2026 S.C. Press Association Awards Presentation (Part B)

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Jonathan Vickery The People-Sentinel

Jonathan Vickery Publisher jvickery@thepeoplesentinel.com

Blackville and Barnwell County lost a self-less servant and community advocate last week.

Vivian Tobin-Alston, a native of Blackville, passed away quietly in her sleep on July 9 after being on hospice since the end of April, said her daughter, Robin Alston-Santiago.

“Ms. Vivian Alston. A woman whose heart beat for her community, whose voice spoke up for the voiceless, and whose presence brought warmth, strength, and light to all who knew her. Her tireless dedication inspired those around her and left an indelible mark on every life she touched,” said former Blackville Mayor Michael Beasley.

Alston was born in New York City, but grew up in Blackville.

Though she lived in New Jersey throughout much of her adult life, she returned to her beloved hometown of Blackville in 2002 after retiring. However, she didn’t sit idle. She got involved to help make her community a better place.

“She always had a good heart and was always looking out for others,” said friend Mattie Felder.

Alston served many years on Blackville Town Council, as well as many other organizations and boards, including Blackville Area Historical Society, Blackville Civic Club, Blackville Community Development Corporation, Blackville Downtown Development Association (BDDA), Friends of the Library (Barnwell County and state levels), Barnwell County YMCA, and Blackville-Hilda Booster Club. Additionally, she is a member of the Barnwell-Blackville NAACP, Barnwell Democratic Club, and Barnwell County Arts Council.

“She was a kind and caring person who gave a lot to Blackville. She loved to do for Blackville. I admire the way she

See ALSTON, 14A

City Council discusses accessibility & yard Vivian Alston was community friend, tireless advocate for Blackville

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OBITUARY DIVISIONS D & E COMBINED

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Paul Hyde

Greenville Journal

This is a wonderful, uplifting story about the life of a local theatre "superfan" who voluntarily wrote encouraging Facebook reviews of local plays. A love story about his support of local theatre and his relationship with his partner. This is what local news should be: highlighting unsung heroes who make a community special. Bravo!

annual Festival on the Avenue with a parade, dance, praise, food and more on Saturday along Manning Avenue. See more photos on A9.

Annual event celebrates South Sumter

BY ALAYSHA MAPLE alaysha@theitem.com

There's a certain magic to Manning Avenue during the annual Festival on the Avenue — a kind of warmth you can't quite explain, only feel.

This year's festivities were no different as it brought back that feeling of celebrating all that makes Sumter, Sumter. You could see it in the joy of children dancing — some in vibrant costumes, others in just jeans and sneakers, all moving with the same kind of freedom. You could hear it in the music echoing down the street from our local high school musicians at Sumter High and Lakewood High. To add fuel to the harmonic fire, Benedict College's "Sound of Distinction" and Kennan High School's marching band were special guests at this year's parade. Whether from right here in town or miles away, they filled each note with pride and purpose, playing to keep people on their feet and smiles

or state identification card since 2018 in South Carolina, then they likely already have a Real ID.

The Palmetto State began issuing Real ID licenses and ID cards on Feb. 28, 2018, according to the state DMV official who spoke with The Sumter Item

A small gold star in the right-hand corner of your South Carolina’s driver’s license or identification card indicates if it is a Real ID. If you have that, then you already have a Real ID and don’t need to do anything else. You can use that ID as proof of identity when flying and entering Shaw or secure federal buildings for official business.

On a personal note, my last driver’s license from the Sumter DMV office was issued in 2017, so I had to get a new one recently, even though my past license was still valid until 2027. The cost for a new license is $25.

The Department of Homeland Security has said it will start enforcing the Real ID requirement at all U.S. airports beginning May 7. That means travelers will need a Real ID-compliant license or other accepted form of identification to get through security before a domestic U.S. flight.

In recent weeks, federal and state officials have urged travelers to update licenses and other ID cards

SEE REAL ID, PAGE A11

BY ALAYSHA MAPLE alaysha@theitem.com

string, each one polished with love, in hopes that somehow they might capture a fraction of the life that was lived.

This is the case for loved ones of Sarah Witherspoon Nash Wilson — Sally, as she was af-

fectionately known. Born Feb. 10, 1924, in Sumter to the late Shepard Kollock Nash and Nancy Witherspoon McKay Nash, she was a graduate of Edmunds High School and Converse College. After graduating from University of South Carolina, she served as a Red Cross volunteer nurse during World War II. This early chapter of her life quietly highlighted her devotion to education and service and how far both could take you in life. Which is why after teaching

at Alice Drive Middle School and the passing of her late husband, John S. Wilson, the namesake for Wilson Hall, she would be the one to bring his idea of a school pillared on diligence and integrity to fruition. Wilson Hall opened in fall 1964 at First Southern Methodist Church with 87 students enrolled in grades first through sixth, according to The Sumter Item archives.

“When I drove up to see the doors of Wilson Hall open to the students, I sat in my automobile

and sobbed," Wilson told The Item in 2016. "It was not out of sadness but out of a dream that was fulfilled.”

Today, Wilson Hall is one of the largest private schools in South Carolina, enrolling about 830 students in preschool through 12th grade on a 17-acre campus with six buildings, the school reported.

With its expansion, Wilson remained a humble steward in its legacy.

SEE WILSON, PAGE A9

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A wonderful obit and sendoff for a true legend. Packed with information but written with real passion.

OBITUARY DIVISION A

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The State

The Post and Courier

OBITUARY DIVISION A

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Adam Parker

The Post and Courier

I felt like I knew this man after reading this obituary. I could hear his voice like "honey meandering over gravel." What a description!

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DIVISION G

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WRITING

COLUMN WRITING DIVISIONS

E & F COMBINED

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Melissa Foust-McCoy

The Manning Times

The mental health column was very well done and very important. The writer has an poignancy and readability that would keep me picking up this paper, just to read what she has to say, even if nothing else in the paper interested me. She hits the right balance between deep and light. The subjects she chose here are not easy to write about.

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COLUMN WRITING DIVISION

D

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The Island News

Great job! Very well written. Thought provoking and succeeds in stirring the emotions. A pleasure to read each one.

in the

Talk to your kids

COLUMN WRITING

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This story was well written and engaging, bringing the past to life through personal experiences, wisdom and making history meaningful.

HUMOR COLUMN WRITING

DIVISION

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Travis Jenkins

The News & Reporter

Fun, relatable, down to earth and approachable!

SPORTS REPORTING

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SPORTS REPORTING

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lede. Nice feature on Callaway's book. Good job highlighting history and encouraging event attendance.

Bitter end: Raiders edged by May River rally in state finals

By John Clayton Editor

The Laurens Academy girls basketball team

A Foundation for the Future

“We’ve been building on it since last year, and we knew we wanted nothing less than winning Upper State and getting to (the state finals).” The Raiders ended their season with a 32-4 record.

“It’s close-knit community, and they wanted to see this team win it all,” Jordan said. En route to the finals, LDHS advanced to the Upper State championship with a 34-33 win over Travelers Rest and then defeated Region 1-4A foe Fountain Inn 43-29 for the Class 4A Upper State championship –the program’s first Upper State crown. Against the Fury, LDHS notched five pinfall victories –by Dakota McCall, Gage Kemph, Zaine Kellett, Kai McCall and Crisley Martin –and technical fall from Leyden Gentry among its wins.

“This was our goal for the whole year,” said Jordan.

Micheal Brown picked up a pinfall victory over Sean Zadroga-McNulty at 215 pounds, the Raiders needed only one more victory to put the match out of reach for May River. That win never came. Following Brown’s pinfall, the Sharks delivered two pinfall victories of their own and two wins by technical falls heading into the final match. Brown delivered the final points of the match for the Raiders in front of a raucous crowd of Raiders supporters in the Dreher high gymnasium.

May River 36,Laurens 35 132 Danon White (MR) pinned Ke’shun Robinson (L)

138 Dakota McCall (L) pinned Braxton Stevens (MR) 144 - Micheal Aiken (L) major decision Thomas Brough (MR), 16-3

106 Stephano Caderlon (MR) technical fall Crisley Martin (L), 17-1 113 - Ryan Seman (MR) pinned Abel Miles (L) 120 Marcus Foulk (MR) pinned Cayden Fiddie (L) 126 - Liam Engblom (MR) decision Kai McCall (L), 8-1

The Region 1-4A coaches announced Monday that Lawson has been named Coach of the Year, and 11 Raiders received all-region honors. All-region performers include Crisley Martin, Abel Miles, Kai McCall, Jordan Miles, Dakota McCall, Michael Aiken, Leyden Gentry, Jonathan Pagoada, Gage Kemph, Zaine Kellett and Micheal Brown.

