BOILING SPRINGS, SC - The Boiling Springs boys volleyball team made it two wins in a row to improve their record to 2-1 on the season when they defeated Fort Mill 3-1 on Monday night.
Bulldogs head coach Rachel Hyatt said that even though Fort Mill is in its first year, they had a lot of talent, and she was happy with her team grabbing the victory. "Fort Mill is in their first year of existence this season and we really didn't know what to expect from them," said Hyatt. "They walked in with a couple of 6'3" and 6'4" players and I was a little nervous, but we were able to pull out the win. Fort Mill is a scrappy team, but we have to learn to play to our abilities and we'll be just fine." Fort Mill jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set before junior Tim Okhman spiked a ball into the middle of the Yellow Jackets to put the Bulldogs on the board. The Yellow Jackets pushed their lead to 11-4 before the Bulldogs went on a 6-1 run highlighted by an ace serve from senior Prosper Hawj and a block by sophomore Antoine Murray to put the score at 12-10. The Bulldogs tied the set up at 13-13 and then took their first lead on a block by sophomore Dylan Booker to take a 14-13 lead over the Yellow Jackets. The teams went back and forth with both teams tied at 22-22 when senior Mark Zdanevich made an impressive shot facing away from the net along the Bulldogs backline that landed in the middle of the Fort Mill defense to take a 23-22 lead. From that point on the Bulldogs scored the final two points of the set to take a 25-22 victory in set one and a 1-0 lead in the match. In the second set Fort Mill tied the match at 1-1 after winning the second set 25-20. Boiling Springs started the third set when Okhman spiked a ball into the Fort Mill defense off an assist from sophomore Coleman Wheatley. They pushed their lead to 7-4 over the Yellow Jackets on back-to-back kills by Zdanevich and Murray. With a serve into the net by Fort Mill with the Bulldogs leading 24-18, Boiling Springs took the victory in the set 25-18 and took a 2-1 advantage in the match. The Bulldogs went into the fourth set looking to claim the match but fell down early in the set 6-2 when Coach Hyatt took a timeout which she said she made a point to tell her team they weren't going to lose the set. "I told them in that timeout that we absolutely weren't going to go to a fifth set," said Hyatt. "I told them we had to play as close to perfect as possible and they took it and ran with it." Boiling Springs rallied to tie the set at 14-14 on a block Okhman before taking the lead at 15-14 on the next point when a ball sailed out of bounds for Fort Mill. With the Bulldogs leading 24-23, Okhman stepped up again when he blocked a Fort Mill shot that fell to the ground on the Yellow Jackets side of the net for a 25-23 victory in the set and a 3-1 win in the match. Mark Zdanevich led the team with 14 kills while Tim Okhman led the team in blocks with six to go along with seven kills. Antoine Murray added four blocks to go along with six kills on Monday night. Boiling Springs will be back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Clover in a match scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM. MAULDIN, SC - After a tough loss to start the season, the Boiling Springs football team rebounded in pretty impressive fashion as they grabbed their first shutout victory since October of 2020, defeating the Mauldin Mavericks 55-0 on the road Friday night.
Boiling Springs head coach Matt Reel said that his team was extremely motivated to grab the victory over the Mavericks. "Our guys done a great job coming out early," said Reel. "There were some pregame festivities that got under everyone's skin a little bit, which was more than what normally goes on, but I think our kids handled it well. They don't like getting disrespected and they showed it tonight." The Bulldogs got a big night from junior quarterback Lincoln Huskey who went 18 of 23 for 333 yards and five touchdowns in three quarters of play. Reel said that the performance was because of work from everyone involved. "We worked and put a ton of time into our passing game," said Reel. "Our guys done a lot of work outside of the time we can be with them and made it a priority. Our offensive line made it a priority to make him comfortable back there and we're seeing the fruition of guys putting the time in to what they do." Huskey started the night finding sophomore wide receiver Eli Mobley on a post route to the left side from 18-yards out to put the Bulldogs up 6-0 early in the game. He later hooked up with junior wide receiver Tristan Horsey Johnson on a 44-yard touchdown pass to the middle of the field to put Boiling Springs up 13-0 with just seconds left in the first quarter. The second quarter saw the Bulldogs really impose their will on the Mavericks as they scored 28 unanswered points to take a 41-0 lead into halftime. Junior running back RyShaun Morgan started the scoring in the second quarter with a strong run up the middle for a six-yard touchdown run that was set up by two runs from fellow junior running back Javen Chhim, who had runs of 18 and 12 yards earlier in the drive, as the Bulldogs took a 20-0 lead. Huskey got back to work on the next possession as he found sophomore wide receiver Grayson Crowe for a screen pass on the right side and after some impressive juke moves took the ball 64-yards down the sideline to put the Bulldogs up 27-0 over the Mavericks with just under two minutes to go in the half. The Bulldogs defense got in on the scoring festivities on the very next offensive play from Mauldin as senior defensive lineman Jameilion Miller sacked the Mauldin