Bishops, Iron Horses make a racket during championship runs

Bishop England and Philip Simmons both enjoyed impressive boys’ tennis seasons. 

The Battling Bishops reached the Class AAAA state championship, finishing runners-up to A.C. Flora High School. The Iron Horses reached the Class AAA Lower State semifinal, falling to eventual state champ, Oceanside Collegiate Academy. 

Both teams featured strong individual performances as well, as both teams sent two players to the Individual State Championships, which were contested May 12-13 in Lexington, South Carolina. 

The Bishop players included freshman Dante Nava and senior Roland Weir, a team captain who went undefeated in region play. He also was selected to play in The North-South All-Star tourney. They competed in the Class AAAAA-AAAA championships. 

Nava was undefeated in region play and is considered one of the top freshmen in the state. 

The Iron Horses sent two players who will be part of the 2027 team’s nucleus. Junior Chibale Nelson and sophomore Henry Broad. They competed in the Class AAA-AA-A championships. 

“Both of these young men will play college tennis,” PSHS coach Richard Schulz said. 

The BE freshman Nava earned all-state status. He opened play with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Colt Stanley of Sumter High School. 

Nava held off Braydon Jeffcoat of River Bluff in two intense sets of the second-round action. Nava posted a 7-5, 7(8)-6(6) victory to advance to the quarterfinals. 

However, Ashley Ridge junior Greyson Kane ended Nava’s deep tournament run with a 6-1, 6-0 win. Kane finished state runner-up to Nathan Purica of Riverside. 

Weir opened play with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ford Netzler of Greenville. But Purica, the eventual state champ, overpowered Weir, 6-0, 6-3, to send the senior to the consolation bracket. 

Nelson and Broad, the players with bright futures, were impressive in current times as Nelson finished third to earn all-state, while Broad also earned all-state status with a fourth-place effort. Oceanside Collegiate’s Luke Skillman defeated teammate Jackson Nichols in the championship as the Landsharks held down the top two places in the individual standings. 

Nelson and Broad came out swinging in the first round, both scoring big wins. Nelson disposed of Levi Moore of Williston-Elko, 6-0, 6-0, while Broad cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over King Brown, also of Williston-Elko. 

Broad and Nelson both overwhelmed their second-round foes. Broad blasted Jonathan Stewart of Walhala, 6-1, 6-1 and Nelson posted a 6-1, 6-0 conquest of Waccamaw’s Harmon Porter. 

The Iron Horse duo breezed to easy quarterfinal victories but stumbled in the semifinals against OCA’s 1-2 punch of Skillman and Nichols. 

Skillman halted Nelson’s hot streak, 7-5, 6-2, and Jackson topped Broad to set up the all-OCA final. 

Still, Schulz was happy with his players. 

“Chibale Nelson, third. Henry Broad, fourth,” Schulz said. "Next year, the Philip Simmons boys will be even stronger. Losing in the state semifinals this year to Oceanside, 4-3, was tough and will fuel us to beat them next year.”