INMAN, S.C. – After a 24 hour delay due to inclement weather, the Chapman Panthers faced off against the St. Joseph’s Catholic School Knights to wrap up pool play in the Bill Metcalf bracket of the Steve Sanders Tournament.
Two big innings and a strong outing on the mound propelled the host Panthers to a 10-4 victory over St. Joseph’s. In the opening frame, Chapman sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six times. Hudson Moss and Kole Brown reached on a walk and base hit, respectively. Moss scored on a Knight error, while Brown scored from third on a Coleman Gray single. Jack Settle tallied a bases-loaded walk, which plated Gray for a 3-0 Panther lead. The big hit of the inning came off the bat of Wesley Shipman, as he sent a 1-1 offering to the centerfield wall for a three-run triple that plated Cason Owens, Devin Roe, and Settle, staking the Panthers to a 6-0 advantage. “That’s big time for Wesley,” said Chapman head coach Steven Fusaro. “It was his first at-bat here at Chapman and he came through with that triple. He’s a guy we’ve really been working with his swing, trying to get him used to our approach and what we’re trying to do. I’m really proud of him staying in the middle of the field there. I thought he had three really good at-bats tonight.” Settle also posted a solid performance on the hill for the Panthers, as he held the Knights to an unearned run in five innings of work. The senior right-hander also scattered three hits and struck out five St. Joseph’s batters. “That’s what Jack has done the whole time he’s been on the mound for us over the last two years,” stated Fusaro. “We feel really good with our pitching staff from top to bottom, but Jack’s going to be a huge part of our starting rotation. He’s also a guy we’re going to lean on for some big innings as we go through the year.” The Panthers struck again in the fourth inning, scoring four runs on three hits, featuring a two-run blast to left field by Brown for a 10-0 lead. St. Joseph’s plated a run in the fifth inning on a Chapman error and added three runs in the sixth on a pair of home runs to provide the final margin. “K.B. has tons of power,” Fusaro stated when asked about Brown's play. “He’s a guy that as he plays more and more, there’s going to be a lot of people taking notice of him. He is a great player and a great teammate. We are super excited that he’s on our team.” After concluding play in the Sanders Tournament, Chapman (2-1) will have a quick turnaround as they will make the trip down Interstate 26 to face the Woodruff Wolverines in a non-region contest. The start time is slated for 6:30 PM. Chapman BaseballAfter falling just two games short of the school's first ever state championship last season, the Chapman baseball team is hungry to get another chance at winning it all and according to some they're the favorites to win it all this year. In the South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association Preseason Poll released earlier this year, the Panthers are the ranked as the #1 team in the 3A poll. While the Panthers are happy to be looked at as the favorite in the preseason, Panthers head coach Steven Fusaro knows it means nothing if they don't finish the season there. "Last year we won the upper state championship and this year we have been focused on making up those final two games that it takes to finish this year as the state champions," said Fusaro. "While the team this year will start the season ranked number one, the goal of this team is to be the first in school history to finish the season ranked number one." In their pursuit of their first baseball state championship, the Panthers will return six starters from last year's Upper State championship team along with three players that got some key playing time. The Panthers will return three All-Region players from last year that starts with catcher, and Charleston Southern commit, Johann Rodriguez. He will be joined by Jarren Metcalf who was a two-time All-Region player at second base and will shift over to his natural position of shortstop this season. Along with Rodriguez and Metcalf, the Panthers will see their infield filled out with junior Hudon Moss at second base, along with Cason Owens (a USC Sumter commit) and Coleman Gray. The outfield will be led by All-Region player Devin Roe, who is a three-year starter in centerfield and will look to be the anchor of a strong outfield. They will also get some key contributions from junior Kole Brown, who will man right field and hit in the middle of the Panther's lineup. On the mound the Panthers will have to replace last year's ace Ricky Montalvo but feel like they have some strong candidates in the rotation this year. They will have senior Jacob Cogdell leading the way on the mound while also getting big innings from seniors Cason Owens and Jack Settle. Chapman will kickoff their march to a hopeful run back to the state championship series on March 6th at Spartanburg. Prior to that they will compete in the Steve Sanders Tournament from February 24th-27th as they will host games on Friday and Saturday against Hillcrest, St. Joseph's, and Boiling Springs. Chapman SoftballThe Chapman Panthers softball team is looking to build on their success from last season and with most of their starters returning, they could make a deep playoff run as they'll be hunting their first state championship trophy since 2005. "We're looking to do very well this season," said Chapman head coach Casey Green. "We hope to make a deep run into the playoffs." Last season the Panthers finished the season