150 - Leyden Gentry (L) pinned Blake Butler (MR) 157 - Jonathan Pagoada (L) major decision Leandro Lamanaga (MR), 18-8 165 - Gage Kemph (L) pinned Henry Santiz (MR) 175 Zaine Kellett (L) decision Andre Cavalheiro (MR), 85 190 Josh Echeverria (MR) technical fall Zy Priestley (L) 215 Micheal Brown (L) pinned Sean Zadroga-McNulty (MR) 285 Beau Gwynn (MR) technical fall Jordan Stroud (L), 150

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Overall best entry with plenty of photos.

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Joe Wedra

Myrtle Beach Herald

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BE boys’ soccer team wins state title in thrilling overtime battle

Bishop England girls’ title bid falls just short

PHILIP M. BOWMAN

sports@thedanielislandnews.com

There aren’t too many high school soccer programs that can boast of winning a state championship at 12:05 a.m. to start a new day, arriving back on campus around 2:30 a.m., finally getting some much-needed sleep about 30 minutes later. Oh yeah, then get up for a pre-scheduled team banquet at 2 p.m.

That was the Bishop England High School boys’ soccer team’s itinerary that began after 9 p.m. May 24 and concluded shortly after midnight May 25, when the Bishops hoisted a state championship trophy into the night sky after defeating Daniel High School in overtime, 2-1, at Memorial Stadium.

It was the Bishops’ 18th state crown, the most by any South Carolina High School League boys’ soccer team in Palmetto State history.

The game started late because the Class AAAA girls’ championship ran long. The match pitted the Bishop England girls’ team against A.C. Flora High School. The Bishop girls were seeking their 13th state title, which would have tied Riverside High School for most girls’ state titles in state history.

Unfortunately, while the boys experienced the thrill of victory, the girls suffered the agony of defeat as A.C. Flora pulled out a 1-0 victory even though the Bishops domi-

nated the action with 18 shots on goal to the winners’ two shots.

The victory in the boys’ game was the Bishops’ first state title since 2016 and was a snapshot of the program’s history – past, present, and future.

The past included the legendary Ed Khouri. The former coach might not have been the founding father of the program, but he was the man who put the program on the national map.

The Jamaican gentleman coached the Bishops from 1994 to 2022 and finished with 513 victories. His teams accounted for 14 of the program’s state titles.

Second-year coach Brandon Costa knows all about Khouri and the dynasty he created.

Costa played for the Bishops and was the keeper on four teams that reached the state championship, including three that won state titles from 2007 to 2009.

“I learned a lot from Coach Khouri,” Costa said. “Of course he liked to win, but he is all about family.”

Costa has coached two of Khouri’s grandsons: Easton, who graduated last year, and Gunner, who played for the varsity as a freshman.

The Bishops’ victory was a thrill-of-amoment. Daniel, seeking their fourth consecutive state title, jumped to a 1-0 lead in a physical game.

But the Bishops had the talent, mettle, and enough left in their tank to battle back.

Senior captain Jonah Coker tied the match with a goal, and classmate Rowan Pennell delivered the state title with a golden goal in the 99th minute.

“This season and its success is an amazing gift,” Costa said. “It was an opportunity to showcase athletic success when the school values Christ and character above athletics.”

BE GIRLS SECOND TO A.C. FLORA

Meanwhile, the Bishop girls came up short in their bid for their 13th title as A.C. Flora Falcons captured their 15th win in the last 16

games to win their first state title.

The Bishop girls, who played in their 21st state championship, entered the game against A.C. Flora with a nine-game winning streak. But their championship hopes faded when Falcon sophomore Samantha Lawther headed in a corner kick in the 58th minute.

Still, it was a great season for Coach Netha Kreamer’s squad

They won the Region 6-AAAA championship and posted a 21-5 record. It marked the first time since 2019 that the BE girls won more than 20 games.

The team went 24-3-1 and won their last state title that season.

SPOT SPORTS STORY

Sports

Jackson sends Liberty to round 3

By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com

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Bru Nimmons

Pickens County Courier

CHESNEE — With his team down one point with 6.7 seconds left against Chesnee in round two of the Class 2A playoffs, Liberty High School head boys’ basketball coach Brenden Marcell called a timeout.

The Red Devils had practiced for this specific late-game moment, and everyone knew the ball was going into the hands of leading scorer Kendrick Jackson. Jackson took the ball at the top of the key, facing pressure from Chesnee defenders.

The junior guard went right, then crossed back left as he looked to make some room, dribbling toward the corner. Jackson nearly lost his dribble before recovering and taking a three-point shot over Eagle defender Coyie Poole as time expired.

“Yesterday, I hit a gamewinner in practice, and then before we got to the game, I was playing one-on-one with my boys and did the same thing,” Jackson said. “There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to hit that shot.”

Jackson’s belief proved true, as the shot descended through the net, giving the Red Devils the stunning 5452 win and sending them to the Class 2A quarterfinals for the first time since 1997 and only the second time in school history.

ing the lead.

Now with under a minute to go, the Devils decided to intentionally foul Brown, sending the decorated junior to the line. The decision proved to be a good one, as Brown missed both free throws. Liberty stormed back the other way, and Welborn hit a layup with less than 30 seconds to go to put Liberty back ahead 51-50.

Brown made up for his prior lapse after getting fouled by Kendall Jackson with 10 seconds left, hitting two free throws to put Chesnee back ahead before Kendrick Jackson’s miracle three gave the Red Devils the 54-52 upset win.

“We waited a little bit, but we’re finally playing our best basketball of the season,” Marcell said after the win. “Guys are believing, they’re playing for each other, they’re doing everything the right way, and I could not be

Engaging story throughout.

The Jacksons have strong roots in Liberty, with their father Pat, a 1992 LHS graduate, having recently led the Liberty girls’ basketball team to the playoffs this season in his first campaign as head coach. Kendrick Jackson hopes the historic win will help people understand how good Liberty is.

“It means a lot for everybody,” Jackson said. “People doubted us this whole year and didn’t think we were going to go anywhere, but we’re going to the third round. Peo-

ple need to open their eyes and realize who Liberty is.” The road doesn’t get any easier for the Red Devils as they prepare to head to Central High School in Pageland at 6 p.m. Wednesday, with a trip to the Upper State championship on the line. The Eagles, who finished second in Region 4-2A, are 18-10 on the season and are led by All-State forward Caden Edmond.

Even with a three-hour bus drive ahead of them, Marcell believes his team is ready for the challenge.

“I’ve said all year long that we play in the toughest league in 2A,” Marcell said. “We’re totally battle-tested, and we’re totally prepared. All of our region games are hour-and-a-half trips. This one is a little bit longer, but these guys are ready.”

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Mac Banks

Fort Mill Prep Sports

Reads like the big leagues! Cute story!

The Catawba Ridge Copperheads form a dogpile in the middle of the field after winning their third consecutive state title.

Who said there is no joy in Mudville?

At least for the Catawba Ridge Copperheads softball team, Mudville best described their field as rain was a constant in their 9-1 state championship winning sweep of the St. James Sharks to clinch their third consecutive state title and first at the 5A level. The Copperheads finished with a 31-2 overall record in winning the 5A Division II state championship on May 29.

The last two seasons, the Copperheads dominated the 4A level winning back-to-back state titles. However, after last season, the team lost a ton of talent and moved up to the 5A level, so no one was sure what the season would hold.

“I knew the team was capable of it,” said Catawba Ridge senior Sarah Rocheleau. “We all weren’t expecting this. We were going to take it one game at a time, but this was always the goal. It feels great this year, because it wasn’t expected. This program has done so much for me. am really grateful.”

Rocheleau powered Catawba Ridge in the win going 2-4 with five RBIs including a big grand slam in the sixth inning.

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Eric Sprott The Journal, Seneca

Excellent coverage of a key match; solid lede that sets up the main focus of the article, and good comprehensive coverage of the contest between the two teams.

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Kyle Dawson Aiken Standard

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Kyle Dawson Aiken Standard

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Kyle Dawson

Aiken Standard

Compelling narrative with great details as well.

