INMAN, S.C. – It has been a steady progression for the Chapman Panther softball program over the past three seasons since Casey Green took the reins of the program for which she once played.
The Panthers advanced to the Upper State round in 2022, finishing four wins shy of a state championship appearance. During the 2023 campaign, Chapman played their way to the Upper State championship before falling by a 7-2 margin to Crescent. Chapman struck first in the opening frame as Krislyn Wilder drew a walk and sprinted home on an Abby Gossett RBI single to left-center field. Crescent plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning for a 3-1 lead. Sarah Byrd led off the third by reaching base and swiping second moments later. Byrd advanced to third base on a groundout and crossed home plate on a passed ball, which cut the deficit to a 3-2 margin at that juncture of the contest. Though that run wasn't enough to get Chapman past the Tigers, it helped reveal the Lady Panthers' potential -- while cementing the fact that this team belonged where it was. “It’s a good place to be,” Green said. “Ultimately, the hard part is not the loss but knowing you won’t be playing with those two (Byrd and Gossett) anymore is tough. I looked at our two seniors and told them that (our team) would be back in this same game again next year. That’s our goal and I truly think that we will be back.” The Panthers posted a remarkable 22-7 record that saw them sweep all eight region games en route to the Region 3-3A title. During the Upper State round, Chapman notched a pair of road wins over Daniel and Wren, respectively. Green points to several things as strengths not only for the team in 2023, but in the years moving forward. “They came to play ball and showed out at the plate,” Green stated. They showed tenacity throughout a long season. We basically start at the beginning of January and here we are finishing up at the end of May. It’s a long season and they showed a lot of grit.” With the season’s end, the Panthers will see seniors Sarah Byrd and Abby Gossett both move on to play collegiately at Spartanburg Methodist College and Wofford, respectively, after outstanding careers on the varsity level. According to Green, the duo has made an enormous impact on the program that goes beyond the field. “Both of them are six year varsity players,” remarked Green. “I’ve had three years with them. Not only are they great ball players who will continue their careers locally in college, but they are awesome human beings. They’re great to be around and you just really couldn’t ask for two better girls. That’s what we’re going to miss – two dang good kids.” Chapman will return an experienced group next season that includes the likes of Hailey Coley, Autumn Fisher, Reagan Garrett, Kayla Hardin, Rylan Ivey, Sam McPhail, Sophie Whitley, and Krislyn Wilder. Byrd, Fisher, Garrett, Gossett, Ivey, and Wilder each received All-Region recognition. Green was named Region 3-3A Coach of the Year, while Garrett earned region Player of the Year honors. Byrd was chosen to play in the North/South game, while Garrett and Fisher were named to the All-State team. INMAN, SC - On Monday afternoon longtime Boiling Springs baseball's top assistant coach John (JD) Goodwin was named the new leader of the Chapman baseball program and he says it is an opportunity that fit everything that he and his family were looking for in a school and a community.
"Chapman is a great opportunity for my family and myself as we felt like it was a place that checked all the boxes for what we were looking for in a school," said Goodwin. "With two small kids we were looking for somewhere with great schools, which they have in Chapman, and the baseball program has been a very successful one already. The kids there know how to win and that was an enticing factor to us. We're just looking to continue to build on the success they've had and bring the community the state championship that they've been looking for all these years." Goodwin has spent the past nine seasons standing alongside Boiling Springs head coach Jeff Lipscomb where they have seen the Bulldogs win multiple region championships and made it to numerous Upper State championship series. Prior to his time with the Bulldogs he was the head coach at Broome High School for five years where he led the Centurions to the 2A state championship series. He says that one thing that he has learned in his years of coaching at both Boiling Springs and Broome is that to win a team has to be tough and have grit, which is going to be something that he'll preach with the Panthers as well. "I've always tried to hang my hat on as a coach is having a team that is tough and playing with grit," said Goodwin. "I think that goes a long way in winning close ballgames especially when you're playing in big time situations in the playoffs. Sometimes it's not the most talented team that wins but it's the team that plays the hardest that wins those big ballgames." Goodwin said that while he was at Boiling Springs they got some opportunities to watch the Panthers program and there were some things that stood out to him about the team. "One thing that has stood out is the way they conduct themselves," said Goodwin. "I have a ton of respect for what Coach Fursaro has done there and going to back to what Coach Carr and Coach Metcalf have done as well. The game of baseball is very important to the community and the school and that's somewhere you want to be as a baseball coach is somewhere where the sport is that important to everyone. We're just wanting to continue to continue and build on that success." He said that from his first time as a young head coach at Broome to now, he has learned a lot that he feels is going to help him be a