with 18 wins and finished in third place of the region behind perennial powerhouse Union County and last season's 3A state champions Broome. Also, after entering as a third seed, they went to the playoffs and won their district championship. The confidence is high for the Panthers softball team as they return eight starters from last year's team that included three All-Region players that is led by pitcher Reagan Garrett. Garrett will be the ace in the pitching circle for the Panthers while adding a strong bat in the middle of the lineup. Fellow All-Region selection Abby Gossett will also see time in the pitching circle for the Panthers this season while also playing third base and adding another strong bat in the Panthers lineup. She will be joined on the left side of the infield by the third All-Region selection in Sarah Byrd who brings a solid glove to the shortstop position and a tough bat at the top of the lineup. The rest of the infield will see Autumn Fisher return at second base and Haley Coley returning behind the plate while also adding great speed on the base paths. In the outfield the Panthers will return experienced outfielders Krislyn Britt-Wilder, who was threat at the plate last season, and Madison Elrod who will also be a key hitter in the Panthers lineup. The Panthers will kick off their season March 6th in a home game against local rival Boiling Springs. Chapman Boy's SoccerAfter a really impressive season last year that saw the Panthers boy's soccer team fall in the 3A Upper State semifinals to Powdersville, they will look to get back to the playoffs with a much younger team this season. The Panthers lost nine seniors from last year's team that included six starters, three of which were All-Region players. While the Panther's lost a lot of players they will be bringing back five starters from last year's team. "We will have a mixture of young and inexperienced players alongside some battle-tested veterans," said Chapman head coach Chris Dowdell. "I expect we will be competitive but our new region is tougher and with the amount of roster turnover we've had it may be hard to repeat all we done last year. I do expect us to compete for a playoff spot though this season." Chapman will return five starters from last year that include All-Region players Falco Salbaum and Brandon Vallecillo. They will be joined by fellow returning starters Daniel Johnson, Jackson Vissoury, and Zachary Steading. Those starters will be joined by a large group of newcomers that will look to take the place of seniors that they lost last year. The Panthers will kickoff their 2023 regular season in a home match against Spartanburg that will start at 7:00 PM. They will also take part in a preseason tournament in Greenwood on February 18th and 19th, starting off with a match against BHP. Chapman Track and FieldAfter a strong season last year that saw both teams win a region championship and have strong showings at the state meet, the Chapman track and field team will look to back up that performance again this season. After winning a region championship last year and fifth place finishes in both the upper state and state meets, the Chapman girls team is looking to have a big year with a lot of experience returning. "I expect my Lady Panthers to come out strong and focused," said Chapman head coach Robert Gray. "I have a veteran group returning to pose a threat in several events. Their potential is equally as great in claiming a region title and getting as many in the state championship meet." The Lady Panthers return nine starters from last year's team as they return seven All-Region players in Polly Addington (100m), Lilli Melton (400m hurdles), the 4x400m team (Grace McDaniel, Clara Gramling, Peyton Holmes, Addington, and Melton), and the 4x800m team (Sofia Woodard, Holmes, McDaniel). Polly Addington, Sofia Woodard, Lilli Melton, Clara Gramling, Kaley Jackson, Grace McDaniel, and Peyton Holmes also were named All-State last season. They will also return Taryn Rodgers, Chloe Hudson, Mya Jackson, Ny'Kerria Williams, and Makhia Williams along with newcomers Kara Twitty, Mahkai Williams, Ne'Kerria Williams, and Marquisha Sturdivant. Chapman's boy's track and field team will look to repeat their success from last season after winning the region championship along with a second-place finish at upper state and a fourth-place finish at the state championship. "My expectations for the boys are for them to take control of their position in our region," said Gray, "They are strong and experienced enough to be a threat in their events. What we're weak in, we definitely make up for it in other areas so my confidence in this Panther squad is strong." The Panthers boys' team return 14 starters from last year's team including All-State and All-Region athletes Rashawn Cunningham (high jump) and Taylor Dunning (pole vault) along with All-Region athlete Abe Fyffe (shot put) and All-State runner Dylan Chambers. They will also look to get key contributions from returners Johnson Wilson, Kaden Thompson, Nigel Pate, Dawson Walters, Johnny Poland, Alex Cox, and Kaden Thompson. They'll also look to get contributions from newcomers Shamon Black, Noah Byrd, Alius Hill, Nick Scruggs, Keilon Tucker, and Blake Williams. The Chapman track and field team will look to kick off their regular season on March 2nd in a meet at Landrum against the Cardinals and Blue Ridge with the meet set to begin at 5:00 PM. *If a spring sports team isn't represented, it's because we never received any response from the team after multiple email attempts.
