Hanahan High School fall sports wrap-up

"We did great and ended up with some really good numbers," said Jeff Cruce, Hanahan High School Athletic Director and Football Coach. Highlights from various sports are listed below.

Football

Hanahan Varsity Football ended its season with an impressive 9-3 record. The Hawks made it through the first round of the state playoffs beating Wade Hampton 42-15. The team was knocked out in Round 2 by Carver’s Bay. The most memorable moment, says Coach Cruce, was beating Andrew’s to win the 9^th undefeated Region Championship on October 21. The victory gave the Hawks the 2^nd longest region win streak in the state.

"They’re all memorable moments," added Cruce, "but for some of those kids it’s their last game. As a coach, I get to come back and do it all over again."

Women’s Tennis

The Hanahan High School Tennis Team scored big this season, according to Coach Greg Brock. The girls played six matches, three of which went to 3^rd set tie-breakers and two others went 5-7, 4-6.

"…All of the young ladies played well this year," said Coach Brock, who is also the Membership Coordinator for the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island. "They definitely matured in their court knowledge and skills as well as fellowshipping together. But competing in the play-offs for the 2-A High Schools was up there as a memorable moment!"

Daniel Island residents Lauren and Stephanie Benner, who Coach Brock describes as the "Killer B’s," were excited to be part of Hanahan tennis this year.

"This was only a second year team, so most of our players didn’t have prior experience in playing tennis," said Lauren. "To make it to the playoffs was really great."

"We definitely had a lot more players (on the team) this year," added Stephanie, who is ranked number one on the team. "It was lots of fun and we got to meet a lot of people."

Brock and his players are already thinking about strategies for next season. He predicts the girls will be in much better shape mentally and physically to compete thanks to the off-season conditioning they will be doing on their own.

"What a joy it is to be able to teach and learn from these young ladies," added Brock. "I wish the best for our two seniors, Katherine Brock and Taylor Richardson as they head off to college."

The core of the 2006 team will be lead by the Benners, Katherine McLeod, Jamie Sweatman, Jennifer Mizell, Rabon Howard, Rebecca Adams, Emily Mohler, and Brittany Gadsen.

"We look forward to serving up more aces in the coming season!" said Brock.

Swimming

The 2005 season marked the birth of the Hanahan High School Swim Team. Coach Terry Mouser said it took about a year and a half to get the program into place, but after a successful season they seem to be off to a "very good start."

"They did exceedingly well," said Coach Mouser of his 21 new swim team members, who each logged about one and a half miles a day in the pool. "None of them had ever swam before. They just had lessons in the summer. We got beaten a few times, but we also gave some lumps, too!"

Mouser says the team ended up being one race away from earning the number two spot in the region.

"These kids swam from about 3:30 in the afternoon until 5 at night, five days a week," he added. "It was nothing more than a giant learning curve because I had to teach them how to swim. It really had nothing to do with coaching. It has to do with a desire within the kids."

The team practiced at the Danny Jones Pool in North Charleston, a pool that Mouser says isn’t up to par with some of their competitors’ training facilities. Nevertheless, he says his swimmers still ended up winners.

"Our kids put their hearts and souls into this (season). They didn’t lose anything. They gained everything."

The following swimmers earned awards for their achievements: Deana Berbel and Payton Wainstreet - Most Valuable Players; Deana Berbel and Josh Grimsley - Most Improved Swimmers; Erica Lawless, Jme Shipman, A.C. Cartengena, Corey Rodriguez and Zachary Jarrett– Hawk Spirit Awards.

Volleyball

The Hawks’ Volleyball team finished up their season with a 17-13 record. Most impressive, says Coach Susan Haynie, was the team’s designation as an AA Lower State Runner-Up. The ranking meant the Hawks were among the top four teams in the state.

"I was very pleased with the progress of the team and the game performance that improved greatly from the beginning of the season to the play-offs," said Coach Haynie. "Next year’s team will be very young, but very enthusiastic."

Those young players, according to Haynie, will have the opportunity to start for HHS for two years.

Cross Country

The Cross Country team made great strides during the fall sports season. According to the HHS website, the Hawks’ runners qualified for the state cross country competition for the first time since the sport was established at Hanahan in 1997. Ultimately, the team finished 5^th in the lower state and placed 7^th in the state.

"Cross Country did an excellent job," said Cruce. "They’ve got pretty much the whole squad back. We’re excited about them and their potential."

The website also reports that "7^th grader, Cole Reinhold, received All-Region and All-State honors and looks to anchor the future of Hanahan Cross Country."