successful coach at Chapman. "I was really fortunate to be a head coach at such a young age," said Goodwin. "After running the program at Broome for five years, I got the opportunity to coach under Coach Lipscomb at Boiling Springs for nine years and he's just an incredible man. He's not just a great baseball coach but a really good man. He done a great job of building young men and it's something we took great pride in at Boiling Springs and we're going to work on doing that at Chapman also." Goodwin said that the support from the community at Chapman is well known and he says that was a major draw in choosing to join the Panthers program. "As a coach you dream about being at a place that has the community support like they do," said Goodwin. "The community support there is unbelievable. I know growing up in Spartanburg County you're able to see that support along with the love for the school that they have. It's exciting for your kids to the opportunity to play in front of a packed crowd every night and have a true home field advantage that's important especially heading into the playoffs." While many in the baseball community around Spartanburg know Coach Goodwin he said he wants the people that don't know him know that he's going to run a program that has pride in everything they do. "We're going to be a group that has pride in everything that we do," said Goodwin. "We're going to be very professional in our business and run a first class program that people respect. We're going to be a group that makes our community proud not just on the field but also in the community and walking the halls of the school. We want to be a program that everyone can be proud of and that goes beyond just wins and losses but also joining with the parents in developing better young men." Goodwin is a graduate of Broome High School ('02) as well as a graduate of Newberry College ('07) with a master's degree from Western Kentucky ('12). Panthers Softball Keeps It Rolling To Upper State Championship Game After Defeating Hurricanes5/17/2023
PIEDMONT, S.C. – For the second time in a week, the Chapman Panthers faced the Wren Golden Hurricanes, this time in an elimination game. Midway through the contest, the Lady Panthers found a spark at the plate and emerged with a 5-1 victory, earning a berth in the 3A softball Upper State Final.
Trailing by a run entering the fifth inning, the Chapman batting order came to life. Rylan Ivey smacked an opposite-field double to right-center and advanced to third on a Hailey Coley sacrifice bunt. Autumn Fisher ripped a two-out single down the left field line and took second on an error, scoring Ivey to tie the game. “I was just looking for a good spot to hit the ball and get on base,” Ivey said. “I didn’t think I was going to hit it as far as I did. I was just hoping that we could put the ball in play. It means a lot (to play for Upper State). We’ve just got to push and keep going.” Krislyn Wilder drilled a double down the line to the right field wall, allowing Fisher to cross home plate. Sarah Byrd drew a walk that put two runners aboard for Reagan Garrett. Facing a 1-2 count, Garrett launched the next offering over the wall in left-center for her 13th home run of the season, staking Chapman to a 5-1 advantage. “I’m not going to lie – I thought it was a home run,” Wilder recalled. “For the past four at bats against their pitcher, I had been hitting pop ups on the infield. I just wanted to put my team in a position where we would be comfortable when we got back on the field. I knew that I needed to get at least two bases and get into scoring position. It means a lot for us to have this opportunity.” Garrett also twirled a gem in the circle for the Panthers, limiting the Hurricanes to one run on two hits and tallying six strikeouts on the evening. The defense also produced a pair of key plays. With a runner on and one out in the fourth, Sophie Whitley snagged a liner that appeared bound for left field and quickly fired over to first base for an inning-ending double play. Later in the sixth, Garrett made a diving grab on the third base side for an out. “I knew that I had to spin and locate the ball better than I did last Friday,” stated Garrett. “Honestly, my approach was different in that at-bat (in the fifth). I made sure that my hands were high and that I saw the ball all the way in. It feels really, really good to be playing for Upper State.” At the plate, Ivey finished with two hits in three at-bats, while Fisher and Wilder each notched a hit and run batted in. Byrd earned two free passes, while Abby Gossett also recorded an opposite-field double to right-center. Garrett finished 1-for-3 with a game-high three RBI. “Rae threw her heart out,” exclaimed Chapman head coach Casey Green. “It seems like once we get past the first or second inning, we settle in and start grinding. It was great seeing Krislyn pull through on her double, Rylan being there to score (the tying run), and Reagan coming up big with the home run.” “We focused on making contact and pitch selection,” Green added about the approach at the plate. “We told (our team) to wait on your pitch, especially with one or two strikes, and it seemed to work. My theory is when a team scores a run, we’ve got to score anyway. If we have to score one, that will tie it up and we can go at it from there.” Next up for Chapman (22-6) is a road matchup against the Crescent Tigers on Friday, slated for a 6 PM start. The winner advances to the State Championship series on Monday. CENTRAL, S.C. – Monday marked a road trip for the Chapman Panthers softball team as they faced Daniel in a 3A Upper State elimination game. On this evening, a go-ahead hit paired with a strong pitching performance lifted Chapman to a 3-1 victory over the Lions.