quarterback forcing a fumble that was recovered and returned for a 15-yard touchdown by senior defensive end Dekari Sterling to put Boiling Springs up 34-0 just a minute and a half before halftime. It wasn't the only impressive defensive play in the first half by the Bulldogs as senior safety JoJo Barrett also blocked a 34-yard field goal attempt by the Mavericks to start the second quarter. After the Bulldogs defense forced another Mauldin punt, the sixth of the first half, the offense got the ball back with just over eighteen seconds left in the half. On the very first play, Huskey made another impressive throw finding junior wide receiver Kyle Patterson, who made a great adjustment on the ball, in the front left corner of the endzone for his fourth touchdown of the half, this one a 34-yard touchdown pass. In the third quarter, the Bulldogs and Mavericks kept the other off the scoreboard until just over a minute to go in the quarter when Huskey found Eli Mobley for the second time in the game, this time a 13-yard touchdown pass to the right corner of the endzone to take a 48-0 lead. The final score of the game came on a one-yard touchdown run by junior running back Tristan Pendergraph to put the Bulldogs up 55-0, which was set was set up by a 15-yard run by RyShaun Morgan who had taken over as the quarterback in the fourth quarter. Boiling Springs was led in receiving by sophomore wide receiver Grayson Crowe who had four receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown while senior wide receiver Tre'Sean Taylor had four receptions for 70 yards himself. Javen Chhim led the Bulldogs in rushing with nine carries for 44 yards against the Mavericks. The Boiling Springs defense had another great night as they limited the Mavericks to less than 150 yards of offense with a touchdown, two sacks and an interception by senior defensive back Amayjai Boyd. JoJo Barrett led the team with five and a half tackles while Jameilion Miller was just behind with five tackles and two sacks. Reel said that he was proud of the performance of his defense and said he was proud of his coaches for a great gameplan. "It all starts at the top with their coaches, and they put a lot of time into the preparation," said Reel. "Our kids play extremely hard and have great effort and technique. We're worlds better in our strength department than we were last year and we're starting to see the rewards from that." Boiling Springs will look to make it two wins in a row next Friday night when they host rival Chapman in another out-of-region game as the Panthers defeated Byrnes 17-14 on Friday night. BOILING SPRINGS, SC - After falling in their opening matchup against Dorman to start the season, the Boiling Springs boys' volleyball team rebounded on Wednesday night with a 3-1 victory over Eastside.
"It feels good to beat Eastside because they're a very strong team as well," said Bulldogs head coach Rachel Hyatt. "They were tough last year, and they beat us once last season, but it feels good to get the first win of the season." Boiling Springs started the match fast in the first set taking 12-2 lead behind three spike kills by senior Mark Zdanevich, a kill plus an ace serve from junior Tim Okhman, and an ace serve from junior Dariel Baez. Eastside was able to get the set back to four points at 16-12 but thanks to two ace serves from sophomore Coleman Wheatley the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 19-12 over the Eagles. The Eagles made another run at the lead cutting the score to 22-20 but the Bulldogs finished the set on a 3-0 run behind a kill from sophomore Antoine Murray and the final point coming off a spike kill that glanced off an Eastside player to take the 25-20 victory. Eastside took the second set 25-15 to even up the match at 1-1 between them and Boiling Springs. In the third set the Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-4 lead after back-to-back kills by Murray and Zdanevich. Eastside tied the game at 12-12 and the two teams were tied four times of the next nine points. Boiling Springs retook the lead at 17-16 when Zdanevich spiked a ball into the middle of the Eagles defense to start a 5-3 run to push their lead to 22-19. The Bulldogs closed out the set scoring the final two points with another kill from Zadanevich and a serve from Tim Okhman that glanced off an Eastside defender for a 25-22 victory. The fourth set saw the Bulldogs jump out to a 5-1 lead behind a kill from Okhman and back-to-back ace serves by Dariel Baez. The Bulldogs kept the lead throughout the set not allowing the Eagles any closer than the four-point advantage. The final two points of the match came on a soft shot over the net by Okhman and then the final point came on a spike to the left side of the court by senior Prosper Hawj that echoed through the gym when it hit the court for the 25-20 victory. Hyatt was happy with how her young team was responding after losing so many players from last year. "A lot of our guys are young," said Hyatt. "We're not as talented as last year but we're a lot more athletic. We're strong and athletic and if we can get the skills down, we're going to be alright." Boiling Springs was led in kills by Mark Zdanevich who had 10 kills while Tim Okhman led in blocks with four and Dariel Baez had four ace serves. The Bulldogs will return to the court on Monday when they host Fort Mill in a matchup set to begin at 6:00 PM. BOILING SPRINGS, SC - After winning the silver bracket at the Daniel Tournament in a preseason event this past weekend, the Boiling Springs girls volleyball team started their 2023 regular season with a split match between Greenwood and Clover on Tuesday night.