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The State

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SPORTS ENTERPRISE REPORTING

ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

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SPORTS ENTERPRISE REPORTING

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Daniel Island couple opens up home to traveling tennis players

PATRICK VILLEGAS patrick@thedanielislandnews.com

The doubles team of Great Britain’s Olivia Nicholls and Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalikova, along with one of their coaches, had just finished an eight-hour drive into South Carolina from Florida to compete at the Credit One Charleston Open.

They were at dinner recounting to a member of their Daniel Island host family the highlights of their trip to the Palmetto State.

All were giddy, grinning from ear to ear.

They didn’t reminisce about their exciting semifinal run two weeks ago at Indian Wells or how they advanced to the Round of 16 at the Miami Open.

Instead, they couldn’t stop talking about the fun detour they took to Orlando, Florida, to enjoy a day of thrill rides at a Harry Potter amusement park inside Universal. There wasn’t any talk of forehands or backhands, instead, just laughs of what it was like to sip a taste of the wizard’s sweet, creamy, nonalcoholic drink.

“Butterbeer!” Nicholls, the only British player in the group, shouted out.

The trio had just driven to Daniel Island to stay at the home of Tory and Andrea Sullivan, at least for a day or two, before moving on to the players’ hotel in downtown Charleston.

The Sullivans welcome tennis players, who are far away from their home state or country, to stay and relax at their family residence, offering players sleeping rooms closer to the stadium, an opportunity to grab some

rest and downtime from the week-to-week tournament grind - and maybe, a quick trip on a golf cart to tour the island.

“We made friends with them, and they like staying at the house,” Andrea Sullivan said of the doubles duo. “They like staying in a family environment, like being at a house, cooking their own foods, and they love our dogs!”

Sullivan said three years ago at the LTP Mount Pleasant tournament, there was a call to members to see if anyone might be able to house a player who had just graduated - and needed a room for the competition.

“I said, ‘Tory, we’ve got three rooms, why not!’”

That first house guest then led to the housing of another player in need of a room. Which led to another. And then another, and then another.

“Their housing situation wasn’t ideal. We knew that,” she said, “But no one should be sofa-surfing when you’re in a tournament, you should be ready to play!”

The Sullivans said they will continue to leave their door open for incoming athletes in the future. They have heard about the notso-glamorous life of being a nomad on tour, and they hope by providing up-and-coming athletes a quiet home away from home, it might give them additional rest and some extra zzz’s to help them advance to the next round.

“We are open to doing it again,” she said. “It also gives us a chance to invest in them and root for them at the tournament.”

SPORTS ENTERPRISE REPORTING

ALL DAILY DIVISION

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The State

SPORTS ENTERPRISE REPORTING

ALL DAILY DIVISION

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Teri Errico Griffis and Chloe Barlow

The Post and Courier

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/nil-ncaa-college-player-tax-university-south-carolina/article_

NCAA athletes earn millions in NIL deals. But who supports them when the tax bill comes due?

By TERI ERRICO GRIFFIS AND ChLOE BARLOw

To hear Kieron van Wyk tell his story, the endgame was always to play on the PGA Tour. Making money as a student-athlete at the College of Charleston was never part of the plan.

Now in his senior year, the 23-year-old made history in January as the first amateur to win an Advocates Professional Golf Association event since that tour began in 2010.

Clear, compelling writing about a complicated issue with a broad impact on student athletes both locally and nationally.

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/nil-ncaa-college-player-tax-university-south-carolina/article_11a8bbea-fdb0-11ef-aae8-836b0545a818.html

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SPORTS FEATURE STORY

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I enjoyed the storytelling.

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

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Interesting topic, well crafted.

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S.C. High School League (SCHSL) governance

By Justin Jarrett Contributor

By the time you read this, the South Carolina Legislature may have taken another step toward dismantling the S.C. High School League (SCHSL), the organization that has governed high school athletics since 1913. The proposal to replace the SCHSL with a state-appointed board is advancing quickly—and not everyone is celebrating.

The legislation, introduced in 2023 by Rep. Shannon Erickson (R-Beaufort) and officially filed as House Bill 4163, passed through subcommittee last week. If approved by both chambers and signed by Gov. Henry McMaster, the bill would transfer control of high school and middle school athletics from member schools to an 11-member board appointed by lawmakers. Many coaches and administrators see the move as unnecessary and politically motivated. At the heart of the issue are disputes over how the league classifies charter and private schools, and how it handles player eligibility violations. This year, the SCHSL introduced a 3x enrollment multiplier for students who live outside a school’s desig-

nated attendance zone. The change bumped most non-traditional schools up at least one classification, prompting backlash from charter school advocates.

Adding fuel to the fire, inconsistent rulings over eligibility violations have drawn criticism. Gray Collegiate Academy was banned from the playoffs after fielding ineligible players, while Irmo High School, in a similar situation, was not.

“There is no accountability,” Erickson told The State. “Our schools and teachers have accountability, but the league doesn’t.”

Those working in high school sports disagree. The SCHSL operates through a member-driven system with regular committee meetings and policy reviews. Critics argue that legislative control would remove representation from those most familiar with the challenges facing schools of all sizes.

“Taking the representation away from the member schools and giving it to a committee that’s not versed in high school sports is a bad idea,” said May River boys soccer coach Misael Garzón.

In response to ongoing transfer and eligibility concerns, the league recently adopted a one-time free transfer rule with standard-

ized penalties for second transfers or those lacking a bona fide address change. While imperfect, the rule reflects the league’s willingness to adapt—something supporters say is best left to education professionals, not politicians.

“State legislators have no idea the scope of what the league coordinates,” said Greg Elliott, a former coach at Hilton Head Island and Summerville. “If they did, they’d want no part of that beast. Work on roads and taxes—leave high school sports alone.”

The push for state oversight is being driven in large part by charter school advocates, some of whom are lawmakers themselves. Critics argue the plan could tilt power in favor of non-traditional schools, which have already dominated state championships in the lower classifications over the past decade.

To be clear, the SCHSL is not without flaws. Critics have valid concerns, and improvements are necessary. But removing decision-making from the educators and administrators who live this work daily—and handing it to political appointees—may be a costly mistake.

“Like any organization, the league

doesn’t always get it right,” Elliott said. “But they manage more than 200 high schools fairly well.”

It’s worth noting that most of the support for this drastic and short-sighted measure is coming from advocates for charter schools, many of whom are the very legislators who would appoint the officials who rule over high school sports. Such a move would dramatically swing the balance of power back in favor of the non-traditional schools who dominated the past decade, nearly sweeping the state championships in the Class 1A and 2A divisions once populated by small, rural schools.

The SCHSL is always a work in progress, and many of its critics’ frustrations are valid. But taking the decision-making out of the hands of the people who have devoted their lives to high school athletics and consolidating even more power with our legislators and their cronies is not the move.

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and is the founder of Lowco Sports.

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

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Landry Collins The Dillon Herald

End Of An Era: Coach Kip Herlong Retires After More Than 30

By Landry Collins landry@thedillonherald.com

For more than three decades, there has been one constant in Lake View baseball. Through rain delays, playoff battles, batting slumps, and championship runs, Coach Kip Herlong stood in the third-base coaching box with eyes fixed and arms crossed. He wasn’t loud. He didn’t grandstand. He never had to. His presence alone carried weight.

Now, after 32 seasons as the head coach of the Lake View High School Wild Gators, Herlong is calling it a career. His retirement marks the end of one of the most respected and consistent eras of high school baseball in South Carolina. It’s the closing chapter of a

story that shaped not just a program, but an entire town. Herlong’s departure from the dugout leaves behind more than just an empty seat on the bench. It leaves behind generations of young men who became tougher, smarter, and more disciplined under his leadership. It leaves behind decades of memories: long practices in the early spring chill, late-night bus rides after road wins, and the sound of cleats echoing through dugout concrete. And it leaves behind a blueprint for what high school coaching is supposed to look like.

His on-field success is well documented. Over 600 career wins. Member of the South Carolina Baseball Coaches Hall

of Fame. 12 Lower State Championship Titles. 8 State Championship Titles. A steady reputation as one of the most fundamentally sound programs in the state.

But when asked about his proudest moment, Herlong didn’t mention trophies. He didn’t rattle off win totals.

He didn’t talk about banners or rings.

