Category Archives: Sports
Lions decimate Pendleton
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PENDLETON — Questions abounded for the Daniel High School football team this season after having to replace one of the best senior classes in recent memory.
However, expectations remained high heading into the season, and a
lopsided win over Seneca in the season opener set a high bar for the Lions. The follow-up, a 55-7 drumming of Pendleton at Cunningham Stadium on Friday night, showed the Lions may be among the top teams in Class 3A.
“Last year we had a great group,” Daniel receiver Josiah Benson said. “We know we’re great this year, too. We practice hard, and we’re just
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Red Devils finally set to kick off this Friday
LIBERTY — Two weeks after the team was supposed to kick off the already-shortened 2020 season, 
the Liberty Red Devils will finally take the field this Friday night when Ninety Six visits Red Devil Stadium.
Liberty was scheduled to open the season on Sept. 25 against West-Oak, then follow that game up with a matchup at Abbeville last week, but the team was
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Lady Flame win three road matches
PICKENS — The Pickens High School Lady Blue Flame volleyball team went on the road last week and collected three wins, against Greenville, Westside and Walhalla.
The Lady Blue Flame’s record currently stands at 6-2 overall and 5-0 in region play. The wins against Westside and Walhalla were in Region I-4A matches.
“Being on the road all week is tough, but the girls always make the bus rides home fun and memorable,” Pickens coach Rikki Owens said. “The girls are developing a strong chemistry,
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Offense surges to lift Pickens to win in season opener
By Scott Sasser
Courier Sports
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Facing a 16-0 deficit in the first quarter, the Pickens Blue Flame seemed poised to 
repeat the failures of last season against the Walhalla Razorbacks on
Friday night.
The Blue Flame, however, had other plans, staging a furious comeback and dominating the second half on their way to a 46-30 win — Pickens’ first season-opening victory since 2010.
“That was a good football team with a Division I athlete in the backfield,” Pickens head coach Chad Smith said of the Razorbacks and standout running back Zaire Scotland. “We proved a
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Red Devils still waiting for first game
By Clay Counts
Special to The Courier
claycounts21@yahoo.com
LIBERTY — After watching the other three Pickens County high schools open their 2020 seasons on 
Friday night, Liberty fans are unfortunately still playing the waiting game after COVID-19 postponed the start of the Devils’ season.
School District of Pickens County spokesman John Eby announced on Sept. 18 that football activities at LHS had been suspended for two weeks due to positive
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Quarterback injury hampers Wave in first game under new head coach
By Eugene Jolley
Courier Sports
news@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — The Jordan Durrah era at Easley High School didn’t get off to the start Green Wave fans would 
have liked Friday night, as the visiting Westside Rams had a scoring outburst that turned a close game into a 45-0 win in the teams’ season opener and Region I-4A opener.
The game was tight until a 24-point five-minute spurt to close the first half and to start the second.
“We didn’t play well,” Durrah said. “We made a lot of mistakes. We’re still trying to learn and get better as a team. But tonight was not our best
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Lions rack up 76 points in win over Seneca
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
SENECA — After the Daniel High School football team fell 
behind by a touchdown early in the first quarter of Friday’s night
season opener at rival Seneca, the Lions seemed like they might be in for a fight.
However, the Lions put that notion to rest quickly, reeling off six straight touchdowns before halftime and dominating the Bobcats for a 76-34 win at Tom Bass Field.
The Lions’ 76 points were the most ever scored in the rivalry and seemingly answered any questions about the Daniel offense following the graduation of all-state quarterback Tyler
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Tigers cruise in win over Citadel
By Eric Sprott
Courtesy The Journal
esprott@upstatetoday.com
CLEMSON — The atmosphere was a bit unusual in and around Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon, but the Clemson football team managed to deliver a few hours of normalcy with the performance it turned in against the Citadel.
Led by an impressive, if brief, showing by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the top-ranked Tigers
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‘I expect us to win’
Blue Flame eager to take field after offseason of hard work
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — For Pickens High School head football coach Chad Smith, last season’s failures were certainly a disappointment following a playoff berth
two years ago.
The Blue Flame were beset by injuries in 2019, including the early-season loss of standout running back Brady Batson, and finished just 2-8 on the year. Now entering his fourth season at the helm of his alma mater, nothing has changed about Smith’s expectations for his team, and with two
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INTO THE UNKNOWN
Devils entering uncertain season with two-week COVID-19 delay
By Clay Counts
Special to The Courier
claycounts21@yahoo.com
LIBERTY — The offseason has been a long and stressful one for high school football coaches, 
players and fans around the state and nation, but the long wait is finally
coming to a close for most South Carolina teams, with season openers set for this Friday night.
The Liberty Red Devils, however, will have to wait at least a couple more weeks after some members of the team tested positive for COVID-19 recently.
School District of Pickens County spokesman John Eby announced last Friday that all football activities at LHS had been suspended for two weeks due to the positive cases on the team. Eby said all close contacts of the positive cases had been notified, and games are being rescheduled as necessary in accordance with the South Carolina High School League.
Liberty is entering the pandemic-shortened 2020 season coming off a 3-8 finish a year ago, although the Red
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