Prep Talk

Links of interest

Just wanted to pass on a couple of links of interest:

The first comes from the Anderson Independent Mail. It announces that T.L. Hanna hired Calhoun Falls's Kenya Fouch as its next head football coach. According to the story, Myrtle Beach coach Scott Earley was a candidate for the position. Earley was involved for more than a month in Spartanburg's coaching search several months ago.

The second story was written by USC beat writer Joe Person with The State. According to the story, Gamecocks football coach Steve Spurrier believes Aynor offensive lineman T.J. Johnson, a USC signee, could contend for the starting spot at center this fall. That's high praise for a player that many believed was a project when he was offered a scholarship.

The third story is from the Roanoke (Va.) Times. It announces that Kelvin Jackson will become the next boys basketball coach at Martinsville (Va.). Jackson, 50, is a native of Georgetown.

That's all for now. If you see any links of interest to the Grand Strand, feel free to pass them on.

Tough end but a fun-filled road

Conway's loss Wednesday in the Class AAAA state baseball championship series means that only one area team is left standing in the postseason. West Brunswick (N.C.) hosts D.H. Conley (N.C.) in the third round of the N.C. Class 3-A baseball playoffs on Friday.

There are no other area teams remaining, although a few tennis players from Waccamaw and Myrtle Beach will compete at this weekend's individual state tourneys. It was definitely a fun ride this spring, although Conway's two consecutive losses were a sad way to end the year for Horry County.

The Tigers had an amazing run that featured 26 straight wins, tied for the fifth longest streak in state history. They should be remembered for the 26 wins and not the two straight losses to end the season. With pitchers Colby Holmes and Bobby Watford returning, the Tigers should be in contention in Region VI-AAAA next season and could make some noise in the postseason if some younger players develop.

What are your thoughts on Conway's season?

12 chosen to all-state teams

Horry and Georgetown counties are represented by 12 players on the 2008 all-state soccer teams chosen by the S.C. High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Waccamaw, which saw both its boys and girls team advance to the Class AA Lower State finals, are represented by a total of seven players. The boys all-state picks are forwards Justin Blomdahl and Miles Clemons, midfielder Rhyne Garrity and defender Michael Gilligan. The girls picks are forwards Callie Dennis and Taylor Player and midfielder Shelby Averett.

Socastee, the Region VI-AAA boys champion, had three representatives, and, not surprisingly, it was the team's deadly triumvirate of scorers: forwards Orlando Clarke and Justin Watson and midfielder Bobby Belair.

Myrtle Beach, Region VI's girls champion and boys runner up, had the other two picks. Defender Gradey Grumman was chosen from the boys team, and defender Michelle DiBartolo represents the girls team.

Blomdahl, Clarke, Grumman and DiBartolo are the only seniors from the area to make all-state, so the quality of soccer along the Grand Strand shouldn't change too much in the coming years. The rest of the area selections are juniors with the exception of Player, who is just a sophomore.

Area all-state selections
Class AA boys
Justin Blomdahl SR F Waccamaw
Miles Clemons JR F Waccamaw
Rhyne Garrity JR M Waccamaw
Michael Gilligan JR D Waccamaw
Class AAA boys
Bobby Belair JR M Socastee
Orlando Clarke SR F Socastee
Gradey Grumman SR D Myrtle Beach
Justin Watson JR F Socastee
Class AA girls
Shelby Averett JR M Waccamaw
Callie Dennis JR F Waccamaw
Taylor Player SO F Waccamaw
Class AAA girls
Michelle DiBartolo SR D Myrtle Beach

To see the entire list of all-state teams, download this PDF file: Download 2008_schssca_allstateteams.pdf

Waccamaw, MB both win tennis state titles

COLUMBIA | Waccamaw and Myrtle Beach cruised to easy wins in the boys tennis state championships Saturday at the Richland County Tennis Center.

Waccamaw beat Christ Church 6-0 to win capture its second straight championship in Class AA. Then Myrtle Beach dominated Clinton 6-0 to win its third straight Class AAA championship. The Seahawks have achieved the threepeat twice this decade.

Read the full story in Sunday's edition of The Sun News.

Click on the pictures for full versions.

For those attending state track ...

Anyone attending this weekend's state track and field championships at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, may want to print copies of the following files to help make them more informed spectators. The following documents have all the qualifiers in each event with their seeding times or distances.

