5 earn all-state basketball honors

At first, when you hear Philip Simmons girls’ basketball coach Dustin Williams talk about his dynamic duo of Kylee Kellermann and Kennedy Rivers, you begin to wonder if they allow players to redshirt in high school.

 

“They both had outstanding seasons,” Williams said of Kellermann and Rivers, who were named to the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association’s Class AA all-state team. “This was their fourth year in the program and I think their fifth year will be even better.”

 

No, they don’t redshirt at Philip Simmons. It just seems like Kellermann and Rivers have been around forever, when in fact, they will be juniors next season. The two have been with the program since its inception, and helped the Iron Horses take the next step by reaching the Class AA Final Four for the first time in school history.

 

Rivers and Kellermann were two of five players from area schools to earn all-state. The other three players are from Bishop England: Daniel Brooks, Jaiha Williams and Lily Woods.

 

The two players have been fixtures on the team from Day 1.

 

“Kellermann and Rivers, they have to do it all,” Williams said. “We have  to get more out of third, fourth and fifth options. But you expect them to be the go-to players. They’ve been with the program since the seventh grade. They have seen the struggles, the success and strive to get better. You can’t ask for anything more than that.”

 

Brooks is more known for his baseball accomplishments. He’s heading to the College of Charleston to play baseball, but is working his way up to a possible first-round pick in the Major League draft. He averaged 15.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

 

Williams lived up to the expectations this winter on the hardwood. She was selected as one of the top five seniors around the state in the Class AAA level.

 

Woods is better known as a tennis player. In fact, she’s arguably the top singles player in the state.

 

State wrestling

 

Philip Simmons’ Nathan Newman heads up the list of five Daniel Island wrestlers who will compete in Saturday’s Individual State Championships, which will be held at Dreher High School.

 

Newman will be making his third appearance at the big meet. He competes in the 160-pound class and will face Garrett Williams of Chesnee.

 

Freshman Drew McConnell will wrestle at the 106-pound classification. He is scheduled to face off against Fontray Randolph of Columbia.

 

In the 120-pound classification, sophomore Iron Horse Zion Beaufort will face Hayden Walters of Ninety Six.

 

Iron Horse freshman Isaac Schimpf will face Crescent’s Elijah Richey.

 

Bishop England will have one wrestler compete in the Class AAA championships. Freshman Sam Cherichello will battle Genaro DeLaGarza of Woodruff.