Thursday, February 20, 2020

Gators end season with 63-55 loss to Daniel

The Item's Wednesday Watch 2.19.20

Lakewood's Quentin Hodges, left, and the Gators open the 4A playoffs with a trip to Daniel on Wednesday.

Gators have long trip to face Daniel in playoff opener

Crestwood's CeCe Wells (4) fires a three-point shot during the Lady Knights' 73-28 win over Lakewood on Friday. Wells knocked down six 3s and scored her 1,000th career point in the victory.

Wells scores 1,000th point as Lady Knights thump Lakewood; Gators cruise in boys game

Sumter's Kiara Crosky (3) and the Lady Gamecocks will host J. L. Mann in the first round of the 5A playoffs on Tuesday.

Busy week of playoff hoops ahead for local schools

Lakewood's Baxter finds way to play with Reivers

Thursday, February 13

Kyliek Baxter has never been to the state of Iowa, but he can find it on a map. That's a good thing for the massive Lakewood High School lineman since he will be going there to play football. Baxter recently signed to play with Iowa Western …

The Item's Wednesday Watch 2.12.20

Wednesday, February 12

The Item’s Wednesday Watch is a weekly look at the buzz around tri-county sports. The Item sports staff will pick its most noteworthy stories, stats and quotes for the week. 1. USC women …

Lakewood boys lose heartbreaker to Lower Richland, girls fall 64-46

Monday, February 10

If Friday night’s game between Lakewood High School’s varsity boys team and Lower Richland had lasted another five seconds, you get the feeling the Gators would’ve hit their own buzzer-beater as well, but instead, the game ended after 32 minutes, like it always does, and the Lakewood fans went home heartbroken.

Lakewood linebacker Martin excited to be heading to WU

Saturday, February 8

Amari Martin played outside linebacker for the Lakewood High School football team as a sophomore. In his final two years, he moved to the inside and became the leader of the unit. He also played tight end on offense and was the long snapper for …

Lakewood lineman Suggs chooses NGU

Friday, February 7

Nathan Suggs didn't show a lot of emotion on Wednesday as one of four Lakewood High School football players to sign a letter of intent to play at the collegiate level. While he is more than likely excited about the opportunity, his words let you …

More Lakewood High School News

LHS' Boatright transforms from Gator into Crusader

Stanley Boatright has gone through a few transformations during his time with the Lakewood High School football program. When he joined the program as a freshman, Boatright estimates he was about 5-feet-8-inches tall and weighed 195 …

Gators shock No. 2 A.C. Flora behind 27 points from Quentin Hodge

Lakewood High School’s varsity boys basketball team improved to 9-11 overall and 4-3 in Region 4A-IV play, shocking second-ranked A.C. Flora 61-59 on Tuesday night..

Wednesday to be busy signing day for local athletes

There will be plenty of local high school football players putting ink to paper on Wednesday in Phase 2 of National Signing Day. Sumter High School will have at least six players signing. Crestwood is set to have six, Lakewood four, Lee Central …

Lady Knights down Lakewood, Gators win boys game in rivalry matchups

It took the Crestwood High School varsity girls basketball team into the fourth quarter to separate itself from Sumter School District rival Lakewood on Tuesday at The Swamp. It only took the Lakewood boys a half to take control of its game. The …

Wright scores 19, Lady Gators fall to Dreher 64-35

Lakewood’s varsity girls basketball team lost to Dreher 64-35 on Friday, falling to 0-4 in conference play.

Hodge's 23 points leads Lakewood to 58-46 victory over Dreher

Lakewood’s varsity boys basketball team beat Dreher 58-46 on Friday, improving to 2-2 in conference play.

Three Sumter School District first-year boys hoops coaches share good relationships

This has been an interesting year for boys high school basketball in Sumter School District. Each of the schools is under the direction of a first-year coach. Well, Lakewood's Ed Scott is a legitimate first-year head coach. Crestwood's Aric …

Lakewood boys show improvement despite tough loss to A.C. Flora

Lakewood High School's varsity boys basketball team entered Region IV-4A play with just a 3-8 overall record. Just two games into region play though and it's obvious the Gators are playing much better than they did in non-region action. Lakewood …

Sumter Item names 25 players to 2019 All-Area Football Team

Twenty-five players have been selected to the 2019 The Sumter Item All-Area Football Team. The team is selected based on nominations from the head coaches of the seven South Carolina High School League schools in Sumter, Clarendon and Lee …

DaVeon Thomas erupts for 25 points, leads Stallions past Lakewood 51-46

Lee Central’s varsity boys basketball team improved to 13-2 overall with a 51-46 victory over Lakewood on Tuesday. The Stallions completed a season sweep of the Gators after their 66-54 victory on Dec. 14.

