High School
S.C. High School Sports
SC / Midlands athletics
Akilah Nelson covers high schools sports. The New Jersey native began sports writing at the Daily Tar Heel in Chapel Hill, N.C., and was a high school football correspondent for The (Durham, N.C.) Herald-Sun. After graduating from the University of North Carolina in 2003, she covered the WNBA and minor league baseball as an intern at The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J. She was an education reporter at the Public Opinion in Chambersburg, Pa., for 18 months before joining The State's sports staff.
Most Recently Answered Questions
Questions 1 - 15 of 165 (Page 1 of 9)Submitted by Travis from Hopkins, SC
Q: Why is it Thomas Sumter Academy does not get any recognition from The State Newspaper. They are playing for the SCISA Class 2A championship tonight and yet it is not mentioned in today's paper. They are never listed in the Midlands schools section but all other Sumter area schools are. Please respond.
Answered 11/24/08 12:34:00 by Akilah Nelson
A: The State does not consider Thomas Sumter to be a "midlands" program, and therefore when we have a full slate of games, TSA shakes out as a low priority for coverage (this is vaguely based on how many people buy our paper there). I know they are getting the short shrift, but it's not my decision.Submitted by Todd from Lexington
Q: I am looking over the 4-A volleyball playoff brackets. Lexington is first in region 5. The brackets have us playing either region 8 #4 or region 5 #5. Do you know who Lexington will play and why does one region possibly get 5 teams in playoffs. Thanks.
Answered 10/22/08 18:49:32 by Akilah Nelson
A: Only region 5 would have five teams in the playoffs and that is because only region 5 has eight teams. In a smaller region, a fourth place team could actually have a worse record than the fifth place team in Region 5...Case in point, the fourth place team in the five-team Region 8 is West Ashley, a squad with 17 losses this season. Region 5's fifth place team is North Augusta whose record is a middling 9-9, 5-9. Neither team is likely to make waves in the postseason, but who do you think deserves the playoff bid more?Submitted by Hasan lee from columbia S.C
Q: When you was picking midland best football player why was Xavier Murray the running back for Eau Claire left of the list? This kids has over 1000yds all purpose yds.
Answered 10/15/08 15:09:25 by Akilah Nelson
A: Well, I wasn't picking the "midland best football player," but I'm certain that Xavier was left off because he does not have over 1,000 rushing yards or 1,000 recieving yards, etc. The players were chosen by position, not by all-purpose yardage. Based on the numbers considered separately, he is not a better running back or reciever than the ones selected, but he is certainly a great athlete. That's why he was included in the honorable mention category along with Arthur Goforth from Keenan and Sean Davis from Pelion.Submitted by from
Q: why did region 5 AAAA end up getting all those teams jammed into 1 region makes no since to me
Answered 10/02/08 12:58:43 by Akilah Nelson
A: There is always some reason in madness. Some reason, but not much is involved here...It all boils down to keeping the same number of schools in upper state vs. lower state (24 teams each in 4A). Regions 7 and 8 are all Charleston schools which wanted to stay in region competition together, and each of those regions has just five teams, which meant the other two regions in Lower State would have to have 14 teams between them. Region 6 remained in tact from last season, with Carolina Forest moving up and replacing South Aiken. So Region 5, the geographic central region, ended up with the orphaned teams from the Upper State (which grew because of those Rock Hill schools) and OW which had been an outlier in the region with Startford and Berkeley (as if that made sense), with no other logical place to put them. So there you go...call it the Crazy 8 region.Submitted by R.C. from Columbia, SC
Q: My apologies Ms.Nelson, you've shown the Diamond football program love ever since the summer started....I was referring to the news stations...again my apologies.
Answered 09/22/08 14:55:32 by Akilah Nelson
A: No big deal...TV people go where they think they can get good highlight film (that's my outside-looking-in analysis) so they follow the top players and squads. My guess is the more LR wins, the more they'll show up.Submitted by R.C. from Columbia, SC
Q: Why don't you guys update the Midlands top 10 football poll...it's been the same since the start of the season. And can the Diamonds finally get a little love?
Answered 09/22/08 14:32:07 by Akilah Nelson
A: Good question about the Midlands football poll...the answer according to my editor, Gerald Davis: I didn't know it was still visible on the new site. Ok. It will be updated today. As for Lower Richland, when was there a lack of love?Submitted by Todd from Lexington, SC
Q: How can I find out about volleyball standings for Lexington High and their conference? I would like to see how the other teams in their region are doing. I have searched different sites, but I cannot find out scores and standings. Thanks for your help.
Answered 09/22/08 14:28:52 by Akilah Nelson
A: The Wildcats are 4-2 after starting the season with two losses. They are well on their way to winning the region already as all four of their wins have been against region teams. Lexington hosts North Augusta tomorrow. You can find their results at www.lexingtonwildcats.com. You should be able to find region standings at www.sc.prepcountry.com which provides the volleyball rankings for us each week.Submitted by Jonny from
Q: i know that it is little early but who do u like to dominate the AAAA football season next yr. and whats your intake on this new alignment of the regions that was configure by the schsl?
Answered 09/22/08 11:50:07 by Akilah Nelson
A: Well, I think Dorman is shaping up to be a pretty powerful squad this year, but South Pointe is a monster and Byrnes appears unstoppable. At least two of those three will be playing for state titles this year I believe. The realignments are cool with me even though they broke up some strong football regions, specifically Region 3-4A, because I think it put several teams in the classifications they truly belong in (like Eau Claire in 2A). I'd hate to take the bus ride with some of those teams though!Submitted by Edwards from Chapin
Q: Ms Nelson How Is Chapin Football Looking this year
Answered 09/22/08 11:44:50 by Akilah Nelson
A: The Eagles appear to have a pretty potent offense. Theh defense is tough when it wants to be. The test is putting the two together for 48 minutes. I think Chapin will have a solid season and depending on how the squad gels, could do well in the playoffs.Submitted by Jane Steinberg from Columbia
Q: Can you provide me w/the e-mail address for the local tennis feature writer named Bernie, the pro at Parklane? THANKS!