The 2022-23 season for the Chapman Lady Panthers basketball program concluded on Saturday afternoon in a second round matchup against the Southside Tigers. Despite the 81-32 loss, it was still a remarkable year for the Panthers.
In the second half, Clara Gramling knocked down a triple from the wing. Moments later, Caroline Garner and Grace McDaniel each made a shot from long distance off assists from Krislyn Wilder and Elliot Miller, respectively. McDaniel and Rylan Ivey each tallied a steal and basket from close range, while Kara Twitty corralled an offensive rebound and putback. Starting in mid-January, three members of the team surpassed a milestone during a three week and two day span. Gramling and Wilder each scored their 1,000th career point, while Garner recorded her 500th career rebound. Those may be individual accolades, but the three captains understand that they did not achieve those feats on their own. “They’re not selfish,” said Chapman head coach Leslie Boyd. “They are selfless. They put others first and realize that those accomplishments probably wouldn’t happen without the involvement of the people around them. They’re good people, good sisters, good friends, and I'm just proud of who they are for our program.” With the season’s end, the Panthers will see both Gramling and Garner graduate after outstanding four year careers on the varsity level. The imprint that the two seniors have left on the program is significant. “They’re part of the group who established the foundation for ‘The Sisterhood’, what it means, and the embodiment of it,” Boyd stated. “Both of them bought into the program – not just on the court, but off the court as well. I’m just very proud of their legacy of being a good sister and teammate that they’re leaving behind.” Throughout the campaign, several players also gained valuable game experience and made contributions – including Miller, Ivey, Addy Lawson, and Africa Ackbar – which should bring excitement about the future of the program. “There were a lot of things we were able to accomplish and a lot of goals we met,” Boyd added. “We watched a lot of players get better on and off the court, so I’m proud of who we’ve become as people throughout the season. We never lost our true purpose in ‘The Sisterhood’ and ‘The Force Is Female’.” “We did a great job of being good people, teammates, and sisters, which is what we teach them first. Through the ups and downs, we had fun and the girls made memories. That’s what it’s all about.” WOODRUFF, S.C. – The first round of the 3A women’s basketball playoffs featured a matchup between two longtime foes as the Chapman Panthers traveled down Interstate 26 and faced off against the Woodruff Wolverines.
