Everything First Baptist School Athletics
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The Varsity Girls Soccer team is off to a great start this season. Coach Stewart Garrett, when asked about this years team spoke highly of the work ethic of this particular group. He said that "these girls play hard for each other and are working diligently with me to help build a strong girls soccer program here at FBS." With games being canceled due to weather, their overall record is only 1-1-1. Of those games played, the best team game was definitely the Palmetto Christian Academy game. With a final score of 2-1, the Varsity Girls Soccer team controlled most of the game dominating offensive possession, passing and crossing the ball as well as we ever have. Senior captain, Makena Mesenbourg said that this team "is the best team FBS has had since she has been here and that they move the ball and share the ball well."
The seniors of the team are Makena Mesenbourg, Mackenzie Bryan, Laken Smith, Kimberly Zuniga, and Jillian Grimes. "These seniors provide leadership and guidance to the younger girls on the team," said Coach Garrett when he was asked about his seniors. The girls' team has had multiple girls scoring goals and assisting goals which spoke to our depth offensively. Teams who are not relying heavily on one player to score are able to build programs that have success. With the additions, this season of young talent, eighth graders Zoe Lant and Hailey Switzer and Freshman Millie Knowles, the girls' soccer program should be able to build something special for years to come.
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The Varsity Boys Soccer Team is undefeated so far this season. Their overall record is 6-0. Coach Winston Helms said of his season, "I am excited about this bunch because we have had some great individual performances and even some surprises from each player from time to time." The boys have had some good showings thus far, but with the thick of the region schedule beginning, we have to continue to get better. Coach Helms believes they have not played their best ball yet and that is a good thing as the final portion of region play and playoffs are approaching. Coach Helms has provided stability to our boys' program as they improve each year.
Some of the players on the roster have played for him for five years as they played on this team as 8th grade middle schoolers. This year's seniors have provided leadership and set the tone for the younger players. The seniors are Coulter Maginnis, Justin Johnson, Kenneth Johnson, Thomas Thornley, Alex Bowron, and Trae Glidewell. "Watching my seniors grow from boys into young men has been a true pleasure. I already know that the first day of practice next season will be a strange one without those guys. They have meant a lot to us as a coaching staff and to the players in our program," said Coach Helms "I feel this bunch is a family and we are hoping to do something that the boys' soccer program hasn't done in the last 25 years!"
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The Varsity Baseball team played a tough schedule early but it has prepared them well for region play as they are tied for first place in 3A SCISA Region 1 with Pinewood Prep. In region play against Northwood Academy, LT Dantzler pitched a complete game shut out to include 9 strikeouts and Lucas Snow went 3-5 with 5 RBIs against Northwood as well. In another region game versus Pinewood, Will Mercer pitched 14 strikeouts.
The most notable team performance was on March 26 against Augusta Christian. We were down 2-0 in the 5th inning and had 0 hits up to that point. We rallied for 4 runs in that inning to take a 4-2 lead. In the 7th inning, up 4-2, bases loaded, 2 outs, there was a base hit up the middle. The player on third scored and the runner on second was trying to score to tie the game. Cody Crawford makes a perfect throw from Centerfield to the catcher to get the runner out at the plate! It was a great all around team win against a solid opponent.
First year head coach Alex Snider, when asked what he enjoys most about his team, replied "I have 14 guys who love the game of baseball! We laugh and have a good time while getting better each day at the game of baseball. This is just a great group." There are 5 seniors that are leaders on the field and 3 of them were coached by Coach Snider when they were 8th graders on the FBS B- team. These five seniors have meant a lot to the FBS program and we are hoping for big things as we push to send them out on top!
