On Wednesday morning the Boiling Springs community saw nine athletes sign to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level next season. With the signings on Wednesday that now puts the Bulldogs at 16 athletes that have signed to play college athletics in the 2020-2021 school year.
Boiling Springs football had three players sign to continue their athletic careers on Wednesday as Jalen Dodd and Kylick Lynch both signed to play at Carson-Newman University next season and Carter Sloand signed to play at Limestone University. Dodd was the starting quarterback for the Bulldogs this past season where he passed for 1,248 yards this season with 11 touchdowns while also rushing for 268 yards and five touchdowns. Dodd was named All-Region this past season and said the family feel is what drew him to Carson-Newman, where he plans on majoring in physical therapy. "When I walked in they greeted me like family and that just made me feel like home," said Dodd who added the chance to continue his career with fellow teammate Kylick Lynch was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. "It makes everything more comfortable having Kylick there with me because I already trusted him since middle school." Lynch and Sloand were both members of the Bulldogs offensive line that paved the way for 1,153 yards on the ground and 13 touchdowns including helping running back Cam Mills run for a career high 231 yard game against Clover in October. Lynch, who plans on majoring in sports medicine, says that Carson-Newman just reminded him of home which made his decision obvious to him. "Whenever I visited there it just felt like home and it just made my decision easy," said Lynch. "It's just a blessing to get opportunity and when I first got a glance of their football field and weight room it was just beautiful." Sloand said that the atmosphere is what sold him on Limestone where he is looking at majoring in either education or business. "When I went there to visit the campus it felt like family," said Sloand. "The atmosphere is amazing with just great coaches and students. Every time I went on campus it was just very friendly every time I was greeted by anyone." The Bulldogs also saw three members of their boy's golf team sign on Wednesday as Easton Keller signed with Lander University, Zach Phillips signed with USC Upstate, and Davis Hill signed with Spartanburg Methodist College. Phillips is the younger brother of Trevor and Trent Phillips, who also played golf at Boiling Springs, He has been a member of the Bulldogs golf team since he was a seventh grader and was an All-Region selection in both 2018 and 2019. He said that the opportunity to play college athletics close to home was key in his decision where he plans to major in business. "Honestly I just wanted to stay close to home and USC-Upstate allowed me that opportunity," said Phillips. Keller said that the Lander coaching staff and it being a growing program helped make his decision to choose Lander obvious to him. He says that he plans on majoring in business management. "I just love the coaching staff at Lander and how they're one of the best up-and-coming programs around for golf," said Keller. "It just feels like home there. I also love the small class sizes which will allow me to focus on class, golf, and just experience the college life." Hill, who has been a member of the Bulldogs golf program since the seventh grade, said that the family atmosphere is what stood out to him at Spartanburg Methodist College where he plans on majoring in business marketing before transferring to Clemson for their PGA Management program. "It's like a family there," said Hill. "When I went on my visit the coach talked to me like I was already a part of the team and it was like a brotherhood already. The small campus just helps to build into that family atmosphere." Vance Wagner and Jamison Bagwell, both members of the Boiling Springs baseball team, signed to continue their baseball careers together at USC-Lancaster next season. Wagner, a five year member of the Bulldogs baseball team, plans on major in civil engineering while Bagwell says he plans to major in business. Wagner and Bagwell both said that the opportunity to continue their baseball careers at the college level together was a major reason in their decision to select USC-Lancaster. "I just feel honored and blessed to get the opportunity that not everybody gets to continue playing baseball in college and I feel even more blessed to get to do that with my best friend," said Bagwell. "I also feel blessed to get this opportunity and I can't wait to see where in life it takes me next," said Wagner. Madison Gregory, a member of the Boiling Springs volleyball team, signed to continue her volleyball career at Converse College next season where she will study business management. Gregory was a four year member of the Bulldogs volleyball team at setter where she registered 1,629 assists and was All-Region in both 2019 and 2020. Gregory said that the opportunity to be near home and being around a coaching staff she was familiar with were deciding factors in her decision to attend Converse. "I really wanted to stay close to home and the coach there is an amazing person," said Gregory. "She has taught me pretty much all I know and it was a great opportunity to finish out my career with her. The campus is also a smaller school and I'm looking forward to being able to be more one-on-one with the teachers along with more involved in activities in the school." Boiling Springs went into the final quarter trailing by seventeen points only to close the game to within four points before falling 46-30 to Gaffney on Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs trailed 28-11 entering the fourth quarter before going on a 19-6 run to start the quarter that began on a three-point shot by Ansley King from the right side of the court after a steal by Olivia Shirley. Boiling Springs freshman Kylie McMillan followed up King's shot with a three-pointer of her own just under a minute into the quarter and cut the lead to seven on another three-pointer with just over six minutes left in the game. Gaffney's A'Maurya Tate-Smith put the Indians lead at 32-22 on a three-pointer of her own but with just under four minutes to go senior Laisha Labra hit a three-pointer followed by a steal and two free throws to narrow the lead to 32-27. After the Indians made the score 34-27, McMillan hit another big three-pointer for the Bulldogs to put the score at 34-30. With their team hanging on to a four point lead with just over two minutes to go in the game Gaffney went on a 12-0 run to end the game that was started by another big shot by Tate-Smith. The fourth quarter saw the Bulldogs score nineteen points which was eight more points than they had scored combined in the previous three quarters as they trailed Gaffney 15-5 at halftime. Boiling Springs was led on Tuesday night by freshman Kylie McMillan who scored nine points on Tuesday night followed by senior Laisha Labra with eight points. They also got a good night from another freshman as Sarah Ezell scored four points to go along with ten rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. Gaffney was led by A'Maurya Tate-Smith who led all scorers on Tuesday night with 16 points. In the boys game Boiling Springs trailed 33-22 at halftime and just couldn't overcome the early deficit as they were outscored 40-27 in the second half falling to Gaffney 72-49 on Tuesday night. Both teams will meet up against Gaffney again on Friday night at Boiling Springs but before that the boys team will travel to Nation Ford on Wednesday night and the girls will take on Clover. |
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