For the Class AAA & AAAA heat sheets click here: Download class_aaa_aaaa_heat_sheets.doc

For the Class A & AA heat sheets click here: Download class_a_aa_heat_sheets.doc

The event begins Friday at 5:45 p.m. and will continue at 9 a.m. on Saturday. For a complete schedule, visit the S.C. High School League's Web site by clicking here.

For a map of Spring Valley High, click here: Download map_of_spring_valley.pdf

Conway baseball fans ...

The Tigers had the luxury of resting on Wednesday while Stratford and Summerville played in the Class AAAA Lower State loser's bracket championship game. Stratford won the game 7-2, eliminating the Green Wave and advancing to Friday's championship in Conway.

Tigers coach Anthony Carroll said Friday's first game will begin at 6 p.m. If Conway were to lose the first game, a second game would follow. Stratford must beat Conway twice to keep the Tigers out of next week's best-of-3 state championship series.

If Conway advances, it would host the first game of the state championship on Monday. The Tigers would then travel to the Upper State champion on Wednesday.

In the Upper State, Easley eliminated Dorman last night, but now must beat Boiling Springs twice on Friday to advance.

Area coach leaving for Wando

Myrtle Beach girls basketball coach Mickey Hunter has accepted an offer to fill the same position at Wando.

He leaves the Seahawks just months after leading them to the Class AAA state championship game. They finished 26-3 this season, losing the title game 60-55.

Myrtle Beach will have to rebuild after losing standout guard Ashley Clarke, guard Brianna Webb, forward Shanique Hudson and forward Jasmine Jones to graduation. However, it doesnt appear that was the reasoning behind Hunter's decision.

``I enjoyed Myrtle Beach High School, and I loved the girls coming back,'' said Hunter, a native of Hanahan. ``I've spent the last couple of years trying to find the right situation in the Charleston area. My parents are there. That's where I'm from. I've spent the last 21 years up and down the coast. I want to go home and spend the last seven or 10 years down there.''

Read the full story in Tuesday’s edition of The Sun News.

Monday/Tuesday playoff schedule

We have now reached the absolute busiest week of the year in high school athletics. This is the week when it seems all the playoffs converge. I just wanted to keep everybody updated on what's going on, so here is a composite schedule for Monday and Tuesday.

Monday

Baseball -- Class AAAA Lower State tournament: Conway at Summerville, 7

Boys tennis -- Class AAA, second round: Myrtle Beach at Chapin, 4. Class AA, second round: Academic Magnet at Waccamaw, 4

Girls soccer -- Class AAAA, first round: Conway at Wando, TBA. Class AAA, first round: Lakewood at Socastee, 6:30; North Myrtle Beach at Crestwood, 6; Carolina Forest at Marlboro County, TBA. Class A-AA, first round: Andrews at Andrew Jackson, TBA; Aynor at Loris, TBA.

Boys golf -- Lower State tournaments: Class AAA at Charwood Country Club, TBA. Class AA at Sweetwater Golf Course, TBA.

Tuesday

Boys soccer -- Class AAAA, first round: Conway at Wando, TBA. Class AAA, first round: Lake City at Socastee, TBA; Lakewood at Myrtle Beach, 6; St. James at Wilson, TBA; North Myrtle Beach at Darlington, TBA. Class AA, first round: Ridgeland at Waccamaw, TBA; Dillon at Andrews, TBA; Loris at Andrew Jackson, TBA.

Random stories of interest

I wanted to point your attention to a couple stories that are quite interesting. These have appeared in either The State or the Raleigh News & Observer, both sister papers of The Sun News, over the past week that directly affect high school sports along the Grand Strand.

The first was written by Steve Wiseman with The State on Wednesday. Tuesday, the S.C. House of Representatives voted to pass legislation that will allow athletes to transfer and gain immediate eligibility at their new school if they are the victims of harassment, something that would not be grounds for immediate eligibility right now. The legislation states those students would have to get a restraining order and then see somebody violate it before that athlete could seek to transfer. The legislation now goes to the state Senate.

Across the border in North Carolina, the penalty is increasing for student-athletes who submit falsified documents to gain eligibility. Athletes will now be ineligible for an entire calendar year, a response to the controversy that has embroiled many schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System over the last six month.