“This year’s team’s sheer determination to get to the state championship series is probably among my proudest moments,” he said. “The sheer grit shown by our young team during the postseason exemplified what Lake View Baseball is all about.”

Grit. Toughness. Doing things the right way. Those have been the foundation of Herlong’s teams since

he first took over the Wild Gators program in the early 1990s. The game has evolved, and the world around high school sports has changed. But his values never wavered.

“Baseball has become a year-round sport because of travel and showcase ball,” he said. “It forces kids to work all year with no breaks.

I personally think the kids need a shutdown period. Unfortunately, this forces players to want to specialize in one sport, making for fewer multi-sport athletes.”

Herlong coached in an era where many of his best athletes also played football and basketball. He encouraged that.

He believed in building complete athletes—and even more importantly,

complete young men. In return, his players gave him everything they had. They bought in. They trusted the system. They played hard and played smart.

Those habits weren’t just taught. They were inherited.

Herlong credits his own mentors as the men who helped shape the coach he became.

“My mentors were definitely my dad, Coach Don Cribb, and Coach Billy Bullard,” he said. They taught me how to do things the right way, from how you carry yourself to how you treat your players.

That lesson carried into every practice, every bus ride, and every team meeting. After more than three decades, you won’t find anyone who would

say Herlong didn’t treat people with respect or hold his program to the highest standards.

He built Lake View into more than a baseball team. He built a culture. A reputation. A source of pride for a town that understands championships and hard work.

Many coaches burn out under the grind of high school sports. But Herlong never lost the fire. Coaching was never just a job for him. It was personal. It was family.

“Yes,” he said when asked if he ever imagined lasting more than 30 years in the role. “That was my passion; that was my love. It was something we could do as a family, with my brother Chad being beside me the whole time.”

His brother Chad

Great feature on the retirement of a much loved coach. Well written and documented. Great job!

SPORTS FEATURE STORY DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

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Interesting Masters stories are endless. This one is both interesting and inspiring.

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

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Jon Blau

The Post and Courier

An amazing story very well-told. This would hold the reader even if they weren't interested in sports.

SPORTS COLUMN WRITING

House bill to dissolve SCHSL could be big mistake

JOHN CLAYTON editor

igured out decades ago. SCHSL leaders decided on a multiplier rule that moved those schools up in classification, but that only happened after some traditional 1A and 2A public schools refused to play them. That seemed to force the SCHSL’s hand, which follows a pattern of hoping issues among its members go away until lawyers get involved.

Christian in Greenville dominated Class 1A opponents like Ware Shoals and Whitmire.

The SCHSL finally acted to solve that problem in 2023 with a student enrollment multiplier used by neighboring states, but the bill has continued to move forward in the statehouse. In the past, I have been critical of the South Carolina High School League – and that makes me just one of the crew among sports writers around the state.

SCHSL leadership has often been too reactive.

That is except when they don’t react at all – like when the SCHSL took years to solve the charter and private school problem that neighboring states had

By John Clayton

And don’t get me started on the playoffs. In Class 4A, 32 of 40 teams around the state make the playoffs in football, so one team could end up traveling two hours to play the No. 1 team in the state – as happened to Laurens a couple of years ago –only to lose by around 60 points.

As one SCHSL executive board member put it, “I’m not sure that’s good for anybody.”

Well, it's good for the SCHSL because a superfluous round of playoffs generates revenue.

Like said, there are valid criticisms.

But it’s doubtful the General Assembly will solve them or that some newborn SCHSAA will be a huge improvement.

At least with the SCHSL, there is some degree of selfdetermination that is beyond the politics of Columbia.

And that’s enough to keep the SCHSL – flaws and all – in business.

By John Clayton Editor

Laurens opened its Region 1-4A baseball schedule

Monday night with an 8-4 loss to visiting Westside.

The unbeaten Rams (6-0) overcame a 1-0 deficit with two runs in the third, extended their lead to 4-1 in the f ifth and added another run for a 5-1 lead in the sixth. LDHS rallied for three runs in the home sixth, but trailed 5-4 heading into the final frame. Westside added three r uns of their own in the seventh.

Rams rip Raiders in region opener

Starter Tyler Scott was charged with all four LDHS r uns, but picked up the win, and Peyton Milford got the f inal three outs for the save.

Westside was helped by five LDHS errors that led to seven unearned runs.

Reliever Caleb Rice took the loss, despite not giving up hit over the final 2 1/3 innings. He walked five, struck out one and gave up three unearned runs.

Lead-off hitter Zay Pulley went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Bennett Edwards went 2-for-2 and drove in a r un. LDHS picked up an 11-1 home victory over Greenwood Friday. The game ended after the Raiders scored five runs in the sixth to trigger the 10-run mercy rule. Logan Martin went 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in four r uns on a pair of singles. Edwards also drove in two r uns on two hits, and Brayden Patterson went 1for-3 with 2 RBI.

F reshman starter Noah Hughes picked up the win, pitching a three-hitter over five innings and out-dueling Greenwood starter and Lander commit Landen Still. The Raiders (3-7) travel to Westside today (March 19) before the three-game region set shifts back to LDHS Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Red Devils stop Yellowjackets,Wildcats

non-scholarship Division I PC these days.

All of that is to say that this 20 surely seems like the beginning of something special this season.

“We want to do something that’s never been done before,” said tight end Nathan Levicki.

“We want to make the playoffs.” PC hasn’t sniffed the FCS playoffs since moving to Division in 2007 and it would require winning the PFL championship. Seems doable. The Blue Hose won four straight PFL games to close out the 2024 season and somehow returned the core of that team despite the transfer portal and NIL money being thrown around the sport like it’s a casino on the Vegas strip. PC head coach Steve Englehart said he and his staff decided when they arrived four years ago to build the program up from the ashes left by the Kevin Kelley debacle by going “old school” and recruiting high school kids and developing them.

The Southern Conference may not be the best NCAA FCS conference in the game, but it’s deep and talented. Mercer was the preseason favorite and Furman is close enough to have a puncher’s chance at the top. And the Blue Hose beat them both. Since 2023, PC is 3-0 against SoCon opponents, including a 2023 upset of Wo ford in Spartanburg. Prior to that victory, no Pioneer Football League (PC’s non-scholarship conference) team had beaten a SoCon program.

That’s sooooo five years ago. But those players are seniors and juniors now. They stuck around for whatever reason.

“The only thing have to offer them is love,” Englehart said.

“We just love the hell out of them.”

Sure, there’s a small consortium of supporters who have put together NIL funds, but Englehart said that amounts to “a couple hundred bucks a month.”

“Something that makes them feel appreciated, guess,” he said. So, if it’s not the money – and make no mistake, the “love” doesn’t equate to soft. There’s tough love and responsibilities that come with being on the team. There are expectations. What is it? It has long been my contention that there is still such a thing as a “PC Guy (and Gal),” the ones who buy into the program, the school and the

SPORTS COLUMN WRITING

ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

Balance key for state champs

LBlue Flame win 17th volleyball state title

By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com

COLUMBIA — Down 24-19 in the third set of Saturday’s Class 4A state championship with May River, the Pickens High School volleyball team looked to be in serious danger of falling behind 2-1 in the crucial swing set.

Pickens sweeps Bishop England for 18th volleyball championship

By Bru Nimmons Sports Editor bnimmons@thepccourier.com

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Bru Nimmons

COLUMBIA — Having dropped just one set on its way to the Class 4A volleyball state championship, the Pickens High School volleyball team prepared for possibly its biggest challenge yet with the title on the line against the Bishop England Battling Bishops on Saturday. The Bishops, the national leader in volleyball state championships according to the South Carolina High School League, failed to provide much of a challenge for Pickens as the Blue Flame swept the Bishops 3-0 in straight sets to secure Pickens’ 18th volleyball state championship in school history.

Pickens County Courier

“I’m just trying to let this soak in and realize what just happened,” Pickens head coach Mellie Crumpton said after the win. “We are a solid all-around team and we have grit. Our word for tonight was relentless. I told them to be relentless, and that’s what we came out and did.”

The championship win was the second straight for the Blue Flame — their first back-to-back titles since 2013-14.

The Blue Flame had trailed for the entirety of the third set, and with the Sharks one point away from taking it, Pickens head coach Mellie Crumpton’s message to her team was clear.

ing for us this year,” Crumpton said of Yates. “She stayed mentally tough, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.”