Lesane scores 27 points, Lady Stallions defeat Lakewood 71-45

Lee Central’s varsity girls basketball team improved to 7-4 with a 71-45 victory over Lakewood on Tuesday night. The Lady Stallions completed the season sweep of Lakewood after beating the Lady Gators 48-40 on Dec. 14.

SCHSL realignment proposal affects each local high school

The South Carolina High School League released its reclassification proposal for the 2020-22 school years, and all seven of the high schools in Sumter, Clarendon and Lee counties will be affected in some way. Sumter High will remain in 5A, but it …

Wrestling back at Lakewood after 15-year hiatus

It had been 14 years since Lakewood High School last had a wrestling team when Josh Williams moved from Sumter to Lakewood with an aim of reviving the dormant program. Everything was going smoothly heading into the 2018 school year. Williams had …

Stallions defeat Lakewood 66-54, win fifth straight

Lee Central’s boys basketball team won their fifth straight game, defeating Lakewood 66-54 on Saturday.

Lady Stallions storm back to beat Lakewood 48-40

Lee Central’s girls basketball team improved to 3-2 on Saturday night, storming back from a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat Lakewood 48-40.

Brown returns to The Swamp, Sumter tops Lakewood 39-36

When Bryan Brown left his position as Lakewood High School's boys basketball head coach for the same position at Sumter High School, he knew the day would come that he would enter The Swamp as a rival coach.

Wright leads Lady Gators to 52-29 win over Gray Collegiate

Lakewood High School’s girls basketball improved to 2-1 on the season with a 52-29 victory over Gray Collegiate on Tuesday.

Sumter wrestling beats Lakewood, B-C

The Sumter High School wrestling team picked up victories over Lakewood and Brookland-Cayce in a tri-match on Monday at the SHS gym. The Gamecocks defeated Lakewood 69-12 and B-C 60-21. Derrick McKnight won both of his matches at 160 pounds to …

Sumter High wrestling beats Lakewood, B-C

The Sumter High School wrestling team picked up victories over Lakewood and Brookland-Cayce in a tri-match on Monday at the SHS gymnasium.

Pair of double-doubles carry EC past Lake Marion

SANTEE - Talaysia Cooper and Rhamey Floyd both had a double-double to lead East Clarendon to a 71-51 varsity girls basketball win over Lake Marion on Saturday at the LMHS gymnasium. Cooper had 38 points and 12 rebounds to go with seven assists, …

Gamecocks outlast Lakewood with last-second bucket

For the second time this season, the Sumter boys basketball team has edged Lakewood by the skin of its' teeth. During their first matchup, the Gamecocks used a last second three-pointer to edge …

Sumter girls bounce back from loss with blowout of Lakewood

Sumter girls basketball head coach Jeff Schaffer wanted to make sure his team wasn't going to have a hangover after losing to Crestwood in a rivalry game Friday night. When the Lady Gamecocks …

Youthful Gators work to win under Adams

It was a busy offseason for the Lakewood High School girls basketball program. First came the graduation of a bulk of the team's offensive production from the 2018-19 season. After the summer, August brought a coaching change, as Stephen Adams came …

Lakewood building around Hodge with newcomers, Scott as head coach

If you've watched Lakewood High School boys basketball over the last couple of seasons, you're likely very familiar with Quentin Hodge. Looking at this year's roster though, you might not be as familiar with anyone else. The Gators were very …

Tanaijah Wright's 28 points, 10 rebounds leads Lady Gators to 46-31 victory

Lakewood High School’s varsity girls basketball won their season opener, defeating Gray Collegiate 46-31 on Thursday night behind 28 points and 10 rebounds from sophomore Tanaijah Wright.

Isaac's buzzer beater lifts SHS over Gators

COLUMBIA - Nakeem Isaac sank a 3-point basket at the buzzer to lift Sumter High School's varsity boys basketball team to a 49-48 victory in the fifth-place of the Columbia Thanksgiving Classic on Friday at the Keenan High gymnasium. First-year …