BE girls’ tennis team driven, fueled by last year’s championship

If there were a Mount Rushmore of high school tennis coaches and great players in the Palmetto State, Kristin Fleming Arnold would be a sure lock for one of the four spots.

 

Fleming Arnold is the coach of the ultra-successful Bishop England High School tennis program and has led both the girls’ and boys’ teams to a combined 14 state championships.

 

The Bishop girls won the Class AAAA state title last fall and have 11 state championship trophies under Fleming Arnold, while the boys’ program has three state titles to its credit.

 

But that’s only half of the story.

 

Fleming Arnold also played for the Bishops’ team when the school was located on Calhoun Street in downtown Charleston and collected four gold medals for being a part of state championship teams.

 

The Bishop girls topped A.C. Flora High School last fall to win the state title in a match played at the Cayce Tennis Center in mid-November. It was a triumph after two straight second-place finishes.

 

“I think winning last year and wanting to do it again will be the motivation,” Fleming Arnold said of the 2025 edition. “We have our work cut out for this year, but everyone is looking forward to working hard and challenging each other to make this happen.”

 

The team will be much different than last year, although the talent and potential are there. The missing ingredient is big-match experience.

 

Riley Young is the lone returner who played in last year’s state championship. She has been on the team since the 8th grade and is the captain.

 

Senior Bella Khouri is back after missing the 2024 season with a knee injury. Other returning seniors include Clare Engelbert, Ella Betros, and Sarah Gill.

 

Six players will join the varsity after impressive JV seasons. They include Eva Grace Raniero, Jocelyn Leaf, Gianna Tuorto, Anihya Portwick, GiGi Pelsnik, and Libby Engelbert.

 

The Bishops played at the Class AAAA level for the first time last fall and had to learn the habits, strengths, and weaknesses of new foes. The Bishops accomplished that mission and are focused on winning the Region 6-AAAA title.

 

“Our challenge for our region is always Hilton Head,” Fleming Arnold said. “They have a great tennis program and area tennis programs.”

 

The Bishops own 38 state tennis titles overall, with the girls winning 26 state crowns. The girls’ team had a decade of dominance winning state titles from 2011 to 2020.

 

SC FOOTBALL POLL

The S.C. Prep Football Media Preseason Poll was released Aug. 11, and both Bishop England and Philip Simmons are ranked in the top 10 in the schools’ respective classes.

 

The Bishops check in at No. 9 in the Class AAAA poll. The Bishops went 9-3 last fall under coach Logan Hall, and the team has worked hard to make a statement this fall.

 

Philip Simmons, meanwhile, is tied for No. 7 with Manning High School in the Class AA poll. Coach Eric Bendig’s team was 10-3 in 2024, winning the Region 6-AA title.

 

Dutch Fork High School begins the season as the top Class AAAAA team, while South Pointe is atop the Class AAAA poll. Oceanside Collegiate is the top team in Class AAA, and Clinton heads up the list of top Class AA teams. Abbeville is No. 1 in Class A.