It was a pair of captains who helped set the tone in the latter three quarters and led Chapman to a 63-52 victory over Woodruff. Over a minute and 42 second span in the opening frame, Clara Gramling knocked down her first three tries from long distance, with two of those shots aided by passes from Krislyn Wilder. The latter of Gramling’s makes from the arc resulted in a one-point Panther lead with 2:50 left in the frame. “We were excited to play this game,” Gramling exclaimed. “When we found out who we were playing, we knew that we were the better team and as long as we played our game, we were going to be okay. I decided to shoot my shots and they went in, so I chose to stick with it.” The back-and-forth battle continued into the next frame with Woodruff holding a two-possession lead. Wilder found Gramling for another triple, while Wilder was on the receiving end of an Elliot Miller dish for a three pointer that tied the game at 20. Over the last two-plus minutes of the quarter, Chapman scored six of their last eight points in the frame from the charity stripe. Following two Gramling free throws, a Wilder fastbreak layup resulted in a two-point Chapman lead. Grace McDaniel knocked down two shots from the line with 12 seconds left that gave the Panthers a three-point advantage at intermission. “Coming into this gym and playing a game is hard,” said Chapman head coach Leslie Boyd. “Woodruff is a great team and program. (Clara) stepped up in big moments early in the game and hit tough shots. That’s something she’s done her whole career, but tonight was special knowing a win depended on it.” Two quick three-pointers by Wilder off assists by Gramling and Caroline Garner quickly extended the Chapman lead to 38-29 less than a minute into the third quarter, resulting in a Wolverine timeout. Kara Twitty notched an offensive board and putback, while Wilder found Garner in stride for a layup. Adeline West hit a cutting McDaniel in stride for a driving layup, sparking an 13-2 run for the Panthers that bridged from the third into the early portion of the final frame. During the run, Garner recorded two assists, including an inbound play where she found West for a midrange jumper. “I call them my ‘littles’,” Gramling said about her younger teammates. “I love seeing my ‘littles’ get out there and have fun with it while seeing the progress from the beginning of the year until now. It makes me really excited because I see a lot of myself in them in how they’re learning and progressing.” “Elliot came in and got to the free throw line early in the game,” Boyd added. “Grace brings a lot of toughness and grit on the defensive end. Kara (Twitty) cleaned up some buckets down the stretch. Our entire bench was locked in from the time the ball went in the air. This was a team win that we can be proud of.” Gramling finished with a game-high 27 points for Chapman, along with 20 points from Wilder and six from West. Woodruff was led by Kylie Hitchcock with 14 points. Next up for the Lady Panthers is a second-round playoff game against Southside on Saturday. Further details regarding the start time were not available at publishing time for this story. INMAN, S.C. – Tuesday night was a night for celebrations. The biggest cause for celebration was Chapman’s 54-44 victory over Broome in Region 3-3A play.
If that weren’t enough, sophomore Krislyn Wilder was honored for crossing the 1,000-career points mark, while two seniors – Caroline Garner and Clara Gramling – played in their final home game and were recognized during Senior night festivities. “I never would’ve made it to 1,000 points without my teammates,” Wilder exclaimed. “They create space and open up shots for me. Hitting this milestone as a sophomore shows that grit has a big part in this, too. We came together, let our seniors have their night, and made sure they knew that we’re going to try and make it as far as we can (in the playoffs) so they have more practices, games, and experiences with us.” “Krislyn is not someone out here just looking for buckets,” Chapman head coach Leslie Boyd said. “She’s getting her teammates involved, playing defense, and doing the little things. It’s a very big milestone, but it doesn’t speak to the total player that she is. I’m very proud of her and our program.” Trailing early in the first quarter, Wilder found Garner on the left side for a three pointer and a one-point Panther lead. Later in the frame, Garner tied the game with another triple off an assist from Gramling. Over a six-minute span in the second quarter, Chapman outscored Broome by a 14-7 margin. Grace McDaniel deflected a Broome pass that led to a Wilder fastbreak layup, while Gramling and Elliott Miller each earned successful trips to charity stripe. “Honestly, I just go out all out,” said McDaniel about the mentality on the defensive end. “I want to do everything that is possible to get stops and get the ball back. Getting deflections really helps us make a change (on the scoreboard).” Miller deflected a pass that ended up in Garner’s hands, who then hit Wilder in stride for a fastbreak basket. Garner capped off the half with a buzzer-beating triple that staked the Lady Panthers to a 25-17 advantage. Early in the second half, Wilder dealt with some foul trouble, which meant Miller took on some of the point guard responsibilities. With time winding down in the third, McDaniel tallied a steal and three-point play, which made a nine-point Panther lead entering the final stanza. “My mindset was to play the best defense that I could,” Miller said. “I was trying to get rebounds and help box out. I’ve been gaining more confidence with (more) playing time because it makes me feel like the coaches believe in me and it helps me play better.” A close