Boiling Springs BaseballAfter taking the defending state champions to the brink of elimination last season in the district championships, the Boiling Springs baseball team is looking to rebound this year and make a run at the state championship themselves this year. "Our guys have remembered how our season ended since the final pitch last year and we've worked hard all offseason with that on our mind," said Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lipscomb. "We're just champing at the bit to get the season started and I think if we stay healthy while swinging the bats well, we could have a pretty good team. We break it down after every practice and workout on 'state champs' because we want our guys knowing we're capable of winning the state championship. If our minds are right and we're willing to work, our motto is 'why not us'." Boiling Springs won 19 games last season on their way to the Region III-5A championship before falling in the final game of the district championship series to eventual 5A state champions Hillcrest. The Bulldogs will be returning five starters off last year’s team that will be headlined by All-State selection and Clemson commit Tristan Smith. He’ll be joined by fellow All-Region selection and Limestone commit Davis Starnes who returns at third base for the Bulldogs. Hudson Wilson will return to man the shortstop position for the Bulldogs for the second straight season as Luke Compton will return to patrol the outfield for the Bulldogs. The pitching staff will be a major strength for Boiling Springs with left hander Tristan Smith and fellow right-handed starter Landon Ellis leading the rotation for the Bulldogs. As the Bulldogs look to replace last year’s region player of the year, Will Holmes who now plays for The Citadel, they look to get key innings from left handed pitchers Jackson Cole and Dylan Anderson as well as right hander Davis Starnes. Behind the plate the Bulldogs will look to replace former catcher Vance Wagner with a mixture of Brent Fowler and Nick Campbell as they’ll be in charge of directing the Boiling Springs pitching staff. "When Tristan Smith is pitching we know that we have a shot to win each game he's out there," said Lipscomb. "You don't see arms like that in high school ball routinely and he's the most dominant pitcher I've ever coached. Landon follows Tristan and commands the strike zone and really competes every pitch. We also add lefties Jackson Cole and Dylan Anderson along with Davis Starnes. As far as pitching goes, we're very capable and those guys will give us a shot every time out if we can score runs for them." While Wilson and Starnes will man the left side of the infield the Bulldogs infield will see a mixture of Jackson Reel, Corbin Childers, Jackson Cole, and Chancen Cole along the infield as well. In the outfield the Bulldogs will have Luke Compton and Tristan Smith, when he’s not pitching, along with a mixture of Ashton Smith, Richie Lewis, and Jackson Kostiuk. "We're really confident with how our defense is shaping up to start this season," said Lipscomb. "We have a lot of strong guys returning and we're looking forward to what some of the new guys are going to bring to the team. All of our guys are still competing and we're liking what we're seeing so far this offseason." The Bulldogs will play quite a tough schedule this year and it's one that Lipscomb says is one of the toughest he's ever put out. "This is one the hardest schedules I've put out in a long time," said Lipscomb. "I love playing good competition, but you look at just the Spartanburg County tournament we start out with Hillcrest. Then we compete in the IP Classic against AC Flora who is number one in the state at 4A and then York who is top ten. After that we face Eastside who is number two in 4A along with playing Dorman and our normal region schedule. Last year we didn't start out well but played well as the season went along and it's like they say, it's not how you start but how you finish." Boiling Springs will kick off their preseason schedule playing in two separate tournaments, the Steve Sanders Tournament (at Chapman and Duncan Park) from February 25-March 1st and the IP Classic in Georgetown, SC from March 3-6. The Bulldogs first home game will be March 15th against Eastside at 6:30 PM. Boiling Springs SoftballAfter being left out of the playoffs last season, the Boiling Springs softball team is looking to get back to familiar territory of the 5A playoffs this season with a younger team but one that has put in a lot of work this offseason. The Bulldogs finished just short of the playoffs last season due to Covid protocols only allowing the top two teams from each region to compete in the playoffs last season (as they finished in third place). "We're excited about this year because the kids have really worked hard this offseason," said Bulldogs head coach Randy Piazza. "We have probably worked harder this year than we have in a lot of years. We