With runners on the corners and two outs in the second, Sam McPhail smacked an opposite field, two-RBI single to right that drove in Abby Gossett and Rylan Ivey for an early Chapman lead. McPhail also scored in the frame on a Lion error and gave the Panthers a three-run advantage. “We’ve got people one through nine (in the lineup) and even on the bench that can come in and do a job for us at the plate,” said Chapman head coach Casey Green. “Just making that timely contact is big, knowing that she only needed a hit and didn’t need to kill the ball. All she needed to do was force it out of the infield and that’s what she did.” Reagan Garrett posted a solid outing in the circle, tossing a complete game and holding the Lions to a run on seven hits on the night. She worked out of a two on, none out situation in the second with a strikeout, fly out, and groundout in succession. A Daniel runner moved into scoring position via an error in the fourth, but Garrett snared a liner hit back up the middle and then fired it to second for an inning-ending double play to keep it a 3-0 score. The Lions plated a run in the sixth on a delayed double steal that made it a 3-1 game, but that proved to be the final margin. “Rae (Garrett) pitched a great game,” Green stated. “She threw well and threw hard. She had to take a bandage off her wrist… and I think that kind of lit a fire under her. The team came back (on Monday) and had a good vibe. They even told me once they got to the field to hit that they were feeling good.” At the plate, Ivey and Kenslie Edwards each recorded an opposite field double, while three more Lady Panthers – Gossett, Sophie Whitley, and Autumn Fisher – also notched a base hit during the game. Next up for Chapman (21-6) is an elimination game on the road against the Wren Hurricanes on Wednesday, slated for a 6:00 PM start. The winner advances to the Upper State Championship series on Friday. INMAN, S.C. – It was a high stakes affair on Wednesday as the Palmetto Mustangs and Chapman Panthers clashed in the 3A softball District III final. An outstanding pitching performance and two big innings powered Chapman to a 7-0 shutout victory over the Mustangs, winning the district title and a berth in the Upper State playoffs.
In the opening frame, Chapman’s Reagan Garrett worked around a two-on, one-out jam by sitting down the next two batters down on strikes with six pitches. The Panthers capitalized in their first at bat when Autumn Fisher launched a solo home run – her third in the last two games – to straightaway center for a 1-0 lead. “I just wanted to go up there and get a base hit, but it ended up being more than that,” said Fisher. “That’s always good to do that. I go up there pretending that it’s practice and trying to not think anything of it. It feels great, but we definitely have some more competitors coming up (in the Upper State)." After Krislyn Wilder drew a free pass, Garrett smacked a single back up the middle to center that scored Wilder. Three batters later, a Rylan Ivey two-out base hit plated Garrett for a three-run advantage. Hailey Coley opened the second with an opposite field double to left. Three batters later, courtesy runner Abbie Skipper later scored on a Sarah Byrd RBI single. Next up was Garrett, who sent a two-run blast to left-center and staked the Panthers to a 6-0 lead. Garrett worked around a leadoff single in the third by inducing a fly out to center and two more strikeouts. The right-hander scattered six hits and notched five strikeouts in a complete game effort. “I knew that since I already faced them once, I had to make sure everything was moving and locating (in the strike zone),” Garrett stated. “Their pitcher kept going away, so I had a feeling they were coming back in just based on the way they were moving back and forth. I just knew that was my pitch (to hit).” “(Reagan) shows grit, keeps calm, and is out there to do her job,” Chapman head coach Casey Green remarked. “She trusts her defense and works for them to put the ball in play because she knows her defense will ultimately end up making the play.” The Panthers added another run in the fourth when Fisher reached on a fielder’s choice and sprinted home on a Wilder base knock. Palmetto advanced a runner to third in the final frame, but a pair of fly outs secured the win for Chapman. Hannah Lawter tossed five innings in relief for Palmetto, yielding a run on two hits. “I've told (our team) all along that if we hit the ball and make the routine plays, we’re going to be fine,” Green added. Garrett led the way at the plate by recording two hits in three at-bats, recording three Rbi and two runs scored. Coley went 2-for-2 with a walk, double, and run scored, while Fisher also scored twice. Chapman (20-5) returns to action on Friday with a home game against Wren. The start time is slated for 6 PM. INMAN, S.C. – Matthew chapter 23 and verse 12 states, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
