Iron Horse tennis underclassmen have strong showing at individual state championships

The Philip Simmons High School boys’ tennis team showed it had a great collection of talent by recently winning the Class AA state team championship.  

 

The Iron Horse boys also proved they had individual players with strong skill sets as well, as junior Zade Hyatt, sophomore Josh Lively and junior Henry Hyden fared well at the individual Class AAA-AA-A state championships, which were held May 16-17 at the Dr. Eddie Floyd Tennis Center in Florence.

 

All three players reached the second day of competition to earn all-state honors.

 

“There were 12 players playing that second day, and we had three of them,” Philip Simmons coach Richard Schulz said. “There were 32 players to begin the tournament and we were the only school to have three players earn all-state.”

 

Lively had the best finish, reaching the semifinals.

 

“He has unlimited potential,” Schulz said of Lively. “He is intelligent, humble and a little naïve. He doesn’t realize how good he is.”

 

Schulz described Hyden as being goal-oriented. “He works hard to get better. He sets lofty goals and reaches them.”

 

Hyden lost to eventual state champ Noah Johnson of Wren in the third round.

 

Hyatt is the only one of the talented trio who doesn’t play tennis year round.

 

“He’s our MVP,” Schulz said. “He’s not our most valuable player; he’s our most valuable person.”  

 

BE, PS soccer

 

The Bishop England and Philip Simmons soccer programs had successful seasons this spring, and it is reflected by the all-state teams recently announced by the state coaches association.

 

Philip Simmons had six players receive accolades, while BE had five.

 

The Iron Horse boys, who went 15-2, including 6-0 in Region 6-AA, had three players make the prestigious squad: Tucker Sprofera, Riley Beard and Ty’Sun Mack-Davis.

 

The Iron Horse girls finished with an 11-7-1 record, including 6-0 in Region 6-AA. Iron Horse selections include Jen Szlosek, Stephanie Kirk and Claire Esse. 

 

The BE boys had two players earn all-state: Easton Khouri and Zander Mullin. The Bishop boys posted an 11-7 record, including 6-4 in the region, which was good for third place. 

 

The Bishop England girls posted a 12-6 record, and finished in second place in Region 8-AAA with a 7-3 record. Lauren Berrigan, Lucy Bora and Isabella DeMarco were the Bishops’ all-state selections.

 

The BE boys had two players earn all-state: Easton Khouri and Zander Mullin. The Bishop boys posted an 11-7 record, including 6-4 in the region, which was good for third place.

 

Philip Simmons baseball

 

The Philip Simmons baseball team’s bid for a state championship came up a little short as the Iron Horses were eliminated by Andrew Jackson May 18 in the Class AA Lower State Championship Series.

 

The Iron Horses traveled to Kershaw, needing two victories over Andrew Jackson in the double-elimination tourney to advance to the State Championship Series.

 

Andrew Jackson won the first game with an 8-7 decision in a contest that went nine innings. The game was decided when a Volunteer player was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the walk-off extra-innings victory.