Category Archives: Sports
PHS grad Lucas earn All-Region recognition
FLORENCE — Francis Marion University senior middleblocker Caroline Lucas and junior outside hitter Madilyn Gartner have been named to the Division II Conference 
Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Volleyball All-Southeast Region Team for 2025, with both earning first-team accolades. Lucas was also tabbed as a first-team selection for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Southeast Region squad, while Gartner was an honorable mention pick. Both teams were announced on Wednesday
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Lions outlast Liberty in overtime
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Four quarters of action wasn’t enough to decide the outcome on Friday night, when Pickens County’s two remaining unbeaten basketball teams (the Daniel and Liberty boys’ basketball teams) took the court at Liberty High School.
The Red Devils had tied the action at 49-49 on a Kendrick Jackson layup with 22 seconds left, and Daniel was unable to make either of last second attempts leading to a
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Daniel girls blast Devils
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — The Daniel High School girls basketball team travelled to Liberty on Friday night looking to pick up its third win of the week as they took on the Liberty Red Devils.
The Lions had little trouble dismantling the Devils, swarming them on defense early to build a big lead and holding it the rest of the way in a 72-18 win.
“They came in and knew they had to take care of business,” Daniel head coach Cosandar Griffin said. “I was proud of the way they brought it on the basketball court.”
Defensively, the Lions were a menace from the start, forcing turnovers at will as the Devils attempted to advance the ball into the front
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Red Devils take down county foe Pickens
PICKENS — Leading by as many as 19 points in the second quarter of their matchup with Pickens last Wednesday, the Liberty High School boys’ basketball team looked to 
be on its way to a big victory.
However, the Blue Flame settled in behind a standout effort from Shepherd Smith to regroup and cut the lead to 46-39 going into the final quarter. Needing a strong finish to keep their early season winning streak alive, the Devils locked in defensively to hold Pickens to just seven points in the fourth quarter as they pulled out a 60-46 win.
“I told them it’s a frustrating win,” Liberty head coach Brenden Marcell said. “We were on the cusp of really breaking that thing open when we got the lead up
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Tigers outlast South Carolina in rivalry battle
By Will Vandervort
Courtesy The Journal
sports@upstatetoday.com
COLUMBIA — Clemson was not about to let South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers beat it the way he did in Memorial Stadium last season.
A year after the South Carolina quarterback ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns in the Gamecocks’ stunning three-point victory in Clemson, the Tigers held Sellers to two rushing yards and sacked him five times in their 28-14 victory on Saturday at Williams-
Brice Stadium in Columbia.
Clemson also intercepted Sellers twice, both by safety Ricardo Jones, who returned his second interception 12 yards for a touchdown with 3:20 to play in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
“We had him uncomfortable all day, pressure-wise,”
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Klubnik earns second win at Williams-Brice
By Sam Walters
Courtesy The Journal
sports@upstatetoday.com
COLUMBIA — After three full seasons as Clemson’s starting quarterback, Cade Klubnik played his final regular-season game on Saturday.
Not only did he play, but he won, helping the Tigers take down rival South Carolina by a
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
LHS football coach retires
LIBERTY — Coming off Liberty High School’s season ending loss on Friday night, Liberty head football Paul Sutherland announced his 
retirement on Monday.
Sutherland joined Liberty in 2021, bringing decades of experience and a proven track record. Before his time with the Red Devils, he led programs at Pendleton High School for 17 seasons and at Franklin County HighSchool in Georgia for three years. His overall head coaching record stands at 161-116.
“Coach Sutherland’s impact on
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
This week in the PICKENS COUNTY COURIER’s FOOTBALL FRENZY Sponsored by MOUNTAIN VIEW FUNERALS AND CREMATIONS
NO ANSWERS
Camden hands Daniel its largest loss since 2016 in playoff rout
Strom storms past Liberty; Clemson hangs on at Louisville all this and more in this week’s FOOTBALL FRENZY, sponsored by Mountain View Funerals and Cremations available only in the Pickens County Courier.
Do not miss a single issue by grabbing a copy at a convenience, grocery or drug store near you. You can also subscribe and have your Pickens County Courier delivered each week right to your mailbox for only $36 per year (in Pickens County).
Call us today at 864-878-6391 and get your subscription started and never miss any of the action in South Carolina’s best sports section!
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Pickens sweeps Bishop England for 18th volleyball championship
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
COLUMBIA — Having dropped just one set on its way to the Class 4A volleyball state championship, the Pickens High School volleyball team prepared for possibly its biggest challenge yet with the title on the line against the Bishop England Battling Bishops on 
Saturday.
The Bishops, the national leader in volleyball state championships according to the South Carolina High School League, failed to provide much of a challenge for Pickens as the Blue Flame swept the Bishops 3-0 in straight sets to secure Pickens’ 18th volleyball state championship in school history.
“I’m just trying to let this soak in and realize what just happened,” Pickens head coach Mellie Crumpton said after the win. “We are a solid all-around team and we have grit. Our word for tonight was relentless. I told them to be relentless, and that’s what we came out and did.”
The championship win was the second straight for the Blue Flame — their first back-to-back titles since 2013-14.
“Honestly, I’ve just been praying the whole season that we would make it back,” Pickens senior setter Lily Clarkson said. “We just had to believe and trust in God’s plan, and
Balance key for state champs
Last season, when the Pickens High School volleyball team overcame a year of adversity to secure the 17th state championship in school history, I wrote that if 2024 was a
“down” year for Pickens volleyball, I hoped teams would be ready for what was to come from arguably the state’s top volleyball program.
However, it seemed nobody was ready for the Blue Flame in 2025 as they took down the competition with ease on their way to another state championship on Saturday against Bishop England. The win was