During Steven Fusaro’s time as the Chapman High head baseball coach, that verse has been embroidered on the back of the hats worn by coaches and players alike, serving as a focal point for the program from varsity all the way down to the youth league. This past weekend, Fusaro’s 11th and final season at the helm came to an end in the district round of the 3A playoffs. It was announced last week that he would be stepping down at season’s end to pursue a long-term career goal of serving as a principal. Following the conclusion of Saturday’s playoff contest, Fusaro paused to reflect on his time at the helm of the baseball team. “The last 11 years have been a dream. It’s been my dream job at the place I’ve loved more than anywhere. It’s been at the place that has believed in, grown, and accepted me. It’s been very special; I’m not going to lie about that. It will always be a very special time in my life, but I know that God’s plans are much greater than my plans.” “The plans that have come about over the last month or so, I’ve just prayed to be obedient and to be humble through it all. I’m trusting (the Lord). I’m so blessed to have been part of these young people’s lives for this many years and the impact they’ve made on me – I hope they understand – is far greater than any impact I’ve made on them.” With the conclusion of the 2023 season, the Panthers will see six seniors graduate – Jarren Metcalf, Cason Owens, Jacob Cogdell, Devin Roe, Johann Rodriguez, and Jack Settle. The group has left an enduring imprint on the Chapman baseball program. “They were part of a team that took us back to the state championship for the first time in 20 years. They’ve got a chance to go on and play at the next level because they are really good players. More so than that, it’s been fun to watch them grow as people. I know that our kids (in the program) know, but I hope that the rest of this community knows that this program is not just about raising ballplayers. “It’s been about trying to raise quality young men who are going to be future husbands, fathers, and community leaders,” Fusaro continued. There’s no doubt in my mind that those six are going to have the opportunity to be part of this community for a long time and be impactful.” The Panthers baseball team has some foundational pillars that were put into place and have continued to increase as the past few years have progressed. Fusaro also deflected credit for the sustained success of the program to someone who has been there since the beginning of the 2013 campaign. “This program was filled with love for people, this community, this school, and these kids. This thing was built on relationships that will last a lifetime and I hope these guys understand that. We’ve had success on the field and that’s great, but I hope they realize and understand how much I love this place. I don’t think there’s many 38-year-olds who love Inman, South Carolina and Chapman High School as much as I do. That’s been bittersweet through all of this to know that I’m not going to be part of it, and that’s hard.” “Another big piece of this has been (pitching coach Jason) Settle. I’ve not coached a game without Coach Settle. This program would not be what it is without Jason Settle. Coach Settle and I have been together (on the coaching staff) for 11 years, pouring into this community. I know he feels exactly the way that I do about it as far as his love for the community, kids, and school. It’s been an absolute honor to coach with him, but more so than that, to have someone like him as my friend.” During his 11 years as head coach, the Panthers compiled 162 victories. Over his last four full seasons, Chapman earned four top-two region finishes, two region championships, two district titles, and an Upper State crown while accruing over 350 wins as a program (spanning the varsity, junior varsity, and C-Team levels). As he prepares to move on to the next chapter of his life and career at Chesnee Middle School as an assistant principal that was confirmed by a Spartanburg District Two announcement on Tuesday, Fusaro expressed how much the school has meant to him, along with his optimism for the future of the program. “The thing I want everybody to understand is that (Chapman) is special. It was special before me and it’s going to be special after me. There’s a lot of really, really good people and kids here. Our coaches are second to none. I know that just as God had plans for me and my family, God has planned this whole thing for somebody else and their family. “I just pray that person comes to the forefront, and they continue to take this program and push it forward. We’ve done some great things, but there’s always improvement to be had. I’ll be cheering for these young people to continue to push it forward.” INMAN, S.C. – There is just something special about hitting your first home run over the fence. It’s even more special when it happens in a playoff game.