took advantage of the twenty days they gave us for the offseason and I see some good things from this group." The Bulldogs finished last season with an 18-7 record and will be returning seven players from last year's team. That group will be led by All-Region sophomore Bri Stanley who will be moving into the pitching spot for the Bulldogs, taking over for long time pitcher Olivia Hall who is now playing for USC Upstate. "The kids that are gone you don't just replace them but Bri has so much confidence in herself," said Piazza. "If you watch her walk to the plate, she walks there with plans to hit the ball and on the pitching circle she just takes control. She hasn't had the time pitching that other people have gotten in high school ball, but I believe you'll see her attack that with the same confidence." With a young team the Bulldogs will be relying on their experienced players which includes third baseman Kate Philbeck, second baseman Jacie Ross, utility player AD Raines, catcher Saydie Parris, along with outfielders Gracie Geddes and Bri McAbee. The experience of this group Coach Piazza hopes will bring stability to a young Bulldogs team. "One thing I can say about this team is it's a very versatile group," said Piazza. "In the past we've had players that only played certain positions but this year we have kids that can move all over the field and be productive." After losing seven seniors last season, the Bulldogs will be looking to fill those roles with younger players and one of those players the Bulldogs will be counting on in 2022 is Leaha Rushing, who the Bulldogs expect to play all around the infield. In the preseason the Bulldogs will be competing in the Chesnee Preseason tournament but with parts of the games being held at Boiling Springs it gives the Bulldogs a chance to bring back some of their history. While the Bulldogs will be hosting part of the tournament at their new field, they will also be hosting part of it at their old field on Blalock Rd where the 2013 Bulldogs won the school's only softball state championship. Coach Piazza says he’s excited about the opportunity to get play games again at the old field. "That old field was a place you just had so much confidence when you went to play there," said Piazza. "There's a lot of good memories and history there. It's very exciting to get to play some games there again and maybe we'll get some more opportunities to play there in the future." Boiling Springs will kick off their regular season in a road game at Landrum on March 11th before hosting their first regular season home game of the year against Chesnee on March 14th. Boiling Springs Boys GolfWhen the 2021 boys golf season ended, it was the Boiling Springs team that was holding the 5A state championship trophy in victory. While there will be some new faces on the team in the 2022 season, the expectations for the team are still the same as they look to repeat as champions again this year. “We look to continue our success from last year despite losing three long time accomplished players,” said Bulldogs head coach Josh Pruitt. “We have a very capable team and plan to have success throughout the season. We have a very strong tournament schedule that will prepare us for the postseason and we plan to make a run at another state championship.” Last season the Bulldogs won every match they competed in along with winning four different tournaments (The Red Raider Invitational, The Rebel Invitational, West Florence Stableford Tournament, and The T.C. Ezel Invitational) on their way to the state championship. They also won the Region III-5A and 5A Upper State championships last season as well. They will have three starters returning from last year’s team and that group will be led by Andrew Gregory, who was named All-State and All-Region last year while also being named medalist in numerous events last season. He will be joined by fellow All-Region selection Clayton Taylor and fellow returning starter Walker Greene. The newcomer to the group will be Walker Ingram, who the Bulldogs will look to get contributions from this year as they go on a mission to defend their region and state championship titles. Boiling Springs, who was recently voted preseason number one in 5A SC Golf Coaches Association poll, will tee off their regular season schedule on March 7th in The Rebel Invitational at River Falls Golf Course, a tournament they won last season and a tournament which Andrew Gregory won the medalist honors. Boiling Springs Boys LacrosseThe Boiling Springs boys lacrosse team is coming off a 7-6 record against the fourth best schedule in the state last year and they believe that the experience they got from last season along with seven returning starters will help bring success to the Bulldogs in the 2022 season. The Bulldogs will enter the 2022 season as the number eight ranked team in lacrosse according to the SC lacrosse coaches preseason poll. “We’re going to have as much depth as ever this