Boiling Springs got the night off with a 2-0 victory over Greenwood in the first match of the night. In the first set the Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead that included an ace serve from sophomore Olivia Smith. They pushed their lead to 11-3 as they continued on a run that included two kills from senior Deanna Falovsky, two kills from Smith and a kill from junior Carson Byrd. Greenwood responded with a 5-0 run of their own to close the lead to 11-8 that included two back-to-back ace serves. The Bulldogs responded with a 5-1 run of their own to push their lead back to 16-9 which included back-to-back kills by eighth-grader Carolina Burgess and sophomore Kennedy Cole. They held on to a 24-20 lead when Burgess sent a serve over the net that on the return from Greenwood sailed out of bounds to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. In the second set the Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind a block from junior Lauren Kusterer along with a kill by Olivia Smith. Greenwood battled back to take a 12-10 lead before Boiling Springs tied the game at 13-13 and the two teams were tied four times over the next seven points. The Bulldogs took a 20-19 lead on a spike kill to the middle of the court by junior Layla Morris, which started a 6-1 run that ended with a 25-20 victory when Lauren Kusterer spiked the ball with it hitting just inside the left backline. The second game saw the Bulldogs fall to Clover 2-0 in the final game of the night after Clover defeated Greenwood 2-1 in an earlier match. The Blue Eagles won the first set 25-16 to take a 1-0 lead over the Bulldogs. In the second set the two teams were tied at 23-23 before Clover scored the last two points to take a 25-23 victory in the set and win the match. Boiling Springs was led in the two matches in kills by Olvia Smith who combined for 16 total kills while Kennedy Cole led the team with 19 assists while adding nine kills and an ace serve. Senior Gracen Bennett led the Bulldogs in digs between the two matches with a total of 19 while Lauren Kusterer led the team with five blocks. The Bulldogs will return to action on Thursday with another home tri-match against both Blacksburg and Wade Hampton with the first game beginning at 5:30 PM. BOILING SPRINGS, SC - On Friday night the high school football season kicked off around the state of South Carolina and the Boiling Springs football team fell just short of a statement win as they fell to the #7 team in 5A TL Hamma 34-26 in front of a loud home crowd.
A year after the Bulldogs fell to the Yellow Jackets 43-0, the game showed to Boiling Springs head coach Matt Reel how much his team has grown in just a year. "Our kids care, that's the biggest thing I took from the game tonight," said Reel. "Our kids showed they have grown up physically and mentally from last year. I told those guys to not mistake my smile for being happy but I'm so proud of those guys. We have to clean up a few things because we just had a few thing mistakes that were the difference in the game and it's hard to overcome against good teams like that but I'm so proud of how our guys fought tonight." The Bulldogs threw the first punch in the battle against the Yellow Jackets as on the opening drive of the season, Boiling Springs was able to put up points when junior quarter Lincoln Huskey found wide receiver Kyle Patterson in the back left of the endzone to go up 6-0 over TL Hanna. The drive was set up by a big 36-yard run by running back Javen Chhim. Boiling Springs added another score in the first quarter when Huskey found Patterson again, this time on a 13-yard TD pass to the left side of the field again to go up 13-0 over the Yellow Jackets with four minutes left in the quarter. The drive had another big run as junior running back RyShaun Morgan took a handoff 73-yards down the left sideline to set the Bulldogs up again. In the last four minutes of the quarter, TL Hanna hit the Bulldogs for two big plays on the ground for touchdowns as KD Patterson broke over the right side for a 51-yard touchdown run and Vashun Burton broke a run up the middle for a 50-yard touchdown to tie the game at 13-13 when the siren sounded to end the first quarter. The Bulldogs retook the lead with just under ten minutes left in the second quarter when Chhim broke a run up the middle for 42-yards to grab a 19-13 lead over the Yellow Jackets. The Yellow Jackets responded with two more touchdown runs in the second quarter as Patterson scored up the middle on a 32-yard run and Eddie Pino scored on a three-yard run to the left side to take a 27-19 lead into the halftime break. TL Hanna started the second half with a 60-yard drive that ended on a two-yard touchdown run to put them ahead 34-19 over the Bulldogs. Boiling Springs wasn't done though as they cut the TL Hanna lead to 34-26 at the ten-minute mark of the fourth quarter when Huskey found senior wide receiver Tre-Sean Taylor on a five-yard touchdown pass to the right side. The Bulldogs had two more opportunities to tie or even take the lead of the game as they lost a fumble at the endzone and also fell short on fourth down with just over a minute to go in the game. The fourth down play was a little controversial as the Bulldogs were originally a first down before a change from the referees that changed the down to fourth and one. Boiling Springs quarter Lincoln Huskey led the Bulldogs through the air going 11 of 22 for 207 yards with three touchdowns and an interception while rushing for 45 yards. Kyle Patterson led the Bulldogs in receiving with five catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns while Eli Mobley added three catches for 85 yards. The Bulldogs on the ground rushed for 255 yards as a team and were led by junior running back Javen Chhim who rushed for 116 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown while fellow junior running back went for 94 yards on nine carries. On defense the Bulldogs were led by JoJo Barrett who registered seven and a half tackles while Jared Chinloy Mickens added six tackles of his own. TL Hanna was