BE boys' tennis team makes another strong run at state title
The Bishop England High School boys’ tennis team’s bid for an elusive 13th state championship came up short as A.C. Flora High School topped the Bishops 6-0 to cap an undefeated season and win the Class AAAA state title in a match that was contested May 9 at the Cayce Tennis Center.
It marked the second straight year A.C. Flora topped the Bishops in the state championship to culminate an undefeated season.
Still, the Bishops had a solid year with a team that featured some young talent, including freshman Dante Nava, seventh-grader Declan Finley, and sophomore Ben Burnette.
Senior team captains Roland Weir and Andrew Hamilton played in their final team match.
“I am very proud of the boys and our season,” coach Kristin Fleming Arnold said. “We worked hard to get back to the state championship. We won our region, defeating Bluffton three times. It's not easy to beat a team three times in one season.
“A.C. Flora was a great team,” Fleming Arnold continued. “We knew going into the match it would be a tough battle. I was proud of the boys' demeanor, work ethic, and sportsmanship. It's a huge accomplishment to be in the state championship and to have done it back-to-back is even better.”
SOCCER HOPES ALIVE
The Philip Simmons boys’ team defeated Atlantic Collegiate Academy 3-0 on May 11 in the Class AA soccer playoffs to push its winning streak to 12 games and set up a Lower State Championship match against Academic Magnet on Friday, May 15.
The Iron Horses, who own a 22-1 record, are the No. 2 seed in the Lower State, while the Raptors are No. 1.
The PSHS-Magnet winner will play the Andrew Jackson-Buford winner in the state championship, which is set for May 21.
The Iron Horse girls, who were 14-9, were scheduled to play Atlantic Collegiate Academy May 12 in a Lower State semifinal. The winner advanced to the May 16 Lower State Championship and will play the winner of the Academic Magnet-Bridges Prep match.
Meanwhile, defending Class AAAA boys state champ Bishop England, 14-5, was scheduled to play May River, 19-1, in a Lower State semifinal on May 13.
The Bishops opened playoff action with a 5-0 victory over Gilbert and then scored a thrilling 1-0 victory over North Augusta in a match that extended into two overtimes.
The Bishop girls put their six-game winning streak on the line May 12 when they battled Bluffton in a Lower State semifinal.
The Bishops outscored two playoff foes 20-0 and entered the match with a 15-6 record. Bluffton was 8-7.
BASEBALL SEASONS END
Defending Class AA state runner-up Philip Simmons opened the District 6 Lower State playoffs with a 10-0 victory over Edisto.
East Clarendon topped Philip Simmons 6-1 to send the Iron Horses to the elimination bracket. Philip Simmons defeated Andrew Jackson 10-2 to remain alive. But East Clarendon won the district title and eliminated the Iron Horses with a victory on May 11.
The Iron Horses lost six of their last nine games and finished with a 20-9 record.
Bishop England finished its season with a 14-11 record, reaching the Class AAAA playoffs.
The Bishops won their District B Lower State opener with a 6-2 victory over South Aiken. Airport blanked the Bishops 10-0, and the Bishops fell to South Aiken 11-9 in an elimination game.