season,” said Bulldogs head coach Justin Mills. “Last season we had the fourth most difficult schedule in the state and this year will be much the same as we have matchups against a nationally ranked team, three out of state teams, and six teams that finished in the top 20 of the state last year, including the most difficult region in the state. We have a lot of depth and experience returning this season on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.” Boiling Springs will return seven starters from last year including All-State and All-Region selections Mathias Oslund (Emmanuel College signee) and Micah Shane Horton (Montreat College signee). They will be joined by fellow members of the starting lineup from last year Jordan Reid (Emmanuel College), Elijah Smith, Brooks Bishop, Cameron Wagner, and Chase Miller. On offense the Bulldogs will have a lot of depth that includes two All-State players as they return midfielder Mathias Oslund and face-off player of the year Micah Shane Horton while also looking to get key contributions from Elijah Smith. They will also have a deep bench that includes several ninth graders who they expect to get a lot of playing time. The defensive side of the field will see the Bulldogs have a battle between two goalies this season and those two goalies will be surrounded by a lot of experience as they return defensive players Cameron Wagner, Jordan Reid, and Ethan Westall to help defend the cage. The Bulldogs will also be looking to get key contributions from newcomers Lincoln Huskey, Javen Chhim, Will Bowen, Parker Lamb, and Michael Nat as they battle against a tough schedule this season. They will return to another competitive region that includes state powerhouses Fort Mill and Nation Ford along with Clover. In the preseason the Bulldogs will compete in the Upward Classic on February 12th before hosting nationally ranked Charlotte Catholic in a home scrimmage on February 21st. They will start their regular season with a road matchup against Clover on February 24th before hosting their first regular season match of the year against Spartanburg on February 26th at 12:00 PM. Boiling Springs Girls LacrosseThe Boiling Springs girl's lacrosse team is excited and looking forward to the start of the 2022 season as they return an experienced group that includes ten starters from last year's team. "We're excited for the 2022 season to begin," said Boiling Springs head coach Michelle Lockwood. "We are confident the progress we made last year will continue into the upcoming season as our varsity team has a number of players with high school and club level experience." The experienced group returning for the Bulldogs includes senior midfielder Lani Hodge (an Anderson University commit), senior defensive player Breanna Mitchell, junior attacker Kirsten Fisher, and junior midfielder Mia Lockwood who will all be captains for the team this season. They will be joined by two more players who recently committed to play lacrosse in college next year as Emily Krechko (Anderson University) and Isabella Boyd (Newberry College) will also return as important players for this year's team. The group has played a lot of lacrosse together from a young age which the Bulldogs believe will help in their success this season. "We have high expectations for an improved performance in our region this year as we've been working on our leadership qualities and team unity," said Lockwood. "We have ten returning starters and many have been playing together since fifth grade. Our goal for this season is to finish better than 9-7 and we are looking forward to winning them one game at a time." Boiling Springs will kick off their regular season on February 22nd in a home match against Spartanburg with a scheduled start time of 7:00 PM. Boiling Springs Boys SoccerWith sixteen returning players from last year's team the Boiling Springs boys' soccer team is looking to battle for a region championship and make a run in the playoffs during the 2022 season. The Bulldogs finished last season with a 5-5 record and despite finishing fourth in the region didn't get a chance at the playoffs due to Covid playoff restrictions limiting the number of teams allowed to participate in the playoffs last season. "We're going to have a strong and experienced squad this season that should be competitive in the region," said Bulldogs head coach Jack Underwood. "This is the most experienced team produced at Boiling Springs in many years and will hopefully compete for the region title and if we do that then we can see what the postseason brings." The Bulldogs will be returning four All-Region players from last year's team as they see the return of goalkeeper Jaycee Lamb and defensive back Kaillou Touch to help secure the defensive side of the Bulldogs team. On the offensive side they'll see the return of midfielder Peyton Pressley and leading goal scorer, forward Christian Gonzalez. Those four will be joined fellow returners