Saturday, November 28, 2020

Sumter running back Nathan Harris-Waynick (26) finds a hole during the Gamecocks' 24-0 loss to Dutch Fork in the 5A lower state title game on Friday.

Sumter falls to Dutch Fork 24-0 in 5A lower state title game

Sumter running back Nathan Harris-Waynick, center, and the Gamecocks will travel to Irmo on Friday to face off against 4-time defending state champion Dutch Fork in the 5A lower state championship game beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Gamecocks to battle against 4-time defending state champ Dutch Fork

East Clarendon's Talaysia Cooper (10) was named one of the top eight girls basketball players in the state as the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association released its preseason awards and polls.

EC's Cooper elite player; SHS girls ranked second

Sumter's Leslie Owens Jr. (21) and the Gamecocks are trying to stay positive as they begin their season during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sumter basketball taking season one day at a time amidst pandemic

Sumter girls win Zaxby's Classic

PHOTOS: Sumter takes down River Bluff 25-13 in 5A playoffs

Sunday, November 22

Sumter advanced to the 5A Lower State championship with a 25-13 win over River Bluff on Friday. Here's a look at the action through the lens of The Item's Tim Leible.

Sumter advances in 5A playoffs with 25-13 win over River Bluff

Saturday, November 21

Sumter High School advanced to the semifinals of the 5A football state playoffs with a 25-13 victory over River Bluff on Friday on Sumter Memorial Stadium's Freddie Solomon Field. The Gamecocks, who improved to 8-0 on the season, will travel to …

Sumter's Cox signs with Gardner-Webb

Saturday, November 21

Layken Cox played on the Sumter High School varsity girls basketball team as an eighth-grader and was a starter as a freshman. Now a senior, the 6-foot-1-inch Cox has been a solid contributor each of those seasons. That steady progress has given …

The return of Wilson Hall basketball highlights this week's 5 Things to Watch

Saturday, November 21

1. WILSON HALL HOOPS BEGINSThe high school basketball season for Wilson Hall will open in its normal fashion with a Tuesday game before beginning the Thanksgiving holiday.Wilson Hall will play host …

Sumter looks to keep running game going against River Bluff in 5A quarters

Friday, November 20

Upon looking at the statistics for the River Bluff High School football team, the first thing that jumped out to Sumter head coach Mark Barnes was this: the Gators are allowing an average of 74 rushing yards a contest through their five …

More Sumter High School News

Sumter High playoff tickets still available

Tickets are still available for Sumter High School's home football game against River Bluff on Friday in the quarterfinals of the South Carolina High School League 5A state playoffs. Tickets will not be sold at the gate. The only way to purchase …

Sumter prepares to take on River Bluff's triple option

Fundamentally sound. Gap responsibilities. When you hear those four words in relation to football, you know someone is getting ready to face a triple-option offense. Sumter High School head coach Mark Barnes uttered those very words on Tuesday …

Sumter gets another home game; Laurence Manning, Lee advance to SCISA title games

Sumter High School picked up a surprise home playoff footblal game on Friday, while Laurence Manning Academy and Lee Academy will both be traveling to North Charleston for their next playoff game. Since both games are for state championships, …

PHOTOS: Sumter beats Berkeley 34-13 in playoff opener

The Sumter football team took down Berkeley 34-13 in the first round of the SCHSL 5A playoffs on Friday. Here's a look at the action through the lens of The Item's Tim Leible.

Sumter takes down Berkeley 34-13 to advance in 5A playoffs

Sumter High School advanced to the quarterfinals of the 5A football state playoffs with a 34-13 victory over Berkeley on Friday on Sumter Memorial Stadium's Freddie Solomon Field. The Gamecocks, who improved to 7-0 on the season, will be at home …

SCISA championship games headline 5 Things to Watch This Week

1. SCISA CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKENDThe South Carolina Independent School Association will be holding its four football state championship games next Friday and Saturday.The 1A, 2A and 3A title games will …

Sumter focusing in on Berkeley in playoff opener

In what has been an upside-down season for high school football in South Carolina due to coronavirus, the reason for going through all of the oddities brought on by the pandemic is here: the playoffs. The South Carolina High School League begins …

Price, Huettmann, Harris, McCray named TD Club Players of Week

Lee Academy football head coach David Rankin took it easy on his quarterback, Keaton Price, down the stretch of the regular season in order to have him in tip-top shape for the SCISA 1A state playoffs. Well, the playoffs started for the Cavaliers …

Laurence Manning getting surprise semifinal home game highlight of local football games

That Laurence Manning Academy won its SCISA 3A football state playoff opener against Heathwood Hall last Friday wasn't a surprise. The fact the Swampcats will be playing host to the semifinal game is a surprise though. That LMA will be taking on …

PHOTOS: Sumter takes down Crestwood in the battle for Sumter County

Sumter took down Crestwood 28-9 in the battle for Sumter County on Friday. Here's a look at the action through the lens of The Item's Micah Green.