Pickens kept up the intensity, scoring nine straight points as the standout Pickens defense led by senior libero Natalie Hunter kept the Bishops off the board before the Blue Flame ultimately took the set 25-16.

Once again, the Bishops came out strong to build a lead in the third set, but Pickens refused to drop the set, working its way back from a five-point deficit to regain the lead. Leading 2422, Clarkson served her final point for the Blue Flame and picked up her final assist on a kill from Yates as the Blue Flame secured the set, 25-22, and the 3-0 victory.

ast season, when the Pickens High School volleyball team overcame a year of adversity to secure the 17th state championship in school history, I wrote that if 2024 was a “down” year for Pickens volleyball, I hoped teams would be ready for what was to come from arguably the state’s top volleyball program.

“I told my setters that (Kaylon Chapman) was on,” Crumpton said. “We need to feed her. That’s our team’s thing. If we have somebody that on, you have to get them the ball. I knew if we could get her going, we could turn the momentum.”

The all-state outside hitter came through repeatedly, picking up four kills as the Blue Flame battled back against May River to tie the set up at 24-24. The Sharks were able to score twice, setting up set point twice more, but each time Chapman came through to tie things back up before a block by freshman Charlee Abercrombie gave Pickens its first lead at 27-26.

Playing her final match for Crumpton and Pickens, Clarkson was overcome with emotion after the win.

Bru Nimmons Sports Editor

However, it seemed nobody was ready for the Blue Flame in 2025 as they took down the competition with ease on their way to another state championship on Saturday against Bishop England. The win was historic for a number of reasons. It was Pickens’ fourth state championship in the Class 4A classification, and for the first time in school history they have won in the division in back-to-back years. I’ve always believed 4A to be a different beast than the 3A classification that many Blue Flame fans have become accustomed to in the school’s 45 years of volleyball dominance.

Still, while its an accomplishment to be proud of, I’ll remember this Pickens team for a different reason.

“They hadn’t caught on to me swinging the line yet, so I just kept cranking it,” Chapman said. “Nobody could stop me. I was on top of the world.”

Pickens sophomore outside hitter Kaci Gillespie attempts to place the ball over the outstretched arms of two May River defenders during Pickens’ 3-1 Class 4A state championship win on Saturday. Right: Pickens’ Kaylon Chapman, Allison Hendricks, Ashlyn Knight, Lily Clarkson, Charlee Abercrombie and Kaci Gillespie celebrate a point in the

you watched them, any member of this team could step up and make a play. Arguably the two biggest standouts were Lily Clarkson and Kaci Gillespie, as they epitomize the do-everything nature of the Blue Flame as the team’s setters and rightside hitters. Whether attacking, assisting, serving or digging, the duo made play after play for Pickens, setting the tone for a team that often made the game look like poetry in motion. From there, so many members of the Blue Flame were able to step in to do their jobs or even help fill in for others, allowing the team to put together such a dominant championship season. When opposing teams served to the Blue Flame, there was never much worry with players like Natalie Hunter and Rylan Nichols back to receive, and up front, Chesney Yates, Kentlea Davis, Charlee Abercrombie and Laney Sitterle allowed the Flame to control the net, while also throwing themselves on the floor whenever Pickens needed it most.

STEasley baseball are always strong, to name a few, but none have been more dominant than the volleyball program at Pickens High School. Every year, I go into volleyball season expecting the Blue Flame to at least make it to the state quarterfinals, and for good reason. Outside of a two-season stretch from 2010-11, the Blue Flame have managed to do it every year since 1986. It is an impressive lineage built by South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame coach Peggy Anthony and continued by Jennifer Gravely, Rikki Owens and Mellie Crumpton. However, I can’t deny that for the first time this year, I genuinely wondered whether the Blue Flame would reach round three of the playoffs, let alone the Class 4A state championship.

While the Blue Flame had 17 championships to their name before the match against the Bishops, they had never won two straight at the Class 4A level, something Crumpton said motivated the team as they took on the Bishops.

“Since we found we could make history, it’s like we hit another gear,” Crumpton said. “There’s so much history here at Pickens, so I

“Honestly, I’ve just been praying the whole season that we would make it back,” Pickens senior setter Lily Clarkson said. “We just had to believe and trust in God’s plan, and that’s exactly what we did.”

told them ‘Why not us? Let’s be a part of that history,’ and they just came out and took care of business.”

Those back-to-back to championships also provide bragging rights for Clarkson, whose sister, Faith, and mother, Pamela, both won state championships with the Blue Flame volleyball team.

“I’ve already bragged some,” Clarkson said after the match. “My mom still has two in 3A and 4A, but I’ve got two 4As, so it feels pretty good.”

The Blue Flame came out of the gate firing, building an 8-3 lead early in the opening set behind kills from Kaci Gillespie and Chesney Yates. The Blue Flame went on another big run with Krysta Bennefield serving, scoring six straight points as they ran away with the opening set, 25-16.

“There’s nothing like our connection,” Clarkson said through tears. “She’s like my second mom. It’s going to be tough going on without her, but I know she’s going to keep having success.”

Losing Clarkson and the rest of the Blue Flame senior class including Bennefield, Hunter, Yates and Braylyn Williams hit hard for Crumpton as well, as she had coached the group since her days at Pickens Middle School before the taking the head job at the high school in 2022.

The Sharks looked like they were going to tie things up again when Lauren Swanson lightly put a shot over the outstretched arms of Abercrombie and Lily Clarkson. Senior Ashlyn Knight saved the point with a diving one-handed dig, and Clarkson finished it with a kill as the Blue Flame stunned the Sharks 28-26 to take a 2-1 advantage.

In my eight years of covering prep athletics in Pickens County, I have seen lots of great teams in different sports, but I’d argue there is not a sport that is played better in this community than volleyball.

With the losses and early-season injuries, Pickens got off to its worst start in recent years.

Instead of letting the season slip away, the Flame looked to show their skeptics that they were wrong to doubt them.

The Pickens comeback seemed to sap the will of the Sharks in the final set as Pickens stayed in control the rest of the way, taking the fourth set 25-12 to secure a 3-1 victory and the 17th state championship in school history.

“That group is really special to me, because I’ve had them since seventh grade,” Crumpton said. “I have a huge bond with them, and that really helped us. … For them to win two back to back and leave with a state championship, couldn’t have asked for anything better for them.”

Daniel, Easley, Liberty and Pickens are all multi-time state champions in the sport, and can consistently rely on at least one of those four to make to Upper State, if not all the way to the state championship. I have followed the Blue Flame to state three times since I took over, and Liberty once as well. All of those teams were great, but I don’t know if I have ever seen a more balanced team than this year’s Blue Flame squad.

“All you heard was negativity about how this was the downfall of Pickens. One of our goals for ring season was to prove everyone wrong,” Chapman said. “We showed out and gave it our all, which means we got it all.”

offensive struggles led them to force the issue, and the fast, athletic Grizzlies managed to force 18 turnovers, including a couple steals and slams that sapped momentum away from Liberty. “We call them pick-sixes — you can’t turn it over for dunks and layups,” Marcell said. “We had too many of those early, and it made it hard to respond back to that.” The Grizzlies and Red Devils looked evenly matched for the first four minutes, trading the lead before three consecutive Liberty turnovers

I’ve covered teams that were bigger or more athletic, but none were as complete as this squad.

And in the playoffs, it seemed like every time the Blue Flame needed a run to build their lead, Krysta Bennefield would give them just what they needed when it was her turn to serve. The 2025 Blue Flame’s versatility is a testament to the coaching of head coach Mellie Crumpton and assistants Tommy Crumpton and Ken Vanderhoof. Their positive energy is always apparent when you watch the Flame, and when people inevitably ask me if Pickens can pull off three straight for the first time since 2006, I will not hesitate to say that anything is possible with Pickens volleyball.

A two-time state champion as a player for the Blue Flame, Crumpton secured her first title leading the squad as head coach after enduring third-round eliminations in each of her first two seasons.

leads only for the Sharks to rally to keep things close. May River finally managed to tie things at 19-19 before Pickens was able to put the Sharks down for good. A Chapman dig turned kill that just barely stayed with in the lines put Pickens back ahead, and kills from Chapman, Lexi Catlin and Kaci Gillespie allowed the Flame to take the set 25-21 and take a 1-0 lead.

