Category Archives: Sports
Daniel loses postseason opener
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — Coming off their first region championship since 2014 and a first-round bye in 
the playoffs, the Daniel High School girls’ basketball team had all the odds in its favor on Friday night against the Ridge View Blazers.
The Lions (15-10) managed to jump out to a 27-22 lead against the Blazers at the half. However, the Lions lost their offensive punch down the stretch as the Blazers’ fast break wore them down, leading to a 52-39 upset by Ridge View.
“We started rushing a little bit,”
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Pickens girls fall in first round
PICKENS — Even though the Pickens High School girls’ basketball team ended its season with a loss in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs to a powerful Lower Richland team, head coach Rikki Owens said the 2019-2020 group is one that will be long remembered by Blue Flame faithful.
“This team never gave up,” Owens said, “and it’s a team that has left a legacy. They have set the bar high in work ethic, dedication and leadership for future Blue Flame. We love them so much more than basketball, but basketball is what brought us all together, and we are grateful for that. We were definitely blessed with a special group of girls and their parents. We have
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Lions break playoff skid before season-ending loss
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
CENTRAL — The Daniel High School boys’ basketball team hosted the Lakewood Gators last 
week hoping to break a postseason losing streak that dated to the 2013 season.
The 22-5 Lions entered the Class 4A playoffs fresh off their most successful season since that 2013 season that ended in the Upper State championship game, but were facing no slouch in an uber-athletic Gators team.
After Daniel took control in the third quarter and seemed poised to bring home the victory, the Gators came roaring back to put the game in doubt. But the clutch free throw shooting of all-state guard Bobby Taylor made the difference for the Lions as they picked up the 63-55 win.
Unfortunately for Daniel, the playoff bracket alignment set the Lions up with a tall task in the second round, taking on the two-time defending
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Durrah picked to lead Green Wave football program
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — A new era is underway for the Easley High School football program, as former 
Green Wave assistant coach Jordan Durrah was named the team’s 
head coach on Feb. 14.
Durrah was chosen after a nearly two-month search that began with the abrupt departure of former coach Caleb King, who went 3-7 in his only season with the Green Wave.
“I started out at Easley, and when I felt ready to become head coach, it was the kind of place I wanted to be,” Durrah told The Courier last week. “Everything just kind of fell into place the last few weeks, and it’s been a dream come
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Flame knock off Daniel
By John Robert Ayers
Courier Sports
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — The Pickens Blue Flame girls pulled off a senior night stunner at home last week, 
taking down the Region I-4A-leading Daniel Lions, 50-45.
Kaylee Gillespie led the Flame with 17 points, and Alex Dow contributed as well with 15.
The win was huge for the Blue Flame, a talented squad that has faced many ups and downs this season, because without it the team would have likely missed the playoffs.
“This shows we never give up,” Pickens head coach Rikki Owens said. “We have fought, we have scrounged, and we have gotten better. A few weeks ago, this
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Lions spoil Pickens’ senior night
By John Robert Ayers
Courier Sports
news@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — The Daniel boys’ basketball team played the role of spoiler on senior night against 
Pickens on Feb. 11, as they topped the Blue Flame, 72-41.
A total team effort for the Lions, every Daniel player scored, with senior Andrew Latiff leading the Lions with 14 points behind a 4-of-6 shooting effort from three-point range.
Pickens seniors Jake Alexander, Antonio Freeman, Garrett White and Drake Lesley were honored during the game. Pickens coach Jeff Harrelson spoke highly of the group, and for the future as well.
“Your seniors are always the backbone of your program,” he said. “I’m going to miss
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Easley squads fall on senior night
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
EASLEY — With the regular season coming to an end, the Easley High School basketball teams prepared to celebrate their senior night on Feb. 11 against the J.L. Mann Patriots.
Things didn’t go as planned for the Green Wave, though, as the Patriots swept them to spoil the festivities.
The night began well enough for the Green Wave, as the Easley girls jumped out to an early first-quarter lead against the Patriots. That lead didn’t last long, with Mann jumping ahead in a second-quarter offensive explosion and never letting up in a 52-27 win.
“We ran into the same issues we had all year scoring the ball,” Easley coach Ivan Raymond said. “Even in the first quarter
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County athletes sign with colleges
Pickens County had another huge signing day on Feb. 5, with local high school student-athletes signing with colleges all over the country. Signing at Daniel,
pictured above, from left, were De’Andre Bradley (football, Coffeyville Community College), Hack Hamilton (football, Coffeyville Community College), Jared Kirksey (football, South Carolina State University), Bubba McAtee (football, Clemson University), Jacob Peake (baseball, Anderson University) and Mismeh Balawi (cross-country and track, U.S. Naval Academy). Signing at Easley were, seated below from left, Ashley Gagnon (softball, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts), Joshua Hill (wrestling, Limestone College), Caleb Holcombe (wrestling, Limestone College), Dylan Lyda (football, The Citadel), and Jackson Wilson (football, Presbyterian College). At Liberty High School, senior football standouts Aaron Spruill and Duncan Owen, pictured inset with Red Devils football coach Kyle Stewart, both signed with Erskine College. Pickens High School also had two seniors sign to play football at North Greenville University — Lawson Maxey and Jacob Nagle — but pictures were unavailable at press time.
Liberty Middle boys clinch back-to-back championships
LIBERTY — From 0-13 to back-to-back championships, the Liberty Middle School Falcons boys’ basketball team has completed quite the turnaround over the past couple of seasons.
After going winless in the 2017-2018 season, the Falcons responded in a big way to win both the conference and tournament championships last year — the first season of its kind at
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Devils beat Pendleton
By Bru Nimmons
Staff Reporter
bnimmons@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — After falling behind early, the Liberty High School boys’ basketball team looked to be in big trouble on Friday night against the Pendleton Bulldogs.
However, the standout play of senior point guard Bradyn Moss and junior forward E.J. Stafford turned things around in a hurry, as the Red Devils fended off the Bulldogs in a 58-51 win.
“This is a great win for us,” Liberty coach Jonathan Dilworth said. “We got after it
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