JOHNSTON - Billy Hall's legs don't carry him around quite as swiftly as they once did. But he flew (quite literally) across the country to see his former Johnston High School teammates again on Friday for the first time in a number of years at the 48th and 50th reunions, respectively, of a pair of state championship football teams. Hall was a member of the 1959 state championship Bears football team that defeated highly regarded St. Matthews in a 7-0 defensive struggle.
After three successful years (04-06) coaching at Independence High in Charlotte, NC and winning three state championships with a record of (48-0), Welvin L. Simpkins, a native of Edgefield, SC, is now coaching at South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, SC.
Simpkins is in his 2nd year at South Pointe and he is the Defensive Back Coach and he is also over the Kick-Off Team. Simpkins is no stranger to the game of football.
He played on the Lower State Championship team with Strom Thurmond in 1995. He played wide receiver and defensive back, and caught the winning touchdown pass that helped clinch a spot in the State Championship game.
The seventh-ranked Strom Thurmond Rebels football team emerged from Wednesday’s home scrimmage with the Newberry Bulldogs injury free and feeling good about themselves.
The Rebels scored three times, all through the air on connections from junior quarterback Raleigh Yeldell to wideout Antonio Hamilton, while the Bulldogs managed just one score on a long run late in the scrimmage against mostly reserve players.
“It was a lot like (last Saturday’s scrimmage) in that we didn’t turn the ball over and didn’t have many penalties so that’s huge,” Sawyer said. “We had a lot of big plays where we had the ability to stretch the field, Antonio showed that. Raleigh threw the ball well except for a couple of slants where he threw it in the dirt, one that might have gone the distance. We’ll learn a lot more when we look at the film, but overall, I was pleased.”
LUBBOCK, Texas – Having been placed among the best scholastic chess players the nation has to offer, Edgefield County standout Tori Whatley proved she had the right moves for the competition.
Due to a stronger rating this time around, Tori started higher in the order at the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational Chess Tournament, held on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.
And from the outset she was in the middle of the fray, fighting stronger opponents than she did in her previous appearance at this event two years ago. Playing conservatively, she managed to advance South Carolina, and herself, to a 33rd place finish, surpassing her old benchmark by 5 positions.
TRENTON – Softball players from all across the CSRA gathered at the Trenton Softball Field to raise money to support local teenager Candice Cordale’s as she continues to recover from a serious car crash some two months ago.
Paul Grandy, who helped organize the tournament, said the tournament was a big success
“I think we raised between $1,600 or 1,700 and everything went great,” he said. “We want to thank all the sponsors and everyone who helped out.”
On June 6-9, 2010, a shooting star emerged in Columbia, S.C.
Lyric Alessandria Tillman a rising seventh grader at Merriwether Middle School participated at the University of South Carolina girls overnight elite basketball camp. At the camp she competed against other talented girls of her age group.
She led all of the drills and was always a spark for her team. On the final day of the camp she received several awards for her performance and was invited to come back to participate next summer.
JOHNSTON – With the season right around the corner, it’s about time to start talking football.
Thurmond will remain in region three, but will reunite with some old region foes from the 3A years; Keenan and Eau Claire. In addition, Columbia, Batesburg-Leesville and Gilbert will round out the region.
The Rebels finished the 2009 season with a 10-3 record after dropping the third round playoff game to Central Pageland 14-9. With a wealth of talent returning on both sides of the ball, the Rebels will look to contend for a state title in the most competitive classification in South Carolina High School Football.
MERRIWETHER – The Fox Creek High School varsity football team started their first major football practice of 2010 last week at Merriwether Middle School.
Coach Schneider was asked if he had any new players this year and he said, “Half of the kids practicing today haven’t been on this field except for today.”
The Predators’ head coach was then asked how he would rank the team of thirty-four players without the eighth-graders moving up, and whether he believe that their record will be better this year than it has in the previous years.
JOHNSTON – Terry Taylor’s American Kem Tae Do Karate School in Johnston along with Mike Hess karate in Aiken will be presenting the 1st SUMMER ERUPTION Carolina Combat League multi-school karate tournament at Strom Thurmond High School on Sat. June 12th beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Open to the public with admission as follows: $5. for adults; $3. for 6-12; free for 5 and under.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society through our Relay For Life Team. There will be realistic self-defense demos, school demos, musical and weapon katas, etc. Plus, special black belt competitions, fun little dragon events to watch, and much more!
NORTH AUGUSTA – Fox Creek High School announces the hiring of its new Varsity Baseball Coach, Wesley Brown.
Coach Brown will take over a Predator team that has won the Class A Region IV Championship 3 of the last 4 years and the 2010 District IV Championship. Coach Brown will be coming from South Aiken High School, where he was the assistant coach.
His previous club recently played for the Class AAA state championship. Coach Brown’s 12 year coaching career includes local powerhouse teams such as Barnwell, where he was part of a 2 time state championship team. He also coached at Silver Bluff and Midland Valley High Schools.
After three successful years (04-06) coaching at Independence High in Charlotte, NC and winning three state championships with a record of (48-0), Welvin L. Simpkins, a native of Edgefield, SC, is now coaching at South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, SC. 
JOHNSTON – So far so good.
LUBBOCK, Texas – Having been placed among the best scholastic chess players the nation has to offer, Edgefield County standout Tori Whatley proved she had the right moves for the competition.
TRENTON – Softball players from all across the CSRA gathered at the Trenton Softball Field to raise money to support local teenager Candice Cordale’s as she continues to recover from a serious car crash some two months ago.
On June 6-9, 2010, a shooting star emerged in Columbia, S.C. 
JOHNSTON – With the season right around the corner, it’s about time to start talking football. 
MERRIWETHER – The Fox Creek High School varsity football team started their first major football practice of 2010 last week at Merriwether Middle School. 
JOHNSTON – Terry Taylor’s American Kem Tae Do Karate School in Johnston along with Mike Hess karate in Aiken will be presenting the 1st SUMMER ERUPTION Carolina Combat League multi-school karate tournament at Strom Thurmond High School on Sat. June 12th beginning at 9:30 a.m. 
NORTH AUGUSTA – Fox Creek High School announces the hiring of its new Varsity Baseball Coach, Wesley Brown. 