“It’s just incredible,” Clarkson said after the win. “At the beginning, we just knew we had to come together as a team, and that’s exactly what we did. I feel like we went through more than any other team. I don’t know their stories, but we went through so many injuries and everything. To come together like that was incredible for us.”

On any given night when

Bru Nimmons is the Courier’s Sports Editor. He can be reached at bnimmons@ thepccourier.com.

The second set remained close early, but after the Sharks took an 8-7 lead on a kill by Aurora Rieck, they refused to relinquish that lead, relying on stellar defense as they managed to pull away and win 25-15 to tie things up at 1-1.

Ahead 2-1, the Blue Flame overpowered May River early in the fourth set behind three kills from Kentlea Davis off assists from Knight building an 8-3 lead. The Sharks attempted to battle back from the early deficit, but never even got within four points of the Flame as Pickens looked to close out the match. One point away from clinching the championship, Chapman provided the dig, Clarkson set the ball and Davis put a big swing into a May River defender that gave Pickens the set, 25-12, and a state championship in a 3-1 win.

Beset by injuries early in the season, I’d heard it was a down year for the Blue Flame by the time I saw them play against Daniel on Sept. 17. As they fell behind 2-0 at home, I thought I saw the ceiling of this team. And then they battled back, and I saw the fight and will and determination of this team for the first time as they tied the match at 2-2. While the Blue Flame were unable to pull out the win, with Daniel taking the match 3-2, it was clear that this squad was not going to go down easy.

weren’t the biggest Blue Flame team I’d covered, they weren’t the fastest and they seemed to make a few more mistakes at times than the Pickens teams I’d followed, and yet, there was still this intense sense of togetherness that radiated from the squad. Win, lose or draw, there was no doubting that this felt like a family on the court, and when the Blue Flame returned to region play after that loss, something seemed to click. By the time the playoffs came around on Halloween, the Blue Flame had won five straight matches and 15 straight sets, and that streak continued in the first two rounds of the postseason, setting up a rematch with Daniel. With the Blue Flame faithful providing the loudest road crowd I had ever heard, Pickens played the best game I had seen all season to that point, dropping the Lions in straight sets. After the match, it seemed like Pickens had the monkey off its back, and senior Kaylon Chapman told me she believed the Flame could compete with anyone in the state. I believed her, especially as Pickens went on the road again and swept Camden to win the Upper State title. When the Blue Flame hit the road to Columbia one final time on Saturday, I thought all my doubt was gone until they fell behind in the third set, and still I was forced to learn my lesson for good as Pickens once again proved to be the state’s best for the 17th time.

The Bishops responded to start the second set as Jules Gallo and Kate Cochran each had two aces, allowing Bishop England to build an early 5-1 lead. Yates and the Blue Flame responded, though, with the senior outside hitter willing her team back ahead 12-9 with six kills and two blocks.

“She’s been such a bless

While the Blue Flame will miss their senior class next season, the expectation remains the same, and Gillespie hopes she can lead the team to a third straight state championship for the first time since 2006.

“It’s always the expectation.”

The Blue Flame had to replace five seniors lost to graduation this season, including all-state player Hannah

“I’m very emotional,” Crumpton said. “Nobody knows what this team has been through. I know a lot of teams say that, but it just feels like everything has been thrown at us. We had little things that kind of stopped us, injuries at the beginning of the season that took out our players and we had to adjust.”

I saw that same fight as they battled the Lions nearly a month later, clinging on to hope they could retain their region crown as they had since before I was even in high school. Once again, the Blue Flame came up short in an extremely close, emotional match that left head coach Mellie Crumpton speechless as I went to conduct my post-match interviews, but there was still something amazing to be seen with this Pickens team. They

It was an amazing sight to see these girls come together, with Allison Hendricks and Khloe Morrow diving for digs and Ashlyn Knight and Lily Clarkson constantly setting things up for Chapman, Lexi Catlin and Kaci Gillespie. To see Charlee Abercrombie and Kentlea Davis become a constant threat at the net as just freshmen and see Crumpton, who might be the nicest of all the coaches I’ve covered over the years, be able to bring the title home to Pickens. If this was supposed to be the “down year,” then I hope teams are ready for what’s to come from the Blue Flame.

“I think this goes to show that

Bru Nimmons' sports columns are a cut above the standard. Upbeat, he gives details of important performances by teams and individuals. Well crafted, with history woven in.

Even with Pickens taking control in the opening set, the championship match appeared like it was going to be a battle.

May River carried that momentum over to the third set, taking the lead and holding it despite Pickens providing answer after answer. The Sharks managed to hit a run, scoring four straight with two aces from Ariel Rieck to go ahead 17-10. The Blue Flame were able to cut into the lead, but with the Sharks going up

SPORTS COLUMN WRITING

SPORTS COLUMN WRITING

ALL DAILY DIVISION

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Sports memories last forever. The writer fully captures this in his columns.

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Jackie Broach Georgetown County

Sea turtle season brings excitement to county beaches

It’s one of the most magical times of year along the Georgetown County coastline — sea turtle season. From May through October, our beaches host some of nature’s most awe-inspiring visitors: nesting female sea turtles and the hatchlings that later emerge from their nests.

While the peak nesting months of June and July are behind us, the season is far from over. Late-season nests are still being laid, including a rare green sea turtle nest laid just last weekend. Green sea turtle nests are uncommon in South Carolina — most nests here belong to log�erheads — making this an especially exciting and important find for conservationists.

At the same time, the earliest nests of the summer are hatching, sending tiny hatchlings on their first and most dangerous journey: the crawl from their nest to the Atlantic Ocean. Some of these nests will soon be the focus of public “inventories,” conducted by certified volunteers with S.C. United Turtle Enthusiasts (SCUTE). These inventories, held about three days after a nest hatches, involve counting hatched shells, assessing unhatched eg�s, and sometimes helping “strag�ler” hatchlings reach the ocean. All the information volunteers obtain is reported back to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

Nest inventories offer a unique opportunity for the public to learn about sea turtle conser- vation firsthand.

Exodus Drive in the Plantersville community will soon be known as Johnny Morant Highway. The Georgetown County Transportation Committee voted Aug. 11 to approve funding for new street signs, following the S.C. Department of Transportation’s approval of the name change. The change was requested by S.C. House Reps. Carl Anderson and Lee Hewitt, and approved by the General Assembly. The late Mr. Morant served Georgetown County with distinction for 25 years, including a decade as chairman of County Council, before retiring at the end of 2018. A respected and devoted community leader, he was admired for his quiet, steady guidance and unshakable calm in every situation. A lifelong resident of Plantersville, he died in 2020.

Photos make this page pop! In addition to the two main features, the teasers are really well done. I'd like to read all three stories highlighted!

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PAGE ONE DESIGN ALL DAILY DIVISION

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Fred Rindge

The Post and Courier

Well organized page. I like that there are numerous entry points for a reader. There's a lot here but it's not cluttered. The centerpiece package is well played with news all around it. Topical kickers are really helpful. This is an entry that has the reader in mind and helps the reader navigate the page well.

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Forging new lives

By

SPORTS PAGE DESIGN

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Bru Nimmons

Pickens County Courier

The layered cutout of the football image at the top makes this page stand out. It gives the page a 3D look. The rest of the page is clean, organized and overall looks good.

PHOTO PAGE DESIGN

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Dave Hale

The Post and Courier

This does what a photo page should do by telling the story in a variety of scenes. There are close-ups, wide shots and some in between, showing the event in its entirety. Well composed and well designed, too. Just enough photos so as not to be overwhelmed and move on to the next story, this one keeps the reader on the page.

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Appreciate the composition, style and cropping.

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SPOT NEWS PHOTO ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

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I'm always a sucker for reflection shots, and this one tells the entire story of the event in one very well executed photo. Kudos!

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DIVISIONS A & B COMBINED

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Jason Lee The Sun News

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Glantz The State

SPOT NEWS PHOTO DIVISIONS A & B COMBINED

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Jason Lee

The Sun News

Visually striking image, clearly shows the impact of flooding in the Garden City community.

Nice leading lines to guy on bike, with Now Open sign on restaurant. Overall best spot news image reflecting extent of a disaster.

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The photo's content, a father lovingly holding his daughter during sentencing of the death of a relative, made this photo stand out.

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The Summerville Journal Scene

A simple but powerful photograph, framed nicely. The eye goes right to the crown on the sign, positioned right next to the flag, which says it all.