Sumter hosts Berkeley to open the playoffs to highlight the 5 Things to Watch This Week

1. SUMTER HOSTS BERKELEY IN FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS Sumter High School will play host to Berkeley in the first round of the 5A football state playoffs on Friday at Sumter Memorial Stadium. The …

Sumter caps off undefeated regular season with 28-9 win over Crestwood

Sumter High School completed its third straight undefeated football regular season with a 28-9 victory over Sumter School District rival Crestwood on Friday on Sumter Memorial Stadium's Freddie Solomon Field. The Gamecocks improved to 6-0 in this …

Sumter, Crestwood ready for rivalry showdown

Neither team really has a bone to fight over in this football game. There are no region ramifications. One has a state playoff berth locked up, while the other won't make the playoffs. You know what though? It's Sumter versus Crestwood, so it …

Sumter AD reflects on the challenges of this fall and looks ahead to winter sports

To say this fall has been complicated and confusing in the world of sports would be an understatement. No one knows that more than the people behind the scenes trying to figure out how to play sports safely. Sumter High School athletic director …

Sumter hosts Crestwood to highlight 5 Things to Watch this week

1. SUMTER, CRESTWOOD MEET IN FOOTBALLSumter School District rivals Sumter High School and Crestwood are set to close out their regular seasons by meeting on Friday on Sumter Memorial Stadium’s …

Sumter High cancels football game with South Aiken out of caution, not COVID

The Sumter High School football team will not be going on the road on Friday to take on South Aiken. And it's not because either team has coronavirus issues. It's because Gamecocks head coach Mark Barnes wants to limit the chances of any of his …

Playoff picture becomes more clear for local football teams

Playoff fates were on the line for practically each of the 11 local high school football teams that played this past Friday. For some, it was a great night; for others, it was a good night. And for a few, it was the end of the line for earning a …

Sumter wins region with 35-0 victory over Conway

Sumter High School won the Region VI-5A football title outright with a 35-0 victory over Conway on Friday on Sumter Memorial Stadium's Freddie Solomon Field. The Gamecocks improved to 5-0 on the season and finished region play with a 4-0 record. …

Wilson Hall and Laurence Manning face off to highlight 5 Things to Watch this week

1. WILSON HALL, LMA RENEW RIVALRYWilson Hall will be visiting Billy Chitwood Field on Friday to take on Laurence Manning Academy in what will be the regular-season finale for both teams. LMA is in …

Sumter goes for region title against Conway

The Sumter High School football team wrapped up a share of the Region VI-5A title and the region's No. 1 seed in the state playoffs with last week's 50-7 win over St. James. The Gamecocks go for the outright region title on Friday when they play …

Jackson, Harrison, Alston-Daniels, Grant selected as Touchdown Club Players of Week

Davin Jackson played on 35 defensive snaps for the Sumter High School football team in its 50-7 victory over St. James last Friday. The 6-foot-3-inch, 260-pound defensive end finished with nine total tackles, meaning he was in on a quarter of the …

District says Sumter JV players were contacted despite parents' claims

Sumter School District said calls were made by Sumter High School football coaches to each of the members of the school's junior varsity football team about them needing to quarantine because of an opposing team's positive tests prior to it being …

Sumter secures region's No. 1 seed; LMA sets up big game against Trinity

Sumter High School wrapped up a share of the Region VI-5A football title and most importantly the region's No. 1 seed in the state playoffs with a 50-7 victory over St. James on Friday. Laurence Manning Academy and Lee Academy came up with key …

Sumter High JV football team under quarantine for two weeks

The entire Sumter High School junior varsity football team is under quarantine for two weeks after playing against a St. James team on Thursday that had two players who had tested positive for …

Sumter runs over St. James 50-7 to remain undefeated

MURRELLS INLET - Nathan Harris-Waynick scored three touchdowns in the first half and added a fourth in the second for good measure as the Sumter High School football team rolled over the St. James Sharks 50-7 on Friday. "This was the best game …

The World Series, possibly featuring the Braves, highlights this week's 5 Things to Watch

THE WORLD SERIES – WITH THE BRAVES? The World Series is scheduled to start on Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Whether it will include the Atlanta Braves is still up for …

Sumter High doesn't want to lose momentum against St. James

Sumter High School came up with more than likely its best comeback during Mark Barnes' tenure as its football coach last week with its 34-27 overtime victory over Carolina Forest. "It was huge because of the importance of the game," said Barnes, …

Calderon, Reed, Joye, Dow named Touchdown Club Players of Week

Although they did it in different ways, Crestwood High School's Robert Reed and Jaice Calderon kept the Manning Monarchs backed up to their goal line in the Knights' 46-7 victory last Friday at Donald L. Crolley Memorial Stadium. Reed did it with …

Sumter, Crestwood, Scott's Branch gain ground with Friday victories

The Sumter High School football team put itself in an enviable position to win the Region VI-5A title and earn the region's No. 1 seed in the SCHSL state playoffs on Friday, while Crestwood and Scott's Branch both kept alive their hopes of earning …

PHOTOS: Sumter beats Carolina Forest 34-27 in overtime

The Sumter football team defeated Carolina Forest 34-27 in a dramatic overtime victory. Here's a look at the win through the lens of The Item's Micah Green.