led on offense by Vashun Burton who ran for 164 yards on 21 carries while KD Patterson added 117 yards on 11 carries. Boiling Springs will get back to action next Friday night when they travel to Mauldin for their first road game of the season. Bulldogs VolleyballThe Boiling Springs girls volleyball team enters the 2023 season looking to compete for a region championship and with eight seniors, the opportunity is there for the Bulldogs to have a very good season. Last season Boiling Springs finished third in Region II-5A and fell in the playoffs to Clover. The Bulldogs will be led by their head coach Allyson Elliot, who enters her 25th season leading the program. She says that the team has worked hard this offseason and she expects to see the team continue to improve as the season progresses. "This summer we have scrimmaged many local teams and went to camps at the College of Charleston and Wofford," said Elliot. "Our girls are making great progress and I expect will continue to grow through the entire season. They are athletic, work well together, and very competitive." The Bulldogs return five starters from last year led by All-Region frontline player Karson Browning. She will be joined by fellow returning starters Charlotte Hutchins, Grace Shepherd, Gracen Bennett, and Lauren Kusterer. They will be joined by fellow returners Autumn Earley, Abigail Kanipe, Deanna Falovsky, and Aubrey Chang. "These players have competed at a high level and because of their experience should step up and play with leadership and confidence this year," said Elliot. "We have eight great seniors who are both leaders on and off the court." While they have a lot of experience coming back, the Bulldogs will look to a group of 10 newcomers to help make a run at the region championship. That group will be led by junior Emma Fowler along with sophomores Kennedy Cole and Olivia Smith. "We expect this group to be difference makers for us on the court this season," said Elliot. The Bulldogs front line will be led by outside hitters Charlotte Hutchins, Kennedy Cole, and Olivia Smith along with middle hitters Karson Browning and Lauren Kusterer. They're also excited about the energy brought to the court from fellow frontline players Carson Byrd, Deanna Falovsky, Caroline Bishop, and Layla Morris. In the setter position, the Bulldogs will be led by Grace Shepherd while also getting key contributions from Cole and eighth grader Carolina Burgess. Along the backline the Bulldogs will be expecting to get some key defensive plays from a group that includes Gracen Bennett, Emma Fowler, Abigail Kanipe, and Autumn Earley. Elliot says that this group has been solid in the offseason and will keep the team in games with their solid defense. Elliot said that her team this year is focusing on two words and that the participation level has been great since their season ended last season. "Two words that we are focusing on this season are 'family' and 'compete'," said Elliot. "We have 32 girls playing with us on JV and varsity this year. Our season ended last October and these kids went to work immediately preparing for this season. We want every player to compete on the court, in the classroom, and know that they have family/teammates that care about them." Boiling Springs will begin their season on August 19th at the Daniel tournament before returning home for a tri-match against Greenwood and Clover on August 22nd. Bulldogs Boys VolleyballThe Boiling Springs boys' volleyball team will be a younger group than last season but the expectations for the group are still high for a team that loss in the upper state championship game last season. Last year, the team saw eight seniors graduate but the number of players participating has grown as the program between JV and varsity will have a total of 32 players. "We have a strong varsity group who should do really well this season," said Bulldogs head coach Rachel Hyatt. "Although we lost eight seniors last year to graduation, I think we will have a very successful season with the group we have coming back." The Bulldogs return four starters from last year's team who they hope lead the young Bulldogs team in seniors Mark Zdanevich and Prosper Hawj along with juniors Denis Bondarev and Gabe Llibre. With the loss of the eight seniors, the Bulldogs will count on a group of newcomers to take their places and that group will consist of senior Eddie Aleksik, junior Tim Okhman, sophomores Antoine Murray and Coleman Wheatley, along with freshman Mark Kishka. The Bulldogs will expect to once again see Dorman late in the playoffs but are excited about the new teams from Catawba Ridge, Indian Land, Northwestern, Fort Mill, and Greenwood joining the league this season. Hyatt is excited about the enthusiasm to get better she sees from her team each practice. "The team is really excited for this season," said Hyatt. "They are always coming into practice with a desire to get better." Boiling Springs will kick off their regular season at home on August 21st against Dorman. Bulldogs Girls TennisThe Boiling Springs girl's tennis team looks to continue to build on the successes from last season after finishing fourth in the region and making a trip to the 5A playoffs, as they return five starters from last year's team. Boiling Springs will be led by head coach Anna Belle Burrell who enters her second season leading the Bulldogs program after taking over last season for longtime coach Jill Cooke. The Bulldogs return All-Region player Victoria Leonard who will play as the number one spot this season. She will be joined by fellow returners Allison Hollifield, Emerson Horton, Kaitlyn Thomas, and Jazymn Barrett. Coach Burrell is also excited about the younger group of players with the program along with newcomer Karlee Shaw, who the Bulldogs will expect a lot from this year. Boiling Springs will begin their 2023 season with a home match on August 22nd against Southside Christian. Bulldogs Girls GolfThe Boiling Springs girls golf team will go into the 2023 season having to replace a long-term fixture in the program but will have