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Lee The Sun News

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Larsen The Island Packet

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Jason Lee The Sun News

Good composition, good use of color, space and being in the right place. Many elements come together to make this the best photo in this category.

A

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The Post and Courier

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The Post and Courier

GENERAL NEWS PHOTO

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The

A story in a photo is the best way to describe this image. The "balled up flag" being carried makes a true statement.

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It's like suspended animation!

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Michael Lollis

The Journal, Williamston

Terrific feature photo showing genuine expression on the subjects face in addition to repeating elements of triangular caps, tassels and ears. There is nothing in the photo that doesn't contribute.

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Peter Finger

The Daniel Island News

The selective focus on the gator makes this photo the clear winner. The clarity in the gator eye and seeming smirk just captures the viewer's attention.

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The Island News

The content, framing and moment gave this photo the edge. The santa hat in the lower left corner added to the composition.

PHOTO

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Scott Chancey Morning News

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The Sumter Item

FEATURE PHOTO

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The best feature photographs convey profound emotion. It's difficult to imagine any more poignant than this. Well done!

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The Sun News

Independent Mail

FEATURE PHOTO

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The Herald

I love the girl's facial expression, and the birds frame both faces perfectly. Very well done.

FEATURE

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Grace Beahm Alford

The Post and Courier

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Henry Taylor

The Post and Courier

FEATURE PHOTO

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Henry Taylor

The Post and Courier

Good composition in an unusual setting for a pageant. Good spacing between subjects. I like the incongruity between participants and sign.

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Tom Priddy

In a very strong category with excellent entries, this wins the day. I kept coming back to this photo for its myriad components –the ball, the cap, the sideways catcher, the faces of the players, the catcher's mitt.

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High quality / resolution photo – good action shot & the blurred background allows for better focus on the player's face.

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Great action shot, perfect moment to capture. High-quality resolution as well!

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The Summerville Journal Scene

Wow! This photo looks like video as the ball is captured exactly at the net as both sides contend. Very well done!

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The Sumter Item

of the most unique sports action photos I've seen. Great job by the photographer framing the shot with the coach's finger directing the

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The Herald

This is the kind of shot you hope for, and so rarely get. Fantastic capture!

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Andrew J. Whitaker

The Post and Courier

Stunning moment of cowboy caught in between his horse and the steer. Peak action with dirt flying up and good expressions across horse, steer and cowboy. Filled the frame nicely.

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The Berkeley Independent

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Cyril Samonte

The Berkeley Independent

Synchronized Celebration? There were numerous very nice celebration photos in this category. This one stood out because all the players were in unison in their joyous jump and the light was quite nice as well.

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High quality photo, good lighting & focus on subjects. Good capture of an emotional moment!

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Roger Lee

The Summerville Journal Scene

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The Summerville Journal Scene

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Exultant coach lifted on the shoulders of his ecstatic team after championship. Well done!

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The Sumter Item

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A powerful photograph which clearly portrays the "agony of defeat," showing that a great sports feature photo doesn't always have to portray a celebration.

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Kyle Dawson Aiken Standard

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Kyle Dawson Aiken Standard

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Ken Ruinard Independent Mail

Lot's of pretty good "thrill of the victory" shots to choose from as per usual, but THIS capture is probably the best I've seen in quite a while. Wonderful photo!

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The Post and Courier

This photo stood out from the others in this category for its reflection of sportmanship, its emotion and its composition. This was a strong category with lots of very good celebration photos.

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT

DIVISION F

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT

DIVISION F

FIRST PLACE

Aeon Bailey

The Berkeley Independent

Very powerful photo, I felt it did the best job capturing a true portrait / personality. Great photo lighting & focus as well.

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT DIVISIONS D & E COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

Will Crooks

SECOND PLACE

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT DIVISIONS D & E COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

Will Crooks

This is just a really nice, clean and intriguing portrait of Greenville Symphony's

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT

DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

The Sumter Item

SECOND PLACE

Ken Ruinard

Independent Mail

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

Abigail Pittman

The Sumter Item

The personality of this lady shows vibrantly in this photo.

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT

DIVISION A

THIRD PLACE

Gavin McIntyre

The Post and Courier

SECOND PLACE

Henry Taylor

The Post and Courier

PERSONALITY PHOTO OR PORTRAIT

DIVISION A

FIRST PLACE

Gavin McIntyre

The Post and Courier

This screams personality portrait. Well set up, with clever positioning of eye quilt in front of her face.

Great pose, with all the quilts covering her. Nice light, portrait shows photographers creative input.

PHOTO

DIVISION F

SERIES

OR PHOTO STORY

FIRST PLACE

Bryn Eddy

What an absolutely marvelous series of photos. They practically provide one with an education in the apiary art by themselves. Spot on!

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY DIVISIONS D & E COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

Aeon Bailey

The Summerville Journal Scene

What's not to love about a sweet tea festival? This photographer truly captured the flavor of this event!

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

The Sumter Item

SECOND PLACE

The Sun News

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

Ken

Ruinard

Independent Mail

Loved this photo essay! A good mixture of photos which mix in just the right blend of humor and whimsy. It is also evident from this essay that the photographer also has impeccable timing skills. Very well done!

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

DIVISION A

THIRD PLACE

Andrew J. Whitaker

The Post and Courier

SECOND PLACE

Grace Beahm Alford

The Post and Courier

PHOTO SERIES OR PHOTO STORY

DIVISION A

FIRST PLACE

Gavin McIntyre

The

Post and Courier

Marvelous series of field photos – some of which approach high art – taken by someone with a love, or at least appreciation, of gun sports in general, and bird hunting in particular. Excellent!

PICTORIAL DIVISIONS E & F COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

PICTORIAL DIVISIONS E & F COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

Visually stunning. I'm feeling hope, wonder and joy for this new day.

PICTORIAL DIVISION D

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

FIRST PLACE

Ryan Gilchrest

Gorgeous photo, and took 1st place due to capturing (framing / centering) a living & moving subject.

Blurred background allows for great focus on the bee itself and is high enough quality to make out the details of its wings!

PICTORIAL DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

Jason Lee The Sun News

SECOND PLACE

Jason Lee The Sun News

PICTORIAL DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

Abigail Pittman

The Sumter Item

The color and lighting of this photo is perfect and reproduces the emotion and atmosphere of the night. I can almost smell the gun powder in the air.

PICTORIAL DIVISION A

THIRD PLACE

Andrew J. Whitaker

The Post and Courier

SECOND PLACE

Andrew J. Whitaker

The Post and Courier

FIRST PLACE

The State

Excellent use of color and framing with a clear subject. A different take on a regularly occurring event.

HUMOROUS PHOTO

THIRD PLACE

The People-Sentinel

SECOND PLACE

The People-Sentinel

HUMOROUS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE

The People-Sentinel

The photographer did a good job capturing a light-hearted moment.

HUMOROUS PHOTO DIVISIONS D & E COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

HUMOROUS PHOTO DIVISIONS D & E COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

The Island News

Yes, it is an animal photo, but it nicely captures the "third element" a dog seeming to lament the fact that the people in the photo prefer reading to paying attention to him.

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

The Sumter Item

The Journal, Seneca

HUMOROUS PHOTO

FIRST PLACE

Melanie Smith

The Sumter Item

I literally laughed out loud at this photo. The juxtaposition of the gentleman's silly facial expression with the seriousness of a flag presentation make this photo that much more humorous.

HUMOROUS PHOTO DIVISIONS A & B COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

Karl Puckett

The Island Packet

SECOND PLACE

The Post and Courier

HUMOROUS PHOTO

DIVISIONS A & B COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

quality photo, great framing. Catching the painted wagon in the background, while the focus on a pup dressed as a spider - very funny!

THIRD PLACE

The Daniel Island News

SECOND PLACE

The Post and Courier

USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

DIVISION

FIRST PLACE

Ashleigh Keiser

Charleston City Paper

Wow! These entries were really tough to judge because S.C. newspapers are doing an excellent job reaching the public through their social media channels. What pushed this entry to the top was the personable approach, especially through the weekly behind-the-scenes Youtube updates. Charleston City Paper posts a good variety of timely content... it's clear social is vital to the newspaper's success.

NEWS VIDEO

ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

NEWS VIDEO ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

FIRST PLACE

Aeon Bailey

The Summerville

Journal Scene

Great storytelling… these robotics kids have a bright future ahead of them.

