63321"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bob Sofaly/The Island News Beaufort High school pitcher Kylie Rast throws the ball during team scrimmage Friday, Feb. 3. Here, batter Maddy Miller takes a swing at the ball to get things started as catcher Caylin Adkins waits.</figcaption></figure>
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<p>“We have 12 to 14 girls on the varsity team and 10 to 12 on the JV team. I would have liked for more girls to come out this year,” he said. “A lot of girls just didn’t want to play for the team.</p>
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<p>Rast said he does have eight seniors, and that will help.</p>
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<p>The team’s first game will be March 14, against Philip Simon at home.</p>
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<p><em>Bob Sofaly has been photographing people and what they do in Beaufort since Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980. He can be reached at bobsofaly@gmail.com.</em></p>
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