Lady Bishops look to build on decade-long dynasty

Talk about a decade of dynastic results, and all conversation and coronation lead to the Bishop England girls’ program, which has been sensational.

 

The Bishops have been the best of the best in South Carolina since winning their first state championship to culminate the 2011-12 season.

 

Since then, the team has added five more state titles while compiling a 236-21 record.

 

“I’ll say this and I’m dead serious. I don’t look at or remember records,” Coach Paul Runey said. “What I remember are the people who made it happen.”

 

Runey is the mastermind of the program and guided the team to a 12-2 record last winter in a season shortened by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bishops reached the Class AAA state championship, but dropped a 62-57 decision to Keenan in a tense title showdown.

 

This season marks a lineup different in past years. There are 10 seniors on the roster with a junior and for sophomores. The coach notes the team will have a completely different chemistry next season and might be the second wave and era of success.

 

Two of the sophomores, Lizzy Tompkins and Izzy Wood, show potential. They also have sisters who have had much success at BE. JoJo Tompkins played on a state championship team, while two-sport star Lily Wood played on the 2019 state championship basketball team while earning eight state championships overall.

 

Bishop England, a perennial heavyweight, began the season at No. 9 in the state coaches association’s preseason poll of the top Class AAA teams in the state.

 

The Bishops were battling injuries before the season-opener. Princess Scott, who has shown dramatic improvement since her freshman year, suffered a torn labrum and will miss the first couple of weeks of the season. Ally Dominiak suffered the same injury, but has returned. Senior Adry Simmons, who splits time at forward and center, suffered a knee injury and missed most of last season. She is rounding into form.

 

The Bishops opened the season with victories on the opposite ends of the stress meter. They clobbered Charleston Collegiate 74-8 in the opener and then held on against a late Cane Bay rally to gain a 52-50 victory as Dominiak scored 24 points and Ella Scharr tallied 16.

 

“We just have a group of steady young players, young players who have a lot to take in,” Runey said. “We have a lot of players back for the final year of their careers.

 

“We have some young players with experience, with playing time,” Runey continued. “We’re still trying to figure out who will play point guard.”

 

Last March, Keenan proved to be the team to beat. The team might prove more of the same the next two seasons thanks to Milaysia Fulwiley, a sophomore superstar last winter who is back for her junior season. She is already an icon among the best players in state history.

 

Runey concedes the top ranking to Keenan, saying. “We’re just the little train chugging along. We’re working to fill the holes without too big of a drop-off.”