something the team hasn't had in a while, a lot of youth to build on. Last season the Bulldogs saw the graduation of current USC-Upstate golfer Madison Dixon, who had been a six-year starter and was named All-State after finishing in 7th place as an individual last season. While Dixon will be hard to replace, Bulldogs head coach Macy Tate, who enters her fourth season with the program, is excited about the youth in the program and what that means for the future of the program. "We have a very young team this season, but I am excited and optimistic about the potential of the girls that we expect to have at tryouts," said Tate. "While we lost an exceptional player from last season, the other four starters from last year are returning, so we also have a lot of returning experience." The Bulldogs will be returning four starters from last year's team that includes seniors Sophia Leso and Hannah Lewis while also returning junior Bella Greene and sophomore Ryanna Douglas. The team will also see four other golfers return that were a part of last year's team that will hope to fill the shoes of Dixon in junior Cadence Pruitt, sophomores Lucy Moyer and Karlie Threadgill, and freshman Alliyah Adams. In offseason workouts, the Bulldogs have been excited about some of the possible newcomers to the program in freshmen Kynslee Seay, Caroline Yoder, and Jaycie Slattery, along with eighth grader Ellie Taylor and seventh-graders Maddox Burnett and Brooke Tumblin. "We had a lot of participation in our spring and summer practices and I, as well as other coaches think we have several girls with a lot of potential," said Tate. "We are looking forward to making progress as a team this year, as well as developing our young players for the future." While the Bulldogs will be younger this season, the expectations for the program are still the same as the expect to compete for the region and spots in the playoffs. "We expect to compete in our region, even though it remains one of the strongest regions in the state," said Tate. "I like where we are at as a team going into the fall and can't wait to get to work to see what we can accomplish this year." The Bulldogs will start their season on August 16th in match play against Byrnes and Dorman at River Falls before competing in two back-to-back tournaments. The first tournament will be the two-day Lady Bengal Tournament at Columbia Country Club from August 21-22 before competing at the annual Lady Rebel Invitational at River Falls on August 29th. Bulldogs Cross CountryAfter a surprising season last year and a strong summer of training the expectations around the Boiling Springs cross country team are pretty high going into the 2023 fall sports season. On the boys' side of the team, boys team head coach Drew Thomas, who enters his second season leading the team, says that he's excited about the hard work his team has put in this offseason. "I am extremely excited for the team we have built throughout the summer," said Thomas. "I tell the guys repeatedly that this team is one that I am confident in taking anywhere in the state and being able to compete with the top teams." The confidence from Thomas is understandable as the team returns five of seven starters from a team that finished third in the region last season. That group is led by returning All-Region runner Jake Sapp along with Andrew Cooler, Thomas Glover, Jayden Adams, and Austin Baird. They will look to returners from last year in Luke Hurley and Riley Alford along with newcomers Drew Miller and Brendan Riordan to fill the final two starting spots this coming season as the Bulldogs will look to have another good season in one of the toughest regions in the state. "We are in one of the toughest running regions in the state and if we can run well at region, we will be set up for a great end to championship season," said Thomas. "One of the most exciting things about this group is that most of them have been together for years and with the addition of a few guys who are upperclassmen, we are in a spot to see success we haven't seen in quite a few years." On the girl's side of the team, the Bulldogs fell just one spot short of competing at the state championship meet and that's something according to girls second year head coach Autumn Steadings they look to change this year. Last year the Bulldogs finished fourth in the Spartanburg County meet at Milliken, which was their highest finish since 2014 and while they lost three seniors to graduation, they feel their young team can accomplish some great things. "This is a great group of young ladies," said Steadings. "I have seen a great amount of progress during the summer practices, and I believe we'll pick up where the seniors left off last year and keep hitting our goals." Boiling Springs returns a young team that will be led by All-Region runner from last season in 8th grader Ainsley Steadings. She will be joined by fellow returning starters junior Navy Turner along with sophomores Alyssa Skory and Ashlyn Godfrey. With any cross-country event you're allowed to start seven runners and the Bulldogs will look to fill the three spots vacated from the graduation of seniors last year out of a group consisting of juniors Angelica Panchelyuga and Bailee Williams, sophomore Jada Evans, and freshmen Madelyn Sewell and Bella Johnson. They also are also looking to newcomers Tania Escalante (12th), Za'Niya (11th), Bella Roswell (10th), and Baylor Baird (7th) to help contribute to the Bulldogs success this season. Steadings is excited about the opportunities for this team this season. "We still have some training to do," said Steadings. "I'm really excited to see these girls compete and hit some major PR's this year." The Bulldogs will kick off their regular season on September 2nd in the Eye Opener Classic at Milliken Research Center at 8:00 AM. Bulldogs Swim TeamAfter a strong season that saw the Bulldogs have a strong finish in the region, the Boiling Springs swim team looks to build on their success as they have a lot of swimmers returning this season that will be mixed with a lot of youth.