Josh Bravo, Alan Horton, Dylan Bell, Evan Buckmeir, Miguel Delgado, Yonathan Gonzalez, Sam Gurrero Ponce, Alan Horton, Isaiah Maldonado, Daniel Ocampo, Roger Ocampo, Avery Plummer, and Robert Silva. Boiling Springs will also look to get key contributions from newcomers Will Poplawski and Erick Ramirez. After a preseason schedule that will see them compete against Catawba Ridge and Spartanburg along with playing in the Columbia Cup from February 25-27, the Bulldogs will kick off their regular season on March 2nd at Greer. Boiling Springs Girls SoccerAfter finishing last season with a 2-9 record the Boiling Springs girls' soccer team will look to improve on that record this season and surprise some teams as they look to build on a solid foundation. "I'm excited to get the season started as we have seven seniors that will be the foundation of our team," said Boiling Springs head coach Kyle Campbell. "I believe we will surprise some teams this season after a few poor seasons the last few years." Boiling Springs will look to build their foundation around seven senior players. Senior goalkeeper Abby Fisher (Spartanburg Methodist commit) will return as goalkeeper this season for the Bulldogs and along with senior Alaina Brown will look to anchor the Boiling Springs defense. Senior Shiloh Worth (Spartanburg Methodist commit) will be called upon a lot at the outside midfield position this year while junior Kenturah Meadows will return to the midfield where she will be asked to command the game and start the Bulldogs offense. Seniors Chloe Hendrickson, Emily Barnes, Tori Beheler, and Kylie Horton will also be key to the Bulldogs success this season. Juniors Emily Vargas and Dreyahna Nesbitt will be key to scoring goals for the Bulldogs as Coach Campbell looks to them to be a dynamic duo at the forward positions. The Bulldogs will also look to get key contributions from freshmen Charley Kerr and Sophie Crosby who they expect to get quite a few minutes this season. Boiling Springs will start their preseason with a match at home on February 15th against Woodmont before participating in the Viking Cup at Spring Valley from February 25-26th. The Bulldogs regular season will begin on March 4th in a home match against Mauldin with an expected start time of 7:15 PM. Boiling Springs Track And FieldThe Boiling Springs track and field team will be a young group but one that will seek to see improvement throughout the 2022 season. They will also see a change in leadership as Scott Lucking takes over as the Boiling Springs Director of Track and Field Operations, taking over for their former coach, Coach Butler, who left the program in December for opportunities outside the track and field community. "We are a pretty young and inexperienced team," said Lucking. "Hopefully as the season goes along some kids will grow and develop into some real talent." Junior Carmelo Martin will be leading the young Bulldogs track team after having a strong season last year finishing in second place of the 100m event and third place in the 200m event at the state track championship meet last season as a sophomore. Boiling Springs fans first chance to see their team at home will be on March 2nd when they host an intrasquad scrimmage. They will also get to see the Bulldogs battle for a region championship as Boiling Springs will be the host school for the Region III-5A meet this season. Boiling Springs Boys TennisAfter finishing in third place in region last season the Boiling Springs boys' tennis team is looking to build on that success as they return all but one starter from last year's team. Unfortunately, last season with their third place finish in region because of Covid restrictions the Bulldogs just missed the playoffs but this season their goal is to return to the familiar territory of the 5A playoffs. "The guys have trained harder than ever before in the offseason getting involved in various UTSA events and getting personal lessons," said Boiling Springs head coach Caleb Weathers. "Within the first couple of weeks of practice, the guys have already looked ten times better than they did at the end of last season. We are still in a tough region, but we have a lot of opportunity to do something special this season and anything short of making the playoffs this year would be a huge disappointment." Boiling Springs will return six starters from last season that will be led by All-Region player Rishi Patel along with Seth Evans, Chandler McCraw, Nate Miller, Sam Corbitt, and Richie Khouri. They will also look for key contributions from newcomers Trent Henderson and Hunter Briles as they look to replace the only vacated seat in the starting group from last season. The Bulldogs will start their season on March 1st in a jamboree at Woodruff before taking part in the Sparkle City Invitational on March 3rd and 5th. The Bulldogs first home match will be March 7th against Woodruff at 4:30 PM.
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