Krislyn Wilder’s three-run blast to right field – the first home run of her career – in the sixth inning capped off a solid day at the plate for the Chapman Panthers softball team, claiming a 14-4 victory in six innings over the Palmetto Mustangs to advance to the District III championship. “I was just looking to put my team in a position where we would feel comfortable,” Wilder said about the approach at the plate. “Today starting in the first inning, we were getting runs and putting them up on the board, and it was a big part of our success in this game.” “It’s so nice to see a kid work so hard and for it to pay off in a timely manner for a walk-off shot,” Chapman head coach Casey Green exclaimed. “She works as hard as anybody else and it was just amazing to see it pay off, and the smile on her face.” An early tone-setter for the Panthers occurred during the first at-bat of the game as Autumn Fisher made a mad dash to tag out Palmetto leadoff batter Riley Brown. That carried over into the first at-bat for the Panthers as Sarah Byrd smacked a two-run, opposite field shot to right-center for a 2-0 lead. Palmetto plated a run in the third on a base hit and error to cut the deficit in half, but Chapman responded in their portion of the inning as two doubles – one apiece by Byrd and Rylan Ivey – drove in three runs for a 5-1 lead. Abby Gossett singled in the fourth and scored on a Sophie Whitley base knock, where Whitley later scored on a wild pitch. Gossett also tallied an RBI single in the fifth. “If we hit the ball, you could not convince me there’s a better team in the Upstate as far as if we hit like we can,” Green stated. “There are days we come out and it’s like, ‘Where did our bats go?’. We’ve got seven players in the lineup that can potentially hit the ball out – that is insane. Hitting is contagious. It takes a little bit of the pressure off, and you go up there more relaxed.” Chapman struck for four runs in their next two innings that included Fisher hitting a solo home run in consecutive at-bats, resulting in a 10-2 advantage. Palmetto cut the deficit down to six following a two-run home run, but Wilder ended the Mustangs’ half of the frame with a diving grab in left-center for the third out. The two round trippers for Fisher were her seventh and eighth of the 2023 season, respectively. “I always go up to the plate pretending it’s like practice,” Fisher explained. “I just try to put the ball in play. I never go up there looking to hit a bomb or anything. That’s a great feeling (to hit back-to-back home runs). It makes me feel like I’ve done something good for my team.” Wilder went 4-for-4 with a double, a walk, three RBI and five runs scored, while Fisher, Byrd, and Reagan Garrett each notched two hits in four at bats. Byrd tallied three runs batted, along with two by Ivey and one apiece by Gossett and Whitley. All nine Chapman batters recorded at least one hit during the contest. Chapman (19-5) returns to action on Wednesday with a home game against the Palmetto/Seneca winner. Spring sports schedule for Saturday, May 6th 3A Baseball District playoffs – Woodruff at Chapman, 6 PM INMAN, S.C. – The district round of the 3A softball playoffs cranked up on Wednesday as the Chapman Panthers played host to the fourth-seeded Clinton Red Devils. A dominant outing in the circle and numerous contributions at the plate propelled the Lady Panthers to a 20-0 shutout victory over the Red Devils in five innings.