Boiling Springs saw the boys team finish in third place in region while the girls team finished in fourth place in region. Both teams competed in the state meet with the boys finishing 16th overall and the girls finishing 27th overall. The Bulldogs will see new leadership for this season after long-time coach Lanie Peden retired last season as Boiling Springs will be led by first-year head coach Sophie Caggiano. "Being a young team, we are currently trying to build a hard work ethic in our younger swimmers while also placing high expectations on our returners to be leaders both in the pool and the classroom," said Caggiano. "We expect hard work and a great attitude at every practice while also stressing the importance of keeping their bodies fueled and recovered as much as possible to provide them with the best chance for success throughout the season." Boiling Springs returns 20 swimmers from last season that includes All-Region swimmers Miles Humphreys, Laney Moore, and Regan Shaw. They'll also see the return of Diya Chana, Cerys Ewing, Elizabeth Hardy, Bevin Hardy, JB Jackson, Alyssa Kozlowski, Maci Lane, Yaritzi Leal-Martinez, Leonardo Moreno, Sam Murray, Zain Nanoua, Zac Nanoua, Gabe Olson, Bailey Riordan, Will Robinson, Landon Sapounes, and Aaron Sprouse. They' will also look to a group of newcomers to help solidify the team this season, a group that includes Kaylin Archabald, Alexa Boykin, Ellie Gayford, Clay Huckenberry, Jayce Roberts, and Nathan Nguyen. Boiling Springs will kick off their season at the Middle Tyger River YMCA on August 15 against Byrnes and Dorman before facing off against Spartanburg on August 22nd at the TK Gregg Center. Bulldogs 2023 Season OutlookThe Boiling Springs Bulldogs football team entered last season looking to rebuild a program that had stumbled the last couple of seasons and after finishing 2-9 last year but showing competitiveness in some big games, the expectations for the 2023 Bulldogs team is to continue to improve while coming away with some wins in those big games. "I don't think anyone has 2-9 being the record you want to have whether that be your first year or your tenth year, but I think every situation is different," said Bulldogs head coach Matt Reel. "I was really proud of how our kids grew throughout the year and if we could have played some of those early games again later in the season with how we played I think that record may have been a little different. It was tough on the kids last year learning new things, but I was really proud of them and I'm hoping that the bumps and bruises we went through last year sets the groundwork for more success this year because our kids have been really working hard this offseason." He said that with the youth of his team last year, the trials that they went through should only make them better as they enter this season and beyond. "We played with a ton of guys that'd normally be on the JV team at the varsity level last season," said Reel. "Those guys having to go through the fire and being put in pressure situations that a sophomore doesn't normally get put into playing against the level of competition that we do, it should only make them better in the long run." Reel heads into the 2023 season starting his second season leading the Bulldogs program and will be adding some a familiar title to his duties this season, a role that he said he missed somewhat last year. During spring practice this year, it was announced that last year's offensive coordinator Jeremy Smith had been named the new head coach at Andrew Jackson High School that left a void in the Bulldogs program, a void that Reel was used to having to fill. "Last year was the first season I hadn't ran the offense in years and Coach Smith done a phenomenal job for us, and we're excited about the opportunity he got to lead the program at Andrew Jackson this year," said Reel. "With him leaving it left an open area for our team and I struggled a little last year not having that control because I've always done it. It had nothing to do with the guys that were calling the plays, as they done a great job, but I had always been the one doing it so it just felt right to me that I took it back over." With him taking over the offensive coordinator role, Reel said his goal is to put his guys in spots to be successful. "The one thing I've always wanted to do as an offensive coordinator is to do the things your personnel can do well," said Reel. "We're going to base our offense around the talent that we have and what they can do really well. I don't want to make them something they're not because I want our guys to succeed. We're going to have some similarities to last year but with a few new wrinkles and changes." On the offensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs will once again be led at quarterback by junior Lincoln Huskey who will be entering his second year of being the full-time starter, as he also started some games as a freshman. Reel is looking forward to seeing the year that Huskey can have this season, especially after the Bulldogs added former Limestone head coach Brian Turk as the quarterback coach to help guide the young passer. "With Coach McDowell and I handling more of the offensive line, we needed someone to be a constant with our quarterbacks, so we brought in Coach Turk this year," said Reel. "Coach Turk has a great football mind and is a great advisor to Lincoln on helping him understand what we're wanting to accomplish. Lincoln is a great player and is now starting to understand what defenses are doing against us and what we have in our offense to counter those things. He's done a great job this summer and he's just so athletic as he scored last year at Spartanburg on a 77-yard run. He has the ability to make big plays and has just gotten better. If we can give him the time, I look for him to have a big year." At the running back position, the Bulldogs will be looking to replace Kam Williams who graduated last season. Reel believes that they have two players in Javen Chhim and Ry'Shaun Morgan that can be real trouble for teams next year. "Both Javen and Ry'Shaun have great ball skills coming out of the backfield," said Reel. "They're both tough runners on the inside and you wouldn't guess it, but Javen is one of our strongest kids on the team pound for pound. Those guys are going to be weapons in both the running and the passing game and our job as coaches is to get them as involved as we possibly can. It's my job to get the playmakers the ball in space and let them do what they do." Along the offensive line last year, the Bulldogs were very young and thin at last year and it's a group that Reel said played hard but were just behind other teams in the weight room last year. "We didn't have a lot of