Answered 09/22/08 11:40:04 by Akilah Nelson
A: If you want to contact Bernie at the Tennis Center, email rctc@rcrc.state.sc.usSubmitted by anoymous from Columbia,SC
Q: Yes whats all the hype about Chris Payne and Demario Jeffery from Columbia High! I was at the sportsarama and the Hannahan game. The kid that wears the #5 jersey really impress me!Do you have any idea what his name is?
Answered 09/22/08 11:37:29 by Akilah Nelson
A: Cornerback Mike Tillman wears the No. 5 jersey for the Capitals. He is Columbia's interceptions leader, with three picks this season. But the senior is getting little buzz on the recruiting circuit. Meanwhile, Jeffery's out with a knee-injury after playing a little bit of everything and Payne has moved back to linebacker as the two prepare to become Gamecocks next season.Submitted by Robin Crest from West Columbia, SC
Q: I have a question about B-C High School. They basically fired one of their own in Brad Coleman as Athletic Director and Football Coach despite winning the program's only region football championship since 1971 back in 2003. He won nine games in a season twice and posted 40 victories with the Bearcats for a program that has been pathetic over the years. Their other sports challenge for region and state titles annually. I've lived in West Columbia since 1981 and just think this is a terrible mistake. What gives? Who's in charge here?
Answered 09/22/08 11:27:57 by Akilah Nelson
A: Well, I can't really comment on the hiring/firing process over there at BC, but it was all very contentious. Abby Bray is in charge of the Athletics Department there now though, and BC has still struggled early. The Bearcats came up with a big win against Columbia on Friday though, so plenty of people will credit that to the coaching change and likely not count it a mistake. As with many things, the answer will become clear with time. Meanwhile, coach Coleman is finding plenty of success as the defensive coordinator at Heathwood Hall, so he's still in the area if you wish to go cheer him on.Submitted by Bob Watson from Columbia, SC
Q: I have one great question for this expert. How is it possible that the State Championship for SCISSA Softball did not have a single word in your paper on Sunday morning. I don't know whose fault it is, whether it is our AD, Mike Fanning at SCISSA or your's and Gerald's, but it is inexcusable. Your job is high school sports and whether you were notified or not, you know that softball takes place this time of year and the tournament takes place at the same time and place each year. If you can tell me that it is not important because it is just SCISSA and just softball then at least that would be honest. You owe a huge apology to these girls, to SCISSA, and to the Cardinal Newman community. I feel very safe to say that if Hammond had won a state title a huge article would have been written. Oh yeah, there was a big article on Hammond's loss in the soccer finals. If I sound bitter, I am. I have coached at CN for 25 years and was AD for 5. This is embarrassing and I would like to know how The State is going to make this up. I will call and e-mail everyone I know at your paper until I get a good answer and see some results.
Answered 09/22/08 11:15:16 by Akilah Nelson
A: Well, I know this is three months later, but thanks for the lecture on how to be a journalist. I don't apologize, however, for not being able to be in two places at one time. Newspapers have a finite number of resources even when there are so many local teams achieving in sports. Somebody always comes up on the short end of the stick, this time it was the Cardinals. Yes, we did know that it was tournament time, no we didn't know that Cardinal Newman made it to the final because no one called in the results in the early rounds, and yet, even if we had, being in Sumter that day would have been unlikely. In talking with some of the girls afterwards, I learned what I suspected to be true: the athletes care much less about the paper having been there than they do about getting that championship. Grown people need to learn to calm down.Submitted by Greg Sanders from Columbia, SC
Q: Why dosen't The State Paper cover the Junior Olympics Track and Field? The upper state and low country papers covers their kids. Here's the dates and location of the next two meets if you have a change of heart. USATF Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships – UNC Charlotte,NC Jun 24-29 / USATF Region III Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships – South Pointe High School, Rock Hill,SC Jul 10-13. Dorman's Rowland was at the USATF-SC Meet in Rock Hill this pass weekend (100m 10.56).
Answered 09/22/08 11:07:37 by Akilah Nelson
A: We cover the Junior Olympics 1) when we have the space to print it; 2) when we have reporters available to cover it; 3) when we have local athletes who are favorites. This summer when Junior Olympics rolled around, none those three requirements were met.Submitted by JSox from West columbia, SC
Q: After reading questions from other readers I now understand All-region (determined by you) and All-State, All-area and North/South are determined by the coaches, but do coaches only vote on players from their respective teams or do all coaches from the region vote on players from other schools within their region? Thanks! Keep up the good work!
Answered 09/22/08 11:05:12 by Akilah Nelson
A: Thanks for the question! I'm baffled as to why this gives everyone so many problems though... The State has nothing to do with All-Region or All-State and we do not vote on All-area either. Coaches' votes determine all three of those honors and coaches can vote for any player they choose within the Midlands (All-Area), their class and region (All-Region), and the state (All-State). Some coaches choose to vote only for players from their own teams, but that is not required. The North/South and Shrine Bowl selection processes are done more by committee once the head coach and staffs are chosen. The coaches on those teams typically get to bring one or two of their own players, but mostly, they try to chose the top prospects and talents in the state.