range shot from Kara Twitty extended the Chapman lead to 14 points with 6:04 remaining, but an 8-0 burst by Broome made it a 46-40 contest. Down the stretch, Wilder and Gramling each knocked down a pair of free throws to secure the win. “The approach was to come out with some intensity,” Boyd stated. “We challenged our girls to play hard for the seniors and the program. Elliott stepped up big time. She played with confidence and kept the team afloat. I’m very proud of what she did on the court tonight.” “Grace is everywhere. She is either getting rebounds or frustrating (an opponent). Tonight, was her big night, regardless of what was in the scorebook. She created several moments for us defensively.” Wilder finished with a game-high 25 points for Chapman, along with 10 points from Garner, seven from Gramling, and six from Twitty. Broome was led by Anaya Wofford with 10 points. Next up for the Lady Panthers is a first round playoff game against the second place team from Region 4-3A. Further details were not available at publishing time for this story. BOYS – Chapman 74, Broome 72 It was quite a battle between two familiar foes in game two of the Region 3-3A twin bill. Prior to the contest, three seniors – Ryan Hunter, Daniel Johnson, and Dalton Mahaffey – were honored during a pregame ceremony. In the final frame, Johnson knocked down a three-pointer on consecutive trips down the floor, creating a 61-54 Panther lead with 5:30 to play. Hunter also capitalized on an opportunity, as he tallied a steal and fastbreak layup on the next possession. A putback by Shawn Cunningham made it a 67-59 Chapman advantage, but the Centurions responded with two driving layups that made it a four point game with two minutes remaining. Two Brady Poole free throws and a Landon Henderson basket later tied the game at 72 with 15 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds, Mathai Scott was fouled and went to the free throw line with 9.7 seconds left. Scott made both, giving Chapman a two point lead. Broome had three different looks on the final possession but came up empty. Cunningham led the Panthers with 24 points, followed by Johnson with 15 points, Colt McAllister with 12, and Mahaffey with nine. Poole scored a game-high 30 points for Broome, along with 11 points from Coyie Poole. GREER, S.C. – In a single basketball season, it’s a rarity to have one player reach 1,000 career points. On Friday night, another member of the Chapman Lady Panthers basketball program joined that elite club just two weeks after a teammate accomplished the same feat.
The only thing that could have made the night more special was a victory. It was a back-and-forth affair in the second Region 3-3A matchup between Chapman and Blue Ridge. When the final buzzer sounded, Blue Ridge held off a late Chapman rally for a 54-47 win. Caroline Garner tallied the first points of the game with a three pointer at the 7:27 mark, which gave Chapman an early advantage. A putback and a triple by Krislyn Wilder later staked the Lady Panthers to a one-point lead with under three minute to play in the opening frame. Blue Ridge used an 8-0 run to take a 15-8 lead early in the second quarter. Off a deflection, Wilder looked up court and found Clara Gramling for a fastbreak basket. Later, Grace McDaniel knocked down a midrange jumper from the right elbow, while Wilder corralled another offensive rebound and putback that made it a five-point game at intermission. With 6:24 left in the third quarter, Wilder surpassed the 1,000 career points mark on a pair of free throws that cut the Blue Ridge lead down to a one score contest at 27-24. Later in the frame, Garner hit Gramling in stride on a pair of fast break opportunities, which made it a 31-28 deficit with 3:18 left in the quarter. During the final stanza, Chapman pulled even with Blue Ridge twice within the span of a minute. In the first instance, Wilder caught a pass from Gramling and finished strong at the basket. Following a Blue Ridge basket, McDaniel muscled in a shot from close range, tying the game at 40 with 3:58 to play. Down the stretch in the fourth quarter, the Tigers created a two possession lead and made some key free throws for the win. Wilder finished with a game-high 22 points for Chapman, while Gramling scored 12 points and Garner added seven. Zi Henderson scored a team-high 17 points for Blue Ridge. Next up for the Lady Panthers is a home game against Broome on Tuesday, February 7th at 6 PM. BOYS – Blue Ridge 61, Chapman 50 In the boys’ game, a Harrison Bridges basket put the Panthers in front early. Following a Blue Ridge basket, a Daniel Johnson triple from the top of the key gave Chapman a three-point lead. The Panthers outscored the Tigers by five over the last three-plus minutes of the frame. Colt McAllister hit a close range shot from the left baseline followed by another Johnson three pointer and a Shawn Cunningham layup for an 18-10 Chapman advantage. Blue Ridge used a 7-2 burst over the final two and a half minutes to pull within a 28-26 deficit of Chapman at the halftime break. Two clubs continued to battle in the second half, which featured a pair of ties. Blue Ridge took a three-point lead with just over six minutes remaining and outscored the Panthers by eight over the reminder of the contest. Johnson led the Panthers with a team-high 10 points, along with nine points from Cunningham and eight from Ryan Hunter. Blue Ridge was led by Nash Somero with 18 points, followed by Isaiah Smith with 17 points and 12 rebounds. The Panthers will return to action at home against Broome on Tuesday at 7:30 PM. INMAN, S.C. – The return matchup in Region 3-3A play between Travelers Rest and Chapman was quite the back-and-forth affair on Tuesday evening.
