Category Archives: Sports
Liberty sweeps Gray Collegiate for first state title berth since 2014
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Nearly ten years removed from Liberty High School’s state championship loss to Bishop England, Red Devil head volleyball coach Carla Simpson and her team had a chance to make it back to the championship against fellow upper state finalist Gray Collegiate Academy and fulfill a pact made between Simpson and senior libero Kayden Elrod back in 2014.
“The last time we were at state, I have a picture of me and our libero Kayden Elrod when she was a just little thing,” Simpson said. “We’ve always said that we were going to make it back there before she graduated.”
When the final whistle blew in the Red Devil’s 3-0 upper state championship win over the War Eagles, the duo got to see their dream come true as Liberty will play in the 2A volleyball state championship for just the fifth time in school history on Saturday against Oceanside Collegiate Academy.
“It’s just so surreal,” Elrod said looking back on that moment with her coach after the Red Devil’s win. “I wasn’t even sure that I’d be playing volleyball still, but I’m here and I’m very excited.”
The Red Devils have every reason to be excited with their upper state win marking the culmination of an eight year odyssey to return to state including a rough stretch which saw the Red Devils miss the playoffs twice in a row while they were members of the 3A classification in 2018 and 2019. This year’s senior class came into Liberty High School as freshmen on that 2019 squad and Simpson is proud of the fight and determination the group showed
Pickens girls win state golf championship
HARDEEVILLE — After nearly a decade, the Pickens High School girls’ golf team reached the top of the mountain once again last week, taking home the Class 4A state championship.
Led by head coach Lem Blackwell, the Blue Flame took first place in the state tournament at the Golf Club at Hilton Head Lakes on Oct. 25, finishing 23 strokes ahead of the next highest finisher, defending state champion May River.
Natalie Turner shot a 155 and Ashton Moseley fired a 161 to lead the Blue Flame, earning all-state selections for their performances. Evie Harkins (163), Emily Hall (177), Ashley Anderson (98) and Rylee Reid (107) also competed for Pickens in the championship win.
The win marked the second state championship in program history, with the first coming in 2013.
The Blue Flame will lose Hall and Harkins to graduation this spring, but with both all-state performers returning, expectations should remain high for Pickens as it defends the title in 2023.
Devils sweep Ninety Six to return to Upper State finals
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — After losing all-state players Chantzli Fowler and Kendall Meinders to graduation, it was easy to temper expectations for the Liberty High School volleyball team heading into the 2022 season.
“There was a lot of doubt going into the season,” Liberty senior Teagan Owens said. “From losing Kendall and Chantzli, it seemed like everyone thought there was going to be a dropoff.”
Those beliefs have proven to be anything but true, as the Red Devils took down former region foe Ninety Six 3-0 in the third round of the playoffs last
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Pickens shocked by Aiken at home
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Down 17-16 in the consequential fifth set against Aiken, the Pickens Blue Flame were in a familiar spot, having already survived match point against the Green Hornets four times late in the set.
When Aiken’s Baylee Rabun served, both Ava Owens and Faith Clarkson moved to receive the serve, with Owens making the play, only for the ball to fly toward Clarkson’s vacated spot. With the season on the line, Pickens’
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Daniel falls at Wren to end season
By Ryan Daveport
Courtesy The Journal
news@upstatetoday.com
PIEDMONT — The members of the Daniel High School volleyball team had their backs to the wall Wednesday night, but they were going down swinging.
The season was on the line in Round 3 of the Class 3A playoffs at Wren (24-4), last season’s Upper State champion. Wren’s height and hard-hitting front line had taken control after Daniel opened the
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Red Devils rally late in regular-season finale against Chesnee
By Ryan Davenport
Special to the Courier
news@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Among the more common refrains in coaching is “You will make mistakes, but it is how you respond after those mistakes that means the most.”
The Liberty High School football team was a textbook case of that old adage during Friday night’s 49-41 win over the visiting Chesnee Eagles (2-8), with the Devils’
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Late Greenville run leads to blowout loss for Easley
By Eugene Jolley
Courier Sports
news@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — Region I-4A champion Greenville scored 28 fourth-quarter points Friday night to pull away from an injury-depleted Easley in a 42-0 win.
Easley (6-4, 2-3 Region I-4A) turned the ball over three times in the fourth quarter.
“We just tried to tell the guys — nobody wants to be in for moral victories, especially within our program where we
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Lions top Crescent for fourth consecutive unbeaten regular season
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
IVA — With a chance to finish the regular season unbeaten for a fourth straight year, the Daniel High School football team traveled to Crescent on Friday night and cruised from start to finish in a 42-0 win.
“It’s just a special thing to be a part of,” Daniel head coach Jeff Fruster said. “I’ve been a part of this program as a player and a coach. To be able to do this with the staff that I have and guys that truly care about the game, it’s very special.”
The members of Daniel’s senior class finished their
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Pickens’ season comes to an end with loss to Greenwood
By Cheri Anthony
Special to The Courier
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Friday night was senior night for all of the Pickens High School athletes as the Blue Flame football team was aiming for its second conference win.
With Greenwood in town, Pickens was trying to capitalize on the momentum from the previous week’s big win over Berea, but it was not to be as the Eagles came out with a 40-13 win.
Sixteen seniors were recognized before the game for their contributions to the football team — Daniel Ross, Jaden Jackson, Samuel Maw, Jacob Santeler, Jacob Lewis, Jeremy Burgess, Devon Hogan, Tucker Perry, Sammy Edwards, Campbell Hardin, Gavin Martin, Eli
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This week in FOOTBALL FRENZY
PICKENS BLANKS BEREA FOR FIRST REGION WIN 5B ,LIONS WIN FOURTH STRAIGHT REGION TITLE 2B, WAVE CAN’T KEEP PACE WITH WESTSIDE 3B, >LIBERTY SHUT OUT BY LANDRUM 4B, TIGER COME BACK TO BEAT SYRACUSE 7B
All this and so much more in this week’s FOOTBALL FRENZY, exclusively in the Pickens County Courier NOW ON SALE! Get the print edition at a grocery, drug or convenience store near you. LOGIN AND SEE ENTIRE SECTION!
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