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The Varsity softball team is led by second-year head coach Charlie Branyon. The team consists of three seniors: Maren Stevens, Naomi LaRoache, and Sydney Sandford. Returning from last season's softball team is Jenna Walling, Rynne Welch, Hannah LaRoche, and Elizabeth Killian. Welcomed additions to this years team are Peyton Roper, Erin Wayman, and Elizabeth Pederson. The only region game that has been played was against Northwood Academy. The girls jumped out to an early 4-1 lead before falling behind by three runs late. The final score was 8-5. Jenna Walling led the way going 3 for 4 and scoring three runs. Rynne Welch went 1 for 2 and scored a run, and Naomi LaRoche scored a run as well.
The Softball team is led by second year, starting pitcher, Jenna Walling who pitched 58 innings and threw for 91 strikeouts last season. As a year around softball player, Jenna brings experience and stability to her position as she leads this team in almost every category. Senior, Naomi LaRoche also provides leadership on the field. Naomi is starting catcher who is returning this year from her HSSR All-State junior campaign. Rainouts and game cancellations have prevented these girls from playing several of their games, but they are continuing to improve each day in practice and hope to continue to grow this program into a state contender. With 5 of the nine starters being freshman, this core group could be expected to bring great things for FBS Softball.
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The FBS Golf Team has a new coach this season who many of you would recognize as one of the assistant varsity football coaches, Thomas King. He has done a great job with a group made up of many first time golfers. There are four seniors who have provided leadership both on the golf course and in their willingness to help drive teammates to practice on a daily basis. These seniors include; Chas Urashima, Jackson Watson, Phin Garrett, and Matthew Hubbell. Chas Urashima has been a stable part of our program for several years as he juggles two spring sports. Urashima is starting catcher for the Varsity Baseball team as well. Rounding out the region match play golf roster is Makenzie Norwood, Charlie Akerman, Zach Adams, and Linny Schwinge.
When Coach King was asked about what he has most enjoyed about this season he replied: "I have really liked this team, they are a fun group and I have enjoyed watching them learn the game." The best team score by our team in region play was a 347. The golf team has played well on our home course at Oak Point in Johns Island and it showed as we were just four strokes out of second place.
First Baptist Golf has one of the best golfers in the southeast on our team, Zach Adams. Freshman, Zach Adams is currently ranked #13 in the nation for the class of 2020. Adams has been named SCISA 3A Region Player of the Year in back to back seasons. Statistically, he finished the region matches with a 71.3 average which was nearly seven strokes lower than the golfers who were tied for second place from Porter Gaud and Pinewood Prep. Already being noticed by South Carolina, Clemson, and Alabama the future is bright for this young man and the First Baptist Golf team.
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This years track team is coached by Keith Bolus. Coach Bolus has a good group of athletes that also play football, basketball, softball, swim, and run cross country. These athletes show well individually in all of their meets. Team scoring is tough as the team is small in number, but we have athletes who have qualified for the SCISA State Meet. Individually FBS has had someone place in the top three in the following events: 100, 200, and 400-meter dash, the 1600 and 3200-meter distance and shot put and discus. These individuals will be strong contenders to win state championship medals as they head to the SCISA State Meet in a couple of weeks.
The track program doesn't currently have any seniors. The juniors are Devin Ray, Josh Blackstock, and rounding out the roster is Burk Arredondo, Erin Wayman, Parker Cook, Halsey von Kolnitz, Junior Ravenel, Trey Hunt, Lawton Sifly and eighth grader, Blaze Phillips. Coach Bolus stated that they are "the few and the proud", but hopes that the individual success that some of our athletes have had this year will spur school-wide interest in track at FBS in the coming years.
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Notable performances:
John Ravenel Jr.
100 meter 11.1
200 meter 23.55
400 meter 56.1
Josh Blackstock
Shot 33-09.25
Disc 104-07 ft
Trey Hunt
800 meter 2:26 min
1600 meter 5.16 min
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Hurricane Athletic Banquet
- Friday, May 17th - 6:00pm (Varsity)
- Friday, May 17th - Time TBD (JV)
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Free MUSC Sports Physical
- Saturday, April 13th - 2:00p-3:00p
- Located at the James Island MUSC Heath Clinic
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