depth there last year on the offensive line and the depth that we did have was young," said Reel. "It was no knock against them, but they were just young and facing some tough competition earlier than planned. We were behind in the weight room when we got here and we're working on catching up there, but those guys never gave up last year or let us down, we were just behind in our development. We're hoping that what they experienced last year has lit a fire under them this year to play at a different level as we got a ton of those guys coming back with a lot of experience from last year. We're also changing up some of our blocking schemes to give them better angles and better chances to be successful. I feel great about the group we have coming back as they worked their tails off in the weight room this past year as they're stronger and bigger, and we'll see how we match up against other people once the games begin." At the wide receiver position Reel feels very similar to the offensive line, as last year it was a young group that will only be better with another year under their belt. A few players to keep an eye on include senior Tre'Sean Taylor along with sophomores Eli Mobley and Grayson Crowe. "Last year a lot of our skill guys were JV guys that had to be moved up and be the guys for us last year," said Reel. "It was tough for them playing against the talent level we see every night and we struggled there some last year. When we got to the offseason, we met with every single player letting them know the things they done that were good and bad, we told them what our plans were to fix it and I think our kids have done a good job in being realistic with themselves and taking it to heart and have worked hard at getting better. We got some guys that minus a few have another year after this one as well that played a lot for us last year, so as a group they kind of went through the fire." One player that has been having a big summer for the Bulldogs is tight end Dekari Sterling and is someone the coaches think will be a big help to the offense. They believe that Sterling and fellow tight end Hunter Woodward could give other teams matchup problems. "He's just a kid that has come in, put his head down and went to work," said Reel. "We talked to him in the offseason about things he'd need to do to play at the next level and one of those things was to put on more weight which he has done as he's around 240lbs now. He's worked as hard as anyone in the weight room and really worked on his hands and through his dedication has given himself the chance to play at the next level. As a tight end and H-back, he's an extension of our offensive line but him along with our other tight end Hunter Woodward, we feel like they can be tough matchups for others." While the scores didn't always reflect it, the Bulldogs are returning a defense that held some big offenses down and gave the team multiple opportunities in some close games. "I felt like last year every game our defense played well but it just got to some points late in games that with our struggles on offense they just realized there wasn't a chance of coming back and that's just being honest," said Reel. "It's something that we talked about as a team, that we want to make sure we give ourselves a chance to be successful at all times. The defense showed up and showed out and we have a lot of guys back and we feel like we have a senior heavy group. Coach Graham is doing a great job with that group over there and we had a lot of compliments last year about how competitive that group was last year." On the defensive from the Bulldogs return to two seniors that include Calvin Jackson, Jr along with two juniors that they expect to see a lot of playing time from this year. "I think Calvin has the ability to take things over when he wants to," said Reel. "When we get in spots where teams have to throw the ball, he's going to be an issue for them, but I think the thing we don't talk about enough is how well he has played against the run. He's bought into what we've told him, and he's worked hard to learn techniques and there's things he does that can be tough on offenses this year." At the linebacker position, that group will be led by senior JoJo Barrett who Coach Reel says is not only the leader of that group but the heart of this team. "Not to slight anyone else but I believe that JoJo is the heart of our football team," said Reel. "He's a leader and the ultimate competitor whether it's checkers, practice, 7-on-7, or an actual game, he wants to win. He goes out to compete every night and will give you everything that he has which is the type of kids that we want. We want kids that aren't scared and play hard all the time. He's just a phenomenal young man as he's got a 4.3 GPA, plays multiple sports, and very involved with his church. He's the most secure player I've seen in who he is, and he plays with that attitude. He's just a football player." In the secondary, the Bulldogs will return guys with a lot of experience along with a sophomore transfer that the team expects a lot from. They return seniors Amayjai Boyd, Jared Chinloy Mickens, and Kam Foster while also adding sophomore Jeremiah Favorite to the mix, who transferred in from Myrtle Beach after last year's football season. "Amayjai and Jared played a ton for us last year and Kam was as well before getting hurt," said Reel. "Having those three guys back helps a ton and with Favorite coming in with his pedigree after what he done as a freshman at Myrtle Beach, he has the ability to take away one side of the field. With those guys back there, it's going to allow us to do a lot of things on the back side of the field that you can't always do." The special team's unit will see a familiar face return to the punting position as junior Kyle Patterson will return to start and he's also become a key player at the wide receiver position. "Kyle done a good job for us last year as he averaged thirty-four yards a punt," said Reel. "He's one of the most athletic guys in our program as he'll also play wide receiver some as well as he has a real big playmaker for us there this spring and summer. He adds a vertical threat to our offense as well." Reel said that at the kicking position they have a lot of young guys that will be battling it out through the fall and said that it will probably be a week of the first game decision on who starts. With a new season approaching the Bulldogs will look to see a lot of improvement this season as they go through another season of a strong schedule that kicks off on August 18th at home against TL Hanna. The Bulldogs will have six home games this year with only four away games as homecoming will be on September 22nd against Clover and senior night will be on October 