Eligibility is a big issue right now and it reaches even directly to the Strand. The SCHSL is still pushing forward with its desire to see a ruling overturned that allowed St. James basketball standout Devan Williams to play his senior season. A hearing on the issue is likely to be heard in mid-May.

Another story to take a look at was written by The State's Paul Strelow, coincidentally enough the man who gave me my start in this business. The story details the life-changing decision of Clemson tennis coach Chuck Kriese to leave his post and become the national tennis coach of Thailand. This greatly affects Waccamaw tennis standout Wesley Moran, who has signed to play for the Tigers.

Area player wins weekly award

Carolina Forest's Justin Turbeville was voted last week's "No Spit" All-Star of the Week, an award given to players that excel on the field and pledge not to use tobacco off it.

Turbeville hit .600 with a double, home run and five RBIs during the district tournament.

Correction

I was misinformed in a story that appeared on B1 Saturday that previewed Conway baseball's participation in the Class AAAA Lower State tournament. Conway won two team tennis state championships in the 1970s.

Conway to broadcast baseball game

The city of Conway will give Conway baseball fans a chance to listen to Monday night's baseball game at either Stratford or Summerville on the city's public access TV channel.

The Tigers open the Class AAAA Lower State tournament on Saturday at home against Wando at 6:30 p.m. Win or lose they will travel to either Stratford or Summerville on Monday.

Conway graduate Ashley Smith, who works on Conway's football broadcasts, will team up with former Socastee assistant coach Chris Summer to provide the broadcast for those unable to make the trip to the Lowcountry.

The city's public channel is No. 9 on HTC and No. 15 on Time Warner. The advertisements will continue to scroll across the screen, but the audio will be the game broadcast instead of the usual music.

I thought I would pass on some updated stats from Conway's baseball team:

Conway's most frequent starters
Name                Position    Average    HRs    RBIs   
Jeff Caskey        SS           .436            3    22   
Ryne Hardwick    2B           .267           3    17   
Mac Doyle           C             .487          11    28   
Sport Rabon       1B             .329          1    15   
Bobby Watford    P/2B        .324          1    22   
Colby Holmes      P/OF        .260          5    21   
Matt Brown        OF            .382           1    8   
Michael Frazier   OF/DH    .361            2    8   
Allen Thompkins  OF         .228            3    9   
Zack Yates          3B          .296            0    9   
Carl Blain           OF          .192            0    3   

Conway's top pitchers
Name                Record    ERA    Strikeouts    Innings   
Colby Holmes        7-1      1.08       93               58   
Bobby Watford      7-0      0.29       63               47   

For a full Lower State preview, read Saturday's edition of The Sun News.

Correction

I mistakenly misquoted St. James softball coach Denise White in this article that appeared in Thursday's edition of The Sun News.

Her quote midway through the story should have said:

"They hit the ball, and we didn't hit the ball," St. James coach Denise White said. "It's the human element. They switched pitchers on us, which was a good strategy. We were totally prepared."

Only one left standing ...

It's hard to believe, but Conway baseball is the only area baseball or softball team left in the postseason after Wednesday's district championships.

The Tigers beat Dutch Fork 3-2 to advance to the Class AAAA Lower State tournament, which begins Saturday. They will host Wando, which surprisingly won two games over Hartsville Wednesday to advance. That is surely good news for the Tigers, who would probably preferred not having to play their Region VI-AAAA nemesis for a third time this season.

Saturday's game time has not been set, although Conway coach Anthony Carroll said it will likely be in the afternoon since he has several players taking the SAT earlier in the day.

St. James softball was expected to join the Tigers in the Lower State tournament, but struggled in back-to-back losses to Brookland-Cayce that ended the Sharks' hopes for the Class AAA state title repeat.

It was really no surprise to see the area's other eight teams lose Wednesday night, because the odds are very much against a team from the losers bracket beating the winners bracket team twice to advance. But it did happen in a couple of brackets on Wednesday and will likely happen again the Upper and Lower State tournaments.

Local player nominated for weekly award

Carolina Forest baseball player Justin Turbeville is one of five nominees for this week's "No Spit" all-star award, which is given to players that shine on the field and pledge not to use tobacco products off it.

Turbeville hit .600 last week with a home run, double and five RBIs for the Panthers, who went 1-1 in their first two playoff games.

To vote on the award, click here.