Iron Horse girls up to the challenge to repeat as tennis champs

Encore.

 

What’s Steve Cohen going to do for an encore?

 

Cohen guided the Philip Simmons High School girls’ tennis team to the Class AAA state championship last fall in his first year as head coach of the Iron Horses.

 

“It will be tough,” Cohen said. “We lost eight players from last year’s team, including five starters. Four graduated, and one decided not to come out this year. We will see who steps up and fills the holes.”

 

Whatever happens, don’t look for the Iron Horses to rest on their laurels; they capped the 2023 season with a 6-0 victory over D.W. Daniel High School of Central, South Carolina, to claim their second state title in three years, but this fall’s roster will include changes as four seniors who were big

reasons for the success graduated: Ansley Cohen, Amelia Whirrett, Reagan Donley, and Crisleni Martinez-Valdez. 

 

“We lost a lot of talent,” said Cohen, who was an assistant to Richard Schulz for five years before landing the top job in 2024. “It won’t be as easy. It will take a lot of work. But we are ready to do the work.”

 

Ansley Cohen was the No. 1 singles player on the team last fall, and one of Cohen’s two daughters on the team. Cohen’s other daughter is Harper.

 

Harper Cohen and Jolie Mello were the No. 4 and No. 5 singles players last year and are bidding for the top spot this fall. Both student-athletes earned all-region last year. Cohen is best known for her basketball skills, while Mello is an accomplished lacrosse player.

 

“Everyone else is new,” coach Cohen said. “We’ll see how they do in match time. After Nos. 1 and 2, we’re wide open. We’ll see who wins out.” 

 

Football jamborees

 

Bishop England and Philip Simmons will participate in football jamborees in preparation for the 2024 season.

 

The Bishops, who feature first-year coach Logan Hall, will participate in the Dave Spurlock Charleston County School District Football Jamboree, which will be contested Aug. 16 at Wando High School’s District 2 Stadium.

 

The Bishops are one of 12 teams that will compete in the jamboree, which is named in memory of Spurlock, a longtime coach and athletic director in Charleston County.

 

The Bishops will open their regular season with a road trip to St. John High School on Aug. 30.

 

Meanwhile, Philip Simmons is one of six teams entered in the Moncks Corner Lions Club Jamboree at Berkeley High School on Aug. 16.

 

The Iron Horses, who posted a 10-2 record last fall, are expected to be one of the top 10 teams in Class AA this fall. The Iron Horses will open their season on Aug. 23 with a trip against rival Hanahan High School.