It was a nail biter from start to finish, but when the final buzzer sounded, Travelers Rest edged the Chapman Lady Panthers by a 40-39 tally. Midway through the first quarter, two assists – one apiece from Caroline Garner and Krislyn Wilder – led to a pair of Clara Gramling three-pointers and a one point Lady Panther lead. Trailing by nine in the second stanza, a Kara Twitty putback and a Wilder triple pulled Chapman within five of the Devildogs. “Our challenge was to be better defensively,” said Chapman head coach Leslie Boyd. “We did a great job with our defensive effort tonight. It just came down to who had the ball last and who made the most out of the opportunities. I’m proud of our mindset tonight, even though we came up short.” On the next trip down the floor, Gramling found Garner on a backdoor cut for a basket, which trimmed the deficit down to three points at the break. Another Gramling triple, along with four straight points from Wilder put the Lady Panthers ahead by four near the halfway point of the frame. Adeline West also recorded an assist during the 7-0 run for Chapman. After a quick 4-0 burst by the Devildogs, Wilder found Rylan Ivey in the right corner for a three and a 28-25 Chapman lead. With less than 10 seconds left in the quarter, Grace McDaniel recorded a steal & made two free throws to give the Lady Panthers a three-point advantage entering the final frame. Six lead changes occurred over the last five minutes and 25 seconds of the contest. Twitty and Ivey each recorded an offensive rebound and putback, while Garner added another three-pointer for a 37-36 Chapman lead with just over a minute remaining. However, Travelers Rest used another 4-0 burst to hang on for the win. “It’s so fun to play here in ‘The Den’,” Boyd stated. “Our fans, parents, and community show out and we knew that we’d have energy coming into this game. It was good to have Adeline back in the lineup. It allowed her to relieve Kara some, but also play alongside as well.” “Rylan has been rolling lately. She struggled early on in region play, but she found her way after the Broome game. It’s so fun to watch her compete on the court – knowing and accepting her role – and being ready to step up in big moments. I’m very proud of her as a sophomore and am excited about what she’s going to continue to bring to our program.” Gramling finished with a team-high 10 points for Chapman, along with nine points from Wilder, seven from Garner, and six from Twitty. Next up for the Lady Panthers is a road contest at Blue Ridge on Friday, February 3rd at 6 PM. BOYS – Travelers Rest 68, Chapman 43 The opening frame of the boys’ game featured one tie and a pair of lead changes over the first three minutes. The Devildogs broke the seal with a triple 15 seconds into the contest, but the Panthers quickly answered with a Nazar Ackbar basket and Mathai Scott three-pointer to take a two point lead. Travelers Rest extended their lead into double digits off a 9-0 burst to open the second quarter, but a Daniel Johnson triple and a Scott fast break layup cut the deficit down to 29-19 with 3:30 left until intermission. An 8-1 burst early in the third quarter allowed the Devildogs to expand their lead and claim the win in Region 3-3A play. Cunningham led the Panthers with a team-high 14 points, along with nine points from Johnson. Travelers Rest was led by Drew McKibben with a game-high 20 points. The Panthers will return to action at Blue Ridge on Friday at 7:30 PM. |
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