It all started in the pitcher’s circle for Chapman as right-hander Reagan Garrett was dominant, surrendering only one hit – a flare to shallow right in the first – while compiling nine strikeouts in the complete game effort, including six in a row spanning the first to third innings. Chapman found a groove in the second by sending 11 up to bat and scoring seven runs. Abbie Skipper (courtesy runner for Garrett) scored on a Sophie Whitley double to left center, followed by a Rylan Ivey RBI opposite field triple to right that plated Whitley. Kayla Hardin drove in Ivey for a three run Panther lead. Autumn Fisher and Sarah Byrd each tallied a two-RBI single, extending the lead to 7-0 after two innings. The Panthers tacked on nine runs in the third that included a Krislyn Wilder RBI groundout, Byrd two-RBI triple to right, and a Sam McPhail RBI base knock. Chapman also scored four more times in the fourth, featuring a two-run shot to left-center by Garrett that provided the final margin. At the plate, Byrd recorded three hits in four at-bats, three runs scored, and a game-high five runs batted in. Whitley was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, while Ivey also went 2-for-3 with two triples and three runs scored. All nine starters for Chapman scored at least one run in the contest. Chapman (19-5) will return to action on Friday at home against the Seneca/Palmetto winner. Further information regarding the start time was not available at the time this story was published. Spring sports playoff scoreboard and notes from Tuesday, May 2nd 3A Boys’ Soccer playoffs 2nd Round – Seneca 2, Chapman 0 -Panthers finish at 14-2-1 overall. -Won second region title in as many seasons. Day one of Region 3-3A Track & Field meet (at Broome HS): WOMEN Kaley Jackson – Region champion (Discus) Mya Jackson – Region champion (Long Jump) MEN Shawn Cunningham – Region champion (High Jump, Long Jump) Taylor Dunning – Region champion (Pole Vault) Schedule for Thursday, May 4th 3A Baseball District playoffs – Chapman at BHP, 6:30 PM 3A Girls’ Soccer playoffs 2nd Round – Chapman at Daniel, 6 PM INMAN, S.C. – Tuesday evening marked both the start of the 3A baseball playoffs across the Palmetto State and Senior Night for the Chapman Panthers, as they recognized Jarren Metcalf, Cason Owens, Jacob Cogdell, Devin Roe, Johann Rodriguez, and Jack Settle during a pregame ceremony.
Appropriately, it was the seniors who led the way and powered the Panthers to a 13-3 victory over the Woodruff Wolverines in five innings. The first three Panther batters – Hudson Moss, Roe, and Kole Brown – reached base on a double, walk, and fielders’ choice in the first inning. Moss raced home on a wild pitch, while Roe scored on a Wesley Shipman sacrifice bunt, staking Chapman to a 2-0 lead. “It’s not just this game (tonight), but it’s been throughout the last three years,” said Chapman head coach Steven Fusaro about the play of the seniors. “This group has been playing on varsity since they were sophomores. They made a ‘Cardiac Cats’ playoff run two years ago and then last year made a run to the state championship. It was a lot of fun to see them step out, be confident, not be fearful of the moment, and be exactly what they’re capable of being.” Woodruff took a one run lead in the third on a two-run Collin McAbee single and sacrifice bunt, but Chapman responded in their next at-bat with base hits by Roe and Rodriguez and a free pass to Brown to load the bases in the bottom of the frame. Shipman smacked a single to left that scored Roe while a Cason Owens sacrifice fly to center plated Brown for a 4-3 Chapman advantage. The Panthers put up a crooked number in the fourth, plating six runs in the inning. Hank Tolleson singled and later came around to score on a Roe sacrifice fly. Following a Wolverine error, the big hit of the frame came when Rodriguez sent the first pitch he saw over the left-centerfield wall for a two-run shot and a 7-3 Chapman lead. “You have to attack the opponent and put up as many runs as you can,” Rodriguez remarked. “I keep the same approach every at-bat no matter who is pitching. We stuck to our approach as a team and kept passing the baton one by one.” On the mound, Settle posted a solid outing as he held the Wolverines to three runs (two earned) while striking out four batters in four and two-thirds innings of work. The right-hander also helped his own cause with a two-run double in the fourth. “I just go out there and try to do my thing,” Settle stated. “I know that I can really trust my teammates behind me, which helps me throw strikes and do my job. When it was 5-3 and Johann hit that bomb, I started to feel more comfortable. I feel like we’re all locked in and ready to go make a run.” In the fifth, Roe touched home plate on a Rodriguez single to left. Following a Shipman base knock and intentional walk to Owens, which brought up Metcalf to bat with the bases loaded and only one out. The senior shortstop ended the game with a two-RBI double to centerfield, which invoked the mercy rule and provided the final margin. “I had told Cason that he was up (to bat) and said a base hit scores them,” recalled Metcalf. “They walked Cason and then I was up. I said to myself, ‘A base hit scores them.’ I had two strikes on me, so I just tried to hit it up the middle. We started out good tonight with Jack on the mound and Johann had the big bomb that really set the tone for the game.” At the plate, Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI, followed by Shipman with three hits, two runs batted in, and three runs scored. Roe was 1-for-1 with a single and RBI, but also reached base thrice and scored three runs. “It feels awesome (to get the win),” Rodriguez added. “With it being my senior year and the news about Coach Fusaro and Coach Settle leaving (at season's end), there’s nothing more that I want to do than to put a (state championship) ring on their hands.” Chapman (18-7) returns to action on Thursday with a road game against Belton-Honea Path. The game is slated for a 6:30 PM start. Spring sports playoff scoreboard and notes from Tuesday, May 2nd 3A Girls’ Soccer playoffs – Chapman 8, Emerald 1 · Lady Panthers win first round playoff match o Improves to 12-3 overall · Next match: at Daniel o May 4th o Start time TBA Notes: o Ryan Hunter signed with Spartanburg Methodist College for Track & Field o Rylee Simpson signed to play volleyball at Truett McConnell University Schedule for Wednesday, May 3rd· 3A Softball District playoffs – Clinton at Chapman, 6 PM 3A Boys’ Soccer playoffs 2nd Round – Seneca at Chapman, 7 PM INMAN, S.C. – The start of the 3A boys’ soccer playoffs on Monday evening meant a fresh start as the top-seeded Chapman Panthers played host to the Union County Yellow Jackets, the fourth seed from Region IV-3A.
After suffering their first loss last week, one could say the Panthers used it as motivation. Chapman’s defensive alignment created chaos and evolved into a relentless attack on the offensive end of the pitch, pulling away for an 8-0 shutout victory over the Yellow Jackets. In the tenth minute, Chapman notched a steal and followed with a long pass ahead to the defensive third of the field. Another Panther tracked it down and fired a shot on goal, which deflected off the Union County keeper and directly towards Brandon Vallecillo, who sent it to the top right corner from 14 yards away on the left side for a 1-0 Panther lead. “(Our team) didn’t like the way it felt walking off the field last Tuesday (after the regular season finale),” said Chapman head coach Chris Dowdell. “They needed to know that when you get to that higher level and lose your focus for just one moment, you will lose... Tonight, they kept their focus for most of the game.” “Brandon is one of the top players in this area, regardless of classification. He shows his class over and over with every chance he gets. He has been in a bit of a slump – by his standards – over the past two weeks as he hasn’t been scoring in bunches like he was before. He’s got that burst of speed and close control. He puts that defender to sleep for just that one second and then blows right past him.” Twelve minutes later, Vallecillo dribbled the ball over near the fringe of the 18’ on the far left and sent a cross towards Rowan Block for a header from close range and a 2-0 lead. Tyler Garcia quickly corralled a deflection in the six yard box and found the top right corner of the net, making a 3-0 Panther advantage with 15 minutes left until intermission. Union County recorded two shots from long distance late in the half in the span of a minute, but both were offline and allowed the Panthers to maintain the three goal lead. Chapman added five more goals in the second 40 minutes, as Block and Garcia each tallied their second goals of the night. Carson Desjardins also added a pair of goals, along with one from Tim Yakovenko. Jakob Schall recorded two assists, while Mario Armendariz, Zach Steading, and Vallecillo each tallied one apiece. Defensively, the Panthers held the Yellow Jackets to three shots, one of which was on goal. “I’ve been doing what I did in Florida for 10 years (prior to coaching at Chapman),” Dowdell stated about the Panthers’ defense first approach. “It’s always built on a structure of good, organized defense. These kids can tell you the defensive tactics, names, and phrases that we use over and over, drilling it into their heads. They don’t give up chances very much.” “Get ready to dig deep (against Seneca) because it’s going to be a battle of wills, good decision making, and discipline. You have to be able to take your chances when they happen, so if we find ourselves in front of the goal, we’ve got to be more clinical than we were tonight. We just have to have that commitment to and patience with defending.” Next for Chapman (14-1-1) is a second round match at home against the Seneca Bobcats on Wednesday. The start time is slated for 7 PM. |
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