Category Archives: Sports
Football Frenzy third annual All-Pickens County football team announced
The Courier is ringing in the new year once again with its third annual All-Pickens County football team. With a Shrine Bowl selection, a North-South All-Star and numerous all-state and all-region selections, the 2025 All-County football team is arguably the most decorated team yet. Twenty-nine athletes and one coach were selected to be honored on this year’s squad from Daniel, Easley, Liberty and Pickens high schools. Above: Liberty senior running back Jamijae Karim takes center stage after being selected as the Pickens County Player of the Year. Left: Easley senior receiver Matthew Hillstock was selected as the county Offensive Player of the Year following a record-breaking season. Right: Daniel senior defensive lineman Dexter Johnson became the first three-time All-County selection on his way to being named the Pickens County Defensive Player of the Year. Scroll down to see the entire Football Frenzy third annual All-Pickens County football team.
Kerry Gilstrap/Courier and Ryan Patterson/Ryan Patterson Photography
Chased Down
Red Devils survive third quarter scare to drop county foe Daniel
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — After falling behind by 11 points early in the third quarter, the Daniel High
School boys’ basketball team looked like a team on a mission against 2A’s top-ranked Liberty Red Devils on Friday night.
James Epting caught fire hitting four three-pointers and Morehead State bound big man Jackson Conley joined in on the offense combining for a 17-0 run to put Daniel ahead 36-28.
With their backs against the wall, the Red Devils slowly worked their way back before an explosive fourth quarter led by senior Ethan Moses helped Liberty pick up a 53-45 win for their first victory over Daniel since 2017.
“They went on the 17-0 run and hit some big shots and really sucked the
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Daniel girls bash Liberty
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — Looking for its 10th consecutive win, the Daniel High School girls’ basketball team hosted county foe Liberty on Friday night.
The Lions took care of business in dominant fashion against the Red Devils with four players scoring double-digits in a 68-28 win.
“Liberty came out hard and played better defensively than the last time we saw them,” Daniel head coach Cosandar Griffin said after the win. “I thought we handled it well, eventually got going and I was happy to see us start scoring some buckets.”
Despite not being one of the double-digit scorers, Daniel junior guard Lila Mann lived up to her All-State billing with a stat-sheet stuffing
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Green Wave rally to down Daniel
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — Coming off back-to-back losses at the Smoky Mountains Christmas Classic in Tennessee over the weekend, the Daniel High School basketball team looked like it was ready to get back on track with a 28-25 halftime lead over Easley during Monday’s DWD Christmas tournament opener.
Instead, the Lions were unable to maintain their first half tenacity in their fourth game in five days, as the Green Wave battled back to take a 57-50 win.
“I told our guys, and I have to take responsibility, but we really have to be tougher down the stretch,” Daniel head coach Ben Touchberry said. “They played harder, they got the 50-50 balls, they out rebounded us and they out executed us.”
While the Green Wave managed to spread the ball during the course of its second half surge, the inside-out play of 6’5” junior forward RJ Stack stood out as he went toe-to-toe with Daniel’s Morehead State bound big man
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PHS’ Clarkson, Yates sign with local colleges
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — A little over a month removed from winning the Class 4A volleyball state championship, 
Pickens High School volleyball stars Lily Clarkson and Chesney Yates had another reason to celebrate earlier this month as they signed to advance their academic and athletic careers at ceremony at the high school held on Dec. 17.
Clarkson, Pickens’ do-it-all setter and key member of the Blue Flame’s back-to-back state championship teams in 2024 and 2025, signed with Southern Wesleyan University.
Clarkson led the team in assists in 2025, while also being among the top three in kills, aces and digs. Following the completion of her senior season, she was named to the Class 4A All-State team
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Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Carolina Handling host Christmas event for mothers and children
EASLEY — Mothers and children living at The Dream Center’s Opportunity Village were treated to a holiday celebration Friday during the Dream Big Holiday Bash, an event hosted by Carolina Handling in partnership with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
The afternoon included visits from the Swamp Rabbits’ mascot, Stomper, who posed for photos with
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Area schools see movement in new SCHSL realignment
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
COUNTY — The South Carolina High School League (
) announced the classification placement for its member schools on Friday, and three of Pickens County’s four public high schools are set to change divisions, barring appeals.
The county’s largest high school, Easley, will move from Class 5A down to Class 4A with a listed enrollment of 1,354. Like all member schools, Easley’s attendance number factors in the SCHSL’s 3.0 multiplier for students outside of the school’s attendance zone.
For the Green Wave, the move marks a return to the 4A classification where it spent 2020-24 before
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Bobcats come back to top Easley
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The Easley High School boys’ basketball team went big game hunting on Dec. 9, looking to 
pick up a second straight win as they hosted fourth-ranked Seneca on Friday night.
The Wave played lights out for the first half of action, building
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Easley girls fall to Seneca
By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The Easley High School girls’ basketball team hosted Seneca on Dec. 9 looking to pick up its first win of the season.
The Wave struggled to find their footing in the opening half, putting the game out of reach, but first-year Easley head coach Terry Patterson saw plenty of growth from his inexperienced squad down the stretch of the Green Wave’s 67-21 loss.
“We’re still just trying to teach the fundamentals, but
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