NEWS

VIDEO

DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

VIDEO

FIRST PLACE

Sumter Item

NEWS VIDEO DIVISION A

THIRD PLACE

The

and Courier

SECOND PLACE

The

NEWS VIDEO

FIRST PLACE

Gavin McIntyre

The Post and Courier

This video is well produced overall, with strong visuals, effective background music and clear commentary. It really shows how meaningful and impactful this club is for the kids involved.

FEATURE VIDEO ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

THIRD PLACE

Aeon Bailey

The Summerville Journal Scene

SECOND PLACE

Aeon Bailey

The Summerville Journal Scene

FEATURE VIDEO ALL

WEEKLY DIVISION

FIRST PLACE

John Olson and Leigh Savage

I chose this video for first place because it’s clear, informative and does a great job engaging the community. The editing is well done, the sound is clear and the overall recording quality is strong, which makes the video easy and enjoyable to watch.

FEATURE VIDEO DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

Karl Puckett

The Island Packet

SECOND PLACE

Zac Hooks

The Sumter Item

FEATURE VIDEO DIVISIONS

B & C COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

Zac Hooks

The Sumter Item

This video is very well produced, with a strong mix of clips, commentary, historical context and background music. It gives viewers a clear understanding of the building’s history, the importance of community support and why preserving it — and the stories tied to it — matters.

FEATURE VIDEO DIVISION A

THIRD PLACE

Robert Scheer

The Post and Courier

SECOND PLACE

Grace Beahm Alford

The Post and Courier

FEATURE VIDEO

FIRST PLACE

Henry Taylor

The Post and Courier

The visuals and sound really stood out and made this an easy first-place choice.

The video tells a story and gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how the art comes together.

SPORTS VIDEO ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

The

SPORTS VIDEO

ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

FIRST PLACE

What a unique and crucial perspective on local sports history in Greenville.

SPORTS VIDEO

DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

THIRD PLACE

The Island Packet

SECOND PLACE

The Sumter Item

SPORTS VIDEO

DIVISIONS B & C COMBINED

FIRST PLACE

Zac Hooks

The Sumter Item

A hopeful profile of the young man who is well deserving of his courage award.

SPORTS

A

VIDEO

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

The Post and Courier

SPORTS VIDEO

FIRST PLACE

The State

This is a great story of a promising star and his search for redemption.

SECOND PLACE

FIRST PLACE

Thomas Hyslip and Patrick Byrne

I found the topics to be clear and concise. The flow of both co-host were conversational yet informational.

FIRST PLACE

Municipal Association of South Carolina

Each edition is an easy read that is not too wordy. Consistent format that quickly summarizes important information.

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

FIRST PLACE

Greenville Journal

This newsletter has a strong, clean layout that’s easy to navigate, and the content does a nice job covering a range of interests. The images are well used and help articles stand out visually.

THIRD PLACE

Municipal Association of South Carolina

SECOND PLACE SCBIZ

FIRST PLACE

Randy Akers

Georgetown County

Accessible, attractive site that is easy to use and has lots of utility.

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - DIGITAL

DIVISION

THIRD PLACE

Charleston City Paper

SECOND PLACE

The Post and Courier

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - DIGITAL

OPEN DIVISION

FIRST PLACE

The

State

This publication is geared media towards the local-light. The high viewership and engagement is impressive for a small community. The website included is very accessible and easy to navigate.

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - PRINT

PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - PRINT

FIRST PLACE

SECOND PLACE

GENERAL EXCELLENCE - PRINT

DIVISION C

FIRST PLACE The Journal, Seneca

This newspaper is a joy to read. It is well designed with lots of good quality local photos. Heavy emphasis on LOCAL news, sports and features with judicious use of wire copy. They seem to cover important topical news, especially of government. Crime coverage kept in perspective. Really like that they ran something on most arrests, not overloading readers with sensational coverage. The Journal is both forward-focused with info on coming events but also recapping such events as the county fair, which just closed. Loved arts coverage of local theatre company productions. If I lived anywhere in that part of South Carolina, reading The Journal would be a MUST!

FIRST PLACE

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Richard S. Whiting

S.C. Press Association FOI Chair

Index-Journal, Retired

KEN BALDWIN AWARD

for Excellence in Business Journalism WEEKLY

Jay

King Greenville Journal

DAILY

KEN BALDWIN AWARD

South Carolina Daily Gazette for Excellence in Business Journalism

David Wren

SECOND PLACE

JAY BENDER AWARD FOR

ASSERTIVE JOURNALISM

Editorial Board

Charleston City Paper

Weekly FIRST PLACE

JAY BENDER AWARD FOR

ASSERTIVE JOURNALISM

HONORABLE MENTION

JAY BENDER AWARD FOR ASSERTIVE JOURNALISM

Daily SECOND PLACE

JAY BENDER AWARD FOR ASSERTIVE JOURNALISM

Zak Koeske

The State

Daily FIRST PLACE

JAY BENDER AWARD FOR

ASSERTIVE JOURNALISM

Christian Boschult

The Post and Courier

SECOND PLACE

WEEKLY MONTGOMERY/SHURR

Freedom of Information Award

FIRST PLACE

WEEKLY MONTGOMERY/SHURR

Freedom of Information Award

Travis Jenkins

The News & Reporter

DAILY MONTGOMERY/SHURR Freedom of Information Award FIRST PLACE

CENTER FOR INTEGRITY IN NEWS REPORTING AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

ALL WEEKLY DIVISION

THIRD PLACE

Travis Jenkins

The News & Reporter

SECOND PLACE

FIRST PLACE

Brandon Roberts The Summerville Journal Scene

www.journalscene.com

Plan for apartments sparks community outcry

BY BRANDON ROBERTS broberts@journalscene.com

A closely contested vote by the Summerville Town Council has allowed a controversial proposal to annex and rezone more than four acres of land in the Newington Plantation area to move forward, despite overwhelming opposition from residents and school officials.

The request, submitted by Rutherford Prettyman Smith and Virginia Prettyman Driver, seeks to annex TMS No. 144-00-00-082—a

4.26-acre parcel located at Luden Drive and King Charles Circle—and rezone it from Dorchester County’s TRM (Transitional Residential District) to the town’s MF-R (MultiFamily Residential) zoning designation. The property lies in council district 5.

Although the town’s planning commission unanimously voted against the proposal at its June 16 meeting, and the town’s planning and development committee forwarded it to the full council without a recommendation on July 7, the

measure gained new momentum at the council’s July 10 meeting. Council member Kima Garten made a motion to deny the request, seconded by Matt Halter. That motion failed in a 4-3 vote, with Garten, Halter and Aaron Brown voting in favor of denial. Mayor Russ Touchberry cast the deciding vote to reject the motion to deny, allowing the proposal to advance to a second reading scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 14. The full development plan includes

BRANDON ROBERTS/JOURNAL SCENE

A large portion of the crowd at the July 10 meeting of the Summerville Town Council were residents from the Newington Plantation and Crestwood subdivisions in attendance to oppose a petition that could allow the construction of a 180-unit apartment complex.

CENTER FOR INTEGRITY IN NEWS REPORTING AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

ALL DAILY DIVISION

THIRD PLACE

Caitlin Byrd The Post and Courier

SECOND PLACE

CENTER

FOR INTEGRITY IN NEWS REPORTING AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

ALL DAILY DIVISION

FIRST PLACE

Tony Bartelme

The Post and Courier

As stated in the judging criteria, this was extensively reported, giving balance and perspective. This was a difficult subject and hard to report, which the reporter overcame.

STATE WINNER

Tony Bartelme

The

Post and Courier

Zak Koeske The State THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

FIRST PLACE

The Post and Courier

PHOTOJOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

Grace Beahm Alford

The Post and Courier

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

The Sumter Item Daily

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

PRESIDENT’S AWARD For Excellence

THE NEWS & REPORTER

PRESIDENT’S AWARD For Excellence

COASTAL OBSERVER

PRESIDENT’S AWARD For Excellence

GREENVILLE JOURNAL

PRESIDENT’S AWARD For Excellence

THE SUMTER ITEM

PRESIDENT’S AWARD For Excellence

THE SUN NEWS

PRESIDENT’S AWARD For Excellence

THE POST AND COURIER

Thanks for attending! Awards Celebration Banquet