20th against Spartanburg. Thompson Taking Dreams To The NFLWhile Boiling Springs fans are looking forward to the upcoming football season, they will also be keeping their eyes on the happenings at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, which is the training camp home of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings. Boiling Springs fans will be interested in the Vikings camp because after a five-year career at Georgia Southern, former Bulldogs player Najee Thompson is competing for one of the 53 spots on their active roster. Thompson was a standout performer for the Bulldogs during his time at the school as he was a starting defensive back on the 2016 Upper State championship team and won multiple track and field events including state championships in the 100m and 200m events during his senior year. He said that he just feels blessed to be getting the opportunity to get to compete for a spot on a NFL roster. "This experience it's just a dream and you go through it day to day knowing you're blessed to be in this spot," said Thompson. "The feeling will never set in until you get that first action on the field in a uniform but for me personally it's a chance I get to change my life and my families doing something I've done for year. I not only love this game, I live this game." During his time at Georgia Southern, Thompson played both wide receiver and cornerback but the one thing that he excelled at most was his play on special teams which won him multiple awards, it's also going to be a key in earning him a spot on the Vikings roster. Thompson said he loves special teams because he knows how important it is to a team and knows he has to work at it each day to be the best he can be at the position. "The special teams unit is so important to the NFL, it's unreal," said Thompson. "It doesn't matter what round you were drafted in because you have to show them that you can do three-fourths of the game (offense, defense, special teams, and sideline energy). For me, the most important thing about special teams is doing the dirty work that isn't always seen but it's known amongst the team what was done and how it was done. I'd say special teams is the hardest thing to do in the NFL. I love it thought because it's a challenge and I actually have to work at my craft every day." Thompson said that it's great knowing that he has his hometown rooting for his success and that the Upstate of South Carolina holds a special place in his heart. "Having my hometown behind me through all the ups and downs I have face means a lot," said Thompson. "It means a lot that they are behind me and show me a lot of love when I come home, and it just shows that no matter how hard times get to just keep fighting and chase that dream. So many teachers at Boiling Springs have helped me, believe it or not, and the 864 has a special place in my heart and I'll never forget that." He said that the first time he steps on the field for a NFL game that the emotions will be unreal for him. "The emotions going onto an NFL field is going to be unreal because it'll be my first chance to step onto a professional field," said Thompson. "When I step foot on the field, I'll be getting to complete another part of my dream and it's going to be an amazing feeling, like a little kid in the moment with butterflies in my stomach." Thompson got her first taste of the NFL life on Thursday night as his Vikings competed on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in the first preseason game for both teams. He made his presence known pretty early for the Vikings as in the second quarter he had back-to-back great plays, one being a strong open field tackle against a Seahawks punt returner and right before the half downed a punt inside the five-yard line to pin the Seahawks deep. Bulldogs Looking Forward To Tough Schedule In 2023With the recent release of the South Carolina Prep Media Poll, it revealed that the Bulldogs will once again be facing a vaunted schedule but it's something that the Bulldogs believe they're better prepared for this season.
With the recent polls it revealed Gaffney as #2 in 5A, Byrnes as #5 in 5A, TL Hanna as #7 in 5A, Spartanburg as #8 in 5A, and Dorman as #10 in 5A. Along with the ranked teams Hillcrest and Chapman were just outside the Top-10 in the 5A and 3A polls respectively. While for some people it may look like a daunting task but for Boiling Springs head football coach Matt Reel and his band of Bulldogs, they look at the schedule as full of opportunities. "We knew what we were getting into when we accepted the job," said Reel. "I remember when I left North Myrtle, our athletic director here at Boiling Springs Coach Moxie called me and told me the schedule and I said 'Good let's saddle up.' Our kids know what's expected of them and they know our schedule, it's what you get when you play in the toughest regions in the state of South Carolina." Reel said that while everyone knows quality in their region schedule, they also play a strong out-of-region schedule. "Our non-region schedule is as good as anyone else's as well," said Reel. "We'll find out where we are early on starting off the season here at home against TL Hanna. Some teams have to go and search for a good competitive game, but we don't have to do that because every game on our schedule is a quality team. Whether it's our region schedule or the rivalry game against a Chapman team that went deep into the 3A playoffs last year, our schedule is built to be a competitive one." He believes that playing in a tough region like they do, it only makes them stronger when it comes time for the playoffs. "If you can win your region or be competitive in your region, if your region is what you claim that it is you have an opportunity to be playing for a state championship," said Reel. "We're going to learn a lot about ourselves with this schedule like we done last year and see how much we've grown. With this schedule each week is a grind, and you find out a lot about who you are as a team." Reel said that while the schedule is going to be a challenge, his team is going to show up each week and compete as their mentality is to win each play. "Our guys are going to show up each week and they're expecting to win on Week 0," said Reel. "Our mentality is winning the day whether that's winning against another opponent or winning against ourselves, our mentality is to win no matter what. We know nobody is going to give us anything easy but to get this program where we want it to be we have to get the win every day in everything we do." Boiling Springs will kick off the 2023 season with a home matchup against TL Hanna as they look to start their new season with a hot start. |
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