Pair of Iron Horse standouts earn all-state honors

The Philip Simmons High School baseball team’s success on the diamond is reflected in the postseason honors.

 

Two Iron Horse standouts, senior Tripp Williams and junior Grayson Mitchell, were recently named to the state coaches association’s all-state team. It marked the second straight season the Iron Horses had two players earn all-state honors.

 

Williams, a talented catcher for Josh Kubisz’s squad, repeats as an all-state selection. The 6-4, 220-pound senior arguably might be the best male athlete in the school’s brief history.

 

Williams also earned all-state as the Iron Horses’ quarterback after leading the Iron Horses to an 11-2 record.

 

Williams, who will play football at The Citadel in the fall, has collected 30 hits in 82 at-bats this spring for a .366 batting average. He has 10 extra-base hits including eight doubles. He’s collected 25 RBI in 27 games.

 

Williams also was solid as a catcher with a .955 fielding average. He’s thrown out seven of 16 base runners this spring.

 

Mitchell leads the Iron Horses in five major offensive categories: batting average, on-base percentage, stolen bases, runs and hits.

 

Mitchell is batting .459 with a .562 on-base percentage and has 34 hits in 74 at-bats with four extra-base hits. He’s scored 39 runs and has driven in 21 while stealing 12 bases.

 

Kubisz praised Mitchell’s skills at third base.

 

“He’s the smoothest third baseman I’ve ever coached or played with,” said Kubisz, who played high school ball at Goose Creek and Penn State Greater Allegheny at the college level.

 

Philip Simmons, 20-10, travels to Kershaw on Wednesday night to play Andrew Jackson in the Class AA Lower State Championship. The Iron Horses need two victories over Andrew Jackson in the double-elimination series to reach the State Championship Series for the

first time in the school’s brief history.

 

Bishops, Iron Horses soccer

 

The Bishop England and Philip Simmons girls’ soccer teams had successful seasons as both teams reached the Lower State Championship in their respective classes.

 

Bishop England reached the Class AAA Lower State Championship, but dropped a 2-0 decision to Oceanside Collegiate Academy.

 

The Bishops started the 2022 season slowly under new coach Netha Kreamer, but finished with a 12-6 record, including 7-3 in Region 8-AAA play.

 

The Bishops were 2-1 against OCA in the regular season, winning two of the matches on penalty-kick shootouts.

 

Meanwhile, Philip Simmons reached the Class AA state semifinals, but dropped a 3-0 decision to Christ Church. The Iron Horse girls finished with an 11-7-1 record.